How bond markets have become one of the most powerful forces in modern politics

By Alper Kara, Head of Department of Economics, Finance & Accounting, Brunel University of London

To stay in the top job, a British prime minister has to try and keep certain groups happy. MPs, party members and donors do not like to be ignored.

Nor do the bond markets. And often it feels like they matter the most.

That’s because those markets are what make it possible for governments to spend money. Each of the bonds is essentially a loan from an investor to the state.

In return for the loan, the government pays a certain amount of interest (yield) for a set period, before…

Read complete article

~	Will ‘ordinariness’ be enough to swing the result in Makerfield?

~	Europe wants to limit its reliance on foreign tech – but funding is limited and the proposed rules are weak

~	David Hockney’s success is a testament to a Britain that supported working-class artists – the same cannot be said today

~	Our eyes age too: Here’s how to reduce the risks of four common eye conditions

~	CAR: Long-awaited trial of former president Bozizé for war crimes and crimes against humanity tarnished by his absence

~	The rights left behind: The future of LGBTQI+ organizing in post-uprising Bangladesh

~	The RBA holds interest rates steady, but warns another hike is possible if inflation stays high

~	After a coaching masterclass against Turkey, can the Socceroos shock the US and Paraguay?

~	Russia’s strike on centuries-old Ukrainian monastery complex reveals its growing desperation

~	The 5 best films from this year’s (outstanding) Sydney Film Festival