Category: Risk

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“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,”

Colin Henderson

The idea of the philosopher king, a leader who governs with wisdom and morality, has long captured the imagination. During a recent coffee chat, my friend and I debated whether the most moral person should lead an organization. My friend argued that if a moral leader were at the top, they would always make the right decisions for the benefit of everyone. While I understand the appeal of this idea, I believe it overlooks a key problem: even good people can make mistakes, and the path to power often requires qualities that are far from virtuous. Good intentions alone are … Continue reading “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,”

Risk

RBC CEO McKay Prioritizes Organic Growth Over US Bank Acquisitions

Colin Henderson

$Royal Bank of Canada (RY.CA)$‘s CEO, Dave McKay, expressed disinterest in acquiring US banks, highlighting the challenges of inheriting issues from such deals. Speaking at Bank of Nova Scotia’s annual financial industry conference in Toronto, McKay emphasized his cautious approach towards acquisitions, questioning the benefits of taking over US banks and the potential problems involved. He stated, “The first question I always ask myself on an acquisition is, ‘Why are they selling and what problems am I inheriting, and can I run this business better than the current management team can?’ Despite his past acquisition of Los Angeles-based City National … Continue reading RBC CEO McKay Prioritizes Organic Growth Over US Bank Acquisitions

Geopolitics, Risk

Israeli Settlers Storm West Bank Village, Drawing Rare Rebukes From Israeli Officials

Colin Henderson

The Palestinian Authority said one person was shot dead; the Israeli military said it was investigating and condemned the attack, as did the Israeli prime minister. By Ephrat Livni Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians have surged in the West Bank, but a riot on Thursday in the village of Jit stood out for drawing rapid and unusual rebukes from Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose coalition government includes West Bank settlers in top positions. “Dozens of Israeli civilians, some of them masked, entered the town of Jit and set fire to vehicles and structures in the area, hurled rocks … Continue reading Israeli Settlers Storm West Bank Village, Drawing Rare Rebukes From Israeli Officials

Geopolitics, Risk

A Catastrophic Civil War in Sudan

Colin Henderson

How an unexpected conflict is crushing Africa’s third-largest country. Aug. 15, 2024, 6:23 a.m. ET You’re reading The Morning newsletter.  Make sense of the day’s news and ideas. David Leonhardt and Times journalists guide you through what’s happening — and why it matters. By Declan Walsh I’m The Times’s chief Africa correspondent, based in Nairobi, Kenya. After more than a year of civil war, the toll in Sudan is heartbreaking: thousands killed, millions scattered and cities besieged or destroyed across a vast nation three times as large as France. Much of the capital lies in rubble. This month, international officials declared that part … Continue reading A Catastrophic Civil War in Sudan

Risk

How Everything Became National Security

Colin Henderson

And National Security Became Everything By Daniel W. Drezner  September/October 2024 Published on August 12, 2024 In American politics, labeling something a matter of “national security” automatically elevates its importance. In the language of foreign policy observers, national security questions, such as regulating weapons of mass destruction, are matters of “high politics,” whereas other issues, such as human rights, are “low politics.” Of course, not everyone agrees on which issues fall into the national security bucket. And the American definition of national security has fluctuated wildly over time. The term was used by both George Washington and Alexander Hamilton during the Revolutionary era without … Continue reading How Everything Became National Security

Risk

The top U.S. and Israeli defense officials speak amid fears of escalation in the Mideast.

Colin Henderson

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on Sunday, the third call the two are known to have held in a week, amid rising fears of an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran. In the call, Mr. Austin “reiterated the United States’ commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel,” according to a summary provided by the Pentagon press secretary, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder. In an unusual disclosure, General Ryder said that Mr. Austin had ordered the ballistic-missile submarine Georgia to the Middle East. The Pentagon rarely announces the movements of … Continue reading The top U.S. and Israeli defense officials speak amid fears of escalation in the Mideast.

Risk

Japan Issued Its First ‘Megaquake’ Warning After Powerful Tremor

Colin Henderson

Bloomberg) — An earthquake off the coast of Japan’s southern island of Kyushu prompted the government to issue its first-ever warning for a megaquake from an undersea trough running along a swath of the country’s coast.  Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called off a planned trip to Central Asia out of an abundance of caution following the warning. Bullet trains were running at reduced speeds, national broadcaster NHK is running cautionary graphics and some semiconductor-related factories temporarily halted production. Some beaches in the affected regions have been closed off for the time being, according to local reports.  A megaquake in what’s … Continue reading Japan Issued Its First ‘Megaquake’ Warning After Powerful Tremor

Risk

Live Updates: The Fed Hinted That Rate Cuts Could Come Soon

Colin Henderson

The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a two-decade high but suggested that recent progress in lowering inflation could enable it to cut interest rates soon. Updated  July 31, 2024, 2:49 p.m. ET6 minutes ago Pinned Federal funds target rate Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged at their July meeting, as economists had expected, and hinted that recent progress in lowering inflation could enable them to cut interest rates soon. Continue reading Live Updates: The Fed Hinted That Rate Cuts Could Come Soon

Risk

U.K. Police Officers Injured in Far-Right Riot After Deadly Stabbing

Colin Henderson

NYT A day after an attacker with a knife killed three girls in Southport, northwestern England, violence driven in part by disinformation erupted in the town. Officials said that the targeting of the mosque and the ensuing riot appeared to be linked to online disinformation about the stabbing on Monday, when an attacker killed three children and injured eight other children and two adults at a dance class in Southport. The police on Monday arrested a 17-year-old who was born in Cardiff, Wales, on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. In line with British law regarding minors, the police did … Continue reading U.K. Police Officers Injured in Far-Right Riot After Deadly Stabbing

Risk

Overcoming data & analytics challenges for the Buy-Side 

Colin Henderson

Report | Data & Analytics  In 2024, the vast amount and variety of financial data available to buy-side firms continues to grow. As a result, organizing, structuring, and distilling valuable insights from data remains a challenge for many. The buy-side is also contending with uncertainties ranging from potential interest-rate changes in the U.S. to the outcomes of national elections in more than 50 countries around the globe. The growing significance of AI in both finance and the broader society is also placing new demands on buy-side firms — and compelling them to determine how AI tools can enhance their investment … Continue reading Overcoming data & analytics challenges for the Buy-Side