Articles tagged with Public Finance
Researchers developed a novel AI framework that optimizes investment decisions directly while accounting for risk. The study found that conventional forecasting-based approaches were outperformed by the decision-focused model in terms of risk-adjusted performance and wealth accumulation.
A Penn State research team found that wealthy taxpayers who take the standard deduction have become less likely to vote for local spending, including repairing or building infrastructure or community services. The study used over 1,500 school district referendum results in California between 2008 and 2022 and found a decline in approva...
Researchers analyze how technology has shaped the retail investment market in the US, noting dramatic drops in costs but persistent structural hurdles. The study concludes that technological advancements introduce complex regulatory challenges regarding jurisdictional oversight and investor protection.
Climate-related damages could further weaken Italy's already fragile economic growth and worsen debt sustainability, with potential losses of up to 15% by the end of the century. The study highlights the need for mitigation and adaptation measures to protect economic growth and financial stability.
Researchers found that analysts from countries with a strong emphasis on long-term planning are better at predicting long-term earnings and making more profitable stock picks. These analysts also prompted managers to disclose more long-term information during earnings calls, providing a valuable perspective for investors.
The convergence of traditional and decentralized finance is breaking down barriers to financial access worldwide, particularly in emerging economies. Tokenisation is enabling essential infrastructure, including cryptocurrency payments and investment opportunities previously exclusive to the ultra-wealthy.
Global wildfire activity in 2025 resulted in destructive and deadly fire events, with 335 million hectares burned globally - 16% below the long-term average. The fires accounted for 38% of all insured natural hazard losses, with Canada experiencing its third consecutive year of extreme fire activity.
New research from the University of Texas at Austin finds that regulators with ties to Big Four accounting firms are less likely to detect financial statement errors and ask for amendments. A cooling-off period might increase confidence in regulatory oversight, but its implementation could be challenging due to staff limitations.
A new AI model helps measure business complexity by breaking it down into 29 categories, including debt, equity, and financial structures. The tool can identify areas of complexity that require closer analysis for investors and provide insights for standard setters and regulators to simplify reporting standards.
A new study reveals that option trading fees are substantially higher than stock trades, creating a conflict of interest for brokers. The complex options market also features structural advantages for dominant firms, leading to higher costs for individual investors.
A 45-year study found that early life leisure-time physical activity is linked to better work ability in late adulthood. Higher levels of activity throughout the lifespan contribute significantly to work ability, with a dose-response association observed in late adulthood.
A new study finds that multilateral development banks are failing to adequately address environmental and social risks in green hydrogen projects. The current guidelines lack hydrogen-specific criteria, leaving critical policy gaps.
Researchers found that less transparency in bond markets can lead to better economic outcomes, as it imposes discipline on players and makes institutions more selective about bonds they buy. This is in contrast to the 2008 global financial crisis, which was triggered by too much public information and looser credit.
Financial settlements from opioid epidemic lawsuits are being redirected to fund potentially lifesaving interventions. These efforts aim to curb overdose deaths and improve public health outcomes.
Research from the University of Notre Dame finds that retail investors' buzz can lead to lower future returns, while institutional investors' attention acts as an early signal for higher returns. The study also reveals a bottom-up approach measuring individual stock attention works better than top-down approaches.
A US study of over a million Medicaid enrollees reveals major gaps in access to medication-based addiction treatments, particularly for Black patients. Methadone and buprenorphine show significant overdose risk reductions, highlighting the need for policy reforms to ensure timely access.
A new study reveals that many 401(k) plans include mutual funds with higher fees and lower performance due to revenue-sharing deals with plan administrators. Employees may unknowingly invest in these funds, leading to lost returns over time.
Research analyzed over 70,000 quarterly earnings announcements from US public companies between 2003 and 2021. It found investors do factor in costs like stock-based compensation when making informed decisions. The study suggests the current accounting rules are working as intended.
New research by Bayes Business School reveals the introduction of the National Living Wage has decreased labor mobility across firms, but its impact on workers' incentives to search for new jobs is unclear. The study suggests that rising wage floors may reduce job switches and make potentially risky job moves less attractive.
Researchers found that Medicaid accountable care organizations (ACOs) can improve some maternal health outcomes if designed thoughtfully. The study highlights the importance of value-based care delivery design within Medicaid programs to support low-income women before, during, and after pregnancy.
The Municipal Finance Journal has joined the Chicago Journals publishing program, expanding its research coverage on municipal finance and tax-exempt financing. The journal's exclusive coverage of the $4.2 trillion municipal bond market will reach a broader audience through this partnership.
Expert research reveals hundreds of thousands of unknowing banking customers could be incorrectly labelled with fraud markers, causing significant stress and hardship. The book highlights the devastating toll of ordinary people being wrongly linked to fraud, often due to third-party errors or fake businesses.
A new study from the University of Vaasa shows that traditional risk models often underestimate extreme events in financial markets. Power-law models offer a more accurate lens to understand financial markets' risk dynamics, revealing sharp rises and crashes are common across equities, commodities, FX markets, and cryptocurrencies.
A study by researchers at UCSF found that young patients who received eight or more outpatient therapy sessions after a hospital stay were 25 times less likely to be readmitted. The therapy was delivered by community-based clinicians and did not require specialist expertise. This simple yet effective approach has the potential to break...
A study by Kaunas University of Technology reveals that digital mental health platform start-ups prioritize simple, scalable services and use subscription models to achieve success. State funding can hinder development rather than encouraging it to become a unicorn.
A recent study by Politecnico di Milano found that UK investors cut back on European investments after Brexit, while EU investors waited for clarity before increasing their investments. This suggests that Brexit raised uncertainty in the market for financing innovative entrepreneurship.
Financial stressors significantly affect relationship happiness, but collaborating on finances can change this. Military couples who budget and make financial decisions together report better interactions with their partners and a stronger relationship.
A new analysis examines the effectiveness of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) add-on code targeting infectious disease (ID) physicians. The measure aims to combat the growing shortage of ID physicians and has the potential to reset national benchmarks for ID compensation.
Researchers found that quasi-insider shareholder activism is surprisingly common and effective, targeting smaller companies with significant stock ownership. Former CEOs and founders with large stakes can wield considerable influence, but their motivations often appear more personal than ideological.
A new study reveals that China's sell-by-plan mandate, aimed at preventing insider trading, has failed to stop executives from profiting from private information. Executives have found a way to plan their sales far in advance, allowing them to cash out before bad news breaks, undermining market fairness and eroding investor trust.
The conference aims to promote research broadly related to global financial risk management. It will feature an AI and Climate Risk Forum at MIT, as well as a submission platform for scholars to share their work.
A new study from the University of Surrey warns that delayed and disorderly energy transitions could lead to increased inflation, higher interest rates, economic stagnation, and financial instability. However, an orderly transition with targeted investments in green technologies and a robust financial framework can mitigate these risks.
The AI FORA project analyzed how AI-based social assessment varies across nine countries and four continents, highlighting the need for flexible, dynamic, and adaptive systems that reflect social stakeholders' perspectives. The research aims to improve AI in addressing fairness and discrimination issues in public social services.
A study by Tepper School researchers found that tax cuts did not lead to increased investments in capital expenditures, employment, research and development, or mergers and acquisitions. Instead, companies used the repatriated funds primarily for shareholder payouts and cash retention, challenging existing financial theories.
A new book by Komla Dzigbede explores the ability of local governments to learn, adapt, and innovate in the face of major crises. The book analyzes disaster preparedness, response, and economic development post-disaster, offering practical lessons for local leaders.
Jeremy Forsberg, UTA's Associate Research VP, has been named chair of the Costing and Financial Compliance committee within COGR. He will work with top research institutions and federal agencies to address regulatory burden on researchers.
A recent study from the University of Eastern Finland found that a market-oriented organisational culture is positively associated with strategic procurement capability, which predicts the use of public procurement of innovations to create customer value. The study highlights the importance of both market orientation and strategic proc...
Researchers propose a new and more effective way to gauge earnings quality, identifying companies that may be using accounting tricks to cover up problems. The Earnings Quality Score (EQSCORE) model has been shown to outperform existing approaches in predicting fraud, providing valuable insights for investors and regulators.
Researchers found that windfall profits from oil and gas companies in 2022 would be enough to cover climate payments for nearly five years. Governments can redistribute these excess profits to fight the climate crisis, with a tax on windfall profits being a proposed solution.
A study published in Journal of Accounting Research finds that conflicts of interest from commercial ties lead to biased ESG ratings. ESG ratings for existing clients increased by 17.16% after the acquisitions, highlighting the need for regulation and investor awareness.
A new study by the University of Exeter found that public participation is key to enhancing urban living conditions and environmental decision-making in China. The research suggests that smaller local projects tend to have higher levels of public engagement, while larger initiatives often experience minimal involvement.
A study by University of Exeter researcher Dr Pedro Perfeito da Silva explores the impact of popular resistance and union support on economic policies in Ecuador and El Salvador. The findings suggest that administrations reliant on strong public backing implemented stricter capital controls, while those with less support adopted more n...
Eight in ten Integrated Care Boards in England have reduced or frozen discretionary funding for general practices' enhanced services, such as heart monitoring and minor surgery. Many general practices are facing financial ruin, with some forced to make staff redundant due to pressure on income.
A WVU statistician is developing new methods to analyze curve-type data for predicting extreme weather patterns, financial turmoil and pollution levels. The research aims to create innovative tools for understanding high-resolution data and addressing regional risks in mountainous states like West Virginia.
Research by economists at University of East Anglia and others found links between finance ministers and executives at biggest credit ratings agencies associated with higher ratings for countries without these connections, highlighting a conflict-of-interest problem in the credit ratings agency business model.
A study on Oregon's state-run retirement savings program found significant benefits for previously uncovered private workers and lower-income, single, older workers. The analysis revealed a 12% increase in Individual Retirement Account ownership among Oregon workers after the program's roll-out.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that people in Europe primarily consume trustworthy news, but a small percentage rely on questionable sources. The ratio of questionable news to reliable news consumption differs between countries, highlighting the need for context-specific approaches to fighting misinformation.
A new prediction strategy helps investors forecast myopic marketing spending up to a year in advance, allowing for portfolio optimization and improved returns. The study found that using this method yields additional 6.44% returns over four years, compared to existing methods.
A new study by University of Texas at Austin researchers finds that government cash grants help companies lighten their debt load, with corporations enjoying a 2-3% lower debt-to-equity ratio. However, the grants are often not publicly disclosed, making it difficult for investors and stakeholders to effectively value the benefit.
Researchers propose a new 'legibility' framework to understand cryptocurrency governance, revealing stages of illegibility, contested legibility, and collaborative legibility. The study examines the US, EU, and Japan's markets, showing they progressed through these states at different rates.
A systematic review of 20 empirical studies found that CEO financial incentives have a small predictive effect on return on assets, but no effect on other performance metrics or financial restatements. The analysis suggests caution regarding current practices and recommends alternative arrangements to enhance firm performance.
Researchers from Pusan National University have developed pricing formulas for vulnerable timer options, which can help reduce investment risks. The study found that these options are more effective than standard timer options in managing credit risk.
A multi-state analysis of US county-level data found that minor court debt can lead to jail admissions in Texas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma. The study suggests a pressing issue with modern-day debt imprisonment.
A WVU study found that U.S. cities with new professional sports teams saw increased influenza mortality rates, with the NHL teams causing the largest increase. The researchers analyzed data from 122 cities and controlled for factors like population and temperature to find a significant correlation between team arrival and flu deaths.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) invested approximately $164 billion in project funding prior to first drug approval, with only 0.59% ($0.95/$164 billion) associated with patents providing market exclusivity. This research highlights the limited public interest protections for NIH-funded research on new drugs approved between 20...
A new study by Bentley University reveals the NIH's significant investment in pharmaceutical innovation, with $8.1 billion spent on phased clinical trials between 2010-19. The funding represents only ~10% of reported industry costs for these trials, highlighting the public sector's limited contribution to drug development.
A study by Chinese researchers found that financial reports produced during fiscal years mismatched with annual business activity may be less reliable due to rigid accounting regulations. This can result in higher abnormal accruals, lower analyst forecast accuracy, and longer audit reporting delays for affected companies.
A UK study of 3,745 families reveals significant inequalities in young people's financial capabilities depending on socio-economic background. The research highlights the need to develop financial skills in disadvantaged children as early as primary school.
Approximately 30% of the U.S. population lives in a jurisdiction that has implemented taxes specifically for mental health services, generating over $3.57 billion annually. These taxes often provide a stable revenue stream and are more politically feasible than traditional funding methods.
New research finds that most corporations that face significant inflation risk have failed to disclose it, causing $0.9 trillion to $2.8 trillion in shareholder damages. Companies with high exposure to inflation risk have seen their share prices drop following inflation shocks.