BoE quantifies the effect of political shocks on economic output, the threat of a cyber attack is ranked as the top security concern for the second consecutive year by the CFR’s foreign policy experts.

Macroeconomic Effects of Political Risk Shocks (Bank of England, 34 page read) The BoE finds that increased polarisation and partisan conflict in US politics does negatively impact growth and asset markets. Their study looked at the period 1980 until today.

Conflicts to Watch in 2020 (Council on Foreign Relations, 5 min read) Among the top risks to watch for this year are “disruptive cyberattacks on US critical infrastructure, including electoral systems”, “an armed confrontation between the US and Iran”, and “a severe crisis between Russia and Ukraine following increased fighting in the contested areas / Eastern Ukraine” according to the CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey.

Obama, Trump Tie as Most Admired Man in 2019 (Gallup, 2 min read) President Trump, got 1^st place for the first time. He was joint first with former US President Obama (12 years at #1). Results partly reflect the significant party divide in the U.S. Michelle Obama won the female spot for the second year in a row.