Global Finance magazine editor Andrea Fiano's message to readers about what to expect in this month's issue.
June 2019 | VOL. 33 NO. 6
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This letter is the last part of the magazine to be written each month. For production purposes we leave it until the very end of the process, which allows us to sometimes address late-breaking news in this space. This month, we could not cover the results of the Indian or EU parliamentary elections, since they are not known as of press time.
Sometimes we find ourselves in an odd situation in which major issues only find space here due to their uncertainty. One issue we could not tackle effectively this month, for example, is the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China. The central parties have not established a firm new approach, and policy can change significantly with a single statement—whether made in a press conference or a midnight tweet. The scenarios change literally day by day—possible outcomes range from a historic compromise between the two economic giants to an escalating trade war—and by the time our magazine ships, the whole picture will have changed.
For our part, in this limited space, we wish to stress that trade is crucial for the future of the two countries and the rest of the world. That the world’s economic trajectory is strongly tied to the success or failure of these negotiations is shown by the volatility in global financial markets since the two sides started ratcheting up the rhetoric.
A perfect example of how companies and financial institutions plan their strategies and invest in times of uncertainty comes for our annual Innovators Awards, including for the first time a selection of the most innovative financial labs in the world. And it is strenghtened by this month’s cover story on the link between innovation and productivity. This team effort of our writers shows clearly that political and trade uncertainty do not translate or justify any pause on innovation. Quite the contrary, in times of financial and technlogical disruption, it looks like investing in innovation is a must. Financial innovation happens everywhere in the world, and financial institutions cannot afford to be left behind.
Andrea Fiano | Editor
afiano@gfmag.com
