The article presents a study of the connectivity and integration of sovereign bond and stock markets in 10 BRICS+ countries in the context of crisis instabilities in 2019−2024. Financial markets are becoming more integrated, and an increasing share of public investments are carried out across borders, which increases not only the opportunities for participants, but also the risks of a new crisis. The work used data on central bank rates of the considered countries, yield indices of 10-year government bonds, gold and Brent oil prices. The methods include the analysis of exchange rate dynamics, connectivity estimates based on the multivariate concordance coefficient and two-factor Friedman rank variance analysis, VAR models, Granger predictability and cointegration. The objective of this study is to analyze the interrelationship and cointegration between the sovereign bond and equity markets of selected BRICS+ countries during crisis periods. Our findings indicate that market interrelationship intensifies during crises, which in turn amplifies volatility. Additionally, we observed that none of the economies within the BRICS+ group can be classified as fully integrated or entirely isolated markets. The disruption of the interrelationship in the sovereign bond markets of the group is primarily reflected in the inconsistency of dynamic changes between Russia, China, and India. During the global shock of 2019–2020, the crisis spread from China, followed by Indonesia, and later to the other countries of the group. The financial and debt markets of the sampled countries were able to quickly cope with the severe shocks of the COVID-2019 period. The 2022–2024 crisis, which lasted significantly longer, began in Russia before spreading to countries across Asia and Africa. By 2024, Russia’s sovereign bond yields showed a marked decline. The increased market volatility following 2022 disrupted the integration and interrelationship of the stock and debt markets within the BRICS+ countries.
As the population’s demand for food continues to increase, aquaculture is positioned as a productive activity that provides high-quality protein. Aquaculture activity is characterized by its socio-economic impact, the generation of jobs, its contribution to food, and constant growth worldwide. However, in the face of threats of competition, producers must quickly adapt to market needs and innovate. Given this, this research aims to analyze the impact of the knowledge absorption capacity with the adoption of innovations by aquaculture producers in the Mezquital Valley in Hidalgo, Mexico. The methodological strategy was carried out through structural equation modeling using partial least squares and correlation tests. The findings show that knowledge absorption capacities explain 77.8% of the innovations carried out in aquaculture farms. Both variables maintain a medium-high correlation; the more significant the absorption capacity, the greater the innovation.
Technological innovation allows nations to produce sophisticated products more efficiently and at higher quality to increase exports. Countries that aim to produce and export sophisticated products can improve their economic complexity and lead to the country’s economic development. Hence, the study investigates the impact of technological innovation on economic complexity in South Africa. Technological innovation, exports, and manufactured products were used as variables to examine South Africa’s economic complexity index. The study employed the ARDL method to determine the relationship among the variables. The ARDL F-bounds test reflected the long-run cointegration among the selected variables. The study produced long-run positive estimates of technological innovation, exports, and manufactured products on economic complexity, however, manufactured products and exports were insignificant. Granger causality indicated unidirectional causality on economic complexity to manufactured products, exports to technological innovation, and a bi-directional causal effect from exports to economic complexity and technological innovation to economic complexity. The study recommends that South Africa focus on innovation, create more diversified and sophisticated products and processes, and promote more manufacturing firms, particularly Agri-processed products.
The global COVID-19 crisis has precipitated an economic downturn in many countries, subsequently raising concerns about the potential challenges faced by marginalized populations, such as refugees, in accessing essential healthcare, hygiene facilities, and critical health information and safety guidelines within the context of Jordan. Consequently, it is of paramount importance to investigate and evaluate the specific economic hurdles related to COVID-19 that refugees are encountering. This inquiry will serve as a valuable foundation for shaping public health interventions aimed at containing the virus’s spread and guiding policymakers on strategies to enhance the well-being of refugees in Jordan. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of Syrian refugees in Jordan, including an analysis of the policies implemented by Jordan concerning Syrian refugees in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the report assesses whether international assistance, both through bilateral and multilateral channels, can mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Jordan’s capacity to continue hosting Syrian refugees. It also delves into the economic consequences of COVID-19, covering aspects such as poverty, education, the health sector budget, healthcare accessibility, essential needs, livelihoods, the labor market, and food security among Syrian refugees in Jordan.
Analyzing ecosystem service values (ESV) is crucial for achieving sustainable development. The main objective of this study was to assess the ecosystem services of the Cisadane watershed in Indonesia, with specific goals: (i) examining the spatiotemporal dynamics of ESV using multi-year land use and land cover (LULC) data from 2000 to 2021, (ii) exploring trade-offs and synergies among various ecosystem services, and (iii) investigating the sensitivity of ESV to changes in LULC. The results unveiled a significant decrease in forested areas (21.2%) and rice fields (10.2%), leading to a decline in ESV of $196.37 billion (33.17%) from 2010 to 2021. Throughout the period from 2000 to 2021, interactions between ESV were mainly synergistic. Projected from the baseline year (2021), the decline in ESV is expected to persist, ranging from $24.78 billion to $124.28 million by 2030 and from $45.78 billion to $124.28 million by 2050. The total estimated ecosystem values exhibited an inelastic response in terms of ecosystem value coefficients. The study also emphasizes an inelastic response in total estimated ESV coefficient concerning ecosystem value coefficients. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts and sustainable land management practices to mitigate the further decline in ecosystem services and safeguard the long-term well-being of the Cisadane watershed and its inhabitants.
Despite being controversial, teacher tenure policies are understudied, particularly in higher education contexts outside the Western world. Using semi-structured interviews with 15 university faculty members, this study explored how tenure systems influence the teaching practices, motivations, and job satisfaction of language teachers in Macau's universities. It was revealed that Macau implemented competitive, “up or out” tenure policies that were based on research output. Faculty were anxious as vague expectations heightened research priorities over teaching quality and student support. Requirements also strained collegial relationships as faculty goals focused on promotion. Veteran professors demonstrated resilience, maintaining intrinsic motivation despite policies. They advocated improving policies by promoting transparency, balancing workloads, accommodating disciplines, and communicating effectively. Using empirical data, this study identifies key policy implications for supporting teacher motivation while balancing inequality constraints. It provides empirical insight into optimizing tenure for teacher engagement and fulfillment.
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