Issue #44

June 21st, 2021

Join us – share and network, discover and learn

Scanning your environment.  RANSOMWARE is a serious threat!

WEBINAR this week – Ransomware discussion

Friday, June 25th 4PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85896241732

YouTube

To view former webinars CLICK 

HERE

What’s hot and what’s not?  Finding signals when there is so much noise about what is important is a concern for policy makers and industry leaders, investors and managers. For our Network contacts here is a general environmental scan of what’s important in energy, finance, and the economy.  This week’s webinar will commence with a presentation and follow-on discussion about the international threat of ransomware by Ling Huang, CEO at Technology North

ENERGY…fueling the world’s  economy

Fusion – emerging as the preferred energy alternative: clean, safe, and abundant. Canada – a latecomer, has a private vs public play in General Fusion that has chosen to locate it’s pilot plant in the UK. HERE

Green energy – continuing to attract investment in technologies to reduce fossil fuel emissions contributing to climate change. IEA roadmap released for achieving Net-Zero by 2050 through cleaner electricity generation, adoption of electric vehicles, and growth of solar and wind farms. HERE 

Compromising – commitments to terminate fossil fuels for energy continue to be compromised such Keystone XL terminated by Line 5 permitted and IEA promoting Net-Zero by 2050 then urging Russia and OPEC to increase oil and gas production to avoid pending shortages and price inflation. HERE

 FINANCE…directing the allocation of capital

Inflation – and interest rates are increasing but how far and for how long?  Nobody knows or is willing to say with confidence. Wages are being watched closely as they increase to attract back workers post-Covid. The latest view is that inflation differs across economic sectors, with some cooling and others over-heating due to energy shortages and supply chain constraints. HERE

Sovereign Debt – national debt has risen by the $Ts constituting a potentially severe repayment cost muted by near zero interest rates but exacerbated should interest rates rise. HERE

Cybersecurity – a clear and present threat to small business as ransomware and fintech fraud capitalize on lagging regulatory and technology measures to police financial transactions including all digital currencies. HERE Oil industry especially vulnerable HERE

BIGtech – including Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google may be too big to be controlled by governments aiming to breakup internet based monopolies and resolve tax avoidance schemes. HERE

Accounting – intangibles have been displacing tangibles as the primary growth asset, meaning data, marketing, intellectual property, knowledge, software, “goodwill”, even employee “satisfaction”. HERE and HERE

ECONOMICS…the sources of growth/ revenue

Digital economy – the source of growth and opportunity but lagging for SMEs confronted with a lack internet access, the high cost of digitizing, and lack of employee knowhow. Industries such as mining and  manufacturing lag as they are confronted by high sunk capital costs. Professions are also exposed as employees need re-education. HERE 

Innovation – key to diversification and economic resilience in Canada gets a boost as foreign investors discover Canada’s markets for innovation along the US border in: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary. HERE 

Public Sector – stable employment in health, education, NGOs, and government serves to mediate socio-economic shocks and sustain the status quo. Democratic regimes compete with Socialist regimes to quickly adapt to innovation for meeting increasing expectations. Disinformation is rampant undermining sources of trust. HERE

ESG – the consolidation of environmental, social, and governance activism each and together are popular option(s) for confronting abuse. Confrontation is expressed through measures of violence and passive resistance even the coordination of local protests worldwide. ESG investing targeting the fossil fuel industry can backfire. HERE

Your view? Has anything been missed and/or should any of the above be deleted or consolidated. Reply HERE.