Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with David Marsh, the founder of OMFIF about Europe’s fractured landscape: Germany’s struggles, Russia’s war, US- China rivalry, regulation, the euro—and what must change for the continent to endure.

Guest host Marsha Vande Berg speaks with Karthik Muralidharan, Tata Chancellor’s Professor of Economics at UC San Diego and founder of the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS). They discuss his acclaimed new book, Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance, exploring how better state capacity—not just more spending—can unlock India’s vast potential. A conversation about evidence-based reform, economic inclusion, and India’s evolving role on the world stage.

In Episode 73 of The Hale Report, Lord Adair Turner — economist, former head of the UK Financial Services Authority, and chair of the G30 Working Group on Carbon Pricing, discusses the group’s new report: Carbon Pricing and MarketsEnabling Efficient Emission Reductions

Today on The Hale Report, I’m joined by Joel Ross—investment banker, veteran dealmaker, and the unfiltered voice behind The Ross Rant. For decades, Joel has called out trends in finance, real estate, politics, and policy- long before they hit the headlines. From pioneering hotel securitizations on Wall Street to writing some of the most candid—and controversial—market commentary out there, Joel has never shied away from saying what others won’t.

We’ll talk about the intersection of economics and politics, why markets can’t be separated from Washington, and what risks Joel sees just over the horizon. Be prepared for a conversation that’s equal parts markets, money, and straight talk.

Welcome to the 71st episode of the Hale Report. We are back after a short summer hiatus. My name is Lyric Hughes Hale, and I am Editor-in-Chief of econVue and your host today, Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Our topic: Money in Motion: Stablecoins, Payments, and the Global FinTech Race. 

Today I’m joined by Collin Canright — a pioneer in Chicago’s fintech community, a seasoned journalist, and founder of FinTech Rising. For more than three decades, Collin has been making complex technologies accessible for business and financial leaders, from the earliest days of electronic banking in the 1980s to today’s digital payments and fintech revolutions. He’s also the founder of the Chicago Payments Forum and a coach to emerging leaders in the industry. Through his writing, publishing, and community-building, Collin has become one of the most trusted voices on the future of money.

EconVue editor Lyric Hughes Hale is joined by George DiMartino, professor of International Economics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. They discuss his most recent book, The Tragic Science: How economists cause harm and they aspire to do good.

Economic research has life  or death policy consequences seen by economists as trade-offs—not right or wrong, in the moral sense. De Martino believes that economics is a profession in search of a standards. A surgeon can yield a scalpel, and either do harm or good. For that reason doctors are tested, licensed, and have to ascribe to a code of ethics. This is not true for economists. As he writes:

 “Economists wield extraordinary power—but unlike doctors or lawyers, they do so without a professional oath, license, or code of conduct. That must change.”

— The Oxford Handbook of Professional Economic Ethics

Today, I’m joined by the Honorable Deborah L. Wince-Smith, a key figure in US innovation and competitiveness policy, whose expertise spans the intersections of science, technology, and economics.

In the 68th episode of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with Brian McCarthy, founder of Macrolens and one of the sharpest voices on China and global macroeconomics. They discuss the latest round of U.S. tariffs, China’s mounting structural challenges, and how geopolitics and markets are colliding in 2025. Is China’s growth story over? What does that mean for investors and policymakers alike? Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on trade, deflation, financial flows—and the illusion of stability.

Lyric Hughes Hale talks markets, economics, and geopolitics with Bluford "Blu" Putnam, a distinguished economist with over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, encompassing roles in central banking, investment research, and portfolio management. Among other roles, he served as Chief Economist at CME Group. Given current market and policy volatility, he says that it is important to distinguish between uncertainty and risk.  They also talk about his new book, “The Apprenticeship of Warren Buffet”.

In Episode 66 of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale interviews Kerry Brown. His new book Why Taiwan Matters: A Short History of a Small Island that will Dictate Our Future was released today in the US. It is sobering and, I think, realistic. Professor Brown doesn’t see a way out of the current status quo in Taiwan:

“For today, strenuous defence of the stalemate is all that we can meaningfully do. Anything else is insanity.”