37th Annual Monetary and Trade Conference: Global Trade: Darkening Clouds or New Beginnings?

On May 6, 2019, the Global Interdependence Center will host its Annual Monetary & Trade (AMT) Conference in partnership with the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. 2019 will mark the year of our 37th AMT Conference, with a keynote address from Patrick Harker, President & CEO of the Federal Reserve bank of Philadelphia.

The conference explores global trade imbalance issues and offers a forum for discussion of the current status of trade relations among the most significant world trade partners, including the US, China and the European Union. In particular, the conference will address pertinent issues to trade of goods and services and focus on the Interconnections between trade flows and financial services.

Agenda

8:30 – 8:50 a.m. | Registration

8:50 – 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Paul Jensen, Dean of LeBow College of Business, Drexel University
• Michael Papaioannou, TA Expert-Advisor, International Monetary Fund
• George Tsetsekos, Dean Emeritus and the Francis Professor of Finance at LeBow’s College of Business at Drexel University and GIC Board Member

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Session 1: Global Trade Imbalances and Current Challenges

Topics:

• Origins of trade imbalances and effects of trade barriers (e.g., tariffs) on the trade balance and current account.
• Implications of global trade imbalances for local and international macroeconomics and financial stability (e.g., economic growth, employment, prices, fiscal accounts, exchange rate and capital market volatility).
• Proposals to ameliorate global trade imbalances: efficacy and prospects of implementation.

Panel:

• Moderator: Michael Papaioannou. TA Expert-Advisor, International Monetary Fund
• Apostolos Apostolou, Economist, International Monetary Fund
• Philip Kenworthy, First Secretary, British Embassy Washington
• Stephen Tokarick, Lecturer, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Keynote Address: Economic Outlook

• Patrick Harker, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. | Break

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Session 2: Inter-linkages between Trade, Finance and Investments

Topics:

• Trade relations, challenges and current and pending agreements.
• What are the main channels of inter-linkages? Do these inter-linkages increase domestic and international economic and financial volatility?
• What should/can country authorities and international financial institutions do?

Panel:

• Moderator: George Tsetsekos, Dean Emeritus and the Francis Professor of Finance at LeBow’s College of Business at Drexel University and GIC Board Member
• Andrew J. Patterson, CFA, Investment Analyst, Vanguard Investment Strategy Group
• Bill Stone, Chief Investment Officer, Avalon Advisors, LLC
• Catherine L. Mann, Ph.D., Chief Economist, Citi

12:00 – 12:15 p.m. | Break

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. | Session 3: Opportunities and Challenges in Global Trade for Financial Services Companies

Topics:

• The dynamics of current trade and financial relations among key global partners.
• Challenges and trade sanctions for financial services firms.
• The impact of sanctions on financial services firms.

Panel:

• Moderator: Paul Thanos, Director, Office of Finance and Insurance Industries, Industry & Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Christine Bliss, President, Coalition of Services Industries
• Yancy Molnar, Senior Vice President, Head of International Government Affairs & Public Policy, Chubb
• Kimberley Claman, Director of International Government Affairs, Citi
• Christopher Melly, Vice President, Government Affairs, AIG

1:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Concluding Remarks