Landsbankinn publishes varied content on economic and financial matters in the broadest sense. In 2018, the Bank published several articles on student finances, cybersecurity, and the ageing demographic of society on Umræðan, its news and content site. Podcasts were added to the publication format during the year.
On Umræðan, Landsbankinn publishes thought-provoking content on the economy, finance, the Bank’s activities and on wider, social issues. Umræðan is for everyone, with a focus on making trending topics in finance to op-eds on societal changes accessible to all readers.
Umræðan went live in 2016 and the website has grown more comprehensive each year. Content is in the form of copy, photos, videos and graphic statistics. Emphasis has been placed on publishing videos, from interviews with experts and observers to educational summaries and teasers. In 2018, podcasts made in collaboration with the University of Iceland Student Council were added to available content.
The topics covered on Umræðan are very varied. In 2018, the Bank continued its comprehensive review of cyber security, with articles by the Bank’s experts covering such subjects as the future of authentication, security in online shopping, phishing and how to guard against fake news and ads for easy gains. In recent years, online attempts at fraud have increased considerably and Landsbankinn places great emphasis on warning its customers and others against such dangers as part of its corporate social responsibility.
In 2018, Umræðan published articles on how to write effective job applications and present oneself in job interviews. Other articles focused on payment card use overseas and attempted to define a fair babysitter wage.
Among other interesting articles was a review of development in banking and finance, as well as on data protection, a new directive on payment services and green bonds. The digital currency bitcoin and blockchains, the technology it builds on, were discussed. There was a comparison of the cost of short-term loans, interest-free loans and the comparative advantages of inflation-indexed vs. non-indexed loans. The Bank’s experts went over how to achieve a good credit rating. A special article was published to mark the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Landsbankinn’s branch in Selfoss and there was a review of important points to keep in mind during probate.
Some of the topics covered on Umræðan have links to the community and the Bank’s partners. This includes an article about the 90-year history of ICE-SAR (Landsbjörg search and rescue), music festival Airwaves and an article on LGBTQI+ politics in Iceland to mark the occasion of Reykjavík Pride. There was also a piece on the box car race held in connection with the lobster festival in Höfn. Two articles were published on the men’s national football team’s Russian World Cup adventure, with one article focusing on the people behind the scenes and the other on Heimir Hallgrímsson, the then coach. There was also interesting coverage of the women’s national football team and the build-up to their match with Germany in the preliminaries for the 2019 World Cup.
Umræðan has published an in-depth analysis on the ageing demographic and the effects on society as a whole and on individuals. Hagspá, the economic forecast published by Economic Research, along with the department’s analysis of other aspects of the economy, are now published exclusively on Umræðan, with dedicated websites created for larger publications.
The websites employ interactive graphs (made with Infogram), videos, photos and interviews with stakeholders in industry to illustrate the points made in Economic Research's analyses. Recordings and slides from conferences held in connection with publications are published to dedicated websites. Podcasts and videos have been used to cover specific topics. Emphasis is placed on providing detailed and accessible web-based material.
Landsbankinn Economic Research publishes its regular bulletin on economic affairs, Hagsjá, on Umræðan, with a focus on economic developments, public finances, the real estate market, the inflation outlook etc., etc. Regular column Icelandic Economic Weekly includes market information, a review of the previous week and calendar for upcoming financial events, publication of statistics, financial statements, etc.
The department publishes macroeconomic and inflation forecasts, prepares sector analyses and handles other specialised tasks. Economic Research also prepares analyses and price valuations of listed companies. Economic Research's analysts are frequently quoted in the media and they regularly make themselves available for interviews, in line with the Bank's goal of being a dynamic presence in the community and public debate.
Economic Research created a total of 338 analytical publications in 2018, and hosted numerous meetings and events where the focus was on economic affairs, both in-house and public. The department’s largest project is the publication of a 3-year macroeconomic and inflation forecast. Following Landsbankinn's presentation of Economic Research's macroeconomic forecast in Harpa in November, Thjóðhagur, the department's annual publication, was published on Umræðan. This year’s title was: “From rapid growth to a slower rhythm”. Special attention was devoted to the travel industry and Danielle Haralambous, analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), gave a talk on Iceland in a global community. The conference wound up with a panel on the status and outlook on the Icelandic labour market.
Publications by Economic Research | |
---|---|
Economic analysis, the stock and FX markets | |
Thjóðhagur special publications | 2 |
Hagsjá | 132 |
Iceland Economic Weekly | 50 |
Reviews of the FX market | 12 |
Monthly review of covered bonds | 12 |
208 | |
Equities | |
Profit forecasts | 43 |
Performance reviews | 39 |
Valuation of companies | 13 |
Monthly review of the equities market | 11 |
Special publications | 3 |
Shareholders' register | 20 |
Sale process of Arion bank | 1 |
130 | |