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Ayesha Scott

Senior Lecturer - Finance, Auckland University of Technology
Ayesha is an interdisciplinary researcher, with an agenda that spans violence against women, empirical finance, personal finance and financial econometrics. Her work (particularly on KiwiSaver and personal finance) has generated media interest within Aotearoa New Zealand, and you will find her commentary in outlets such as the NZ Herald and stuff.co.nz.

Ayesha is passionate about healthy financial relationships and has ongoing projects exploring the impact of financial and economic abuse in the context of intimate partnerships. This is a critical social issue that must be addressed in NZ and internationally, and her current work aims to give voice to women facing this evasive, invasive and poorly understood form of intimate partner violence.

She is also interested in the personal financial literacy and capability of New Zealanders, including vulnerable populations, and how we might improve the financial fitness of individuals. Poor financial literacy (knowledge of financial concepts) and capability (the ability to use that knowledge to make better decisions) has a significantly negative social and economic impact on a nation, both in terms of the macro economy and individual welfare.

Broadly, her doctoral research focused on the volatility and correlation dynamics of financial assets such as stocks. The near-continuous flow of price and trade data of financial assets presents researchers with opportunities, as well as unique challenges, to capture the return dynamics of these assets individually and as a group. Such models may lead to insights regarding optimal portfolio allocation decisions, information that will directly benefit investors.

Know thyself, know thy finances: which of the 5 money personalities are you?

Jun 19, 2023 06:19 am UTC| Insights & Views

When it comes to money, are you a big spender or a fearful saver? Do you give away all your money or ignore financial demands until they become urgent? After decades of focus on financial literacy, it has become clear...

Economy

U.S. Treasury Says It Can Handle Potential Tariff Refunds if Supreme Court Rules Against Trump

The U.S. Treasury has sufficient funds to cover any potential tariff refunds if the Supreme Court rules against President Donald Trumps use of emergency powers to impose broad tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said...

Trump Pushes $100 Billion U.S. Oil Investment Plan for Venezuela After Maduro Seizure

U.S. President Donald Trump met with executives from major American and international oil companies at the White House on Friday to promote a bold plan aimed at reviving Venezuelas oil industry through up to $100 billion...

Supreme Court Showdown: Trump's Sweeping Tariffs on the Brink of Landmark Ruling

On the legality of President Trumps extensive tariffs applied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the U.S. Supreme Court is set to release a much-awaited decision as early as today, January 9,...

U.S. Dollar Edges Higher as Markets Await Jobs Data and Supreme Court Tariff Ruling

The U.S. dollar traded modestly higher on Friday, though overall foreign exchange market activity remained subdued as investors awaited two major catalysts: the release of the closely watched U.S. nonfarm payrolls report...

EU Set to Approve Historic Mercosur Trade Deal Amid Farmer Protests

European Union nations are expected to approve the signing of the blocs largest-ever free trade agreement with the South American Mercosur group, marking a major milestone more than 25 years after negotiations began. The...

Politics

Trump Calls for 10% Credit Card Interest Rate Cap Starting 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed attention on consumer finance policy after publicly calling for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%, set to begin on January 20, 2026. The announcement, made via his...

U.S. Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s $10 Billion Federal Funding Freeze to Democratic States

A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing more than $10 billion in federal funding for childcare and family assistance programs in five Democratic-led states, marking a significant...

Chevron Sees Path to Boost Venezuela Oil Output by 50% After Trump Administration Talks

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday that Chevron has identified a clear pathway to significantly expand its oil production in Venezuela, potentially increasing output by 50% over the next 18 to 24 months. His...

India-US Trade Deal Stalled as Modi-Trump Call Never Happened, Says US Commerce Secretary

Indias long-anticipated trade pact with the United States was delayed due to a breakdown in high-level communication, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not place a...

Honduran Opposition Lawmaker Injured Amid Post-Election Tensions

Honduras political crisis deepened on Thursday after opposition lawmaker Gladis Aurora Lopez was injured when an explosive device was thrown near her inside the National Congress, according to a statement from her...

Science

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Technology

xAI Cash Burn Highlights the High Cost of Competing in Generative AI

Elon Musks artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is rapidly emerging as a major player in the generative AI race, but new reports highlight the enormous financial costs behind that ambition. According to Bloomberg News,...

Nvidia Appoints Former Google Executive Alison Wagonfeld as First Chief Marketing Officer

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has taken a significant step in strengthening its leadership team by appointing a senior Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) executive as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer, signaling a strategic move as the...

EU Orders Elon Musk’s X to Preserve Grok AI Data Amid Probe Into Illegal Content

The European Commission has ordered Elon Musks social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to retain all internal documents and data related to its built-in artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, until the end of...

SK Hynix Shares Hit Record High as AI Memory Demand Fuels Semiconductor Rally

Shares of South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix surged to a fresh all-time high on Thursday, reflecting growing investor optimism around booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory products and a strengthening...

OpenAI Sets $50 Billion Stock Grant Pool, Boosting Employee Equity and Valuation Outlook

OpenAI has reportedly established a massive $50 billion employee stock grant pool, a move that underscores the companys aggressive strategy to attract, retain, and reward top talent as it continues to scale its artificial...