FAECTOR's Estimator

The world’s been on a frenetic merry-go-round for the past months and the prospect for the rest of the year is rather bleak. While war is still raging in Ukraine and world’s largest graine supplies are stuck in Ukrainian ports ahead of this year’s harvest, global recession is looming ever closer on an already bleak horizon. Across the pond, Roe vs Wade was overturned, meaning that states have a clear path at banning guns… My bad, I forgot we’re talking about the US after all. States have a clear path at banning abortion. Yeah, that sounds more like it, USA! But, for once, I would like to keep clear of all the sordid news that have pestered us this year and tell you a story about McDonald’s and Communism.

McDonald’s in Russia: A Feast in The Time of Plague Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaPublished on: Aug 04, 2022NewsMcDonald’s in Russia: A Feast in The Time of PlagueThe world’s been on a frenetic merry-go-round for the past months and the prospect for the rest of the year is rather bleak. While war is still raging in Ukraine and world’s largest gr...

Estimator has once again travelled to Amsterdam to interview a graduated Econometrician who is currently working part-time as a Trading Assistant at DaVinci Derivatives. Jeffrey Zwart finished his Bachelor in Econometrics and Operations Research at Erasmus University and is currently doing his Masters in Quantitative Finance at Erasmus as well. During the interview, we talked about his studies, the firm and trading in general.

Volatility Arbitrage: An Interview with Da Vinci Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaMax Hedeman JoostenPublished on: Jul 03, 2022CareerVolatility Arbitrage: An Interview with Da VinciEstimator has once again travelled to Amsterdam to interview a graduated Econometrician who is currently working part-time as a Trading Assistant at DaVinci Derivatives. Je...

The crypto market crashed about a month ago and this can only be news to those living under some rocks or too busy with the Heard vs Depp lawsuit to notice the obvious staring them in the eyes. So, here’s the story of the most volatile week in the history of cryptocurrencies, a story of arrogance and greed, the domino effects of unregulated markets and the depressing story of the “Lunatics”, a (now-extinct) group of irresponsible gold diggers who thought they had discovered the philosopher’s stone, only to find it was a worthless amethyst. But hey, who said life was fair? A certain change of pace and tone will be noticeable for the ones who also read the 1st article on cryptocurrencies. I will first explain the concept behind stable coins and then focus on algorithmic stablecoins (i.e., TerraUSD). Ultimately, we will analyse the crash per se and go through the juiciest theories on the street. Hop on and enjoy the ride!

Market Su***de Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaPublished on: Jun 10, 2022NewsMarket Su***de The crypto market crashed about a month ago and this can only be news to those living under some rocks or too busy with the Heard vs Depp lawsuit to notice the obvious staring them in the eyes. So, here’s the story of the mo...

A couple months ago, the estimator had the privilege of interviewing the Sijbren Cnossen Professor of Public Economics at ESE, Bas Jacobs. And as of June 2022, prof.dr. Jacobs will be appointed as the Professor of Public Economics at the School of Economics and Business at VU Amsterdam. Professor Jacobs has held a crucial role in the Dutch economic policy debate with several renowned works on optimal taxation and income redistribution among many other fundamental economic topics. During our talk we got the chance to hear about his student journey, as he recited many obstacles he had encountered and how he had overcome them. We also got the opportunity to ask about his research, where he drives inspiration from and the topics he’s most passionate about.

Read more through the link below:

Interview with Dr. Bas Jacobs Written by: Begyum AkyolLala AlAsadiMax Hedeman JoostenPublished on: Jun 07, 2022EducationalInterview with Dr. Bas Jacobs A couple months ago, the estimator had the privilege of interviewing the Sijbren Cnossen Professor of Public Economics at ESE, Bas Jacobs. And as of June 2022, prof.dr. Jacobs wi...

Paris, the city of love. The city of lights. A fashion capital of Europe. Paris does leave a vivid and lasting emotion to anyone that ever visits it, whether it’s disgust at the uncleanness that surrounds the capital, stress at the countless tourists promenading all year round, or awe at the beauty and art-filled galleries and palaces. One does not simply remain indifferent to Paris. With spring well under way and summer just around the corner, you might be already making your travel list for the months to come. The Mediterranean coast is the safe option for a pleasurable seaside escapade, Greece seems awfully popular in these parts of the world as well. And now that Macron has been re-elected, you might be contemplating visiting the much-admired French capital. Whether you have recently visited the city or plan on doing so, or simply want to learn more about the French culture and history, this article was meant for you.

Read more by clicking on the link below:

Paris: The Lighthouse of La Belle Époque Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaPublished on: May 12, 2022SocialParis: The Lighthouse of La Belle ÉpoqueParis, the city of love. The city of lights. A fashion capital of Europe. Paris does leave a vivid and lasting emotion to anyone that ever visits it, whether it’s disgust at the uncleanness that s...

Back in early April, the estimator had the chance of indulging in what many would label as one too many cups of coffee. We embarked on the mission to attend the Amsterdam Coffee Festival and among us were daily coffee drinkers and Floris, who despises coffee (or shall I now say despised?). His presence was monumental for us, as it allowed us to walk him through his coffee intervention. In this article we’ll briefly take you along our coffee journey through some pictures and end off with the results of a survey we conducted on the festival attendees. Don’t expect us to point out the particulars of the amount of coffee we each had that day - far too many if you ask Floris.

Amsterdam Coffee Festival: A Caffeine Addicts Glorious Resurrection Written by: Lala AlAsadiPublished on: May 03, 2022SocialAmsterdam Coffee Festival: A Caffeine Addicts Glorious ResurrectionBack in early April, the estimator had the chance of indulging in what many would label as one too many cups of coffee. We embarked on the mission to attend the Amsterdam Coffee...

While enjoying your well-deserved holiday, you need to be prepared for the Dutch national holiday, King’s day. Because most of the old traditions of King’s day are not widely used by students, some student-proof activities, apart from partying, are presented. So to prevent you from getting fear of missing out, here are some things that for sure will get you through it.

Good Ways to Spend King's Day Written by: Floris De VriesPublished on: Apr 26, 2022SocialGood Ways to Spend King's DayWhile enjoying your well-deserved holiday, you need to be prepared for the Dutch national holiday, King’s day. Because most of the old traditions of King’s day are not widely used by students, some student-pr...

Isn’t it mind boggling how one can pay an x amount for a pair of sneakers and then walk out of the store, only to see its value quadruple, if not more? don’t we all buy sneakers for the same reasons?

Well, yes and no, depending on who you ask. For some, a sneaker is a statement piece, for others it’s about getting from point A to point B. Lately however, it’s understood to be a financial asset and therefore a collectible piece of item of the highest value. I’d say the first two explanations for buying a sneaker are fairly self-explanatory. Thus, I’ll dig into the third one, which in fact sheds light to the phenomenon of “hyperinflation in the sneaker market.

Read more through the link below:

HyperInflation in the Sneaker Resale Market

Spring has finally arrived, the sun is out and so are the bikes. If you are a student, 99% of you own a bike. But what does your bike say about you? Here is a quick personality (not biased at all!)- an insight into what does your bike really says about you!

What Does Your Bike Say About You? Written by: Giedre KrotovaitePublished on: Apr 11, 2022SocialWhat Does Your Bike Say About You?Spring has finally arrived, the sun is out and so are the bikes. If you are a student, 99% of you own a bike. But what does your bike say about you? Here is a quick personality (not biased at all!) insight...

It has been over one month since this year's final Econometrics 1 lecture. For years, the final lecture had been a notorious one for most students. Marked by students' weary faces, all counting their precious and scarce hours of sleep awaiting the exam week. But this year, the lecture was memorable for a whole different reason; for during the lecture, the professor, dr. Christiaan Heij, was awarded the “De Desiderius” by the Dean Prof. Patrick Groenen on behalf of the Executive Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam for a plethora of achievements.

Some weeks after the said event, Estimator conducted an online interview with Mr. Heij. During the interview, we covered numerous topics, from his studies and career to his thoughts on the prospects of the field Econometrics. He also shared a short story from when he came to Rotterdam to sit his job interview. So, if you want to find out more about the professor, the field of Econometrics and the spirit of the people of Rotterdam, read on!

Interview with Dr. Heij

Impending doom awaits Jakarta. With rising sea levels and a low ground level, the capital of Indonesia is to become uninhabitable in 30 years. Hence why, the government is going to move the capital to a completely new city on Borneo: Nusantara. But to overcome the water, a huge challenge lies ahead. Before we delve in, here's a fun fact: The Dutch are actually helping them.

To read more, click the link below:

Jakarta - The Next Atlantis Written by: Floris De VriesPublished on: Mar 24, 2022NewsJakarta - The Next Atlantis Impending doom awaits Jakarta. With rising sea levels and a low ground level, the capital of Indonesia is to become uninhabitable in 30 years. Hence why, the government is going to move the capital to a completely n...

Who hasn’t heard of blockchains, cryptocurrencies, bitcoins or NFTs? Have you ever wondered what they really mean and what the hype is all about? Don’t you feel left out when you hear so many people talking about the topic (even on TikTok of all places) and you don’t understand the slightest bit? Or maybe you just want to impress your Tinder/Grindr date. If so, read on to find out enough to impress even the 24-year-olds still-living-in-their-parent’s-basement crypto millionaires.

If you are still reading, then my puns have worked (James Bay’s “Peer pressure” blasting in the background). Ironically, many people have that friend/acquaintance that is trading crypto, “on the verge” of becoming really wealthy, but still asking you to foot the restaurant bill and condescendingly arguing that “you couldn’t understand it anyways, Karen”. So, let’s try to change that then. In this article, we will cover blockchains and cryptocurrencies and slightly brush on the topic of NFTs.

Click the link below to read more!

Ukraine & Cryptocurrencies Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaPublished on: Mar 22, 2022EducationalUkraine & CryptocurrenciesWho hasn’t heard of blockchains, cryptocurrencies, bitcoins or NFTs? Have you ever wondered what they really mean and what the hype is all about? Don’t you feel left out when you hear so many people talki...

“How can a city be like a fairy tale?” The answer to the question is hidden in the city of Brugge! A very romantic, extremely sweet and complete medieval city that looks like a movie frame in every detail. The more diplomatic and distant Brussels is, the warmer Brugge is. Like something straight out of a fairy tale. It is one of the perfect cities for a 2-3 day getaway, where you can wander unplanned and get lost in its streets.

If you also like to spend time in small but nurturing cities like we do, read more to see what to do and places to visit in our perfect weekend getaway suggestion.

Read more about our perfect city trip spot through the link below!

Discover Your Next City Trip Destination Written by: Begyum AkyolPublished on: Mar 14, 2022SocialDiscover Your Next City Trip Destination“How can a city be like a fairy tale?” The answer to the question is hidden in the city of Brugge! A very romantic, extremely sweet and complete medieval city that looks like a movie frame in every de...

You couldn’t have missed it around the Campus. Posters with a simple slogan and a face that screams for attention. Politicians pull out all the stops to stand out. Because next week, some of them will be elected to the municipal and district council. But what are you voting for? And what are the main hot topics in Rotterdam? Because in contrast to the national elections, practical matters are the most important. So without further ado, let’s dig into the problems this beautiful city has.

Read more by clicking on the link below:

Everything You Need to Know Before Voting Written by: Floris De VriesPublished on: Mar 12, 2022EducationalEverything You Need to Know Before VotingYou couldn’t have missed it around the Campus. Posters with a simple slogan and a face that screams for attention. Politicians pull out all the stops to stand out. Because next week, some of th...

As March is commonly known as the month of fresh starts with the arrival of spring right around the corner; we decided to commemorate this time of the year by writing a somewhat different and more creative article. While tackling a topic, the author has a more or less clear structure for the column and is aware of the message that needs to be conveyed. Needless to say, we wondered what would happen if we were deprived of said control over the story. Thus, the following piece is actually a succession of paragraphs each written by a different member of the Estimator.

The aforementioned idea turned into an insightful debate on the ethics and efficiency of AI-led consumerism in 21th century society and while the topic and general tone of the article are less humorous than what we had intended, we hope that you will still enjoy our little experiment.

To read more, click the link below:

Ghost Writing Written by: Aaron Stefan PopaFloris De VriesArnau Duatis TarradellasBegyum AkyolGiedre KrotovaiteOrestis TziapourasLala AlAsadiPublished on: Mar 08, 2022SocialGhost Writing As March is commonly known as the month of fresh starts with the arrival of spring right around the corner; we decided to comme...

There is no easy way to talk about it, just like there is no easy way to look at the devastated eyes of hundreds of Ukrainian students in EUR who have been living the past days watching their cities, schools and homes being destroyed, as well as their neighbours, friends and family members getting killed.

Over the past few days, the world has shown us that the unity of nations, businesses, people, and values can do enormous things. Starting from strict sanctions and foreign aid on the international politics level, to information distribution from the world's most known hacker groups. But also, more importantly, ordinary people’s global support demonstrated through massive protests and rallies, donations and by raising awareness on social media.

As a EUR student, you can also help and show your support, which is highly appreciated. Read more for a list of things you can do to help contribute to the end of this war:

STAND WITH UKRAINE. HOW CAN I HELP? Fun places in Rotterdam

A Dutch National Monument or Rijksmonument is a designation for buildings and structures of special importance in the Netherlands. Lately, one of the six hundred nineteen such buildings in Rotterdam has been the centre of controversy. The Koningshaven Bridge, or De Hef as most locals call it, has been caught up between a rock and a hard place. Specifically, between a massive $637M superyacht and Jeff Bezos. The 46-metre-tall structure stands between the open sea and Oceanco’s shipyard in Alblasserdam. The problem can be traced back to the tip of the yacht’s massive masts which exceeds the height of the bridge and the inevitable physical properties of solid materials that prevent the union of boat and billionaire in the current state of things. Naturally, unless someone invents a way to phase through steel, the boat or the bridge will have to lose the staring contest when it comes to it. This led speculators to guess that the bridge would have to be partially dismantled in order to make way for Bezos’ vessel. When reports of this started floating around and Rotterdammers caught word of it, is when the controversy started.

Click the link below to find out more!

A Tale of Bridge, a Boat and Jeff Bezos Fun places in Rotterdam

January 2022 came with new opportunities for the enthusiastic econometrics students. FAECTOR had opened applications for new committees! Estimator sends a warm welcome to all the new members and looks forward to getting to know each other better! We asked several questions to get insight about the new committees. Presenting you: Estimator, Event, Ski trip, Eurekaweek, Econometric Career Day and FAECTOR Research Project Committees.

Get to know FAECTOR'S new committees better through the link below!

Welcommittees (Part 6) Fun places in Rotterdam

The pressure is on, only two days left until the dinner reservation shortage epidemic. Grab your phones and rapidly dial your partner’s favourite restaurant. One minor issue though, you don’t really have a partner. But wait, don’t assume this is another typical article making you feel left out of all the euphoria of Valentine’s Day. We are not here to dwell on the problem but to ensure its resolution.

Read more to salvage your Valentines day while you still can, through the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-02-12-here-s-how-to-find-a-valentine-in-two-days

Less than 48 hours to salvage the 2022 Valentines! Come get your tips here Fun places in Rotterdam

During the second world war, a Hungarian mathematician was invited to join the infamous Manhattan Project. The scientists and engineers were having trouble coming up with a mechanism to compress a uranium core enough to start a nuclear chain reaction, igniting the bomb. The mathematician, who in the 1930’s already saw a war coming and quickly developed an expertise in modelling explosions, proposed an implosion mechanism; detonating regular explosives with explosive lenses placed around the uranium core. The engineers went ahead with the design and in the summer of 1945 the first prototype was tested. The bomb worked.

To read more, click on the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-02-07-how-the-genius-behind-the-atom-bomb-created-game-theory

How the Genius Behind the Atom Bomb Created Game Theory Fun places in Rotterdam

In your daily life, negotiations happen all around you. If you buy something second-hand or cooperate in a team, there is always a game of give and take going on. But now widening the scale to, for instance, buying a house or getting a job. That requires a skill set that few people are taught. If we've convinced you of the importance of negotiation in your daily and professional life, then read on to find some tips on how to become a successful negotiator. Really take this advice to heart and you might be making millions off selling a blank canvas to your next prey.

To read more about these negotiation tips, click the link below!
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-02-01-how-to-sell-a-blank-canvas

How to Sell a Blank Canvas Fun places in Rotterdam

Think about any movie genre or trope, if it exists, Netflix has probably produced a movie or show about it. In these last few years we have come to expect a steady stream of new media in the way of practically daily releases of Netflix original content. This has opened up new ways of thinking about how the movie industry works. Hollywood big productions have almost been reduced to an exclusively Marvel affair. This however, has also increased the reach of small productions, which are now released in the same platform as many of the big budget films. The boom of creativity that this has caused has meant that directors have been able to explore filmmaking in a freer way.

Read more by clicking on the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-01-26-don-t-look-up-a-review

Don't Look Up - A Review Fun places in Rotterdam

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict worsens and the prospect of another world war looming ever closer since the Cold War ended, let us look into how exactly we got into this dire situation. Duly starting from the Nordstream 2 debacle all the way to Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine, and what the potential outcomes are for said conflict. And if you really read carefully enough, you might even gain some insight into why Bitcoin and other crypto currencies plummeted in early 2022.

Click on this link below to read more: https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-01-22-russia-geopolitical-despair

Russia & Geopolitical Despair Fun places in Rotterdam

Year 2021 was a good year for the stock market. The stabilisation of financial markets and a strong institutional backing of governmental recovery plans in the EU and the US helped indexes such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones to rise to record highs. Of course, this has meant that individual stocks of many of the largest public companies such as Apple or Tesla have continued to rise, spiking during the last quarter of 2021. However, the zero-interest rate environment and inflation fears have exacerbated the lack of demand for cash. Accordingly, we have seen many financial products’ demand increase. One of such products are ETFs, or Exchange Traded Funds.

To read more, click the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-01-17-what-are-etfs

What are ETFs? Fun places in Rotterdam

Art has played a paramount role in our (pseudo-) society since time immemorial. Whether it is music, dance, poetry, painting or even graffiti, the best works of art succeed in conveying emotions in their rawest and purest forms, a form of escape from the mundane, a reminder of the aesthetics and potential of the human race. So, read on to find out some of the Estimator’s favourite art pieces.

To read more, click the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-01-10-an-eclectic-assortment-of-art

An Eclectic Assortment of Art Fun places in Rotterdam

The end of their bachelor degree will have econometric students facing a very wide and complex variety of career options: from getting a job to taking a gap year to studying a language, among many others. One of those options is also, of course, to complete a 1-year master degree in the Netherlands or abroad. If you find yourself interested in getting a feel for some different masters offered or would simply like to learn about some different programs related to your field, you have come to the right place. In this list, we provide you with some of the masters offered in the Erasmus School of Economics of particular interest to econometric students.

To read more, click the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2022-01-04-traversing-through-master-degrees-at-ese

Traversing Through Master Degrees at ESE Fun places in Rotterdam

The holidays are finally here and as the Estimator committee is scattered across the world, we thought it would be nice to detail our plans and different holiday traditions.

Click the link below to read our new article:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2021-12-30-writers-on-holiday

Writers on Holiday Fun places in Rotterdam

A very Merry Christmas from the Estimator!

With exams now finally over and another complete lockdown in place, what better way to kickstart the holiday season than a perfect Christmas movie? The estimator has set out on rating a couple favourites ranging from classic movies to more modern ones. Whether you’re into comedy, fantasy, or even horror; we have included just the right Christmas movie to set you in the holiday spirit.

To find your perfect Christmas movie, click the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2021-12-22-watchables-christmas-edition-part-2

Watchables: Christmas Edition (Part 2) Fun places in Rotterdam

A tumultuous year for Royal Dutch Shell has nearly passed. Following their loss from the lawsuit waged against them by a Dutch environmentalist group, major change is to follow for Shell. Namely, one of the largest shareholders suggested a split up of the company, leaving behind its Dutch routes to become completely English. Therefore, there was an exclusively held shareholders meeting to vote for that change last Friday, which one of our Estimator members was able to join. So what exactly are the consequences of their leave? But before we get into that, we’ll dive into the particulars of their leave?

Interested in knowing more about their departure from the Netherlands? Then click the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2021-12-19-nexit-shell-how-did-it-come-so-far

Nexit Shell: How did it come so far? Fun places in Rotterdam

Climate change can sometimes make us feel hopeless. Just think of global warming, rising sea levels, glaciers melting and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. And let us not forget their adverse impacts on human health, food production, water availability and biodiversity among others. But no cause for despair, not yet. If human activity is driving us to the brink of destruction, the good news is that humans (one cannot but wonder who else?) are also developing and deploying new technologies that can help lower our carbon footprint.

Read on to see what role econometricians really play in countering climate change through the link below:
https://estimator.faector.nl/article/2021-12-14-the-econometrics-of-climate-change

The Econometrics of Climate Change Fun places in Rotterdam