Reuters
The Bank for International Settlements warned on Sunday that rising government debt levels amid a number of major elections this year could roil global financial markets. Dubbed the central bankers' central bank, the BIS said the world economy was now on course for the "smooth landing" that many economists doubted when interest rates shot up, but said policymakers, especially politicians, needed to be careful. Global government debt is already at record levels and elections ranging from the U.S. presidential vote in November, through recent ones in Mexico and South Africa, to votes in France and Britain in the coming week, all carry risks.