Stocks bide time before jobs report, tariff ruling
Brent futures rose 0.8% to $62.49 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude advanced 0.8% to $58.25. Asian stocks drifted lower and the
Global economy set for 2.7% growth; trade tensions cloud outlook
Policymakers face an increasingly complex inflation landscape, where supply risks call for a more coordinated and forward-looking approach. Global economic output is forecast to grow
When the cloud meets a thirsty world
Throughout history, water has been the quiet engine behind progress: farmers irrigate fields to grow crops; industry needs it to produce goods and generate energy;
Inventories, diversification, and trade vulnerabilities
Reducing supply dependencies and vulnerabilities is now a cornerstone of economic policy. This column analyses how French manufacturing firms used inventories and diversified their country-specific
Demystifying trade patterns in a fragmenting world
It has been argued that ‘connector’ countries can benefit from trade tensions by bridging the gap between trade blocs. This column examines trade flows of
Beneath the ban of abortion: Evidence from the USSR
Recent years have seen a renewed push to restrict abortion in many countries. This column examines the consequences of the abortion ban introduced in the
The impact of uncertainty on corporate borrowing in the euro area
Uncertainty in the global economy has been elevated following trade tariff disputes, economic policy changes, and geopolitical risks. This column examines the impact of uncertainty
Why information campaigns may backfire: Voter heterogeneity and network effects
Political information campaigns that perform well in focus groups and pilot studies may backfire when applied at scale. This column uses a field experiment in
Dubai’s property sector rounds off 2025 with record sales
December maintained the year’s exceptional momentum, with monthly sales climbing 46.4% in value YoY. Dubai’s property sector capped a historic year in 2025 with a
Gold falls as commodity index rebalancing sparks selling pressure
Spot gold fell 0.6% to $4,428.06 per ounce, as of 1115 GMT. U.S. gold futures for February delivery fell 0.6% to $4,436.30. Gold prices fell
