Bad samaritans in foreign aid
Critics of foreign aid are often quick to point out the faults of recipient countries. This column looks at the motives of the donor countries
The financial accelerator within and between countries
Assets prices can amplify economic cycles through their effects on firm investment. Furthermore, these effects vary depending on firm size, with larger firms being better
Women’s political representation matters: Evidence from school closures during the pandemic
The notion that politicians’ identity, including their gender, can influence policy outcomes is supported by a growing body of empirical research. This column reports a
Financing Europe’s grand ideas
A large proportion of the financing needs for Europe’s digital, energy, and demographic transitions, as well as defence, will have to be covered by public
Beneath the surface: What medieval mobility reveals about intergenerational wealth transmission
The Middle Ages are widely understood as an era of economic immobility. This column uncovers a more nuanced picture. Wealth transmission in late medieval Florence
Enhancing the resilience and security of EU supply chains
A large share of EU firms experienced supply chain disruptions in recent years. This column shares highlights from the 2024 European Investment Bank report on
Trade spillovers of industrial policy
As governments increasingly resort to industrial policy to achieve economic and non-economic objectives, the number of subsidies has more than tripled in the last decade.
Trade and inclusiveness
While much of the world has benefited from international trade, some regions and individual citizens have been left conspicuously behind. This column summarises analysis from
Russia’s economic war propaganda
One of the narratives being pushed by Russia is that its economy is doing better than the West, and that sanctions are not working. This
The role of shipping costs in platform retail competition
Many antitrust theories of harm relate to price effects. Governments regulate retail prices, for example, to protect smaller shops from more cost-efficient rivals. But for
