When France’s Légion d’honneur awards move stock prices: A market signal of political access
State honours are designed as symbols of merit and public recognition. But they may also convey information with economic value. This column explores the market
Kuwait reports deficit of $23.09bln in FY 2025-2026, finance ministry says
The GCC country reported total revenues of 16.457 billion dinars, down 9.7% from the preliminary forecasts at 18.231 billion dinars. Kuwait’s deficit widened 13.2% to
Global FDI rises 6% to $1.6trln last year: UNCTAD
Inflows to developed economies rose 11%, while developing economies recorded only 2% growth, reaching $901 billion. Global foreign direct investment rose 6% to $1.6 trillion
OECD-wide employment expected to grow by 0.3% in 2026, 0.6% in 2027
OECD-wide unemployment rate stood at 4.9% in May 2026. OECD job markets have remained resilient, with total employment in OECD countries at an all-time high
Africa attracts $70bln in FDI in 2025, the third-highest level since 1990
Africa attracted less foreign direct investment in 2025 than in the previous year. Yet the bigger story is that investors continue to position themselves in
The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility: Experience and lessons for the next multiannual financial framework
The EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility has become a central test case for performance-based fiscal policy. Its experience offers lessons for the design of the
Housing affordability is reshaping Europe’s social fabric
Housing affordability has moved to the forefront of Europe’s policy debate. While the economic literature has mostly focused on the drivers of housing unaffordability, this
How households reason and behave when deposit rates become negative
How households behave in an environment with deposit rates below zero is important for monetary transmission, but the literature is scant. This column studies household
The global internet gap: What the data tells us
1. Large gaps in internet access persist Global connectivity has expanded rapidly, from 16 percent to over 70 percent over just two decades. Still 2.2
Beverage prices retreat as supplies recover
Coffee prices continued to ease in 2026Q2, helped by stronger global supply prospects and the removal of U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports earlier in the
