A way out via the Strait of Hormuz
For decades, US-Iran nuclear negotiations have been trapped by two problems: time inconsistency, since the US can always reimpose sanctions after Iran gives up its
When AI meets local debt
Recent evidence for the US finds that higher AI job postings reduce municipal bond yields, particularly for longer-maturity and lower-rated bonds. This column shows that
The case for investing in the Global Financing Facility: Partnering to scale lifesaving care
Nearly 5 million children die each year—9 every minute. Every day, around 700 women die from pregnancy-related causes, 90 percent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Most
From IT outsourcing hub to startup ecosystem: Four catalysts behind Romania’s venture capital transformation
Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Romania was known more as an IT outsourcing destination than a startup hub. Its talent base was strong, but
From data to inference: Why AI governance matters for central banks in developing economies
Central banks are among the most data-dense public institutions. As they modernize digital payments and financial supervision, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled analytics and supervisory technology (SupTech)
Understanding the rise in CEO age
The composition of Western workforces has shifted toward older workers, and this trend is particularly strong at the very top of business organisations. This column
The use and misuse of R&D subsidies and tax credits
R&D subsidies and tax credits are widely used around the world to encourage private sector R&D by reducing its cost for firms. This column argues
How countercyclical capital buffers travel: Internal capital markets and domestic borrowing
Macroprudential capital buffers are designed to make banking systems safer. This column shows that, at the bank–firm level, they do. But multinational firms respond: when
Quantifying the impact of the Iran war on US inflation
The outbreak of the Iran war in February 2026 has led to a major disruption to oil trade and a surge in oil prices. This
Connecting job seekers with buddies online
Supporting job seekers looking to change career has become particularly important as economies try to adjust to the digital and green transitions. This column reports
