Mars or Mercury rebooted: The Trump administration, the dollar, and the geopolitics of international currency choice
A 2018 Vox column examined the geopolitical premium enjoyed by the US thanks to its security alliances and ‘dollar diplomacy’. This column, written by one
Wiki Finance Expo Johannesburg 2025: Africa’s Premier Fintech, Crypto & Forex Event!
Johannesburg, 16 August 2025 — The highly anticipated Wiki Finance Expo Johannesburg 2025 is set to take place on 16 August 2025 at the Sandton
Article-level slant and polarisation of news consumption on social media
Over the last two decades, social media has become a primary news source for millions of people, raising concerns over ‘echo chambers’ and ‘filter bubbles’.
Looking for a “fair” international monetary system
President Trump’s Chief Economic Adviser, Stephen Miran, has claimed that the international monetary system in which the US provides the rest of the world with
The global growth slowdown is bad news for trust in government
GDP growth appears to be on a global slowdown. This column uses survey data from individuals across 161 countries since 1990 and data for the
Lumpy forecasts: Rational inaction in professional forecasting
Forecasts from professionals (economists, analysts, brokers, academics) are a key input into economic decision-making. This column highlights that professional forecasts are ‘lumpy’, often remaining unchanged
Tariffs, the dollar, and equities: High-frequency evidence from the Liberation Day announcement
On 2 April 2025, the US announced tariffs on most of its trading partners, creating a major trade policy shock to the world economy. This
Measurement errors and missing inflation persistence before World War I
Economic historians widely acknowledge that historical price data are measured with error. This column collects pre-WWI inflation data from 15 countries and uses instrumental variables
Managing credit in dollarised economies: The effective but asymmetric effects of foreign currency reserve requirements
Emerging markets with partially dollarised financial systems are particularly vulnerable to global financial cycles. This column examines how reserve requirements on foreign currency deposits can
The economics of climate adaptation: From academic insights to effective policy
Adapting to climate change – finding ways to prevent the harshest effects or deal with crises when they occur – is a first-order issue. But
