The workforces of most high-income countries have been ageing at a rapid pace. The standard response to this has been to extend the careers of older workers. This column uses data from Italy to show how this may come at a cost to the careers of younger workers. Younger workers have faced increasing struggles to […]
A major concern in the policy debate during the COVID-19 pandemic was that smaller or younger firms could bear the brunt of the decline in economic activity. Using a large cross-country firm-level database, this column finds no evidence of a size premium in firm revenues or investment, either in 2020 or in the subsequent recovery […]
Firms’ power in the product and labour markets are closely linked. Examining firm-level data from Lithuania between 2004 and 2018, this column finds that firms are gaining power in the product market but losing it in the labour market. The micro-level analysis suggests rent-sharing between firms and workers, while the macro-level analysis highlights the reallocation […]
Investing in the stock market can be very beneficial for households’ long-term financial wellbeing and retirement planning. This column uses ECB survey data to show, however, that households are generally reluctant to invest in stocks, even when they experience a sudden in wealth. The findings demonstrate the effect of barriers to stock market participation, such […]
Family planning policies are widely used to control population growth and promote human capital development. Exploiting the implementation of the one-child policy in rural China, this column shows that such policies also influence intergenerational mobility. While the one-child policy reduces family size and allows parents to devote more resources to each child, only parents in […]
Financial crises are not complicated, and many claim to know why they happen and how to prevent them. Why then do they happen with such alarming frequency? This column argues that a key reason is failures in regulation, and proposes that the financial authorities instead adopt a fundamental concept from finance – diversification. By doing […]
Regulation, Crypto, Web 3.0, Forex, Payments Will Be in Focus. Taking place on Sept. 7th, 2024, Wiki Finance Expo Bangkok 2024 is the largest and most influential Fintech and Web3.0 event in Asia in 2024. Wiki Finance Expo Bangkok 2024 has promised to bring a wonderful and rewarding summit for the industry. Register to get […]
Economic downturns can have lasting and ‘scarring’ effects on career trajectories. Using data from India, this column finds only a marginal difference in the likelihood of finding employment between those entering the labour market during the Covid-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic entrants, but significant differences in both the types of jobs they were able to get […]
Following a period of broad stagnation, the EU economy staged a comeback in the first quarter of 2024. This column argues that despite a challenging external environment, strong domestic fundamentals set the stage for gradual acceleration of economic activity. However, member states’ budgetary positions remain burdened by the legacy of the pandemic and the energy […]
Changes in US monetary policy can have significant effects on global markets, including commodity markets. This column analyses the commodity channel of monetary transmission in detail. It finds commodity prices react within days to US monetary policy shocks, particularly for storable commodities. Consequently, the effects of monetary policy through commodity prices create spillover effects on […]
