Debates over rent control have a long history, with activists and economists highlighting both the benefits and drawbacks. This column revisits these arguments and examines empirical findings from Catalonia, where a recent rent-cap programme illustrates the policy’s consequential trade-offs. Though rent control can deliver short-run price relief, it also risks reducing supply and redistributing burdens […]
Labour markets in advanced economies react more strongly to economic downturns than those in emerging markets. A key reason is the higher prevalence of self-employment in emerging markets, which helps cushion job losses. This column presents new evidence on how this difference in employment composition shapes labour market responses to economic fluctuations. While self-employment plays […]
Living wages are an increasingly common policy tool for reducing poverty and improving the living standards of low-income workers. But until recently, there has been little evidence on how living wage clauses effect the largest spender in the economy – the government. This column utilises data from a firm operating in the low-pay service sector […]
Accurately predicting the labour market impact of trade shocks is a complicated endeavour. Using job match records merged with firm-level customs records and changes in potential tariffs following China’s WTO accession, this column shows how differential firm-level exposure to China’s accession led to concentrated earnings and employment losses in the US. However, labour market competition […]
The price fluctuations seen in housing markets since the COVID-19 pandemic have rekindled interest in the question of whether we can distinguish between ‘good’ housing expansions – those that do not pose macrofinancial stability risks – and ‘bad’ ones, which leave lasting damage on the real economy. This column uses a dataset of 68 countries […]
Daylight Saving Time – the biannual ritual of adjusting clocks forwards and backwards – has long been debated. Advocates argue it saves energy and promotes outdoor activities, while critics highlight its disruptive effects on health, productivity, and social routines. This column examines the health impacts, societal costs, and the outdated rationale behind the implementation of […]
Technological progress is typically expected to lighten the burden of work. But as artificial intelligence has been integrated into workplaces, early evidence suggests a paradox: instead of reducing workloads, many AI-equipped employees are busier than ever. This column examines the relationship between AI exposure, the length of the workday, time allocation, and worker satisfaction. Though […]
Geopolitical shocks are fracturing global trade, and thus challenging economic integration. Even historically sound trade partnerships are now being strained, threatening decades of cooperation. A new report from the European System of Central Banks argues that EU policy responses in this challenging environment must be data-driven and targeted. This requires enhanced cooperation among EU institutions, […]
Despite the rise of online job search platforms, many jobseekers still struggle to find suitable employment. Automated occupation recommendations promise to help workers with better job matches. This column uses an experiment in Switzerland to compare two types of occupation recommendations for jobseekers – one based on workers’ experience and another on their profile of […]
The Nordic countries appear to have developed a social and economic model that combines prosperity with equality. This column identifies four key pillars of the Nordic model: (1) substantial public investment in essential services, (2) influential labour unions, (3) high public expenditure on social insurance, and (4) high and progressive taxation. Equality in hourly pay, […]
