Central banks facing post-pandemic inflation often considered ‘looking through’ supply shocks. Using a New Keynesian framework in which agents gradually learn whether a cost-push shock is temporary or persistent, this column shows that such look-through strategies can amplify inflation when information is incomplete. In contrast, a standard Taylor rule prevents an additional demand-driven inflation impulse […]
Africa is bracing for a consumer and manufacturing boom. It won’t come with the snap of a finger. The continent must first navigate a gauntlet of challenges from patchy infrastructure and fragmented markets to skills gaps and inconsistent regulation. But the potential is undeniable—and the stakes could hardly be higher. By 2050, the continent’s headcount […]
As disasters grow more frequent and severe, the need for fast, reliable information in the immediate aftermath has never been greater. Governments, development partners and humanitarian agencies need to quickly understand the scale and nature of the impact so they can take informed action, mobilize resources and support recovery. Yet, traditional damage assessments can take […]
In port reform, timing isn’t just another detail — it represents the difference between a smooth transition and a stalled project. Master plans run for decades, political cycles run for years, and stakeholder trust is built day by day. Getting the pacing right—what changes happen when, and how fast—is often the hidden determinant of success. […]
Over the last decade, Europe has suffered from the decay of the post-war international order, economic coercion from both China and the United States, and aggression from Russia. This contribution puts these changes into a historical context, examines their short-term consequences, develops scenarios for 2030-2035 and uses these to draw out the policy implications for […]
Migration to Germany is shaping the Western Balkans for better and worse, highlighting the need for reforms to harness benefits and mitigate drawbacks. Migration has long shaped the demographic and economic realities of the Western Balkans, with Germany emerging as the primary destination for emigration. Since the 1990s, persistent emigration, combined with negative natural population […]
The Fed cut its rate by a quarter of a percentage point, in a move that won support from most of President Donald Trump’s central bank appointees Gulf central banks cut their key interest rates on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut U.S. interest rates by 25 basis points for the first time this year. […]
The pound initially edged up after the BoE’s decision, but pared those gains to trade slightly lower on the day at $1.3622. The U.S. dollar was choppy on Thursday as traders parsed the Federal Reserve’s measured stance on further interest rate cuts, while sterling held steady as the Bank of England kept rates steady and […]
Public procurement contracts worldwide often face high risks of cost overruns and project delays, raising questions about the scope for contract modifications. This column examines the impact of eased renegotiation rules on procurement outcomes in the Czech Republic between 2015 and 2020. Easing renegotiation rules did not substantially change procurement outcomes but led to a […]
As consumers, we have grown accustomed to blazing-fast deliveries with a click of an app —sometimes in as little as 10 minutes. While we enjoy this speed and convenience, we rarely pause to consider the added safety risks placed on delivery drivers racing against the clock. Commercial motorcycles are more than just vehicles, they are […]
