Saudi, UAE startups led VC deals, raised $3.13bln in 2025
Two GCC markets account for 91% of total funding deployed across MENA. Startups in Saudi Arabia and the UAE led venture capital funding activity last
Global cooperation shows resilience despite geopolitical headwinds
The 2026 Barometer indicates that the overall level of cooperation has largely been unchanged in recent years but the composition of cooperation appears to be
The enormous economic burden of age-related diseases in South America
As populations age, noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are draining South American economies, reducing labour supply and diverting resources from investment. This column presents
How Donald Trump should have tackled the US trade deficit
The US trade deficits will have to be reduced materially to prevent a crisis down the road. This column argues that fiscal consolidation, in association
Artificial intelligence in finance
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the financial sector. This column introduces the seventh report in The Future of Banking series, which examines the fundamental transformations
Private safe asset supply and financial instability
Safe assets are financial instruments that maintain a stable value even after adverse macroeconomic shocks. This column explores how banks supply safe assets through securitisation
Finding the sweet spot between bank rivalry and safety
Imagine your favorite open-air market. Stalls hustle for customers, prices fall, and shoppers win—until one fragile roof gives way and everyone scrambles. Banking is similar.
Living la vida loca? Remote investing in Latin America, 1869-1929
Foreign stock exchange listings have become increasingly popular during the last 80 years. This column examines companies that were governed and listed in London during
Extreme weather and nature loss: can the private sector be part of the infrastructure solution?
In 2018, after 3 years of droughts, the city of Cape Town in South Africa faced severe water shortages. Dam reservoir capacity had dropped to
Housing and inequality: A critical link in economic disparities
Global housing markets have come under scrutiny for a number of concerns, including affordability, homelessness, and the contribution of housing to growing inequality. This column
