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World Environment Featured News

Agrifood powers economies and jobs across Europe and Central Asia

As economies develop, it is often assumed that agriculture becomes less relevant—a small slice of GDP and a shrinking share of employment. But evidence from Europe and Central Asia tells a different story. Across countries stretching from Portugal to Uzbekistan, agriculture and the broader agrifood sector remain essential pillars of economic development, employment, trade, and […]

Economy Covid-19 Featured Healthcare

The effects of fiscal aid on health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic

As governments around the world combatted COVID-19, the US witnessed unprecedented levels of funding transfers from the federal government to state and local municipalities. This column examines how the influx of federal aid affected the population’s health. Leveraging the fact that states with excess representation in Congress received more assistance than underrepresented states, the authors […]

Economy Banking Featured Finance

Gold hits two-week high on safe-haven demand ahead of Fed policy

 Gold prices rose to a two-week high on Tuesday as concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff plans boosted interest in the safe-haven metal, while investors awaited the Federal Reserve policy meeting on Wednesday. Spot gold gained 0.9% to $3,362.69 an ounce as of 0632 GMT, after hitting its highest since April 22 earlier in […]

Finance Economy Featured World

US seeks to weaken global development finance efforts, UN document shows

The United States is seeking to weaken a global deal aimed at helping developing countries struggling with the impacts of climate change and other issues, an internal United Nations document seen by Reuters showed. The Trump administration opposes draft reforms of the world’s financial system intended to help developing countries, including around taxation, credit ratings […]

Climate Energy Environment Featured

The unequal costs of carbon pricing in European regions

Carbon pricing has become a central tool in Europe’s strategy to mitigate climate change. This column presents new evidence on the impact of carbon pricing across European regions. The authors find that an increase in carbon prices is associated with a significant decline in output and a rise in unemployment. Carbon pricing also has important […]

Development Economy Featured Finance poverty

Developing world cities: Poverty traps versus pathways to prosperity

In higher-income countries, urban proximity has been shown to enhance workers’ skills and income, but less is known about low- and middle-income countries. This column examines how the income of initially poor workers in Brazil changes after urban migration. Wages go up immediately for migrants to both southern and northern Brazilian cities, but only in […]

Economy Featured World

Resolving non-performing loans and zombie firms: A path to sustainable growth in Greece

During the Greek debt crisis, zombie firms and non-performing business loans peaked at 20% and 50%, respectively. This column examines the negative effects of ‘zombie’ firms on investment, employment, and productivity during the crisis. The findings suggest that zombie firms have a negative impact on the economy through multiple channels, but highlight heterogeneities across sectors. […]

Economy Banking Featured Finance

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 for several periods, before shifting in large, infrequent jumps. It argues that this reflects ‘rational inaction’, as frequent adjustments or constant swings could undermine credibility. It suggests a natural distinction […]

Finance Business Featured News World

Miran, we’re not in Triffin land anymore

Stephen Miran, Chair of the US Council of Economic Advisers, claims that we live in ‘the world of Triffin’, meaning that foreign official accumulation of dollars is driving US current account deficits. This column argues that over the past ten years US current account deficits have persisted while foreign official inflows into US investments have […]