Most of the developing world is turning into a development-free zone
Only six months ago, a “soft landing” appeared to be in sight: the global economy was stabilizing after an extraordinary string of calamities both natural
The 2025 trade war: Dynamic impacts across US states and the global economy
In 2025, the US government announced a series of tariff increases targeting major trading partners, including Canada, China, and Mexico. This column estimates the economic
The US-China trade war created jobs (elsewhere)
In June 2016, Donald Trump justified the protectionist policies during his first administration as “the quickest way to bring our jobs back to our country”.
Micro and macro cost-price dynamics in normal times and during inflation surges
Recent evolutions in US attitudes and policies have raised questions about the future of the dollar’s role in the global economy. This column explores a
Industrial policy lessons from East Germany’s privatisation
There has been renewed interest in industrial policy as a tool to reshape the structure of economic activity, but little evidence exists on the successful
Anatomy of the Phillips curve
The Phillips curve describes the relationship between inflation and real economic activity over the business cycle. This column challenges the notion that the Phillips curve
What will it cost to build the cities of the future?
Cities are engines of economic growth and job creation, and their future pathways will shape global development outcomes for decades to come. But the success
Shifting gears: how the private sector can be an engine of growth in MENA
The global economy is facing heightened uncertainty, clouding economic forecasts. In our recently launched April 2025 Middle East and North Africa Economic Update , we report that
Tariffs across the supply chain
Tariffs disrupt trade flows and influence prices, but their broader impact depends on how they are structured and the type of goods targeted. This column
India-China rapprochement: what are the long-term prospects?
Despite signs of cautious improvement, India-China relations remain deeply strained by border tensions and mutual distrust. China-India relations, which have long been fraught, were further
