Behind the numbers: How we measure global poverty
Did you know? According to the latest estimates from the World Bank’s Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP), 831 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty, surviving on less
What money will become: Seven key questions
The digital age has ushered in an era of transformation for money, triggering debates about the role of cryptocurrencies, central bank digital currencies, stablecoins, and
Global merchandise trade tops expectations in H1
WTO economists raised the 2025 merchandise trade growth forecast to 2.4%. Global merchandise trade outpaced expectations in the first half of 2025, driven by increased
Reforming the education of economists in Europe: Breaking the tyranny of the top five
Many European countries have adopted the American model of doctoral training and academic evaluation. While this model suits America’s vast, mobile labour market, in Europe
Attrition in surveys in developed country field experiments
One of the remarkable things about many field experiments done by development economists is the low attrition rates that have been achieved in many surveys.
Information and the labour market
Workers often remain in their jobs even when they know they may get higher wages elsewhere, raising questions about the effectiveness of pay transparency laws.
Currency markets brace for US inflation data
China’s yuan was flat at 7.195 per dollar in offshore trading. Currency markets were in a holding pattern on Tuesday, with traders’ reluctance to make
A cold case (over 160 years old): The effects of unification on Italy’s North-South divide
Few economic debates have lasted as long as the 160-year debate concerning the effects of Italian unification on the economies of Italy’s South and North.
Geopolitical risk in the euro area
Geopolitical risk is a key concern for the euro area, yet most available measures reflect a US perspective. This column introduces a new indicator of
Gender and the authority of experts
Who has more authority in the eyes of the public – male or female economists? This column uses an information experiment to show that the
