Bilateral trade in services: A new research database
While trade debates focus on tariffs and goods, services have quietly defied deglobalisation and become an increasingly important driver of growth. Services trade not only
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
How is innovation competition exacerbating global overcapacity?
The world is moving into a period of entrenched manufacturing overcapacity, threatening deflation and stagnant growth. Over the past two decades, China has emerged as
Globalization and the reform of European social models
Combining product and capital market reforms at EU level with labour market and social policies at national level would be desirable, particularly within the euro
From coal dust to green jobs: The employment imperative in the low-carbon transition
The last coal mine in Wałbrzych, Poland closed in the 1990s, leaving a region that had long relied on mining facing severe economic disruption. Unemployment
Trump tariff policy, uncertainty, and the role of economics
President Trump’s tariff policy is shaking the global economy and generating high levels of trade policy uncertainty. This column challenges the economic reasoning behind recent
The looming global debt disaster
Despite a succession of shocks since 2020, the global economy has held up remarkably well—so far. But the margin for error is dwindling. Total global
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
Moderate growth amid global trade uncertainty: The Commission’s Spring 2025 Forecast
President Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal tariffs” announced on 2 April sent shockwaves through the global economy. This column introduces the European Commission’s Spring Forecast, which depicts
Nvidia supplier Foxconn cuts outlook due to currency appreciation
Taiwan’s Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, downgraded its full-year outlook on Wednesday citing recent appreciation of the Taiwan dollar, even as it struck
