Japan seeks power to order divestment of foreign acquisitions
The step was among a raft of proposals for revisions to the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act submitted on Wednesday by a finance ministry
Multinational firms and global innovation
Multinational companies are at the heart of two key globalisation trends: the fragmentation of production and the internationalisation of innovation. This column studies the global
Trade policy uncertainty and supply chain disruptions: Firm-level evidence from “Liberation Day”
The US announcement on 2 April 2025 of “Liberation Day” tariffs created an unexpected, precisely timed, and country-specific episode of trade policy uncertainty. This column
Emerging market resilience to risk-off shocks: Good luck, but mostly good policies
Emerging markets used to be hit hard whenever global investors turned nervous. This column analyses how emerging markets have managed output and inflation during global
Global trade to hit record $35trln despite slowing momentum
Between July and September, global trade grew 2.5% compared with the previous three months. Global trade is expected to grow about 7% in 2025, adding
EU data processing consent reform must account for market incentives
Proposed streamlining of EU rules on consent for processing of personal data should account for how digital-market incentives shape implementation. Giving consent online in Europe:
Brexit’s slow‑burn hit to the UK economy
The UK is once again debating why its economy has grown slowly since the mid‑2010s. This column examines the impact of the decision to leave
Why EU innovation policy fails to promote disruptive innovation
Europe’s long-term prosperity depends on its ability to generate and absorb disruptive innovation. This column argues, however, that the European Commission’s proposed 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial
Demographic change: Headwinds for economic growth
With fertility rates falling and populations ageing worldwide, the impact of demographic change on economic prosperity has become a central policy concern. This column uses
Hidden exposures in domestic supply chains: The spread of foreign trade risks
Understanding how foreign shocks affect economies has become a policy priority. Using domestic firm-to-firm transaction data matched with customs records, this column shows that Italy’s
