Microfinance’s promise was oversold, not broken

The Wall Street Journal recently published a sobering account of microfinance’s shortcomings, documenting troubling cases of over-indebtedness, land loss, and borrower distress in countries such

Swedish household debt is not too high: Look at solvency and liquidity, not debt to income

The Swedish authorities and international organisations often claim that household debt poses a threat to financial and macroeconomic stability, with reference to a high debt-to-income

Dutch households spend less of their income on fixed and necessary expenditures

Households with high fixed and necessary expenditures relative to income are more vulnerable to income shocks. This column examines fixed and necessary expenditures for middle-income

The impact of fintech on lending

Fintech has improved efficiency and inclusion in banking, especially lending, but has also raised concerns about financial stability, privacy, discrimination, and overall wellbeing. This column