The role of wages in retaining effective teachers in the classroom

Concerns about declining student achievements have become central in education debates, with teacher quality drawing attention as a key driver. This column examines how wages
Wealth shocks tilt the balance toward self-insurance for long-term care

When older adults need paid long-term care, most rely on their own assets unless they hold private long-term care insurance or qualify for Medicaid. This
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
Trailing with a margin: Official macro forecasts in EU fiscal surveillance

Budgetary planning in the euro area involves a codified interaction between national governments and the European Commission where economic and fiscal forecasts play a crucial
Reforming international taxation: Balancing profit shifting and investment responses

The global minimum tax represents the most ambitious international effort in decades to curb profit shifting to tax havens. But how much profit shifting actually
Then and now: A look back and ahead at the US federal budget

There is now widespread concern that the US faces an unsustainable fiscal future under current policies. The rise in the debt-to-GDP ratio since 2001 can
Barclays sees no further ECB rate cuts before end-2026 after policy decision

The ECB kept interest rates steady at 2% for the third meeting in a row. Barclays revised its forecast for the European Central Bank’s rate
Gold gains on US interest rate expectations

Investors have their eyes on other news, including ADP U.S. employment data and ISM PMIs this week, for indicators that could alter the Fed’s hawkish
When debt perceptions shape fiscal futures

Voters fear debt, but they do not understand it. Using data across 13 countries, this column shows that most people dramatically misjudge debt levels and
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

