Understanding country income: World Bank Group income classifications for FY26 (July 1, 2025–June, 2026)
Every year, the World Bank Group classifies the world’s economies into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high. These classifications, updated each year on July
Keeping an eye on budgetary forecasts: The new Forecast Tracker of the Secretariat of the European Fiscal Board
Forecasts underpinning budgetary plans have a well-documented impact on fiscal performance especially when policymakers view the world through rosy lenses. Combined with inertia in the
European Commission to allow stablecoin interchangeability
The European Commission is set to clarify that the European Union’s crypto rules allow stablecoins issued by a company with an EU licence to be
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
Export strength does not equal tech strength: Rethinking EU comparative advantage
Amid geopolitical shocks, the EU is revisiting its industrial strategy. However, traditional metrics often paint a misleading picture of Europe’s underlying strength. This column uses
How the 2018/19 US tariffs against China boosted exports and employment in Mexico
In 2018 and 2019, the US administration hiked tariffs on imports from China. This column shows that imports from Mexico partly filled the gap, leading
Uncertain times in Lebanon: How policy shocks ripple through MENA markets
Despite its small size, Lebanon’s chronic crises send financial shockwaves across the Middle East and North Africa. This column uses a Twitter-based index of economic
Beyond words: Fed chair voice sentiments and US bank stock price crash risk
Investors and policymakers increasingly rely on verbal guidance rather than policy moves. This column examines whether the emotional sentiment of the chair of the Federal
Quantifying global debt risks amid high and rising public debt
As global debt continues to climb, evaluating debt risks is critical. This column introduces a novel ‘debt-at-risk’ framework that uses information on current macro-financial and
How to avoid unintended consequences in intimate-partner violence prevention programs
In the quest to promote women’s rights and opportunities and reduce intimate-partner violence (IPV), well-intentioned programs can sometimes yield results opposed to their goal. A recent paper sheds
