Capitalising on Europe’s strengths
In recent years, the European economy has shown remarkable resilience, whilst continuing to transform. This column reveals how EU firms have adapted supply chains and
Ray of hope? The rise of solar energy in China
China’s solar industry is a poster child for the country’s economic rise over the last four decades. The output of Chinese solar grew by 76%
AI and the distribution of income between capital and labour
The swift rise of artificial intelligence is raising fundamental concerns about the future of work. This column uses data from 238 regions across 21 European
How sanctions can help stabilise global oil supply
There were initial concerns that the introduction of the Russian oil price cap in 2022 would see Russia cut production, global oil supply fall, and
The nitrogen paradox: Every sweet hath its sour
When the philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in 1841, “Every sweet hath its sour; every evil its good”, nitrogen was surely the last
Geopolitical risk and supply chain diversification
Geopolitical risks are reshaping global production, yet little is known about how firms reallocate their supply chains in response. Using parent-affiliate matched data on Japanese
Pricing cascades: Inflation in a networked economy
The post‑pandemic inflation surge is often attributed to pent-up demand and opportunistic price hikes by firms. This column argues that the surge was not driven
European and Chinese exports kept growing despite the 2025 Trump trade shock
Diversification has kept global trade strong, despite Trump’s tariffs and accelerated US-China decoupling. One of the main ways in which the economic policies of the
Beyond carbon pricing: How different climate policies affect carbon leakage through trade
A central concern in the climate policy debate is whether ambitious mitigation efforts simply shift emissions abroad. This column addresses estimates carbon leakage rates and
FDI and growth in the age of global value chains
Existing evidence indicates that foreign direct investment promotes growth only when host economies have the human capital and deep financial markets to absorb spillovers. This
