Inside the automotive supply chain: Empirical evidence from Italian business-to-business trade data
Europe’s automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation. This column uses firm-to-firm data to map the Italian automotive supply chain, covering both direct suppliers and
The price elasticity of US shale oil supply: Insights from a natural experiment
The 2026 Iran war provides a natural experiment that allows model-free estimation of the price elasticity of US shale oil supply. This column argues that
Firms slice up global production to protect their knowhow
Imitation is a first-order concern for enterprises operating global production processes. Firms routinely source knowledge-intensive inputs from many countries, including those with weak intellectual property
The scramble for critical minerals: An old curse in a new world
Lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements are reshaping global trade and great-power politics in ways reminiscent of the earlier scramble for natural resources.
AI feedback loops and the conditions for explosive growth
If frontier AI models can be used to develop their next models, this may lead to an ‘intelligence explosion’ and give a large boost to
The scramble for critical minerals: An old curse in a new world
Lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements are reshaping global trade and great-power politics in ways reminiscent of the earlier scramble for natural resources.
Creating Jobs Through a Business Plan Competition: Does it matter how entrepreneurs are selected and how much funding they are given?
Of the estimated 244 million firms in Africa, 232 million (95%) are own-account businesses consisting of only the owner, and a further 7.7 million (3.1%) have
Beverage prices retreat as supplies recover
Coffee prices continued to ease in 2026Q2, helped by stronger global supply prospects and the removal of U.S. tariffs on Brazilian imports earlier in the
The economic footprint of Europe’s defence build-up
Defence policy is usually discussed as a national security issue, but its economic effects are often highly local. This column presents new evidence from 1,011
China’s accession to the WTO increased pollution via coal powerplants, not exporters or their suppliers and consumers
As countries consider trade deals to foster development, the question of how trade impacts pollution keeps resurfacing. This column examines how China’s rapid entry into
