In The News

Economic Toll of Climate Change: Axios

Courtenay Brown November 12, 2019
Substantial numbers of financiers and politicians are dismiss worries over climate change. Yet, “Top economists say the economic effects of climate change are just starting to be felt – and they're likely to start snowballing,” reports Courtenay Brown for Axios, who goes to explain how increasing wildfires, floods and natural disasters can disrupt the electrical grid, electronic payment and...

Four-Day Workweek Boosts Productivity: Japan Times

Kazuaki Nagata November 9, 2019
Companies could save money by trying a four-day workweek, sharpening employee focus while providing more time for home life. Microsoft tested a four-day workweek for one month in Japan and discovered that productivity increased among sales staff by 40 percent. The experiment did not reduce pay, and every Friday in August was a paid holiday. Management also asked workers to communicate more over...

End of Neoliberalism: Project Syndicate

Joseph Stiglitz November 7, 2019
Neoliberal policies and unfettered markets undermined democracy for 40 years, destroying hopes of economic growth and the spread of democracy. “The effects of capital-market liberalization were particularly odious: If a leading presidential candidate in an emerging market lost favor with Wall Street, the banks would pull their money out of the country,” explains Joseph Stiglitz for Project...

Prepare for Globalization’s End: Barron’s

Neil Shearing October 24, 2019
Globalization and increased connections through trade, travel, education and more has shaped the world in recent decades, reducing interest rates, costs and inflation. “The integration of several billion workers into the global economy has pushed down labor’s share of income and pushed up the share flowing to company profits,” explains Neil Shearing for Barron’s. “The latter has provided an...

China at 70: Dawn

October 2, 2019
The People’s Republic of China is celebrating its 70th birthday. The nation emerged during an “era of ideological zeal, when the socialist and capitalist blocs were locked in a global battle for influence,” explains an editorial in Pakistan’s Dawn, and its growth miracle started in earnest once Deng Xiaoping opened up the economy and loosened communist ideology. Today, President Xi Jinping has...

World Trade Uncertainty Index: IMFBlog

Hites Ahir, Nicholas Broom and Davide Furceri September 17, 2019
Uncertainty deters investment and slows economic growth, and the International Monetary Fund has introduced an index that attempts to measure trade uncertainty for 143 advanced and developing nations. The index relies on a search for words related to uncertainty and trade in the Economist Intelligence Unit country reports. “Globally, the trade policy uncertainty index is rising sharply, having...

A Different Economy: Sydney Morning Herald

Ross Gittins September 2, 2019
Advanced economies no longer work the way they once did, and no one should expect a return to "normal" anytime soon. Economists disagree about the reasons. For now, governments and citizens must adjust to a new normal, explains Ross Gittins for the Sydney Morning Herald. Some Australian leaders prepare to adjust for declines in economic growth, productivity and interest rates. Australia...