Econographics

Econographics

Econographics is the GeoEconomics Center’s in-depth look at key trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools.

COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

Econographics deep dives

Special sections that go inside the Chinese economy, the evolution of sanctions, and the future of money.

 

Sinographs

In-depth analysis of economic and financial trends in the Chinese economy.

Fintech frontlines

Research and analysis on the intersection of technology and policy developments in finance.

Global sanctions dashboard

Monthly analysis of global sanctions regimes—highlighting new listings, delistings, and the motivations behind these changes.

Featured analysis

Energy Sanctions Dashboard: October 2025

Econographics Apr 29, 2026

What swap, Gulf?

By Charles Lichfield and Maxamillian Rajaobelina-Phipps

Amidst the chaos of the conflict in the Middle East, there’s been a buzz around offering dollar currency swaps to allies. Those have traditionally been the territory of central banks, but this time around, Treasury is taking the lead.
Economy & Business
Energy Sanctions Dashboard: October 2025

EconoGraphics Apr 13, 2026

Inside the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings as leaders grapple with war and supply shocks

By Atlantic Council experts

Amid war in the Middle East and an unprecedented energy shock, we sent our experts to the IMF and World Bank headquarters for their insights on the future of the global economy.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment
Energy Sanctions Dashboard: October 2025

Econographics Mar 12, 2026

By threatening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran turns geography into a global economic weapon

By Alex Mills

Iran’s threat to attack vessels in the Strait of Hormuz has effectively shut down one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes, turning geography into a powerful economic weapon.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Latest analysis

EconoGraphics

Aug 28, 2019

US-EU Auto Tariffs: What’s at Stake?

By OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND, NICK BROWN, ANDREW LASCALEIA

Escalating trade tensions between the world’s major economies are widely considered the greatest threat to the global economy’s health. Following the White House’s cancellation of its threatened tariffs on all Mexican imports on June 7, attention swiftly turned back to the brewing US-China trade war. This edition of the EconoGraphic, however, puts the focus on how US tariffs on cars and car parts might disrupt transatlantic trade flow.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Aug 9, 2019

Breaking Down France’s Digital Tax

By BY ANDREW LASCALEIA, EDITED BY OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND AND ANDREW LASCALEIA

In July, France’s parliament ratified a new law to tax big digital tech firms making it the first country to pass a tax law of this manner. Paris’ new tax scheme triggered criticism from the Trump Administration and is further complicating the transatlantic relationship. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the motivation behind taxing digital technology firms more aggressively, the way that the French tax will work, and the potential impacts and response to the tax.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Jul 23, 2019

My Way or the Huawei: 5G at the Center of US-China Strategic Competition

By OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY MARIANNA ASLUND, NICK BROWN, ANDREW LASCALEIA

On July 22, President Trump met with a group of major tech CEOs to discuss the easing of some restrictions on US companies supplying high-tech parts to Chinese telecommunications company Huawei. In May, the US Commerce Department banned US companies from selling any products to Huawei. The Chinese company’s position as the world’s leading provider of 5G technology has made it a focal point of the escalating great power competition between China and the United States. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the US government’s move to blacklist Huawei, outlines the ban’s potential costs, and describes why US allies are conflicted about banning Huawei.

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Jun 3, 2019

US Cuba policy: EU and Canadian firms to suffer?

By BY OLE MOEHR | GRAPHICS BY SHIQING HUA, FRANCIS AUBEE, AND NICK BROWN

On April 17 2019, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced an important change in the United States’ policy toward Cuba: Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act of 1996 (LIBERTAD Act) would no longer be suspended. As a result of this decision, US claimants can now seek compensation for property confiscated by the Castro government. The move has important implications for US and foreign companies doing business in Cuba. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains the history and purpose of the LIBERTAD Act, evaluates the policy’s potential impact on US allies’ economic interests in Cuba, and highlights its implications for the pressure campaign against the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

Cuba Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Apr 29, 2019

Central Bank Independence Under Scrutiny

By Ole Moehr | Graphics by Shiqing Hua and Francis Aubee

On April 26, following stronger than expected US economic growth numbers, the White House’s National Economic Council director, Larry Kudlow, urged the Federal Reserve (Fed) to cut interest rates by 50 basis points.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Feb 6, 2019

A Breakdown of the Sanctions Deal between the United States and Oleg Deripaska

By Ole Moehr | Graphics by Shiqing Hua and Zachary Coles

On January 16, a US Senate resolution to maintain US sanctions on the Russian aluminum giant RUSAL and its holding company EN+ failed to garner the necessary 60 votes to pass. As a result, the Trump administration lifted its economic sanctions on RUSAL and EN+ on January 27.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Blogs

Dec 21, 2018

Economic Outlook for 2019

By Global Business & Economics Program

December 2018 is set to become the worst year-end finish for US markets since 1931. A yield curve inversion combined with the fourth annual rate hike by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and growing geo-political uncertainty, triggered widespread angst among US investors about an economic slowdown and the increasing probability of a recession. This edition of the EconoGraphic assesses key economic indicators to make a case that while a slowing of the US economy seems certain, a recession in the next two years remains unlikely.

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Dec 5, 2018

Trade Disrupted: US and China Need More Than a Truce

By Ole Moehr

At this year’s G20 summit in Buenos Aires, the trade dispute between China and the United States took center stage. Chinese President Xi and his US counterpart President Donald Trump agreed to avoid further escalations of the ongoing bilateral trade war for the next 90 days. The temporary deal does not assuage the escalatory measures already taken, leaving the existing tariffs in place. This edition of the EconoGraphic explores how the brewing trade conflict is impacting manufacturing supply chains, soybean cargo routes, and trade flows of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) among the United States, China, and the rest of the world.

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Oct 30, 2018

SWIFTly Disconnecting Iran

By Ole Moehr

With the snapback of significant US sanctions against Iran fast approaching on November 5th, speculation is mounting over how the Trump Administration will enforce the sanctions, and how its European allies might attempt to bypass them. The previous EconoGraphic outlined how a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) may facilitate trade between European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Iran after US sanctions go back into effect. This edition of the EconoGraphic provides a primer on the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and explains why sanctioning the financial messaging service would likely cause more harm than good.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

EconoGraphics

Oct 9, 2018

JCPOA in Peril – EU SPV to the Rescue?

By Ole Moehr

The European Union’s (EU) foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, recently announced that the EU will set-up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) “to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran and allow European companies to continue to trade with Iran.” In response, our visiting senior fellow, Samantha Sultoon, argued that this SPV will not provide a reliable path around US sanctions, and may undermine the effectiveness of US and EU sanctions in the long-run. This edition of the EconoGraphic explains how the SPV would work in practice and outlines why this mechanism is unlikely to offer Iran enough economic upside to keep the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) alive.

Economy & Business European Union
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Content

EconoGraphics

May 21, 2026

Energy Sanctions Dashboard: October 2025

The October 2025 edition of the Energy Sanctions Dashboard analyzed China’s central role in the market for sanctioned oil and the techniques Russia, Iran, and Venezuela use to evade sanctions on oil.

Africa China

Econographics

May 20, 2026

The global push for local-currency cross-border payments is intensifying

By Hung Tran

More than one hundred countries now operate instant payment systems, and growing efforts to link them are reshaping how cross-border transactions get settled in local currencies.

Digital Currencies Dollar Dominance

Econographics

May 12, 2026

The IMF’s policy advice needs a louder voice

By Martin Mühleisen

At a time of energy shocks and trade tensions, the IMF’s surveillance work is more relevant than ever. Yet its challenge remains influence: can the Fund move from rigorous analysis to public-facing policy advice?

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

Econographics

May 7, 2026

As the Trump-Xi summit draws closer, trade uncertainty still looms large

By Jessie Yin

What China and the United States manage to agree on in Beijing on key export controls or purchase agreements will significantly shape the Trump administration’s approach to rebuilding its tariff wall.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Apr 29, 2026

What swap, Gulf?

By Charles Lichfield and Maxamillian Rajaobelina-Phipps

Amidst the chaos of the conflict in the Middle East, there’s been a buzz around offering dollar currency swaps to allies. Those have traditionally been the territory of central banks, but this time around, Treasury is taking the lead.

Economy & Business

Econographics

Apr 22, 2026

In renegotiating the USMCA, Mexico should neither rush nor stall

By Phil Lovegren, Ernesto Stein

With the USMCA under review, Mexico faces a delicate balance: rushing risks economic harm, but delay brings uncertainty—making patience a viable fallback strategy.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Econographics

Apr 14, 2026

The debt comes due—but there is no one to pick up the tab

By Bart Piasecki

Many of the IMF’s latest warnings center on the fallout of the Iran war. But another key message has focused on debt: because the world has neglected fiscal consolidation for more than two decades, the time to reverse course is now.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

EconoGraphics

Apr 13, 2026

Inside the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings as leaders grapple with war and supply shocks

By Atlantic Council experts

Amid war in the Middle East and an unprecedented energy shock, we sent our experts to the IMF and World Bank headquarters for their insights on the future of the global economy.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Econographics

Apr 2, 2026

No IMF and World Bank spring meetings without a global crisis

By Hung Tran

The Iran war's supply-side shock is testing the IMF and World Bank ahead of their 2026 spring meetings. While financial support is in the works, it’s unclear what policy recommendations they can offer member states to manage the fallout.

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

Econographics

Mar 27, 2026

The Iran war’s economic fallout won’t stop at oil—agriculture and aluminum are next

By Eduardo Gomez Horta and Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The Iran war’s impact isn’t limited to oil. Fertilizer shortages now threaten spring corn planting, while aluminum markets are strained—signaling broader disruptions to food prices, industry, and global supply chains.

Economy & Business
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