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EconoGraphics

Mar 7, 2017

The United States Needs Europe And Vice Versa (Pt. 2)

By Lu Ding & Ole Moehr

US economic ties with the European Union (27) generate the largest global bilateral trade flows, worth an estimated $2.4 billion per day. The massive volume of US-EU (27) bilateral trade promotes prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Feb 22, 2017

The United States Needs Europe and Vice-Versa

By Lu Ding & Ole Moehr

The United States is the world’s largest recipient of global foreign direct investment (FDI). On a current-cost basis, the US FDI stock was more than three times larger than that of the second largest destination country in 2014, the most recent year from which statistics are available. Despite the current fragile global economy and great political uncertainty, foreign investment in the United States remains strong.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Dec 12, 2016

Refer-Ending Renzi’s Government

By Filippos Letsas

On December 4, Italian voters rejected former Prime Minister Renzi’s constitutional reform referendum. The result of the referendum renewed concerns about the economic recovery in Italy, stability of the Euro, broader European economic integration, and rising populism across Europe. In the week following the referendum, global markets have focused their attention on the ailing Italian banking sector.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Nov 29, 2016

The United States Needs China and Vice-Versa

By Filippos Letsas

Over the last decade, China’s large holdings of US debt have helped the Bank of China keep the value of the renminbi artificially low. This strengthened China’s competitive position in the global markets, allowing for cheaper Chinese exports and contributed significantly to China’s large trade surplus, which now accounts for about half of the total US trade deficit.

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Oct 25, 2016

CETA: Why “Comprehensive” Matters

By Filippos Letsas

On October 14th, the regional parliament of Wallonia, a French-speaking region of 3.6 million people in Belgium, voted to block the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a proposed trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Canada, which has been negotiated for over 7 years.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Oct 7, 2016

Europe′s Fiscal Burden in Focus

By Filippos Letsas

The European Union’s (EU) Stability and Growth Pact requires Eurozone countries to annually lay out their fiscal plans for the following three years. The European Commission (EC) then compares the member states’ reports with its own projections and those produced by independent bodies, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to evaluate whether the member states are on track to reach their Medium-Term Budgetary Objectives (MTOs).

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Sep 30, 2016

Myanmar: Post-Sanctions Landscape

By Filippos Letsas

On the occasion of Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent visit to the United States (U.S.), President Obama announced that executive sanctions on Myanmar would soon be lifted. This will grant Myanmar greater access to the U.S. market and encourage U.S. companies to invest in the country. Trade between the two countries remains at relatively low levels (i.e. $225 million in 2015), with U.S. investment to Myanmar accounting for only 0.2% of the country’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

EconoGraphics

Sep 13, 2016

TTIP = So (Ger)Many Benefits

By Filippos Letsas

As the most export-driven major economy in the European Union (EU), Germany stands to benefit greatly from a robust Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Jul 12, 2016

Taking Stock of European Banks: Improvements Amid Challenges

By Nathaniel Rome

Since the British referendum, Europe’s banking sector has come under renewed scrutiny from financial markets as well as European Union officials and finance ministers. A primary focus is on Italy – which has accumulated $400 billion in gross bad loans – and the EU-Italy talks about how to recapitalize the weak Italian banks.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Jun 29, 2016

Econographics – TTIP

By Nathaniel Rome

The United Kingdom’s (UK) vote last week to leave the European Union (EU) has raised questions about the future of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). TTIP is a trade agreement currently being negotiated by the United States (US) and the EU that will eliminate tariffs, reduce red tape, and set a new standard for international trade agreements. Following the Brexit vote, US Trade Representative Michael Froman and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström released statements reaffirming their commitment to TTIP.

Economy & Business European Union

Content

Econographics

Sep 22, 2026

To achieve its next economic leap, Vietnam needs to move beyond the factory floor

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Vietnam’s export-driven growth has been remarkable. But with domestic firms capturing relatively little of the value, Hanoi now needs to turn foreign investment into broader gains at home.

Economy & Business South Asia

Econographics

Sep 21, 2026

The four issues our experts are watching ahead of this week’s Trump-Xi summit

By Beth Baltzan, Jeremy Mark, Stephen P. Vaughn, Jessie Yin

From AI governance to trade and economic headwinds in Beijing, our experts break down the key questions shaping the summit—and what could come next.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Sep 17, 2026

Ten years into Trump’s trade experiment, the US continues to defy expectations

By Stephen P. Vaughn

A decade of tariffs and trade wars has yet to deliver the economic collapse many critics predicted. Instead, the data tell a more complicated story.

Economy & Business Macroeconomics

Econographics

Sep 15, 2026

The Philippines needs to turn fast growth into productive growth

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The Southeast Asian nation has proved it can grow. Now, amid shifting supply chains and rising geopolitical tensions, it must prove it can grow more productively.

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific

Econographics

Sep 14, 2026

Friends with few trade benefits

By Madeline Chalecki

Free trade agreements were supposed to protect US trading partners. But the Trump administration’s tariffs are putting that promise to the test.

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

Econographics

Sep 10, 2026

Nearly two decades after the global financial crisis, a new regulatory era is dawning

By Matthew L. Ekberg

Nearly two decades after the 2008 crash, the rules governing the world’s banks are being rewritten. But as the US, UK, and EU push to modernize financial regulation, they face a difficult question: Can they boost growth without undermining financial stability?

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics

Sep 9, 2026

The five issues to watch at next month’s IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings

By Hung Tran

From soaring debt to trade fragmentation and AI disruption, the global economy faces no shortage of challenges. Here are the five issues to watch at next month’s fall meetings.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth

Econographics

Sep 8, 2026

The IMF’s boost to China’s currency is costing the world, ten years later

By Jeremy Mark

The renminbi was supposed to become a global currency. Instead, China’s tight controls have helped lay the groundwork for a more fragmented monetary system.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 28, 2026

The G20 needs more carrots to rebalance away from China

By Barbara C. Matthews

Tariffs alone won’t fix global imbalances. The G20 should use economic “carrots” to de-risk from China without destabilizing it.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 25, 2026

Maritime trade routes are under threat—and markets still underprice the risks

By Alex Mills

Conflict, climate change, and geopolitical tensions are putting unprecedented pressure on the world's most important waterways. The economic costs are set to ripple far beyond the shipping industry.

Central America Economy & Business