Featured analysis

Stalled growth in the UK, Germany, and Japan darken global economic outlook

Econographics Aug 22, 2025

Trump’s challenges to the Fed’s independence loom over Jackson Hole Symposium

By Alisha Chhangani

As Trump tests the limits of what he can do, the credibility of the Fed—and by extension, global financial stability—is increasingly at risk.
Economy & Business International Markets
Stalled growth in the UK, Germany, and Japan darken global economic outlook

Econographics Jul 17, 2025

Charting a strategic path for Syria’s postwar reconstruction

By Kimberly Donovan, Jonathan Panikoff, Lize de Kruijf, Manal Fatima

As Syria emerges from over a decade of conflict, easing sanctions by the United States, the European Union (EU), and other European partners is an important step toward reintegrating Syria into the global economy. Yet, for a country that has been economically isolated for over fourteen years, lifting sanctions is only the beginning.
Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
Stalled growth in the UK, Germany, and Japan darken global economic outlook

Fintech Frontlines Jul 8, 2025

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

By Ashley Lannquist

Stablecoin usage is complex for consumers, and large-scale adoption could introduce new challenges for financial stability and regulatory oversight.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business

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.

Latest analysis

Econographics

Jan 3, 2024

Five under-the-radar economic trends that could define 2024

By Josh Lipsky, Sophia Busch

We picked five under-the-radar trends that will matter for the global economy in 2024. Each shows the potential weak spots in the global economy alongside the forces that could stabilize growth.

China Economy & Business
Building with EU flags

Econographics

Dec 19, 2023

Three next steps for the EU’s approach to economic security

By Elmar Hellendoorn

The EU’s Strategy on Economic Security, published this summer, was the first official effort to present a more coherent view on the European policy approach at the intersection of economics and geopolitics. In the end, however, the EU’s approach to economic security can only be successful if it is tied to Europe’s long-term political objectives.

Economic Sanctions European Union
Ships on Red Sea

Econographics

Dec 18, 2023

What attacks in the Red Sea could mean for the global economy

By Hung Tran

Recent missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels have escalated regional tensions and disrupted global trade. Large shipping companies are now avoiding the route, causing significant costs and delays, which is impacting the the already fragile economy.

Economy & Business International Markets

Econographics

Dec 11, 2023

China’s manufacturing overcapacity threatens global green goods trade

By Niels Graham

Chinese lending is exacerbating a growing glut in its green manufacturing sector. Beijing is increasingly looking abroad to absorb excess capacity. This may have devastating effects for the global trading system as economies move to protect their own domestic industry.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Dec 7, 2023

Germany’s debt brake isn’t working

By Hung Tran

Germany’s coalition government was dealt a fiscal crisis when the country’s Constitutional Court ruled that repurposing €60 billion of unspent money from the pandemic emergency support facility to the Climate and Transformation Fund was unconstitutional.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Econographics

Dec 1, 2023

Financialization has increased economic fragility

By Hung Tran

Since the 1980s, financial activities and assets have played an increasingly dominant role in the global economy. At the same time, underlying economic activity as measured by global GDP has been growing more slowly. The result has been an ever-larger gap between the volume and value of financial activity relative to the real economy. And […]

Financial Regulation International Markets

Econographics

Nov 30, 2023

Geoeconomic fragmentation is threatening the green energy transition

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The energy transition depends on trade—and on China. Geoeconomic fragmentation could impact global climate targets.

Africa China

Econographics

Nov 16, 2023

CBDCs will further fragment the global economy—and could threaten the dollar

By Hung Tran, Barbara C. Matthews

Divergent regulatory and technological standards are evolving along geopolitical fault lines. Such an outcome would be costly.

China Digital Currencies

Econographics

Nov 14, 2023

The economic implications of a federal government shutdown

By Niels Graham

For the third time this year, stalemate in Washington is again threatening the US economic outlook. If Congress is unable to agree on a funding bill by November 17, the federal government will be forced to halt most discretionary spending. Depending on its length and severity, this shutdown could rattle global bond markets, increase November […]

Economy & Business International Markets

Econographics

Nov 8, 2023

How digitalization can improve climate resilience in the Global South

By Camilla Valente and Saffiyah Coker

Digitalization offers a novel opportunity to build climate resilience if properly supported by the Bretton Woods Institutions.

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
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Content

Econographics

Mar 12, 2024

Stalled growth in the UK, Germany, and Japan darken global economic outlook

By Josh Lipsky and Alisha Chhangani

The world's two largest economies won't be able to generate enough growth for the UK, Germany, and Japan—it is going to have to happen from within.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Econographics

Mar 8, 2024

How banking regulations affect US foreign policy

By Charles Lichfield

Economics, finance, and national security overlap. Obvious areas include sanctions and trade policy. But US foreign policymaker are now also expected to develop some knowledge of critical minerals . Banking regulations may seem a step too far, but they too carry foreign policy implications.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics

Mar 7, 2024

Unpacking China’s 2024 growth target and economic agenda

By Hung Tran

At the opening of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Premier Li Quang delivered his first Government Work Report, setting the key economic and social policies and targets for this year.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Mar 1, 2024

Climate, drought, and the disrupted future of global trade

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Sophia Busch

Climate change threatens the efficient functioning of waterways, canals, and seaports—and therefore is a major threat to global trade.

Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business

Econographics

Feb 27, 2024

Future-proofing the World Trade Organization

By Penny Naas

During the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, ministers must make progress on the WTO's negotiations and dispute settlement processes.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Feb 22, 2024

Chinese exports have replaced the EU as the lifeline of Russia’s economy

By Niels Graham

Two years after the initial invasion, Russia’s imports have stabilized. New industrial and consumer exports from from China have replaced trade from the US, EU, and G7.

China Economic Sanctions
Construction site and excavation

Econographics

Feb 22, 2024

‘Connector economies’ and the fractured state of foreign direct investment

By Hung Tran

Most attention has been focused on the fragmentation of world trade. But fragmentation can be observed in the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) as well. And, like trade, the picture is nuanced: Global FDI flow has fallen as a share of GDP, but a handful of countries have seen an influx.

China International Markets

Econographics

Feb 16, 2024

Youth unemployment in China: New metric, same mess

By Nicole Goldin

The youth labor induced weakening of Chinese productivity and growth has the potential to impact youth labor markets worldwide.

China Economy & Business
Brazil, Corn, Agriculture, Food Security, G20, COP30, Global South

Econographics

Feb 14, 2024

Brazil aims to advance its bid for leadership of the Global South through food security

By Josh Lipsky, Mrugank Bhusari

If Brazil delivers tangible benefits on food security through its Presidency of the G20 and COP30, it will cement its position as a key leader of the Global South.

Brazil Economy & Business

Econographics

Feb 13, 2024

The IRA and CHIPS Act are supercharging US manufacturing construction

By Niels Graham

The IRA and CHIPS Act are driving a new construction boom of American manufactures to build the next generation of facilities to produce electronics and green goods for the energy transition

Economy & Business Energy Transitions
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