Featured analysis

The numbers that drove China’s Zero-COVID policy

EconoGraphics Apr 17, 2025

Russia Sanctions Database: November 2024

By Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze

The Atlantic Council’s Russia Sanctions Database tracks the restrictive economic measures Western allies have placed on Russia and evaluates whether these measures are successful in achieving the stated objectives.
China East Asia
The numbers that drove China’s Zero-COVID policy

Econographics Mar 14, 2025

What is strategic about the new digital assets reserve?

By JP Schnapper-Casteras

To many on Wall Street and Main Street, this executive order on a strategic bitcoin reserve may still seem more like political maneuvering than sober monetary policy.
Digital Currencies Digital Policy
The numbers that drove China’s Zero-COVID policy

Sinographs Mar 12, 2025

China’s economic plans prioritize consumption—but only on paper

By Jeremy Mark

At last week’s meeting of the National People’s Congress, China declared consumption as the number one priority. But will the spending plans actually support consumers and businesses?
China 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

Aug 27, 2024

Going for gold: Does the dollar’s declining share in global reserves matter?

By Hung Tran

If gold—which has recently experienced a surge in purchases by many global central banks—is included in reserve asset portfolios, the share of the US dollar is smaller than what the IMF has highlighted.

Economy & Business International Financial Institutions

Sinographs

Aug 22, 2024

Why the next trade war with China may look very different from the last one

By Mrugank Bhusari

Far more countries share concerns over the impact of an expansion of Chinese exports. This time, they will likely target finished consumer goods over intermediary inputs.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 14, 2024

Get ready for a volatile fall in the financial markets—but not necessarily a downturn

By Josh Lipsky, Alisha Chhangani

Between an election, the threat of conflict, and a slowing economy, there is likely to be more volatility in the months ahead. But volatility doesn’t mean a downturn—it just means there’s more uncertainty than usual. 

Economy & Business International Markets

Fintech Frontlines

Aug 12, 2024

Tech regulation requires balancing security, privacy, and usability 

By Karen Sowon, Giulia Fanti, JP Schnapper-Casteras

Good policy intentions can lead to unintended consequences when usability, privacy, and security are not balanced—policymakers must think like product designers to avoid these challenges.

Digital Policy East Africa

Econographics

Aug 8, 2024

What exactly is a strategic bitcoin reserve?

By Ananya Kumar

Bringing bitcoin into mainstream use is not reason enough to create a strategic bitcoin reserve. 

Digital Currencies Economy & Business
French National Assembly with Olympic statues

Econographics

Jul 26, 2024

What French economic policy may look like after the Olympics

By Charles Lichfield and Gustavo Romero

The snap parliamentary election in France produced no absolute majority, and negotiations on government formation have begun. As Macron’s centrists attempt to construct a broad coalition, what economic policies can they suggest to bring the center-left and center-right onside?

Economy & Business Elections

Sinographs

Jul 23, 2024

Key takeaways from China’s Third Plenum 2024

By Hung Tran

The communiqué of the Third Plenum of the CCP Central Committee lacks major policy initiatives to address the country’s near-term growth challenges.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 18, 2024

The Bretton Woods institutions need revitalizing. Luckily, they are no strangers to reform.

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

The changing nature of the global economy is forcing these institutions to take a renewed look at their governance structure and mandates. This is not the first time they have had to do so.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Econographics

Jul 8, 2024

Who’s at 2 percent? Look how NATO allies have increased their defense spending since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

By Clara Falkenek

As NATO gathers for its summit in Washington, 23 of 32 allies now meet the 2 percent GDP defense spending target, highlighting a collective effort to strengthen the Alliance and support Ukraine.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
French snap election

Econographics

Jul 3, 2024

How are markets reacting to the French snap election?

By Sophia Busch, Charles Lichfield

The results of the first round of the French snap election led to diverging reactions in bond yields and stock prices.

Elections Eurozone
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Content

Econographics

Dec 8, 2022

The numbers that drove China’s Zero-COVID policy

By Niels Graham

China's adherence to zero-COVID was primarily driven by poor vaccination rates among seniors and weak health care infrastructure. As the country opens, both factors remain key health risks.

China Coronavirus

Econographics

Nov 23, 2022

US-China competition after the US midterms and the CCP 20th Congress

By Hung Tran

For the first time since becoming President, Joe Biden met face-to-face with Secretary General Xi Jinping on November 14, 2022, at the outset of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia. Against the backdrop of rising tensions between the two countries, the United States hoped it would “put a floor under the relationship.” But the recent […]

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Nov 17, 2022

Global Sanctions Dashboard: What’s coming in 2023?

By Charles Lichfield, Maia Nikoladze, and Castellum.AI

Fall sanctions against Russia and Iran; implications of US semiconductor export controls against China; projected sanctions trends in 2023.

China Economic Sanctions

Econographics

Nov 11, 2022

The target of limiting global warming to less than 1.5 degrees is practically dead. Why do emissions per capita matter?

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

Achieving the target to limit global warming to below 2, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, by the end of the century seems more unfeasible than ever. The reason is simple. The most critical of greenhouse gases have continuously risen in the past decade and CO2 emissions are only expected to grow more in 2022 and for the foreseeable future. COP27 needs to pave the path for a renewed international cooperative and enforceable framework to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by the world’s top emitters both in absolute terms and in per capita terms.

Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business

Econographics

Nov 8, 2022

What US outbound investment screening means for Transatlantic relations

By Elmar Hellendoorn

Whether the EU follows through with new outbound investment controls and what those might look like will also depend on the evolution of American national security policy and transatlantic diplomacy.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Oct 31, 2022

The global infrastructure financing gap: Where sovereign wealth funds and pension funds can play a role

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou and Naomi Aladekoba

Having more than $65 trillion in assets, institutional investors such as SWFs and pension funds are uniquely positioned to bridge low-income economies’ infrastructure financing gap in the coming decades. The Bretton Woods Institutions (BWI) can encourage investment in developing countries’ infrastructure through providing various guarantee and insurance mechanisms, thereby reducing risk for private investors.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth

EconoGraphics

Oct 28, 2022

How the US compares to the world on unionization

By Jeff Goldstein

Explore how US unionization rates compare to other economies and what that means for US labor markets going forward.

Economy & Business Future of Work

EconoGraphics

Oct 24, 2022

Dual circulation in China: A progress report

By Hung Tran

Faced with a challenging international environment and hostile efforts by the United States to restrict China’s access to high technology and its products, China has adopted a dual circulation strategy to make its economy more balanced and resilient. Dual circulation means reducing the role of foreign trade in driving the Chinese economy while improving the quality of trade.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Oct 12, 2022

Companies on the front line: Trends in overseas Chinese listings

By Maia Nikoladze

Delisting more than 150 Chinese companies is a bigger hit than Chinese private sector can take at this time. However, we don’t yet know whether Beijing will follow through on its side of the audit-sharing deal. 

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Sep 8, 2022

Global Sanctions Dashboard: Sanctioning soars across the board

By Charles Lichfield, Maia Nikoladze, and Castellum.AI

Iran nuclear deal negotiations; Russia's domestic sanctions against terrorism and extremism; Latin America drug trafficking sanctions.

Economic Sanctions Europe & Eurasia
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