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Central bank building with gate

Econographics

May 2, 2024

Understanding the plan to create a $50 billion Ukraine bond from Russia’s blocked assets

By Charles Lichfield, Mrugank Bhusari

The United States is pushing the G7 to consider a sovereign loan of $50 billion to Ukraine which would be repaid using the interest income on blocked Russian assets. Where does this $50 billion figure come from?

Economic Sanctions Russia

Econographics

May 1, 2024

How to improve the technical skill of the US national security workforce

By Lesley Chavkin, Eitan Danon, and Sigal Mandelker

We cannot expect to compete on the world stage without equipping the US civil service with the skills and experience needed to understand and harness the technological trends that will define the future. But if we want our best and brightest—our most ambitious and innovative—women and men to pursue federal service, we have to do a better job of proactively making the case why.

Economy & Business Future of Work

Econographics

Apr 30, 2024

The yen’s travails in an era of geopolitical rivalry

By Hung Tran

In an era marked by geopolitical tensions, the yen’s depreciation underscores the broader economic fallout from a persistently strong dollar and rising US interest rates.

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific
Factory under construction

Econographics

Apr 29, 2024

The IMF warms to industrial policy—but with caveats

By Walter Frick

Industrial policy is making a comeback around the world. There’s no better sign of this than the new attention paid to subsidies by bastions of the Washington consensus like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has historically been very skeptical of them.

Fiscal and Structural Reform International Financial Institutions

Econographics

Apr 25, 2024

The basics of CBDC

By Alisha Chhangani and Leila Hamilton

The race for the future of money is on, so here are the key items to catch you up on what a central bank digital currency is—and what it isn’t.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business
Brazil G20 bilboard

Econographics

Apr 12, 2024

Brazil’s approach to the G20: Leading by example

By Hung Tran

Brazil’s non-aligned, cooperative, and practical approach holds out the promise of a constructive outcome for this year’s G20 meetings—especially if progress is measured by concrete global initiatives.

Brazil G20

Sinographs

Apr 9, 2024

Breaking down Janet Yellen’s comments on Chinese overcapacity

By Hung Tran

It is reasonable to criticize and complain to China, but policymakers should remember that an end to overcapacity would mean a major shift in China’s economic model—which is exceedingly unlikely.

China Economy & Business
Bulk carrier ship in river port. Dry cargo grain elevator trade. Agrarian maritime facility. Cargo ship in the sea. Sunset view. factory on the water.

Econographics

Apr 5, 2024

Ukraine’s grain exports are crucial to Africa’s food security

By Yulia Bychkovska

Moscow is trying to increase Africa’s dependence on its imports by blocking the exports of Ukrainian grain. By helping Ukraine sell its grain, the West can offer the African continent an alternative to Russia’s grain and decrease Russia’s profits.

Africa Economic Sanctions

Econographics

Mar 28, 2024

Understanding the debate over IMF quota reform

By Hung Tran

The politics and mathematics of reform are tougher than they appear. A simple reform matching quotas to global economic weight will not be welcomed by many countries.

Africa China

Econographics

Mar 26, 2024

Housing costs are slowing down the US climate transition

By Joseph Webster

The US housing shortage has profound economic consequences. Less discussed is the fact that it is slowing down the US climate transition.

Energy Transitions Financial Regulation

Content

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

Econographics

Mar 19, 2025

Investment screening reform may stifle international investment in US

By Alex Mills

The Trump administration wants to reform the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US. But what does this actually mean for US industry, investment, and innovation?

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

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

Econographics

Mar 13, 2025

Meeting in Mar-a-Lago: Is a new currency deal plausible?

By Josh Lipsky, Jessie Yin

Washington is once again chattering about the possibility of a currency deal. But the countries that comprise the US trade deficit today are not the same as the ones in the '80s.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

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

Econographics

Mar 7, 2025

Charting the path for women’s economic security in the G20

By Alisha Chhangani, Jessie Yin

For International Women's Day this year, here are five charts about gender gaps in the G20. Closing these gaps would boost economic benefits for everyone.

Economy & Business G20

Econographics

Mar 5, 2025

Has the G20 become the G19?

By Hung Tran

The US has chosen to boycott the kick-off of South Africa's G20 presidency. But a G20 without the United States or its constructive engagement will be much weaker.

Economy & Business International Markets

EconoGraphics

Feb 27, 2025

Could the EU “blocking statute” protect the ICC from US sanctions?

By Lize de Kruijf

The new US sanctions targeting ICC personnel could severely disrupt the Court’s operations—particularly if Dutch banks suspend financial services to the ICC out of fear of violating US sanctions.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Sinographs

Feb 13, 2025

Beijing fails to reassure skeptical investors and responds with more regulation

By Jeremy Mark

Beijing has tried to stabilize its struggling, volatile stock market by building up institutional investors, but it will take more than rules and action plans to change China’s market psychology.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Feb 12, 2025

Central bank digital currencies versus stablecoins: Divergent EU and US perspectives

By Barbara C. Matthews, Hung Tran

All policymakers agree on one point: both CBDCs and stablecoins will significantly impact the global role of the US dollar.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy