Featured analysis

A Vital Foreign Policy Tool

Econographics May 12, 2025

Multilateralism under pressure: Takeaways from the 2025 IMF Spring Meetings

By Bart Piasecki

The 2025 IMF Spring Meetings unfolded against a backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, and rising doubts about the future of multilateral cooperation. Here are the key insights.
International Financial Institutions Macroeconomics
A Vital Foreign Policy Tool

Econographics May 8, 2025

Pope Leo XIV’s electors represented Catholics’ changing economic distribution

By Israel Rosales

While the direction Pope Leo XIV will take the Church is unclear at this early stage, he’s unlikely to reverse Pope Francis’s push to elevate voices from the Global South.
Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
A Vital Foreign Policy Tool

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

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva holds up a logo for the 2023 global policy agenda at the start of a news conference during the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, U.S., April 13, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

Econographics

Sep 19, 2023

How the IMF can make sovereign debt restructuring more effective

By Bruce Shen and Euel Kebebew

In light global debt crisis, the IMF plays crucial role in navigating complexities exacerbated by COVID-19, emphasizing transparency, incentives, and innovative financial tools for effective debt management.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Sep 18, 2023

How Germany’s security strategy incorporates economic resilience

By Hung Tran

The National Security Strategy represents a step forward for Germany, but highlights how difficult “integrated security” can be.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 31, 2023

Indonesia’s economy will surpass Russia’s sooner than expected. Here’s what that says about the global economy.

By Josh Lipsky, Niels Graham

In 2026, Indonesia is expected to surpass Russia to become the world’s sixth largest economy

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Econographics

Aug 25, 2023

Understanding the growing use of local currencies in cross-border payments

By Hung Tran

Local currencies don’t threaten the dollar, but they’re changing how payments are made around the world.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 23, 2023

What Brazil’s “multipolar” foreign policy means for the Bretton Woods institutions

By Jack Tapay-Cueva and David Dong

The BWIs must address the evolving attitudes of countries like Brazil to maintain their relevance in an ever-changing global order.

Brazil China

Econographics

Aug 17, 2023

The Chinese economy’s moment of macro weakness—in charts

By Niels Graham

The Chinese economy is weakening as seen through indicators related to its property and manufacturing sectors, unemployment, inflation, and trade.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Aug 15, 2023

Two credit downgrades in the US are a much-needed warning 

By Hung Tran

Fitch’s decision to downgrade US long-term credit ratings is another warning sign. Neither the complacency of markets nor the forced optimism of officials reflects the seriousness of rating agencies’ concerns with the US economy.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Econographics

Aug 3, 2023

Southern Europe is the continent’s new economic growth engine

By Sophia Busch and Phillip Meng

The Eurozone returned to growth in the second quarter of 2023. Yet this modest success story has not applied to everyone. Southern Europe’s major economies are driving European economic growth, thanks to roaring tourism and demand for services and luxury goods.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics

Jul 31, 2023

China isn’t the only Asian country expanding its trade with Africa

By Phillip Meng

When it comes to Asia-Africa trade, many think of China first. But Beijing is not the only country growing ties. South Korea has accelerated trade, investment, and development initiatives—expanding trading volumes significantly.

Africa China

Econographics

Jul 27, 2023

The G20 still hasn’t made a breakthrough on sovereign debt restructuring

By Hung Tran

The G20’s recent meeting failed to make progress on sovereign debt restructuring, disappointing low and middle-income countries. Zambia’s deal favored China’s preferences, revealing the challenges in establishing an equitable framework for debt relief.

Africa China
Load More

Content

EconoGraphics

Jun 9, 2017

A Vital Foreign Policy Tool

By Ole Moehr

This is the first EconoGraphic as part of our recently launched Economic Sanctions Initiative. The initiative aims to promote dialogue between the public and the private sector to investigate how to improve the design and implementation process of economic sanctions.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Apr 19, 2017

The European Stability Mechanism

By Lu Ding & Ole Moehr

The global economic and financial crisis, which originated in the United States in 2008, ultimately triggered a sovereign debt crisis in Europe in 2010. As a result of sky high debts, economies lacking in competitiveness, and over lenient banking regulations, the credit ratings of the Eurozone members Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain plummeted. These countries began facing prohibitively high interest rates when they attempted to borrow from international credit markets.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Mar 17, 2017

The United States Needs Europe And Vice Versa (Pt. 3)

By Lu Ding & Ole Moehr

This EconoGraphic is the final edition of a three-part series on why the United States and Europe need each other. The series highlights excerpts from the EuroGrowth Task Force’s inaugural report on European economic growth and why it matters for US prosperity.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

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).

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business
Load More