Featured analysis

Two Decades of Sovereign Debt

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
Two Decades of Sovereign Debt

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
Two Decades of Sovereign Debt

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

Mar 22, 2021

China’s ‘Two Sessions’ goes off script

By Niels Graham, Josh Lipsky

Since their peak in mid-February, Chinese markets have lost $1.3 trillion dollars in value. The market route was likely caused by Beijing’s announcement of tighter fiscal policy and worries about inflation risks in America. Nevertheless, it is still unclear if the Chinese can tolerate the kind of volatility capitalist countries are accustomed to.

China Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Mar 19, 2021

Happy St Pats to Ireland: Boom, bust, and recovery for Europe’s most resilient

By GeoEconomics Center

This week, the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center dressed in green and took a moment to reflect on the Irish economy, one of the most resilient in the European Union.

Digital Policy Eurozone

EconoGraphics

Mar 11, 2021

Global Sanctions Dashboard: February

By Michael Albanese and Castellum.AI

Aligning with allies against human rights abusers and authoritarian regimes, lack of coordinated response to the ongoing genocide in Xinjiang.

China Economic Sanctions

EconoGraphics

Mar 10, 2021

How much money is the G20 spending?

By GeoEconomics Center

Our new fiscal firepower heat map, updated through March 2021, shows how G20 COVID-19 crisis spending now compares to the Global Financial Crisis. While nearly every country is deploying its fiscal firepower significantly more than a decade ago, China is still spending less.

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Feb 19, 2021

How Janet Yellen can help deliver the digital dollar

By Josh Lipsky, JP Schnapper-Casteras

What precisely will the US Treasury Department do about the rise of digital currencies? Secretary Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell should quickly harness the potential of these evolving financial tools, including a US-backed digital dollar.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

EconoGraphics

Feb 12, 2021

Time for transatlantic trade to take off

By Ole Moehr

Trade tariffs continue to pose a threat to a transatlantic economy weakened by COVID-19, but there may now be some light at the end of the tunnel. Keen to rebuild transatlantic ties, Washington and Brussels must walk the talk to reach an agreement on aircraft subsidies and move the US-EU trade agenda forward.

European Union Trade and tariffs

EconoGraphics

Feb 12, 2021

Global Sanctions Dashboard: January

By Michael Albanese and Castellum.AI

Growing use of sanctions in foreign policy, Chinese sanctions against US senators, multilateral coordination on the sanctions policy.

China Economic Sanctions

EconoGraphics

Feb 3, 2021

ANT Group IPO compromise shows that foreign investment in China will only go so far

By GeoEconomics Center

Last December, Chinese President Xi Jinping blocked ANT Group’s planned IPO and no one was quite sure what would come next. Then news broke this morning that ANT Group and Chinese regulators reached an agreement to restructure the fintech giant into a financial holding company. As a financial holding company, ANT must abide by a […]

China Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Jan 21, 2021

Addressing African debt burdens

By Stefan de Villiers

Across the world, COVID-19 has ravaged economies and government revenues. For many sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations, that has tipped the delicate balance of debt. Zambia was the first affected, defaulting on debt obligations in November. Many more must take action to avoid the same fate, including Angola, Gabon, Ghana, and Kenya, among others.

Africa Fiscal and Structural Reform

EconoGraphics

Jan 5, 2021

Tracking the COVID-19 economy

By Nitya Biyani

Key economic indicators for Japan, UK, European Union, and the United States.

Coronavirus Economy & Business
Load More

Content

EconoGraphics

May 12, 2015

Two Decades of Sovereign Debt

By Global Business & Economics

Sovereign default is considered to be a rare event. But as the lessons of the past two decades show, they are far from extraordinary. According to the IMF, the main sovereign debt restructurings from the period spanning 1998 – 2010 totaled $117.6 billion. When Greece’s 2012 default is added to that sum, it means that […]

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

EconoGraphics

May 5, 2015

Creating the Digital Single Market

By Global Business & Economics Program

European E-Commerce is still largely confined within national borders.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

EconoGraphics

Apr 28, 2015

Do Sanctions Work After All?

By Global Business & Economics

International Relations scholars disagree about whether economic sanctions are an effective tool to coerce countries to follow a certain course of action.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Apr 21, 2015

Exit, or Voice?

By Global Business & Economics

In March, the UK, Germany, Italy, and France decided to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), shocking the Obama administration.

Brazil China

EconoGraphics

Apr 14, 2015

Who is Investing Abroad?

By Global Business & Economics

While the US still leads the world in outflowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the emerging markets are catching up quickly. Chinese outflowing FDI, in particular has grown tremendously: since 2005, it increased more than 30-fold in 8 years from $5 billion to $166 billion. While initial Chinese foreign investments focused on natural resource industries, over time the investments have spread to diverse industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and professional services. BRIC FDIs are emerging as key growth drivers for low income countries, improving their business environment, building infrastructure, creating jobs, and adding much-needed revenue to government coffers.

China Russia

EconoGraphics

Apr 7, 2015

Is Europe still vulnerable to a Greek default?

By Global Business & Economics Program

Private banks throughout Europe have significantly reduced their exposure to Greek debt (bank, public, and non-bank private sector debt) over the last five years. After Greece came under market pressure and eventually obtained ECB and IMF financial assistance in 2010, most European banks started to rapidly reduce their exposure to Greece. For instance, between 2010 and 2014 French banks' holdings decreased from $63 billion to $2 billion.

Economy & Business Eurozone

EconoGraphics

Mar 31, 2015

The IMF’s Changing Role in Europe

By Global Business & Economics

The International Monetary Fund's purpose and scope of work have changed since its founding after World War II. Whereas at first the Fund aimed to maintain monetary and exchange-rate stability among its members who were primarily advanced economies, today it faces its first credible challenge to its status as the world's lender of last resort.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

EconoGraphics

Mar 24, 2015

How Much Does it Cost for Cubans to Access Information?

By Global Business & Economics

When President Obama announced his landmark policy shift towards Cuba, easing the 54-year-old embargo, one of the first companies to announce they would begin operating in Cuba was Netflix. The online video company's decision was surprising, if only because Cuba's internet is one of the slowest in the world.

Americas Cuba

EconoGraphics

Mar 17, 2015

Who Will Finance Public Debt?

By Global Business & Economics Program

Today, the cap on US government spending (or the "debt ceiling") is officially reinstated, and with it, the threat of another clash over the national debt. Policymakers will have a runway of just months before they must decide to lift the cap on borrowing or temporarily allow it to be raised

Brazil China

EconoGraphics

Mar 11, 2015

The Benefits of a Strong Dollar: Where Should You Go on Your Next Vacation?

By Global Business & Economics

There’s never been a better time to be a tourist—as long as you’re paying in dollars. Major currencies worldwide have plunged in value, meaning each US dollar buys more euros and renminbi today than it did one year ago.

Americas Economy & Business
Load More