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.

Featured analysis

Breaking Down Walls: How Will American Agricultural Producers Fare Under TPP?

Econographics Feb 10, 2026

China’s warning on US Treasuries—and why its timing matters

By Jeremy Mark, Josh Lipsky

Beijing has joined the conversation on the dollar. It was leaked this week that Chinese regulators have been urging domestic financial institutions to cut back on US Treasuries, and this timing is no coincidence.
China Dollar Dominance
Breaking Down Walls: How Will American Agricultural Producers Fare Under TPP?

Econographics Feb 4, 2026

Understanding the vibe shift on the dollar

By Daniel McDowell, Bart Piasecki, Jessie Yin

Gold prices surged to record highs last week, driven by trade tensions, tariffs, and dollar uncertainty. For some, the rally signals rising skepticism about the greenback’s stability—even as policymakers insist the US remains committed to a strong dollar.
Dollar Dominance Economy & Business
Breaking Down Walls: How Will American Agricultural Producers Fare Under TPP?

Econographics Jan 22, 2026

When will Wall Street’s tolerance for uncertainty run out?

By Jessie Yin, Josh Lipsky

In a decade of geoeconomic shocks, few events have truly shaken investor confidence. But Wall Street may be too complacent to political volatility.
Economy & Business Macroeconomics

Latest analysis

Econographics

May 27, 2025

Dispatch from London: Engaging Trump without alienating the rest

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Josh Lipsky</span>, <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Charles Lichfield</span>

The GeoEconomics team traveled across the pond for a series of meetings and events to determine if the recent US-UK trade deal could be a template for other countries seeking accords with the United States.

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

Econographics

May 23, 2025

Can the EU leverage economic pressure to broker a Gaza cease-fire?

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Lize de Kruijf</span>

As diplomatic efforts falter, attention is turning to economic statecraft—the strategic use of trade and economic leverage to influence state behavior. The European Union (EU) and United States are Israel’s largest and second-largest trading partners, and any economic pressure they apply could have severe consequences for Israel’s economy.

Conflict Economy & Business

Econographics

May 16, 2025

The next 120 days of predictably volatile trade policy

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Barbara C. Matthews</span>

The understandable relief associated with de-escalating the tariff war will soon fade as we enter a long, uncertain summer of tariff pauses and major negotiations. Take a look at some convenings that might be important.

Economy & Business Trade and tariffs

AfricaSource

May 15, 2025

African governments should rethink their approach to combating money laundering and terrorist financing

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Benjamin Mossberg</span>

African countries can bolster financial inclusion and tap economic growth opportunities—while preventing the abuse of the global financial system by nefarious actors.

Africa Digital Currencies

EconoGraphics

May 13, 2025

Basel III endgame: The specter of global regulatory fragmentation

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Hung Tran</span>

Diverging timelines for Basel III implementation are fragmenting global financial regulation. As major economies delay or dilute reforms, coordinated oversight erodes—posing renewed risks to international financial stability.

Economy & Business Financial Regulation

Econographics

May 12, 2025

Multilateralism under pressure: Takeaways from the 2025 IMF Spring Meetings

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Bart Piasecki</span>

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

Econographics

May 8, 2025

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

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert" >Israel Rosales</span>

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

Econographics

Apr 30, 2025

US-EU sanctions divergence would spell trouble for multinational companies

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert">Jesse Sucher</span>

The fracturing of traditional alliances carries significant consequences for companies facing multijurisdictional compliance obligations, meaning an already complex situation will become more chaotic.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics

Apr 21, 2025

Fast payments in action: Emerging lessons from Brazil and India

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert" >Polina Kempinsky</span>

These lessons are shaping a framework governments can use to evaluate their need for central bank-led immediate payment systems, their potential structure, organizational features, and the trade-offs involved.

Brazil Digital Currencies

EconoGraphics

Apr 17, 2025

Russia Sanctions Database: April 2025

By <span class="gta-embed–tax–expert gta-post-embed–tax–expert" >Kimberly Donovan, Maia Nikoladze, Lize de Kruijf, and Nazima Tursun</span>

Please note, this is the April 2025 edition of Atlantic Council’s Russia Sanctions Database. After Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western partners imposed unprecedented financial sanctions and export controls against Russia. These measures aim to achieve three objectives: 1. Significantly reduce Russia’s revenues from commodities exports;2. Cripple Russia’s military capability and […]

Economy & Business European Union
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Content

EconoGraphics

Oct 13, 2015

Breaking Down Walls: How Will American Agricultural Producers Fare Under TPP?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

On October 5th, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations were concluded in Atlanta. The deal faced criticism from some on a lack of transparency, but details are now beginning to emerge on the settlement. Even with TPP's lack of transparency, there were clear tension points between negotiators on topics such as biologics, dairy products, and rules of origin for the automaking industry. This week's Econographic looks specifically at one of the potential winners of the trade deal, the American agricultural sector.

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific

EconoGraphics

Oct 6, 2015

How Can We Bridge Automaking Standards for Growth?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

The recent Volkswagen scandal has refocused consumers on automaking standards and CO2 emissions. These differences have also been one of the sticking points in TTIP negotiations. Both the American and European automaking sectors have rigorous standards, and as might be expected hold similar regulations.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Sep 29, 2015

How Does The Most Recent Greek Bailout Deal Compare With The Past Two Agreements?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

The latest Memorandum of Understanding between the EU Institutions and the Greek Government passed in August, leaves Tsipras only one additional month to implement eighty-five initiatives. These reforms cover a diverse range of topics, from consolidating taxation policies to health and education reform.

Economy & Business European Union

EconoGraphics

Sep 22, 2015

Migrant Flows and the Future of Europe

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

As Europe confronts the migrant crisis, much of the current coverage remains fixed on short run trends, but in order to have a comprehensive perspective it is necessary to project these trends into the future. In spite of commonly held concerns of migrants' effect on European identity, many of these nations' birthrates and outflows of migrants will actually be higher than their intake of migrants. Negative flows of migrants could further weaken pension plans, as aging European populations struggle to balance social welfare models with demographic realities.

Afghanistan Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Sep 15, 2015

Has the Renminbi Arrived as an International Currency?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

As China slowly transitions from an investment and export based economy to a consumer based economy, the Chinese must also liberalize both their monetary affairs and the management of their currency. By increasing the wealth of Chinese consumers via their currency's value, domestic demand will supplant the role of exports. For this process to be completed, the Chinese currency, the Renminbi, must assume its place in the package of globally dominant currencies.

China Economy & Business

EconoGraphics

Jul 28, 2015

Where Are US Sanctions Imposed?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

On July 14, the United States, along with the P5+1, struck a deal with Iran to ease the heavy financial and banking sanctions that starved the country's economy. Over the next decade, financial and trade sanctions will gradually be lifted, giving Iran the ability to export its plentiful oil and gas reserves and to purchase goods from abroad.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

EconoGraphics

Jul 22, 2015

Has Greece Been Effective at Downsizing Its Public Sector?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

Greece and its EU counterparts made progress last week on negotiations, but some policy makers question whether Greece will truly adopt the measures necessary to recover economic stability.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

EconoGraphics

Jul 14, 2015

Should Greece’s Request for Additional Debt Relief Be Dismissed?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

Unsatisfied with the proposed austerity measures, Greece has been pushing for a comprehensive debt relief package from its creditors. In public, Greece has appealed to the 1953 London Conference when Western Germany was forgiven over half of its debt. One of Germany's creditors then: Greece.

Economy & Business Eurozone

EconoGraphics

Jul 7, 2015

How Does Greece’s Public Debt Compare to Puerto Rico’s?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

As Greece reaches crisis over its debts to Europe, Puerto Rico's public debt has reached an impressive $72 billion, nearly 70% of its economic output. Meanwhile, Greece has slashed the growth of its debt since 2012.

Economy & Business Greece

EconoGraphics

Jun 30, 2015

Is There a Precedent for Greece’s Bank Holiday?

By <span class="gta-embed--tax--expert gta-post-embed--tax--expert" >Global Business and Economics</span>

The Greek Government officials called for a bank holiday on Sunday which went into full effect Monday, June 29th. Although the country plans to open its banks' doors next Monday, its financial duress is far from over.

Economy & Business Greece
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