Economics
What Is “Auction Theory,” and What Kinds of Questions Can It Answer?
The recent Nobel put the field in the spotlight. An economist explains how it works, using his own research as a guide.
Policy
Unpacking the Federal Reserve’s Aggressive Response to COVID-19
A Kellogg professor spent the past year at the Fed. He explains the bank’s “guns-blazing” response—and the limits to these interventions.
Economics
Does Requiring Food-Stamp Recipients to Work Actually Increase Economic Self-Sufficiency?
The answer is increasingly urgent as politicians debate whether to reinstate the requirement, which was paused during the COVID-19 recession.
Economics
White Americans Overestimate Racial Progress. But Certain Attempts to Remedy That Could Backfire.
Researchers hoped that having white participants read about racism would help them grasp the true extent of racial gaps in wealth and income. They were wrong.
Economics
We’re Several Months into the COVID Economy. What Have We Learned?
From household spending to the strength of the dollar, an economist sees some clear trends—and signs of what’s to come.
Economics
Why the Next Round of COVID-19 Aid Should Target Industries That Can’t Work from Home
A new study pinpoints which sectors—and which workers in those sectors—suffered the most. Congress should take note.
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Policy
The Wrong Way to Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing
Robust testing is key to safely reopening the economy. But a new model shows that if testing is not paired with “smart containment,” it could backfire.
Economics
The Treasury’s Former Chief Economist Takes Stock of the Pandemic’s Economic Impact
Kellogg’s Janice Eberly zeroes in on a few data points that demonstrate the massive challenge policymakers face.
Economics
Here’s How Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Checks
Real-time data pinpoints what we’re buying, and who’s spending the fastest.
Economics
A Closer Look at Consumer Stockpiling During the Coronavirus Crisis
Researchers examined how households responded to shelter-in-place orders. They uncovered some surprises.
Economics
The Unprecedented Stock-Market Reaction to COVID-19
A new analysis explains why this pandemic really is different.
Policy
Containing COVID-19 Will Devastate the Economy. Here’s the Economic Case for Why It’s Still Our Best Option.
The death toll from failing to contain the virus will be far more costly to society.
Economics
Take 5: What Previous Recessions Can Teach Us about the Coronavirus Crisis
From stimulus strategies to how businesses will fare, research on past downturns can help inform our outlook today.
Policy
When Do Open Borders Make Economic Sense?
A new study provides a window into the logic behind various immigration policies.
Finance & Accounting
Predicting Exchange Rates Is Hard. Could Dusting Off an Old Technique Help?
Investors take note: the “real exchange rate” may be a more accurate long-term forecaster than economists thought.
Economics
Two Ways the Economy Could Have Recovered Faster after the Great Recession
Doubling down on these monetary policies could help combat future financial crises.
Economics
What’s Causing Wage Stagnation in America?
Previous explanations pointed to globalization and automation. But research shows that employer concentration is also to blame.
Economics
Two Ways the Economy Could Have Recovered Faster after the Great Recession
Doubling down on these monetary policies could help combat future financial crises.
Economics
What’s Causing Wage Stagnation in America?
Previous explanations pointed to globalization and automation. But research shows that employer concentration is also to blame.
Economics
How Dodd-Frank Made Commercial Mortgage Loans Safer
The financial reform bill increased the cost of certain loans, but lowered the risk of default.
Economics
India’s Economy Is Slowing Down. What Happens Next?
The country’s chief economic advisor discusses how labor, trade, and energy factor into the country’s economic outlook.
Economics
How Raising the Sales Tax Could Help Fight a Recession
New research points to a counterintuitive new tool to spur spending.
Economics
Companies Are Shifting Investment Away from Physical Capital, with Far-Reaching Consequences
Buildings and machinery are out. Software, IP, and research are in. Here’s why it matters.
Economics
Daughters’ Math Scores Suffer When They Grow Up in a Family That’s Biased Towards Sons
Parents, your children are taking their cues about gender roles from you.
Economics
Some High-Frequency Trading Strategies Can Damage the Stock Market’s Health
But a small tweak to how trading orders are processed could help.
Policy
The Business Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Two economists propose a bipartisan immigration overhaul, with an eye towards the future of the labor force.
Economics
China Weathered the Global Recession with an Aggressive Stimulus Package. But Did It Prop Up the Wrong Firms?
A cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of credit expansion.
Economics
Should Antitrust Laws Really Be Changed, or Should We Just Enforce the Laws We Have?
A presidential assassination brought the trust-busting Teddy Roosevelt to power. The episode offers lessons for today’s antitrust regulators.
Economics
A Nation’s Wealth May Depend on How Much Its Workers Can Learn on the Job
New research suggests that formal schooling is not the panacea to global inequality that many have long believed it to be.
Politics & Elections
One Nation Invades Another. What Will Happen Next?
Game theory reveals why some conflicts escalate and others don’t.
Finance & Accounting
What Causes Stock Market Swings?
Tariffs? Job reports? Oil prices? A new volatility index pinpoints which factors make investors feel uncertain.
Finance & Accounting
A Comprehensive Model for Building Winning Stock Portfolios
Linking fundamental analysis and portfolio optimization may be the key to solving the “investor’s problem.”
Economics
When an Industry Consolidates, What Happens to Wages?
A surprisingly consistent answer has emerged in one sector: healthcare.
Finance & Accounting
Three Quarters of Americans Aren’t Putting Enough into Their 401(k)s
With employers shifting away from pensions, there’s an urgent need for improved financial literacy.
Innovation
How Much Does Innovation Drive Economic Growth?
A study of millions of patents lifts the veil on how new ideas influence productivity.
Not Everyone Benefited from Lower Interest Rates During the Great Recession
The Fed wanted to help struggling homeowners. But new lending rules undermined its efforts.