Economics
Skip to content
woman and dog look out at closed businesses
March 26, 2020

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.

China's expanded monetary policy after the Great Recession helped support less productive companies.
March 24, 2020

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.

How immigration affects the economy depends on taxation and worker skills.
March 2, 2020

When Do Open Borders Make Economic Sense?

A new study provides a window into the logic behind various immigration policies.

Economists have uncovered a better way to predict fluctuations in exchange rates.
January 2, 2020

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.

Economists look back at what alternative monetary policies could have led to a quicker recovery from the financial crisis.
December 2, 2019

Two Ways the Economy Could Have Recovered Faster after the Great Recession

Doubling down on these monetary policies could help combat future financial crises.

A worker whose wages have stagnated
December 2, 2019

What’s Causing Wage Stagnation in America?

Previous explanations pointed to globalization and automation. But research shows that employer concentration is also to blame.

Commercial mortgages before and after Dodd Frank
November 1, 2019

How Dodd-Frank Made Commercial Mortgage Loans Safer

The financial reform bill increased the cost of certain loans, but lowered the risk of default.

Indian flag with economic indicator signage
November 1, 2019

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.

An upcoming sales tax spurs car sales.
November 1, 2019

How Raising the Sales Tax Could Help Fight a Recession

New research points to a counterintuitive new tool to spur spending.

physical vs intangible investment
October 4, 2019

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.

A man decides whether to buy an extended warranty for a TV.
October 3, 2019

No, Extended Warranties Are Usually Not Worth It

So why do so many people keep buying them?

Parents' belief in traditional gender roles can affect daughters' math performance.
September 3, 2019

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.

High-frequency traders working quickly
September 3, 2019

Some High-Frequency Trading Strategies Can Damage the Stock Market’s Health

But a small tweak to how trading orders are processed could help.

An H1-B Visa holder applies for a job
August 14, 2019

The Business Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Two economists propose a bipartisan immigration overhaul, with an eye towards the future of the labor force.

China's expanded monetary policy after the Great Recession helped support less productive companies.
August 1, 2019

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.

History offers lessons in the enforcement of antitrust laws.
July 1, 2019

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.

A worker helps another worker learn at a computer.
June 3, 2019

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.

Toy soldiers and artillery prepare to charge forward on a strategy game board.
June 3, 2019

One Nation Invades Another. What Will Happen Next?

Game theory reveals why some conflicts escalate and others don’t.

A trader looks at a volatile stock market chart made up of newspaper headlines.
June 3, 2019

What Causes Stock Market Swings?

Tariffs? Job reports? Oil prices? A new volatility index pinpoints which factors make investors feel uncertain.

An investor uses two connecting ladders to climb a tall dollar sign.
May 2, 2019

A Comprehensive Model for Building Winning Stock Portfolios

Linking fundamental analysis and portfolio optimization may be the key to solving the “investor’s problem.”

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9
close-thin