coronavirus
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The economic cost of lockdowns – a closer look
As some countries endure further lockdowns or contemplate imposing another, it is worth considering the cost such measures have on economies. This report examines two factors – duration and stringency of the lockdowns. One has a far greater impact on the economy than the other, and the question is whether policymakers will take that into account.
New Opportunities 2021: The ECB and bringing financial markets down to earth
The Covid-19 pandemic has capped a decade of economic crises that the European Central Bank has had to deal with. The bank’s tools to keep countries’ finances afloat and investors’ confidence solid have been unprecedented. Weaning them off low interest rates, financial injections and high debt will be its next ...
Italy’s Covid crisis plan: More government intervention
In the Covid-19 crisis, the Italian government sees an opportunity to address the country's long-standing economic ills. Its plan has been to renationalize businesses and use EU funds to boost spending. But as government involvement in the economy increases, foreign investment is being discouraged and private businesses crowded out.
New Opportunities 2021: Post-pandemic social cohesion in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, as elsewhere, Covid-19 has exposed deep rifts in society and devastated the economy. And yet, it has also brought families together, showed the value of immigrant communities and reminded people of what really matters. In our opening essay for our 2021 outlook series, Lord Alton of ...
Fast growth in 2021, but not for everybody
Many forecast that 2021 will be characterized by vigorous growth and that, by the end of the coming year, the world economy will have recovered from the 2020 losses. The author takes a more discriminating view and argues that only a few countries, China among them, will be back on ...
