All Economics

American labour resurgent

• What good are labour unions?
  

  Do unions provide a counterweight to big business? Economists debate the value of organised labour

• • • It's time to think about social policy after unions
    • Democracy in America
    • (48)
  • • Showdown in Madison
    • (108)
  • • The conflict in Wisconsin may spread
    • (43)
  • • In New York, the showdown is more subtle
    • (2)

The Arab world's unrest and oil prices

• 
  Oil pressure rising

  The world is badly placed to cope with another oil crisis (19)

• • • America's oil dependence is its own fault
    • (79)
  • • In Britain, high fuel prices have more of a political effect than an economic one
    • (5)
  • • Topic page: Oil prices

Japanese banks

• 
  Back from the dead

  The world has forgotten about Japan’s banks. Both Western and Chinese bankers should refresh their memory (5)

• • • Japan's banks are growing by looking abroad
  • • Topic page: Banking

America's fiscal troubles

• 
  Tick, tock

  Time is running out to avert a government shutdown (16)

• • • The deficit commission may yet have an impact
    • (5)
  • • Economics by invitation: How close is America to fiscal crisis?

Central banks

• 
  Is the modern central bank in need of reform?

  Central banks face intense scrutiny. Experts debate whether criticism should lead to institutional change

• • • Central banks are more involved in the economy than ever
    • (14)
  • • Central bankers themselves disagree on what went wrong
    • Free exchange
    • (9)
  • • Economist asks: Have central banks done more harm than good?
    • (11)
  • • Topic page: Central banking

Leading the ECB

• 
  The Italian's job

  The next president of the world’s second-most-important central bank should be Mario Draghi (48)

• • • Inside the race to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet
    • (2)

Ireland's crisis

• 
  After the race

  Once among the richest people in Europe, the Irish have been laid low by a banking collapse and the euro zone’s debt crisis. What now? (31)

• • • Ireland’s new government should stick with pro-growth policies
    • (16)
  • • Topic page: Ireland

Inflation

• 
  Mervyn's dilemma

  Inflation rising to 4%; interest rates stuck at 0.5%: something has to give (25)

• • • But inflation could help China rebalance
    • (13)
  • • Topic page: Inflation

Booming Brazil

• 
  How tough will Dilma be?

  The new government sets out to cool an overheating economy (17)

• • • Brazil is the hot new private-equity market
    • (31)
  • • Topic page: Brazil

America's economic headaches

• 
  On their own

  The government considers new ways to help ailing states (6)

• • • Suburban retail is still struggling
    • (13)
  • • Too many workers are out of the labour force
    • (19)

• Also on this channel

• Venezuela's economy

  Oil leak

  Could one of the world’s top petroleum producers really go bankrupt? (70)

• North American integration

  To each his own

  The push for deeper ties peters out (8)

• South Africa's economy

  No jobs, boys

  The unemployment rate refuses to come down (6)

• Manufacturing and exports

  Jurassic business park

  Exports are the economy’s best hope—and nimble exporters are looking to China and elsewhere (0)

• Business and commodity prices

  Everyday higher prices

  Manufacturers and retailers are desperate to pass on higher commodity prices to their customers (2)

• Portugal under siege

  The winter of living dangerously

  Chronically weak growth is Portugal’s gravest problem (33)

• The G20 process

  Congregate, implicate, obfuscate

  Global imbalances are bad, and it’s all your fault (1)