Economics

Markets, finance, political economy

Inflation is slowing, but the cost of living story is more complicated

Lower inflation does not mean prices will return to where they were before. Inflation measures the average change in prices over time, not which specific prices are rising or falling.

Colin Mang, Assistant Professor of Economics, McMaster UniversityAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Decolonizing economics means questioning where its ideas came from — and imagining new ones

Calls to decolonize economics challenge the discipline’s foundational assumptions about development, markets and inequality.

Junaid B. Jahangir, Associate Professor, Economics, MacEwan UniversityAug 4, 2026

Artforum

Trump Administration’s Assault on Smithsonian Continues With Proposed Budget Cuts

For the fiscal year 2027, the federal government has proposed lowering the Smithsonian Institution‘s budget to $961.3 million, the lowest prospective funding level since 2020. The submitted budget represents an 11% cut from the $1.08 billion allocated to the Smithsonian in 2026. This move is just the latest in a long series of deliberate attempts […]

Mika LeeAug 4, 2026

Outside Magazine

California Wants to Prove That Economic Growth and Conservation Can Coexist. Is It Working?

Our most biodiverse state is also the world’s fourth-largest economy. It wants those things to thrive together. The post California Wants to Prove That Economic Growth and Conservation Can Coexist. Is It Working? appeared first on Outside Online.

Andrea DehnkeAug 4, 2026

The Conversation

Nigeria’s new digital economy rules leave gaps in crypto regulation – financial law expert explains

Nigeria’s new Virtual Assets Council doesn’t close all the loopholes in crypto-asset regulation.

Iwa Salami, Professor of Law, University of East LondonAug 3, 2026

Common Edge

Local Economies, Fiscal Imagination and Economic Justice in New York City

History shows that a city’s economy is strongest when it’s locally rooted, ownership is shared, and growth is generated from the bottom up.

Martin PedersenAug 3, 2026

The Conversation

Britain’s quarter century: wealth and widening inequality

How finances and the economy have changed over 25 years.

Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City Political Economy Research Centre, City St George's, University of LondonJul 31, 2026

ProPublica

As Trump’s Tariff War With Canada Drags On, This Border Community Suffers Without a Voice

The post As Trump’s Tariff War With Canada Drags On, This Border Community Suffers Without a Voice appeared first on ProPublica.

Emily Iris ElconinJul 31, 2026

The Conversation

Americans feel the sting of high prices every day, so why does the Fed need so many ways to measure inflation?

Fresh off a divided Fed vote to hold rates, policymakers confront a deeper question: Which of conflicting inflation gauges should guide them?

D. Brian Blank, Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State UniversityJul 30, 2026

Artforum

Beleaguered Philadelphia Museum of Art Reports $10 Million Deficit

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has announced a deficit of $10 million on a $75.6 million budget for fiscal year 2025–26. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, which broke the story on July 28, the figure is nearly double that of the institution’s shortfall for the previous year, which was $5.4 million. Museum officials’ predictions for […]

Polly WatsonJul 29, 2026

The Conversation

Australian inflation has eased a little. An August interest rate rise now looks unlikely

The RBA has warned it’s prepared to raise rates again to tame inflation. But these latest figures give it time to pause until November.

Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of SydneyJul 29, 2026

The Conversation

When England crashes out of a football tournament, the stock market takes a dive

The emotional side of economics.

Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance, London Business SchoolJul 28, 2026

The Conversation

Over half of Australians surveyed don’t know how the RBA is fighting inflation – making it harder to beat

Let’s unpack how interest rates actually work. Then try the RBA’s quiz to see how well you understand the economy.

John Hawkins, Senior lecturer, Canberra School of Government, University of CanberraJul 28, 2026

Hyperallergic

Europeans Vote on New Leonardo da Vinci Banknote Design

The European Central Bank’s shortlist for the Euro banknote redesign also includes prints of Ludwig van Beethoven, Miguel de Cervantes, and Marie Curie.

Anna LeeJul 27, 2026

The Conversation

Not just cigarettes and alcohol: why the ‘Oasis index’ and others like it offer real economic insights

For decades, economists have used everything from lipstick to underpants to work out how people really feel about spending money.

Meg Elkins, Associate Professor in Economics, RMIT UniversityJul 24, 2026

The Conversation

Alberta’s proposed West Coast pipeline faces a high-stakes economic test

A newly proposed pipeline to B.C.’s coast promises tens of thousands of jobs and billions in GDP growth. But falling Asian oil demand and a track record of cost overruns complicate the picture.

Eric Chi, Professor of Economics, University of GuelphJul 23, 2026

The Conversation

The US is issuing billions in tariff refunds. That won’t unwind the damage to the global trading system

Refunds on US$160 billion of tariffs are slowly flowing back to businesses. But they won’t restore lost customers or lost confidence in trading with the US.

Markus Wagner, Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of WollongongJul 23, 2026

The Conversation

Employment surges in June, leaving the door open to further interest rate rises

The Reserve Bank will be closely watching these job trends, along with upcoming inflation data, ahead of its August rate announcement.

Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of SydneyJul 23, 2026

Public Books

You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Supply Chains!

“Logistics,” warns Susan Zieger, “reveals how the illicit economy is the legitimate economy: the nature of free trade prevents the two from ever being separated.” The post You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Supply Chains! appeared first on Public Books.

Imani RadneyJul 22, 2026

The Conversation

Why new Houthi threats in the Red Sea could spell trouble for global oil prices and inflation

Each year, about 10–12% of global shipping trade passes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – whose name means ‘Gate of Tears’.

Sanjoy Paul, Associate Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Management, UTS Business School, University of Technology SydneyJul 21, 2026

The Conversation

Trump’s new tariffs give Ontario and Québec the perfect excuse to sell their unsold American booze

Provincial alcohol bans have drawn presidential notice. Ontario and Québec should now sell their U.S. inventories as a goodwill gesture while continuing to ban imports.

Michael J. Armstrong, Professor of Operations Research, Brock UniversityJul 21, 2026

The Conversation

Australian companies to face fines and criminal action if they fail to prevent modern slavery

The changes come just weeks after the US threatened new tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 countries – including Australia – for inaction on slave labour.

Justine Nolan, Professor of Law and Justice and Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW SydneyJul 16, 2026

The Conversation

7 accessible reads about building a fairer economy

Concern about the viability of ongoing economic growth offers a chance to spotlight accessible reading about fairer economies.

Junaid B. Jahangir, Associate Professor, Economics, MacEwan UniversityJul 13, 2026

Austin Vernon

How Ukraine Built a War Fighting State

The engine is revving after years of war. ... Read More

Jul 10, 2026