Are more trains the answer to economic struggles in the North of England? - Economics Observatory More often than not, the political answer to the North of England’s economic challenges is more trains. Yet while fresh investment in rail infrastructure may boost prosperity in certain places, it isn...

More often than not, the political answer to the North of England’s economic challenges is more trains; yet while fresh investment in rail infrastructure may boost prosperity in certain places, it isn’t the catch-all solution that some politicians suggest
www.economicsobservatory.com/are-more-tra...

How is the conflict in the Middle East affecting developing economies? - Economics Observatory Developing countries are often vulnerable to fuel price shocks caused by global geopolitical tensions. As well as raising the costs of key items such as petrol and food, conflicts like the Iran war ca...

Developing countries are often vulnerable to fuel price shocks caused by geopolitical tensions; as well as raising the costs of petrol & food, conflicts like the Iran war can force governments into expensive subsidies, further damaging weak economies

www.economicsobservatory.com/how-is-the-c...

How aggregate and individual shocks combine to shape household incomes - Econ Brief How important are the ups and downs of the economy for individual families? Personal setbacks have more permanent effects on households’ lifetime earnings than a general economic downturn. But macroec...

Personal setbacks have more permanent effects on households’ lifetime earnings than a general economic downturn; but macroeconomic shocks are still critical because they set the stage on which microeconomic shocks play out - research by Richard Blundell et al

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/04/16/h...

Why protecting your savings might make it harder to borrow - Econ Brief Deposit insurance prevents bank runs by assuring depositors that their money is safe. At the same time, it can weaken bank discipline. While some argue that expanding insurance makes banks lend more aggressively, this is not always the case. The impact depends on how banks fund their lending.

#DepositInsurance can be a double-edged sword: it can either encourage excessive lending or discourage banks from lending altogether, @ucleconomics.bsky.social research by Helena Palma Carvalho, #EconBrief

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/04/09/w...

Financial risks: why national banking rules need global coordination - Econ Brief While the rules controlling them are mostly domestic, banks are largely international. This creates risks as countries compete for financial institutions’ business by weakening regulations – or go the...

While the rules controlling them are mostly domestic, banks are largely international; this creates risks as countries compete for their business by weakening regulations - or end up over-regulating; policy coordination promotes greater financial stability

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/04/02/f...

Digital Harm - Clark Center Forum This European survey examines (a) The risks of harm from use of social media services – such as harm to mental health, exploitation of children, and more – are sufficient to justify regulations settin...

Risks of harm from use of social media services (such as harm to mental health, exploitation of children) are sufficient to justify regulations setting safety standards & creating process of compensation for harm by digital platforms, @kentclarkcenter.bsky.social

kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/digi...

Labour market tightness and recent inflation: learning the right lessons - Econ Brief The inflation of 2021-23 has reignited debate among economists about the impact of labour market tightness on inflationary pressures – a connection long known as the Phillips curve. New research warns...

The inflation of 2021-23 has reignited debate about the impact of labour market tightness on inflationary pressures, @ucleconomics.bsky.social research warns that assuming a nonlinear #PhillipsCurve relationship could lead to major policy mis-steps, #EconBrief

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/l...

How firms respond to different economic shocks - Econ Brief Economic shocks create different effects across firms and sectors. A financial crisis, for example, affects firms differently from an inflation spike, a supply chain disruption or a trade dispute. Und...

Economic shocks create different effects across firms & sectors - eg a financial crisis affects firms differently from an inflation spike, supply chain disruption or trade dispute; understanding differences is key for good policy design, @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/h...

Rethinking productivity: a carbon emissions perspective - Econ Brief Over the past 20 years, productivity growth has been lacklustre in most advanced economies. But standard measures ignore the progress that some economies have made in terms of lowering emissions of ca...

Recent productivity growth has been lacklustre in most advanced economies; but standard measures ignore the progress made by some economies in terms of lowering carbon emissions; factoring this in could change the narrative entirely, @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/r...

Would you mind your health more now if you know you’ll be richer in future? - Econ Brief Decisions we make today – including on health – are influenced by our expectations. New research shows how a change in Chile’s pension system altered men’s lifestyle choices: those whose expected weal...

Decisions we make today are influenced by our expectations - @ucleconomics.bsky.social research shows how a change in #Chile’s pension system altered men’s lifestyle choices: those whose expected wealth at retirement increased started living healthier lives

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/w...

Dynamic models of the economy: a new approach to time-varying parameters - Econ Brief Relationships between economic and financial variables naturally change over time, but many of the analytical models used in decision-making assume that the underlying parameters remain constant. A no...

Relationships between economic & financial variables change over time, but many analytical models used for decisions assume constant underlying parameters; @ucleconomics.bsky.social research offers a more flexible framework for research, forecasting & policy design ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/d...

Social networks: uncovering hidden connections from data alone - Econ Brief From tax policy to financial markets, social movements and more, hidden networks of influence shape the world. Economic research is opening up new ways to understand how influence spreads through soci...

Hidden networks of influence shape the world: economic research is opening up new ways to understand how these connections spread through society - with potential applications in policy design, crisis prevention & business strategy

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/s...

Ensuring research reliability: a new tool for detecting weak evidence - Econ Brief Policy-makers need to know that the research evidence on which their decisions are based is reliable. A powerful new testing method can assess the strengths and weaknesses of instruments used to analy...

Policy-makers need to know that the research evidence on which their decisions are based is reliable: a powerful new testing method can assess the strengths & weaknesses of instruments used to analyse complex webs of cause & effect

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/02/02/e...

Rethinking economics assessments for a GenAI world - Econ Brief A co-ordinated effort across the UK higher education sector will make it possible to integrate artificial intelligence into economics education in a way that enriches students’ learning experience whi...

Coordinated effort across UK higher education is needed to integrate #AI into economics education in a way that enriches student learning experience while maintaining the rigour & value that makes degrees in the subject so much in demand

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/r...

Rethinking inflation: why we need to focus on the job ladder - Econ Brief The Phillips curve underpinning monetary policy doesn’t capture the full complexity of the links between labour markets and inflation. The concept of the job ladder and the dynamics of job-to-job swit...

The #PhillipsCurve doesn’t fully capture the complex links between labour markets & inflation; the #JobLadder & dynamics of job-to-job switching offer a richer understanding of how economic shocks translate into wage & price pressures

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/02/06/r...

Measuring the impact of change when everyone is included - Econ Brief Many big policy decisions – including environmental regulations, major tax shifts and universal health interventions – are national in scope. This makes it difficult to evaluate their effectiveness si...

Many big policy decisions, eg on tax, health or the environment, are national in scope; this makes it difficult to evaluate their effectiveness since all are affected by the new measure; an innovative econometric tool provides a solution

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/03/19/m...

AI won’t necessarily make financial markets less competitive - Econ Brief Concerns about financial markets becoming less competitive as a result of artificial intelligence may be overstated. Instead, asset pricing outcomes will depend on how algorithms are designed – and on...

Concerns about financial markets becoming less competitive as a result of #AI may be overstated; instead, asset pricing outcomes will depend on how algorithms are designed - & on the competitive pressures faced by the financial institutions that are deploying them

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/03/26/a...

Theorising about competing policy narratives - Econ Brief Public opinion is constantly shaped by competing stories about what drives social and economic outcomes. Economic theory provides a systematic way to think about how false narratives – about, say, the...

Public opinion is constantly shaped by competing stories about what drives social & economic outcomes; economic theory provides a systematic way to think about how false narratives come to dominate true ones before return to rationality @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/t...

The illusion of choice: multibrand price dispersion in modern retail - Econ Brief Modern consumers are used to a flood of options whenever they are shopping for something. Whether it’s car insurance or fizzy drinks, there are endless brands from which to choose. But many brands are...

Consumers face a flood of options when they're shopping; whether it’s car insurance or fizzy drinks, there are endless brands from which to choose; but many brands are owned by the same firms & this affects how suppliers set their prices @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/t...

Beyond markets and states: civil society comes of age in economic research - Econ Brief Half a century ago, economic research in the top journals took a turn towards issues of community, place, family, religion and identity. This was associated with novel empirical methods including expe...

Fifty years ago, economic research took a turn towards issues of community, place, family, religion & identity; this was associated with novel empirical methods including experiments, large datasets & growing focus on social norms & strategic interactions

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/b...

How financial institutions collaborate to exploit regulatory loopholes - Econ Brief Banks and other financial institutions are not simply battling for market share. Rather, they collaborate to exploit loopholes in regulation on key issues like capital requirements, which compel banks...

Banks & other financial institutions are not simply battling for market share; rather, they collaborate to exploit loopholes in regulation on key issues like capital requirements; ultimately, this can lead to higher bills for taxpayers

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/02/16/h...

The consumer credit spread and the economy - Econ Brief The gap between interest rates earned on savings and paid for borrowing varies with the state of the economy. Research reveals the contrasting consequences for households depending on their place in t...

The gap between interest rates earned on savings & paid for borrowing varies with the state of the economy

@ucleconomics.bsky.social research reveals the contrasting consequences for households depending on their place in the wealth distribution, #EconBrief

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/02/16/t...

When promises change: why job security depends on who is in charge - Econ Brief The job security implicit in employment contracts is not just about goodwill: it depends both on whether strong performance or misconduct is easier to observe and on how incentives are structured to s...

The job security implicit in employment contracts isn't just about goodwill: it depends both on whether strong performance or misconduct is easier to observe & how incentives are structured to sustain effort, both variable across sectors, @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/02/20/w...

Understanding the landscape of race-related research in economics - Econ Brief The discipline of economics lags behind other social sciences in its engagement with issues of racial and ethnic inequality. Strengthening the scientific foundation of race-related research is essenti...

Economics lags behind other social sciences in engagement with issues of racial & ethnic inequality; strengthening the foundations of race-related research is vital if economists are to contribute to public debate about racial justice

@ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/03/02/u...

Immigration, jobs and wages: why places and people tell different stories - Econ Brief Immigration affects places and people in different ways. Evidence from a natural experiment in Germany in the early 1990s shows that regional employment may fall while most workers keep their jobs. Ad...

Immigration affects places & people in different ways: @ucleconomics.bsky.social evidence from 1990s #Germany shows regional employment falling while most workers keep their jobs; adjustment costs affect those entering the labour market & less the already employed

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/03/02/i...

The lemons penalty: evidence from Denmark’s market for second-hand cars - Econ Brief Even good used cars sell at a discount because buyers can’t tell them apart from bad ones – so-called lemons. Nevertheless, many people still sell good cars – but the lemons penalty reduces car turnov...

Even good used cars sell at a discount because buyers can’t tell them apart from bad ones; the lemons penalty reduces car turnover, slows upgrades & limits low-wealth households’ ability to use cars as financial buffers, Richard Blundell @ucleconomics.bsky.social

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/03/02/t...

How can the West of England contribute to UK economic growth? - Economics Observatory The West of England has a highly educated and skilled workforce, globally competitive universities and leading industrial clusters. Yet there are wide inequalities across the region, and the potential...

How can the West of England contribute to UK economic growth?

Strategic economic audit of the region summarised by Lucy Martin @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social @econ-observatory.bsky.social

www.economicsobservatory.com/how-can-the-...

Energy Prices - Clark Center Forum This European survey examines (a) The release of strategic oil reserves announced by the International Energy Agency will deliver substantially lower prices for vehicle fuels over the next six months ...

Measures to protect households & business from high energy prices in the wake of the Middle East conflict - views of top American & European economists @kentclarkcenter.bsky.social

kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/ener...

kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/gas-...

Beyond markets and states: civil society comes of age in economic research - Econ Brief Half a century ago, economic research in the top journals took a turn towards issues of community, place, family, religion and identity. This was associated with novel empirical methods including expe...

Beyond markets and states: civil society comes of age in economic research

Wendy Carlin, Samuel Bowles & Sahana Subramanyam on the turn towards issues of community, place, family, religion and identity

@ucleconomics.bsky.social new #EconBrief website

ucleconbrief.co.uk/2026/01/26/b...

NEW RESEARCH BLOG – we are delighted to announce Econ Brief, showcasing cutting-edge research from the UCL Department of Economics. The blog will feature weekly articles summarising the latest insights. Read our launch articles here: ucleconbrief.co.uk