Recommended articles

1. Economic Conditions Snapshot, March 2018: McKinsey Global Survey results.

2. A recipe for monetary policy in emerging market economies. The Global Crisis originated in developed economies but was also a large shock to emerging market economies. Based on this event, this column argues that emerging market central banks should take into account domestic and external financial variables such as bank credit, asset prices, credit spreads, the US interest rate and the real exchange rate, not just effects on inflation and real economic activity. A stronger anti-inflationary stance is needed when monetary policy aims to maintain financial stability (VOX).

3. Study case: The Rise and Fall of Circuit City (The Big Picture).

4. The dollar-euro exchange rate, 2016-2018. It was generally expected that the new US administration’s economic policies would lead to an appreciation of the US dollar. Yet the opposite has happened. This column argues that a large part of the fluctuations of the US dollar against the euro since the election of President Trump can be tied to movements in the relative attractiveness of holding US dollars versus the euro (VOX).

5. Health Economics: High prices, not waste or over-use, drive high health care costs in the US (LSE).

6. Science and Technology: When science fiction inspires real technology (MIT article) and Exploring the Referral and Usage of Science Fiction in HCI Literature (the original paper).

Finally, some articles and studies about labour markets and employment:

• The 8 most coveted tech certifications, and how to earn them (Engadget).
• CV elements that will get you a job interview. Applicants use CVs to signal cognitive and non-cognitive skills to potential employers, but we know little about how effective those signals are. Based on an experiment in which HR managers chose between CVs, this column argues that signals of cognitive skills, social skills, and maturity matter for successful entry into the labour market. The relevant signals depend on gender and entry stage (VOX).
• Measuring employer and employee confidence in the economy: the quits-to-layoffs-and-discharges ratio (The Big Picture).
• The economic impacts of immigration to the UK. Much public and policy concern has focused on the distributional impacts of immigration – in particular, potential negative impacts on employment and wages for low-skilled workers. This column summarises evidence and draws conclusions from the now considerable literature on the impact of migration to the UK on the economy and labour market, including the potential economic impacts of Brexit-induced reductions in migration (VOX).