Economics

Markets, finance, political economy

Wage growth is higher in Australia. Could this regulatory fix help Kiwi workers catch up?

With inflation outpacing wage growth, NZ incomes are effectively going backwards. Australia’s collective bargaining rules could offer a remedy.

Alan Toy, Associate Professor of Commercial Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauAug 24, 2026

Literary Hub

Fiction as a Filter: On Writing the American West’s Water Crisis

Years ago, during the Great Recession, I attended an event sponsored by an environmental organization that had formed in protest to a planned dam construction project on the Cache La Poudre River in northern Colorado. At the time, my husband

Claire BoylesAug 24, 2026

Canary Media

How Qcells’ Georgia factory is surviving US solar policy whiplash

American solar manufacturers are navigating shifting federal policies on tariffs and tax credits, all while demand for their product continues to grow.

1 min read

The Conversation

Plans to improve Michigan’s K-12 schools depend on how the state funds public education

Revenues for Michigan’s districts have failed to keep pace with inflation and the evolving needs of today’s students.

Madeline Mavrogordato, Professor of K-12 Educational Administration and Policy, Michigan State UniversityAug 17, 2026

The Conversation

The Medicines Patent Pool is improving access to essential medication where it’s most needed, but does it make economic sense?

Three economists explore the viability of a UN-backed one-stop licensing ‘hub’ for making essential, often life-saving biotherapeutics and vaccines both affordable and more widely available.

Vianney Dequiedt, Professor of Economics, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)Aug 17, 2026

The Conversation

Albanese makes fresh pitch to Trump for Australia to be given relief on tariffs

The US president has agreed to “consider” the request.

Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraAug 14, 2026

Canary Media

US aluminum is poised for a comeback — if it overcomes these hurdles

Tariffs and rising grid demand are spurring a revival, but high electricity costs and community concerns threaten to stall key new smelter projects

1 min read

The Conversation

Trump’s ‘forever’ tariffs are kicking in for the long haul – and US consumers are footing the bill

The effects of the Trump administration’s 2025 tariffs are still being passed on to consumers, while new levies will add to the overall tariff rate.

Kent Jones, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Babson CollegeAug 13, 2026

Artforum

San Diego Museum of Art Lays Off Nearly a Dozen, Citing Budget Crunch

The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) laid off eleven employees on August 5 in what it described as an effort to remain sustainable in the wake of rising costs and uncertain funding. The cuts affected multiple departments—including exhibitions, development, and programming—and bring SDMA’s total staff count to 118. “Inflation and rising operational costs are increasing overall […]

Mika LeeAug 12, 2026

The Conversation

RBA holds rates steady as the housing market softens. But another hike is still possible

The housing market matters for the broader economy. The RBA will be watching closely before it makes another interest rate move.

Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of SydneyAug 11, 2026

Outside Magazine

People Are Betting Millions on Active Wildfires. Now Congress Wants to Stop It.

U.S. senators are asking federal regulators to halt prediction market wagers on active wildfires, citing severe risks to wildland firefighters and wildfire-prone communities. The post People Are Betting Millions on Active Wildfires. Now Congress Wants to Stop It. appeared first on Outside Online.

Maddy DapcevichAug 9, 2026

The Conversation

Why finance jobs are widening income inequality in cities around the world

Our study found that financial hubs around the world have significantly higher levels of income inequality.

Olivier Godechot, Professor in sociology, Sciences PoAug 8, 2026

Canary Media

Trump launched big new solar tariffs. Here's what it means.

The cost of installing solar panels will rise. But now the U.S. has a large and fast-growing solar manufacturing industry to take advantage of the trade…

1 min read

The Conversation

Wealthsimple’s new prediction markets app exposes gaps in Canada’s gambling protections

Wealthsimple is launching a CIRO-approved prediction markets app soon. The evidence suggests most traders lose money, and the products look a lot like gambling.

Jeffrey Derevensky, Professor & Chair, Educational & Counselling Psychology, McGill UniversityAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

Prisoner release: Andy Burnham’s difficult choices

With no clear plan to manage sentencing inflation, one option becomes to release prisoners early.

Jessica Gallagher, Senior Lecturer, Criminal Justice, Birmingham City UniversityAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

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