Finance & economics

Buttonwood
Why currency volatility could make a comeback

A decade of low inflation and interest rates smothered forex markets. Now consumer prices and rates are going up

Perverse but persistent
As energy prices spike, governments reach for the dirtiest tool in the box

A new IMF study shows that fossil-fuel subsidies are a climate nightmare

Corporate minimum tax
The Democrats target companies with giant profits but tiny tax bills

A minimum tax on corporate income seems alluring, but is likely to disappoint

Alice’s adventures
How the auction of our NFT cover went

The sale raised nearly $422,000 for charity

Through the looking glass
The market for non-fungible tokens is evolving

The Economist joins the fray by auctioning an NFT of our cover

Buttonwood
Why it matters when trades settle

There is a case for redundancy in the settlement process

Free exchange
How soaring energy costs could hobble the covid-19 recovery

Past shocks have raised inflation and induced economic slumps

Evergrande plans
Time for orderly resolution for Evergrande is running out

If the state has a grand plan, it will need to make it known soon

Go with the float
What to make of the new bitcoin-linked exchange-traded fund

Depending on whom you ask it is either a breakthrough or a disappointment

From the sublime to the subpar
A triple shock slows China’s growth

Coal shortages, covid-19 and a construction slowdown all take their toll

Message in a battle
The race to redefine cross-border finance

SWIFT enabled a surge in global payments over the decades. Now it faces threats from challengers—and is fighting back