The Economic Outlook in Southeast Asia
Economic disparities and a widening development gap both among and within Southeast Asian nations are among the most pressing issues facing the region. […]
China
Emerging Markets Unite!
A new initiative by the BRICS coalition of emerging countries, intended to establish a new development bank, will rival traditional development groups such as the IMF and World Bank and may shift the balance of power of the world’s economy. […]
U.S. Fiscal Cliff Risks Dragging Global Economy into Darkness
If the United States falls off this fiscal cliff into recession, the outlook for the world economy, already gloomy, will darken further. […]
The Global Middle Class is Bigger Than We Thought
Using car ownership as a proxy for purchasing power indicates that the global middle class is about 50 percent larger than typically assumed, with important implications for geopolitics and economics. […]
Demystifying the Chinese Economy
Since opening up to the world in 1979, China’s economy has grown by an astonishing 10 percent, on average, in real terms every year. But many observers have pointed out that China’s recent “rise” is more aptly deemed a “return” to the preeminence it enjoyed before the eighteenth century. […]
The Next World Bank President
The new World Bank president, an American once again, was selected through a process that was far from competitive. However, the presence of two developing world candidates in this year’s field may be a sign that the tide is turning. […]
The World Bank Head Hunt
Over three dozen ex-World Bank officials have backed Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s bid for the World Bank’s presidency. But does she stand a real chance of becoming the institution’s first non-U.S. leader? […]
China’s Rise and Latin America: A Global, Long-Term Perspective
China is becoming an increasingly significant economic partner for Latin America. But its rise is part of a broader, long-term shift towards a world in which emerging markets have greater economic weight. […]
Inside the World Bank
Over the past several decades, the World Bank has broadened its approach to growth and poverty reduction by moving beyond hard infrastructure initiatives to systemic reforms in education and health care and the development of social safety nets. […]
Is There Life for the G20 Beyond the Global Financial Crisis?
In 2008, the G20 proved to be an effective forum for coordinating action to stem the global financial crisis. But now that the storm has passed, it remains to be seen if the G20 is capable of assuming leadership on key economic governance issues. […]