Finance & economics
Free exchange
Why economic warfare nearly always misses its target
There is no such thing as a strategic commodity
Unaccountable accounts
A tonne of public debt is never made public
New research suggests governments routinely hide their borrowing
Good-vibes rally
Xi Jinping’s belated stimulus has reset the mood in Chinese markets
But can the buying frenzy last?
Block party
The house-price supercycle is just getting going
Why property prices could keep rising for years
Economic decoupling
Why is Canada’s economy falling behind America’s?
The country was slightly richer than Montana in 2019. Now it is just poorer than Alabama
Did someone say bazooka?
At last, China pulls the trigger on a bold stimulus package
“Buy everything,” says an American hedge fund
Free exchange
Why the Federal Reserve is split on the future of interest rates
Jerome Powell began with a big cut. What comes next?
Buttonwood
A Wall Street state of mind has captured America
Downtown New York is quieter than ever. Finance has never been louder
Fuel to the fire
Is the world sleepwalking into another gas crisis?
Prices could once again spike this winter
International debt
How lower American interest rates will boost Africa
One of the world’s worst-named financial instruments is newly relevant
Financial conflict
Can Israel’s economy survive an all-out war with Hizbullah?
The country’s banks are experiencing capital flight
No rush
China’s central bank tries to save the economy—and the stockmarket
But it will need more help from the government