Business and Finance Op-Ed Articles

Sanctions and the Risk to the Dollar
Christopher Smart

Sanctions and the Risk to the Dollar

Christopher Smart NOV 21, 2016 2

Christopher Smart cautions the US against abusing its outsize influence in the global financial system.
Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Any US administration should pause before cutting off access to the dollar-trading system as a way to punish misbehavior by foreign governments. Over time, even legitimate actors will find alternative commercial and financial channels if they come to feel that dollar access is conditional on not running afoul of US interests. READ MORE
Globalization’s Last Gasp
Barry Eichengreen

Globalization’s Last Gasp

Barry Eichengreen NOV 17, 2016 11

Barry Eichengreen says that trade is slowing because economies are slowing, not the other way around.
Richard A. Brooks/Getty Images
Determining causality in economics may be elusive, but in the case of world trade it is clear: slower growth is the result of slower global GDP growth, not the other way around. And slower growth in international flows of financial capital may be just what the global economy needs. READ MORE
The Secret of Dubai’s Success
Yasser Al-Saleh

The Secret of Dubai’s Success

Yasser Al-Saleh NOV 11, 2016 4

Yasser Al-Saleh explains how a city-state with limited resources became a global economic and cultural hub.
Andrew Holbrooke/Getty Images
As governments across the Middle East try to wean themselves off natural resources and build diversified, resilient economies, they should take some lessons from Dubai. In less than a generation, the city-state has spectacularly transformed itself into a major center for investment, commerce, and high-end culture. READ MORE
The Evolving Independent Economy
Laura Tyson, ET AL

The Evolving Independent Economy

Laura Tyson & Jacques Bughin NOV 8, 2016 3

Laura Tyson & Jacques Bughin consider the challenges and opportunities created by the rise of temporary, flexible, and "gig" work.
Lewis Mulatero/Getty Images
New digital platforms are helping to drive a shift away from traditional business models to new arrangements that rely on independent workers. Whether this system is actually good for workers, employers, and economies will depend on how all of the relevant actors approach the transition. READ MORE
Brexit’s Doom Spirals
Harold James

Brexit’s Doom Spirals

Harold James NOV 8, 2016 11

Harold James predicts that the UK's exit talks with the EU will be bitter and self-defeating for both sides.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Financial markets are giving a thumbs-down to Brexit, and they are right to do so. But because it is finance, rather than democratic civil society, that is pushing back against the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the Brexit debate will grow more bitter, and the fallout will become more severe. READ MORE