Comment

The main financial risk facing the US looks similar to what caused so much trouble in 2007-2008: big banks with too much debt and too little equity capital on their balance sheets. A column by Simon Johnson.

Whichever policies – macro or micro – turn out to work best for addressing today’s economic problems, one thing has become abundantly clear: optimism is out of fashion. A column by J. Bradford DeLong.

For independence to be politically acceptable, the central bank’s objectives must be well defined. The more numerous those objectives, the better central bankers must explain them. A column Barry Eichengreen

Policies must fit within the prevailing narrative framework, while the great task of politics is to shape the narrative of tomorrow. A column by Ricardo Hausmann.

The upcoming election will therefore mark the beginning, not the end, of a period of uncertainty for British politics, economics, and finance. A column by Anatole Kaletsky.

Allowing pension funds to provide the European economy with capital has a promising potential. But that will not be possible unless, and until, the right regulatory environment is created. A column by Angelien Kemna.

People expect cheaper, smarter, safer, and more efficient tools to live a more self-directed life. Companies that fail to deliver will find that their days are numbered. A column by Mohamed A. El-Erian.

Most important, despite the challenges it faces, the Chinese economy’s singular importance is now widely recognized. A column by Jim O’Neill.

Countries’ debts undoubtedly play a vital role in the global financial system. But, in a zero interest-rate environment, that role must be reevaluated. A column by Daniel Gros.

If Europe is to prosper, it must ease market entry for innovators, so that platforms will begin to develop indigenously, rather than moving in after they have been perfected elsewhere. A column by Alberto Heimler.

As with negative real interest rates, but in a more targeted and efficient manner, we may have to pay to make valuable investments happen. A column by Ricardo Hausmann.

As China confronts the challenges of its economy’s shift to a new normal, it will need to find common ground with the US. A column by Stephen S. Roach.