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Slow-Healing Scars: The Pandemic’s Legacy
Recessions wreak havoc and the damage is often long-lived. Businesses shut down, investment spending is cut, and people out of work can lose skills and motivation as the months stretch on. But the…
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What 1919 Teaches Us About Pent-Up Demand
1918 should have been a great year for baseball. A young left-handed pitcher named Babe Ruth began the year by pitching an opening-day victory for the Boston Red Sox. Shortly after, Ruth lobbied…
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When Inequality is High, Pandemics Can Fuel Social Unrest
In the months and years following previous pandemics, the countries most affected saw a rise in social unrest. Based on this historical trend, the COVID-19 pandemic could pose a threat to the social…
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What to do When Low-for-Long Interest Rates are Lower and for Longer
Central banks have played a pivotal role in easing financial conditions in response to the COVID-19 shock, and helped avert a catastrophic downturn. However, their work is far from done. Yet more monetary…
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How the Rich Get Richer
A paper co-authored this year by economists from the IMF and other institutions confirms that wealthier people are more likely to earn higher returns on their investments. It also shows that the children…
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Data Disruption: The Impact of COVID-19 on Inflation Measurement
Lockdowns, working from home, and physical distancing caused people to spend larger shares of their household budgets on food and housing, while fewer people bought nonessentials, like airline tickets and clothing. And with…
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COVID’s Impact in Real Time: Finding Balance Amid the Crisis
The IMF analyzed the economic effects of lockdowns and voluntary social distancing using two high-frequency proxies for economic activity: mobility data from Google and job openings posted on the website Indeed. As illustrated…
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Fiscal Policy for an Unprecedented Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has devastated people’s lives, jobs, and businesses. Governments have taken forceful measures to cushion the blow, totaling a staggering $12 trillion globally. These lifelines have saved lives and livelihoods. But…
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A Long, Uneven and Uncertain Ascent
This crisis is far from over. Employment remains well below pre-pandemic levels and the labor market has become more polarized with low-income workers, youth, and women being harder hit. The poor are getting…
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How Strong Infrastructure Governance Can End Waste in Public Investment
COVID-19 has had a profound impact on people, firms, and economies all over the world. While countries have ramped public lifelines;to individuals and firms they will face enormous challenges to recover from the…
