Economic crisis

Cavallo's crisis

Political confusion, mounting economic woes and waning confidence threaten to push Argentina into a debt default. Unless Domingo Cavallo, the economy minister, can pull the country back from the brink, the consequences for all Latin America will be dire0

Getting America moving again

The surprise cut in American interest rates on April 18th underlined the Federal Reserve’s determination to avoid recession in the world’s largest economy. But will the Fed’s newly aggressive strategy work? And what are the long-term implications for monetary and fiscal policy?0

Greenspan to the rescue

Breaking barriers in the Americas

The Americas would benefit from freer trade, more political co-operation and a new realism about drugs. But they may not get them0

The kiss of life?

Despite another half-point cut in interest rates this week, the risk of a recession of some sort is becoming clearer0

Waiting for the midnight hour

Has the stockmarket bottomed? One way to answer the burning question is to study the investment clock0

Greenspan’s gotcha!

America’s Federal Reserve has caught everyone off-guard with a half percentage-point cut in interest rates. Has Alan Greenspan regained the initiative from the stockmarkets, or merely confirmed the views of his critics?0

Managing through the fog

Many of today’s corporate bosses have never run a business in an economic slowdown, never mind a real recession. The prospect of harder times is, understandably, making them nervous. Some will fail. But others may be better-equipped than even they believe0

Managing through the fog

Many of today’s corporate bosses have never run a business in an economic slowdown, never mind a real recession. The prospect of harder times is, understandably, making them nervous. Some will fail. But others may be better-equipped than even they believe0

European interest rates: Standing firm

Steadfast or stubborn?

At its meeting on April 11th, the European Central Bank chose not to cut interest rates, in spite of widespread expectations that a cut was on the way. Was this wise?0

Why wages do not fall in recessions

An intrepid economist ventures into the real world to investigate—and finds conventional explanations wanting0

Let the bad times roll

For all the talk of flexibility and integrated supply-chain management, the economic downturn has caught many companies on the hop. What went wrong?0

The R-word

The budget: Not yet time for the champagne

Churning at the top

Corporate bosses are being hired and fired like never before, and many more will go as the economic slowdown in America bites. Why is it proving so hard to find good leaders these days?0

The salaryman’s song

Unemployment: Flawed figures

The danger of delay

Asia’s emerging economies would be better able to cope with a sharp slowdown in America if they had completed their structural reforms0

Submerging again?

America’s slowdown is likely to prove painful for emerging economies in Asia and Latin America0

Tight-fisted

OUTPUT, DEMAND AND JOBS

America’s confusing economic signals

The latest American consumer-confidence figures have taken analysts by surprise—because they are better than expected, suggesting that so far consumers seem to retain some optimism about the prospects for the world’s largest economy0

Behind the tech slump

The tech industry is facing slower sales and reduced profits. Barely a year ago, such firms were touted as immune to an economic slowdown. Although that fantasy has been shattered, expectations may still be too high0

America’s confusing economic signals

The latest American consumer-confidence figures have taken analysts by surprise—because they are better than expected, suggesting that so far consumers seem to retain some optimism about the prospects for the world’s largest economy0