Maria Martinez

PHOTO: GREGOR FISCHER/GETTY IMAGES By Maria Martinez  Trade tensions between China and the U.S., the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are reshaping economic and financial systems away from broad globalization, with concerns about supply-chain vulnerabilities and energy security fostering more economic nationalism. “We are in the early phase of the most profound geopolitical shifts …

Globalization Is Retreating, But Not Disappearing Read More »

PHOTO: BENJAMIN GIRETTE/BLOOMBERG NEWS By Maria Martinez  Calls for a unified European Union response to soaring inflation aren’t likely to yield a feasible proposal for mutualized debt anytime soon, economists say, despite scattered national relief programs recognizing the burden on citizens and industry. The German government set out a debt-financed package at the end of September …

United EU Fiscal Response to Energy Crisis Remains Challenging Read More »

By Maria Martinez  Europe is heading into an inevitable recession. But even before the current energy crisis or the pandemic-induced economic slowdown, the eurozone economy was already struggling to grow. “The eurozone’s trend growth rate is heavily constrained by its demographics,” HSBC economist James Pomeroy said. The demographic projections of the European Commission reveal that …

Europe’s Graying Population Poses Challenges for Its Economy Read More »

By Maria Martinez  Greece was on the brink of bankruptcy and close to leaving the euro after the 2008-09 financial crisis, but following the turmoil caused by Covid-19, it has become an outperformer in the eurozone, aided in particular by tourism and low exposure to the war in Ukraine. “Greece has already made a more …

From Almost Leaving the Eurozone to Becoming an Outperformer, Greece’s Prospects Look Bright Read More »

Photographer: Kai Försterling  By Maria Martinez  VALENCIA, SPAIN–Deep change is needed in the capitalist system to address current challenges, according to Mariana Mazzucato, University College London professor and founding director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. “Governments are stuck fixing,” Ms. Mazzucato told The Wall Street Journal this week at the Congress of …

Governments Must ‘Do Capitalism Differently’ Amid Crises, Economist Mazzucato Says Read More »

Photographer: Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS By Maria Martinez French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to win another term in this month’s election, but a recent narrowing of his lead over far-right opponent Marine Le Pen has economists worrying that his plans to reform France’s economy could be derailed. “Our long-held call that Macron’s economic reforms …

Macron Needs Second Term to Deliver on His Economic-Reform Agenda Read More »

Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg By Maria Martinez and Kim Richters Even if Russian troops were to immediately pull out of Ukraine, the world’s biggest exporter of sunflower oil, supply of the commodity is expected to be disrupted by the war well into the future, and households and businesses are already feeling the pinch. Amid a backdrop …

Stores Ration Sunflower Oil and Prices Rise as Ukraine War Feeds Fears of Shortage Read More »

PHOTO: DANIEL ROLAND/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES By Maria Martinez Eurozone economic growth is expected to pick up this year following a slowdown at the end of 2021, but any escalation in tensions over Ukraine could threaten the prospect of an upturn, economists say. While the easing of supply-chain problems, slowing inflation and the expectation that consumers will …

Ukraine-Russia Conflict Poses Threat to Eurozone Economic Prospects Read More »