Briefings

The last 70 years have been eventful and often difficult, but the UK is far wealthier than it was when the Queen took the throne in 1952. Simon Wilson…

Governments have no control over global energy prices. But the dysfunction that has led to rising price caps and windfall taxes is all of the UK’s own…

Rishi Sunak has outlined a £15bn package to help consumers cut the cost of soaring energy bills. Saloni Sardana looks at what he’s proposing and what …

Sri Lanka has been hit by a triple whammy of economic shocks and has gone to the IMF for a bailout. It may just be the first domino to fall in a globa…

A change in the political atmosphere and a harsh zero-Covid regime has seen thousands flee the global financial hub. Does it have a future – or will S…

The government has yet again postponed introducing post-Brexit checks on EU imports. Why has it done this, and does it matter?

Windfall taxes are levied on industries that have benefited the most from unusual economic conditions, earning above average profits. They are often a…

Slowing global growth, surging inflation and rising interest rates are squeezing emerging economies harder than most. Are we on the brink of a major c…

HM Treasury, the department in charge of long-term growth, fiscal policy, and departmental budgets, is a single bloated behemoth. It would be better t…

Having secured a presidency for life within the country’s borders, Xi Jinping is now going for world domination – not out of megalomania, but a concer…

Inflation is hotting up, leading workers to demand wage rises to compensate. Union membership is on the rise again. Will this spark a wage-price spira…

Global trade has been in decline for some time, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marks a big turning point, say some commentators. What will that mean…

Soaring oil prices mean huge profits for energy firms. Politicians are keen to impose windfall taxes, but that could discourage vital investment in ne…

The war in Ukraine has disrupted food and fertiliser exports, pushing up prices and threatening a global calamity.

Switching the world economy over from fossil fuels to green alternatives was always going to be a challenge. It just got a lot harder. Simon Wilson re…

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the West’s strategic calculus and tougher than expected sanctions have followed. Will they be enough to chang…

Both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war are turning to cryptocurrencies. Saloni Sardana looks at the case for digital cash in times of war.

With Russia's invasion of Ukraine intensifying, the price of oil, gas and petrol has soared even further. Saloni Sardana looks at what the future may …

As part of Western sanctions, many of Russia's banks have been banned from the SWIFT system. Saloni Sardana explains what that is, and how the ban wil…

Swiss banks have looked after the loot of a variety of unsavoury characters, according to new leaks from Credit Suisse. Did new laws in the wake of th…

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has driven energy prices up. But with both nations major exporters of agricultural commodities, it could send food prices…

For 60 years, the hope of producing vast amounts of clean energy from nuclear fusion has remained tantalisingly beyond our grasp. Now scientists claim…

National Insurance contributions are due to increase from 6 April. Saloni Sardana explains the reasons behind the rise, and how much it will cost you.

The government recently said that it would rebate some of the cost of rising energy prices to consumers. Saloni Sardana looks at what's planned.