Search

More people in the UK of working age are leaving the labour force because of poor health than in other similar countries. An effective policy response requires understanding the rise of work-limiting mental health issues among younger workers and musculoskeletal conditions among older workers.

The transition to net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide to stop climate change could be difficult for people working in high carbon-emitting sectors. But net zero is set to boost employment numbers across the energy sector – and the new jobs are likely to be high-skills ones that pay well.

The verdict on Manchester City’s financial rule-breaking will have wide-ranging effects. In terms of this season’s Premier League, whatever punishment the club receives will benefit other teams: a deduction of 20 points or more would give Arsenal an 83% chance of winning the title and Liverpool 12%.

Debates about globalisation and trade policy have deep historical roots. Patterns in the goods and services bought and sold by the UK have shifted over the past century, alongside the framework that governs world trade – but international commerce remains a defining feature of the nation’s economy.

Both income and wealth inequality, as measured by the shares held by the top 1%, declined consistently in the UK from 1914. But there was an abrupt halt in both declines in the early 1980s. Since then, income inequality has risen while wealth inequality has appeared steady for over four decades.

Football shirts have become much more expensive over the past decade. Supporters’ unwavering loyalty means that clubs possess unusual pricing power, but there are still alternatives. Economics helps to explain both why shirts cost so much and what might be the limits to fans’ willingness to pay.

The UK government spends around £400 billion a year buying goods and services, a far bigger slice of public spending than goes to research and development. To support the new industrial strategy, procurement needs to be designed and directed in a way that drives innovation, diffusion and growth.

The competition’s unbalanced nature means that the last three champions are by far the most likely clubs to lift the trophy this season. Scorecasting gives Manchester City a 60% chance of winning the title – with Arsenal next on 22% and Liverpool at 15%. No other team’s probability is above 1%.

There are clear favourites for automatic promotion in all three divisions. In the Championship, West Ham are likely to dominate, with Wolves and Burnley next. Leicester will be almost as strong in League One; Stockport and Luton follow. In League Two, the top picks are Barnet, Swindon and Rotherham.

As the region swings to the political right, sustained development will depend not only on restoring macroeconomic stability and improving national security, but also on strengthening institutions, raising productivity, fostering innovation and creating more diversified and resilient economies.

President Milei’s stabilisation is delivering results: inflation is down, growth has returned and exports are playing a larger role in the recovery. But Argentina’s second test is harder: turning macroeconomic stability into investment, jobs and higher real wages before the political clock runs out.

The rapid development of India in the 20th century is a remarkable story, albeit one with uneven outcomes. Today, the country faces new pressures: from converting growth into health, education and human capability – through reducing dollar dependency – to navigating the transition to green energy.

Analysis of the finalists’ attacking and defensive strengths gives Argentina a 58% chance of lifting the trophy, leaving Spain at 42% to win. By only losing to a late goal in the semifinal, England performed better than expected – though over-optimistic forecasts mean it might not feel like that.

The transition to net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide to stop climate change could be difficult for people working in high carbon-emitting sectors. But net zero is set to boost employment numbers across the energy sector – and the new jobs are likely to be high-skills ones that pay well.

The most productive, fastest-growing and most heavily invested part of the UK economy is invisible in the data that policy-makers use for decisions. A new classification of frontier firms reveals the scale of the gap – and the consequences for interest rates, industrial strategy and growth policy.

The end of the British Empire, large-scale technological progress, an increasingly globalised world economy and big shifts in government policy have all affected UK businesses over the past century. But despite such changes, a number of British companies that were prominent in 1926 remain so today.

There are several historical precedents for large-scale and sustained unemployment following technological change. Understanding these past experiences will help researchers and policy-makers to have a clear view of the potential effects of artificial intelligence on the labour market.

India ranks low globally for women’s labour force participation – a considerable constraint on its development ambitions. Tackling the shortfall requires better state-provided childcare and jobs that women can keep through marriage and motherhood to lower the churn that pushes them out of paid work. 

How effectively the machinery of governance enforces laws, regulates economic activity and provides public services is a key issue around the world. The Covid-19 pandemic and other policy challenges highlight wide variations in state capacity among countries – and the growing strain on public trust.

England is undergoing a major re-organisation of local government. Universal basic infrastructure provides the framework needed to ensure that this is not just an administrative reshuffle, but a rare moment to re-imagine the relationship between the state, citizens and the places they call home.

As the region swings to the political right, sustained development will depend not only on restoring macroeconomic stability and improving national security, but also on strengthening institutions, raising productivity, fostering innovation and creating more diversified and resilient economies.

President Milei’s stabilisation is delivering results: inflation is down, growth has returned and exports are playing a larger role in the recovery. But Argentina’s second test is harder: turning macroeconomic stability into investment, jobs and higher real wages before the political clock runs out.

India has made substantial progress in shifting towards more renewable energy sources, with both wind and solar capacity having grown rapidly in recent years. But many challenges remain, with energy independence now a central part of the government’s economic ambitions.