Chart of the WeekHigher Shipping Costs May Lift Asia’s Low Inflation
New analysis shows how increases in shipping rates have a persistent impact on consumer prices.
IMF Podcasts: The Year in Review
The past year has brought us new challenges even as the old ones persist. If anything, the ongoing pandemic has taught us to think differently about tackling the challenges and questions we currently face when it comes to big issues like climate change, gender equality, inflation and economic measurement.
Chart of the WeekThe World’s Top Recipients of Foreign Direct Investment
A Japanese automobile manufacturer builds an assembly plant in Mexico. An Italian software company opens a sales office in Kenya to reach the Kenyan market with their services.
Global Debt Reaches a Record $226 Trillion
Policymakers must strike the right balance in the face of high debt and rising inflation.
Making Electronic Money Safer in the Digital Age
As e-money use grows, regulators need to focus on consumer protection and the integrity of the overall payments system.
Global Crypto Regulation Should be Comprehensive, Consistent, and Coordinated
The IMF’s mandate is to safeguard the stability of the international monetary and financial system, and crypto assets are changing the system profoundly.
Metals Demand From Energy Transition May Top Current Global Supply
The clean energy transition needed to avoid the worst effects of climate change could unleash unprecedented metals demand in coming decades, requiring as much as 3 billion tons.
Food Inflation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Inflation is rising around the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, one item is driving the trend more than others: food prices. Food accounts for roughly 40 percent of the region’s consumption basket—a measure of goods and services used to measure consumer price index (CPI) inflation.
Addressing Inflation Pressures Amid an Enduring Pandemic
With inflationary pressures intensifying and Omicron generating new uncertainties, monetary policymakers are facing new and challenging tradeoffs.
The Economics of Health and Well-Being
Just as good health—mental and physical—is fundamental to individual well-being, public health is fundamental to stable, cohesive societies.