Economics and International Affairs Blog

Thursday, August 20, 2026

The Case for Chilling Out About Birth Rates by Idrees Kahloon
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/birth-rate-panic-overblown/688320/
Even if the fertility decline doesn’t reverse itself anytime soon, the consequences are unlikely to be apocalyptic.

Don’t panic about the global fertility crash
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/09/11/dont-panic-about-the-global-fertility-crash
A world with fewer people would not be all bad.

A contracting population need not be a catastrophe
https://www.economist.com/briefing/2025/09/11/a-contracting-population-need-not-be-a-catastrophe
The economics of a shrinking world.

U.S. Debt Just Topped $40 Trillion: How We Got Here
https://www.wsj.com/economy/u-s-debt-just-topped-40-trillion-how-we-got-here-c1c6c9d2
The U.S. has reached a new borrowing milestone in its struggle to get hold of its finances.

Why Scott Bessent Is Playing with the Treasury Market
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/why-scott-bessent-is-playing-with-the-treasury-market-828256d4
The simple explanation for all this is that the world is going into a new era of capital need, for data centers, the military and reshoring.

The Treasury Market’s Coveted Status as a Safe Haven Is Fading
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/the-treasury-markets-coveted-status-as-a-safe-haven-is-fading-c68fed93
Two new studies find signs investors aren’t as willing to accept low yields because of Treasurys’ safety.

Investors Predict a New Era of Higher Yields in Bond Market
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/bonds-are-getting-hammered-and-wall-street-says-the-rout-wont-end-anytime-soon-895e0ad8
The rout has driven up borrowing costs for governments, businesses and families across the developed world.

Bond Sell-Off Sends Borrowing Costs to Highest Level Since 2007
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/business/oil-prices-bonds.html

Central Banks Are Stuck in a Rinse-and-Repeat Cycle of Crises
https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/central-banks-are-stuck-in-a-rinse-and-repeat-cycle-of-crises-47da47e9
By becoming market makers of last resort, policymakers are pumping up leverage and risk.

Africa Can’t Afford to Squander Its Demographic Opportunity
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/africa/africa-cant-afford-squander-its-demographic-opportunity
What the Youngest Continent Stands to Gain from Growing Old.

What’s the Value of an Hour?
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/open-questions/whats-the-value-of-an-hour
If the world seems to waste our time, it’s partly because we view time itself as a resource to be extracted and optimized.

India’s Private University Graduates Are Left Jobless and in Debt
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/business/india-private-university-debt.html
Families are betting their savings on private universities as a path to a better life. A shortage of well-paying work is turning that wager into frustration.

500,000 Applicants, 583 Jobs: The Frantic Scramble for Work in India
https://www.wsj.com/world/india/500-000-applicants-583-jobs-the-frantic-scramble-for-work-in-india-0fefa2b3
Many of the South Asian country’s youth face epic odds in trying to find good jobs, a challenge that is a growing political and economic problem.

As Inflation Eats Up Pay Gains, Workers Fall Behind
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/business/inflation-worker-pay.html
When prices spiked in 2021-22, wages failed to keep up for many workers, new research shows. Now the pattern is repeating.