Feeling Poorer

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. 

AI Spending and Profits

Why Big Tech’s AI Spending Is $3 Trillion Higher Than It Seems
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/why-big-techs-ai-spending-is-3-trillion-higher-than-it-seems-e1067bb2
Massive spending commitments for data-center leases and chips aren’t shown on companies’ balance sheets.
 
Investment gains at Alphabet and Amazon reveal a new way in which technology
companies’ fortunes are increasingly linked.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/ai-tech-profits.html 

Monetary Policy and Boom-Bust Cycles

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. 

Related:

Have misguided policies led to recent asset bubbles and boom-bust cycles? BY VIVEKANAND JAYAKUMAR, The Hill - 02/16/21
https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/538921-have-misguided-policies-led-to-recent-asset-bubbles-and-boom-bust-cycles/

Are You a Human?

Are You a Human?
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/08/17/are-you-a-human
From branding irons to iris scans, the ancient business of proving who you are has never been stranger—or more lucrative.  

An Urban Oasis

The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh has 25,000 workers building his dream capital with waterways, bike lanes and a “Quantum Valley” tech hub.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/world/asia/one-mans-quest-to-build-indias-most-livable-city.html 

Hedging Market Risks

The Markets Have Been on a Roll. Is It Time to Hedge Your Bets?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/business/stock-market-ai-bonds-rally.html
The S&P 500 is in position for a rare fourth year of consecutive annual gains. Risks are rising, our columnist says, yet Wall Street is doubling down. 

Unwinding the Yen Carry Trade

When Japan buys yen, it unwinds a dangerous trade
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/08/13/when-japan-buys-yen-it-unwinds-a-dangerous-trade
The world’s biggest carry trader begins to exit its position.