Do Consumer Sentiments Really Matter?

Why economic surveys have lost their relevance
https://www.ft.com/content/1c559e9c-83b8-486c-812f-cb431e6970ce
Distorted by partisan passion and rising inequality, they are a reflection of popular frustrations — not overall growth.

Do We Really Feel This Lousy About the Economy, or Is a Key Survey Broken?
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/do-we-really-feel-this-lousy-about-the-economy-or-is-a-key-survey-broken-06c8c9ca
The University of Michigan is pushing back and defending its widely tracked consumer sentiment gauge. 

Related:
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/americans-are-richer-than-ever--why-are-they-so-angry-87865.html

Developing Asia Focuses on Energy Security

Iran War Forces Energy Buyers to ‘Unshackle’ From Global Markets
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/business/natural-gas-lng-asia-exposure.html
Developing Asian nations, scarred by Middle East supply shocks, are working to scale back their reliance on imported fuels, including liquefied natural gas.  

Currency Unions and Internal Devaluations

West Africa Needs Its Own Draghi Moment
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/west-african-monetary-union-faces-its-biggest-test-by-fernando-morra-1-and-anahi-wiedenbrug-2026-07
Senegal’s debt crisis has exposed a deeper vulnerability within West Africa’s monetary union. Unable to devalue the shared currency, member countries must either endure painful internal adjustment or boost exports to earn the foreign currency they need to repay external creditors. 

Profile of María Corina Machado

María Corina Machado’s Opposition in Exile
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/07/27/maria-corina-machados-opposition-in-exile
The Venezuelan politician hoped to become her country’s leader with help from the U.S. The Trump Administration had other priorities. 

Related:
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/marco-rubio-is-failing-venezuelan-democracy-by-ricardo-hausmann-2026-07

Cost of Eldercare in the Developing World

Poor Countries are Aging Fast but Can’t Keep Up with the Cost
https://www.wsj.com/world/poor-countries-are-aging-fast-but-cant-keep-up-with-the-cost-fd83b1cd
The elderly population is exploding in developing nations like Thailand, where savings and government resources are scant. 

Startup Boom in America

America’s Enterprising Spirit Is Booming After Decades-Long Slump
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/business/economy/american-small-business-boom.html 

Fed Policy Approach Debate

The Federal Reserve Ain’t Broke, So Don’t Fix It by Alan Blinder
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-federal-reserve-aint-broke-so-dont-fix-it-c22a2de0
We need forward guidance to avoid the guessing game that follows when central bankers say nothing. 

Structural shifts demand a new central banking mindset by Vivekanand Jayakumar, The Hill, July 21, 2026
https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/5979598-monetary-policy-paradigm-shifts/
While the primary objective of most central banks — maintaining price stability — remains unchanged, the post-pandemic economic landscape has evolved in ways that require policymakers to rethink how monetary policy is designed and implemented.