The Debt-Inequality Cycle
you are currently viewing::The Debt-Inequality CycleMarch 24, 2026-During the Great Depression, as he saw ordinary people's purchasing power collapse, Federal Reserve Chairman Marriner Eccles warned that excessive saving by the rich was draining demand and deepening the downturn. "To protect them from the results of their own folly," Eccles told the Senate in 1933 testimony, "we should take from them a sufficient amount of their surplus to enable consumers to consume and business to operate at a profit." Inequality in the US was then extremely high: The top 1 percent held roughly 42 percent of all wealth. Within a decade, however, the landscape changed dramatically. World War II mobilization and progressive taxation reduced inequality and restored balance between spending and production. The underlying problem that Eccles emphasized faded from public memory as the US economy entered a long period of sustained and more equitable growth. Source: imf.org |
October 12, 2026-Growth has endured so far, but rising inflation and narrowing buffers demand policy action now
Global economic activity has proven resilient once again. The technology upturn, buffers, and adaptations have helped mitigate the damage from geopolitics-driven disruptions. Global growth is projected to slow to 3.1 percent in 2026 and rebound to 3.4 percent in 2027.
October 8, 2026--Global trade proved more resilient than expected in the first half of 2026 despite the disruption caused by the Middle East conflict, as supply chains adapted and strong investment in artificial intelligence provided a powerful boost to goods trade. However, the resilience was not uniform, with services trade and some regions more exposed to the effects of the conflict.
October 6, 2026-Countries should better monitor hedge fund leverage and interconnectedness, and policy measures should be calibrated to the source of risk
Hedge funds have become increasingly important participants in financial markets, even though they still represent a relatively small share of the nonbank financial sector.
October 2, 2026--Growth and job creation have continued at a steady pace across the Western Hemisphere despite a series of global shocks. External tailwinds-including strong US demand, high commodity prices, supportive financial conditions, and robust tourism and remittances-have helped sustain activity across much of the region, offsetting drags from tariffs, trade uncertainty, and changes in immigration policies.
October 1, 2026--Governments deployed a wide range of measures as the energy shock unfolded, reflecting different domestic economic conditions. Targeting remains essential.
Countries' responses to the energy shock triggered by the Middle East war varied significantly-and evolved as the shock persisted.
September 30, 2026-Tokenized real-world assets reach $34.5 billion, but most tokenized cash never trades, and onchain stock investors are choosing single names over funds
September 23, 2026--Global growth eased in the first half of 2026 but proved more resilient than anticipated. The economic fallout from the Middle East conflict was contained by substantial oil inventories, additional supply from outside the Gulf region and government support measures. Continued strength in AI-related investment also helped sustain production, trade and growth.
September 17, 2026-ETFGI, reported today that Global ETF Assets top US$24 Trillion for the first time as investors add nearly US$2 Trillion in 2026.
September 15, 2026-The 2026 edition of the World Trade Report-issued on 15 September-finds that a strengthened multilateral trading system could increase global GDP by roughly 3% or USD 3 trillion by 2050, while inaction to modernize the trading system could reduce global output by up to 10%. The flagship publication of the WTO Secretariat, examining what the multilateral trading system has delivered over 80 years and where it is facing challenges, offers evidence relevant to ongoing efforts to keep trade rules fit for purpose.
August 31, 2026-New ETF launches surge to all-time high as innovation accelerates across active, AI-driven, income, and thematic strategies
ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETFs ecosystem, announced today that the global ETF industry has achieved a historic milestone, with 2,141 new ETFs and ETPs launched worldwide year-to-date through July 2026, the highest number ever recorded for this period.