Global economies & markets

Some economists urge countries to embrace government borrowing — but can too much debt prove a problem in a crisis? Yes, determines new research. The COVID-19 pandemic has had vastly different economic impact on governments that are fiscally constrained as opposed to those that are fiscally robust. Professor Tomio discusses the details of his study

To buffer the effects of the pandemic on the economy, the U.S. Congress has enacted a number of bipartisan COVID-19 related bills, including the CARES Act, which got a few things wrong. Darden Professor Anton Korinek shares insights on how to improve targeting and overall effectiveness of federal aid during large-scale crises.

Professors Peter Debaere and Dennis Yang share what they believe it will take for the United States to reclaim a central position in the world under the Biden administration.

Income inequality in the United States is the greatest it has been in a century — a problem the Biden administration has expressed an intention to tackle. While there are no easy fixes, the government plans to focus on several tactics: a $1.9 trillion relief package, taxing the wealthiest Americans and investing in education.

The cultural mismatch between lending professionals and potential clients in diverse communities can cause lost revenue in what could otherwise be a win for all. Here: the story of a bank attempting to expand its market, a family facing the financing challenges of immigrant entrepreneurs, and a loan officer who embraces “character-based lending.”

Nicholas Sargen, a lecturer at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and economic consultant, offers his thoughts on President Biden's potential changes to regulation that could have major impact on the U.S. economy: climate change, health care and the technology sector.

For years, the Western United States has experienced increasing drought. A new paper by Darden economist Peter Debaere reveals the culprit: beef production. Long-term water security and ecosystem health will depend on change.

Once the domain of video games, Virtual reality (VR) is playing a growing role in the workplace. Darden Professor Roshni Raveendhran explores how business leaders can leverage VR technologies — in particular, avatars — in frequent monitoring situations.

Why would oil producers continue to pump oil despite an excess supply globally and a shortage in storage space? Darden Professors Elena Loutskina and Daniel Murphy examine how oil prices went negative (and could again), collateralized debt and oil producers’ relationships with lenders, and broader implications for the oil market.

Nicholas Sargen, a lecturer at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and economic consultant, offered his thoughts on how the election outcome could affect the economy.