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Kristen de Groot
News Officer
krisde@upenn.edu
Economics
Why central banks are taking on climate change
Why central banks are taking on climate change
Climate change poses a significant financial risk to the global economy, and central bankers are concerned. One reason is that serious effects from climate change now look much closer to the horizon than recently thought, says Wharton’s Eric Orts, and central banks are responsible for financial stability.
Is Amazon too big?
Is Amazon too big?
Wharton’s Barbara Kahn discusses the second-largest retailer’s runaway growth and its place as one of the largest tech companies, and considers whether it has morphed into a monopoly.
Photo finish
Photo finish
Graduating senior Wilson Fisher will use a Fulbright Award to study photographers and other artists in Ukraine.
U.S.-China tariffs: Is there an end in sight?
U.S.-China tariffs: Is there an end in sight?
Wharton’s Marshall W. Meyer and Penn Law’s Jacques deLisle discuss the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.
How modern monarchies are evolving
How modern monarchies are evolving
With the birth of the latest royal baby, Wharton's Mauro Guillen discusses his research on monarchies, and how the economies of countries with modern monarchies compare to those without.
How superstitions spread
How superstitions spread
Superstitious beliefs may seem irrational, but they catch on in a society. Using an evolutionary approach to studying the emergence of coordinated behaviors, Erol Akçay and Bryce Morsky showed how a jumble of individual beliefs, including superstitions, coalesce into an accepted social norm.
Lump-sum pension payments: Who are the winners and losers?
Lump-sum pension payments: Who are the winners and losers?
Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell discusses the Treasury department’s move to allow private companies to pay lump-sum pension payments to retirees and beneficiaries, instead of monthly payments.
How gender and racial biases are hurting economics
How gender and racial biases are hurting economics
Following a survey released this month by the American Economic Association that reveals a disturbingly high level of gender bias in the field, Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell discusses the effects of gender and racial biases in the field of economics.
Nostalgia is not enough: Why consumers abandon legacy brands
Nostalgia is not enough: Why consumers abandon legacy brands
Legacy brands like Sears, Payless ShoeSource, and Toys “R” Us are shuttering their doors as customers abandon longstanding consumer mainstays. Despite customers having emotional connections to certain stores, “It is more like these brands are breaking up with the customers,” says Santiago Gallino of the Wharton School.
U.S. debt: Is it the calm before the storm?
U.S. debt: Is it the calm before the storm?
The U.S. national debt has crossed $22 trillion. Wharton’s Kent Smetters and Joao Gomes discuss the nation’s long-term debt burden and what might be done about it.
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In the News
Christian Science Monitor
A majority of Americans no longer trust the Supreme Court. Can it rebuild?
Matthew Levendusky of the School of Arts & Sciences says that a partisan trust gap has emerged in public perception of the Supreme Court as a conservative institution.
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The New York Times
We don’t see what climate change is doing to us
In an Op-Ed, R. Jisung Park of the School of Social Policy & Practice says that public discourse around climate change overlooks the buildup of slow, subtle costs and their impact on human systems.
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CNN
Here’s what would happen to the US economy if there are no rate cuts this year
Itay Goldstein of the Wharton School says stock market prices still reflect the expectation that the Federal Reserve will cut rates later this year, even with the recent selloff.
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The New York Times
Biden’s student loan repayment plan is being challenged. Here’s what to know
Kent Smetters of the Wharton School attributes $235 billion of the cost of the SAVE loan repayment plan to its increased generosity relative to existing plans.
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Inside Higher Ed
Report: Biden’s new debt relief plan estimated to cost $84 billion
According to economists at the Penn Wharton Budget Model, President Biden’s new plan to forgive some or all student loans for 26 million Americans would cost about $84 billion over 10 years.
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Kiplinger
Can money buy you happiness? Yes, it can. However…
Research by Matthew Killingsworth of the Wharton School reveals there is no monetary threshold at which money's capacity to improve well-being diminishes.
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