Economics | Penn Today

Investors can no longer rely on a ‘policy put’

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School says high inflation and rising debt have sharply reduced policymakers’ ability to rescue markets.

What rising bond yields mean for mortgages and credit card rates

Liu Lu of the Wharton School says mortgage rates are unlikely to decline substantially in the near-term.

The Fed explained: What it does and why it matters

Former Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and financial historian Peter Conti-Brown, both Wharton professors, unpack the central bank’s origins, its unusual structure, and the quiet ways it shapes the economy

4 min. read

What a gas tax suspension could mean for drivers

Penn’s Wharton Budget Model predicts that roughly 72% of a federal gas tax cut would reach consumers.

Penn fourth-year and graduate student named 2026 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

The scholarship provides financial support for as long as three years to pursue a graduate degree and global leadership training at Stanford University.

2 min. read

The gap between America’s wealthiest and everyday citizens is the biggest it has been in generations

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School explains racial disparities in unemployment, saying, “Black unemployment is now twice the level of white unemployment. So, within an economy that looks good at the average, we are seeing major divergences that should be of concern.”

What a stronger than expected jobs report tells us about the state of the economy

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School says high job-creation numbers show a strong demand for labor despite the economy.

The US decoupling from the global gloom has limits

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School writes about the geoeconomic environment and the limits of the U.S. stock market amid mounting risks of a global recession.

Recipients of the 2026 Thouron awards are (left to right, top to bottom) Tristen Brisky, Charissa Howard, Jean Kim, Jordan Liu, Caroline Magdolen, Griffin Pitt, Andrew Schmidt, Sriya Teerdhala, and Megha Thomas.

Penn announces nine 2026 Thouron Scholars

Six fourth-year students and three recent graduates will use the scholarship award to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom.

6 min. read

Financing resilience for ocean economies

Perry World House’s “Financing Resilience for Ocean Economies” workshop brought together policymakers, practitioners, and academics to discuss how to close the $175 billion annual investment gap in ocean resilience.