Economics

Government cash transfer programs linked to major health gains for women and children

A Penn study finds that more women receive health care early in their pregnancies, more babies are born in health facilities, and more births are attended by trained health workers when governments give money through cash transfer programs.

2 min. read

Students work on a pop quiz on their laptops.

Machine learning and the social sciences

Daniel Gillion’s course teaches students without a coding background how to apply models to a wide range of problems across political science, economics, and sociology.

3 min. read

Markets should pay heed to the affordability squeeze

Mohamed El-Erian of the Wharton School writes that the issue of affordability contributes to economic instability, social fracture, and political polarization.

2 mortgage overhauls that could unchain home sales

Sustan Wachter of the Wharton School says that the benefits of a 50-year mortgage could be undone through a rise in prices.

Jin Liu, Penn’s newest economics faculty member, specializes in international trade.

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Economics is ‘a unique way of thinking’ to see through the mystery of daily life

Economist Jin Liu focuses on international trade and industrial organization in her research.

2 min. read

What big data says about rising home insurance rates

Wharton real estate professor Benjamin Keys shares how real estate data is shedding new light on everything from smart investment decisions to mounting insurance costs in risky climates.

Understanding America’s $38 trillion debt and the path forward

Wharton professor of business economics and public policy Kent Smetters discusses the drivers of America’s surging national debt and what's needed for long-term fiscal stability.

What has U.S. Supreme Court said about Trump’s trade tariffs? Does it matter?

The Wharton Budget Model found that tariffs have brought in $223.9 billion as of Oct. 31.

AI-washing and the massive layoffs hitting the economy

Peter Cappelli of the Wharton School says that implementing AI and using it to save jobs is complicated and time-consuming.

The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives

Connecting with America’s 250th anniversary

Ahead of the main event on July 4, 2026, marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Penn students, faculty, and staff will have multiple early opportunities to engage with America’s 250th anniversary.