Demographics & Society
Labor, immigration, fertility, aging, housing, healthcare, education, household formation, and the social math behind policy.
42 articles
The Continent of Managed Decline
Describing Europe's trajectory as "improving" requires a definition of the word so generous it borders on dishonest.
24 Mar 2026
Europe's Fiscal Reckoning
A painful reality is forcing a long-overdue reckoning across Europe, and the United Kingdom (and France) are the canary in the coal mine
13 Nov 2025
U.S. Home Sales Remain Weak
The U.S. housing market is facing its most challenging year in nearly three decades. Sales of existing homes in 2024 are projected to be the lowest since 1995, marking the second consecutive year of sluggish activity.
24 Oct 2024
America's Wallet
Despite inflation, Americans have more money in the bank than in 2019 and only slightly more credit card debt relative to income. However, they don't necessarily feel better off than they did before the pandemic, inflation, and rising interest rates.
10 Sept 2024
Slowing Hiring
The period of intense hiring and record-low unemployment, which allowed millions of workers to find new opportunities, increase their wages, and reshape their careers, is giving way to a more typical market.
07 Aug 2024
Tenant Evictions Remain High in Many U.S. Cities
Tenant evictions remain at elevated levels in several U.S. cities, showing little sign of returning to pre-pandemic norms.
01 Aug 2024
Spending Doesn't Cool Down
Despite the economic uncertainty, Americans are continuing to spend, challenging the expectations of many business leaders about consumer behavior in slower economic times.
02 Apr 2024
The Job Market Is Cooling
The U.S. employment market showed signs of slowing down in February, with a slight decline in job availability, as indicated by the latest employment trends index.
24 Mar 2024
Chinese Travellers On Tight Budgets
During the recent Lunar New Year holiday, an unprecedented number of Chinese travelers embarked on journeys, setting a new record for domestic travel during this festive period.
28 Feb 2024
A Year Of 216k-A-Month Jobs
In December, employers continued their trend of robust hiring, concluding a year marked by consistent and solid job market performance, a standout feature in an economy that is slowly cooling.
10 Feb 2024
Consumers Are More Optimistic
The overall outlook of Americans on the economy has seen a substantial improvement recently.
02 Feb 2024
India Pushes Ahead
India has been outshining other leading global economies, primarily due to the robust performance of its service and industrial sectors, despite challenges in agriculture caused by inadequate rainfall.
07 Jan 2024
Consumer Spending Eases
In October, Americans curtailed their spending, and inflation subsided as the economy shifted gears from a vigorous third quarter, according to analysts.
05 Dec 2023
Salaries Are Freezing
The most esteemed consulting firms in the world have decided to freeze their starting salaries for new graduates in the United States, as the fierce competition for jobs replaces the earlier trend of salary increases following the pandemic.
14 Nov 2023
China's Gradual Recovery
Official figures indicate that China's retail sales contracted by 0.2% in 2022, a stark contrast to the 8% growth recorded in 2019.
13 Oct 2023
Seniors Are Making The Economy Stronger
Consumer spending has remained remarkably resilient despite the Federal Reserve's efforts to raise interest rates. An often overlooked but significant factor contributing to this resilience is the aging population.
11 Oct 2023
Households Are Not Cooling Down
By now, consumers were expected to reduce their spending for several reasons. Interest rates have risen, inflation remains high, pandemic-related savings have dwindled, and the labor market is showing signs of cooling.
05 Oct 2023
U.S. Consumers' Status
Dick’s Sporting Goods and Macy’s experienced significant declines in their stock prices on Tuesday, marked by red down pointing triangles, as both retailers reported weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings and provided cautious forecasts for the remainder of the year.
31 Aug 2023
Pay Is Cooling Down
Compensation for new hires is undergoing a contraction following a period of substantial salary increases, prompting individuals to readjust their expectations regarding financial gains when switching jobs.
27 Aug 2023
China, The New Japan?
In the early 1990s, Japan captured the American imagination, but its remarkable rise turned into a prolonged decline, mainly due to demography.
09 Aug 2023