Free Lunch | Financial Times

Accessibility help Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Thursday, 16 March, 2023

Martin Sandbu
The Silicon Valley Bank fallout makes the case for digital currencies Premium content
If we think all deposits must be safe, what is the point of banks?
Thursday, 9 March, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Chasing Russia’s shadow reserves Premium content
If you were Putin, where would you put your hard currency energy revenues?
Tuesday, 7 March, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Examining Russia’s unsanctioned cash pile Premium content
‘Shadow reserves’ from energy earnings undermine restrictions on central bank
Thursday, 2 March, 2023

Martin Sandbu
What to do with Russia’s blocked reserves Premium content
Legal arguments over confiscating central bank assets must be economically literate
Tuesday, 28 February, 2023

Martin Sandbu
There is too much we don’t know about Russia’s central bank reserves Premium content
Ignorance is not bliss in sanctions policy
Thursday, 23 February, 2023

Martin Sandbu
If you want peace in Ukraine, double down on (economic) war Premium content
There is more — much more — that can be done with sanctions against Russia
Thursday, 9 February, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Bold (but not crazy) solutions to Britain’s growth problem Premium content
The three simplest steps the UK could take that would make a real difference
Thursday, 2 February, 2023

Martin Sandbu
The bad news in the good economic news Premium content
Evidence is accumulating that tightening is not a good idea, but the IMF is not for turning
Thursday, 26 January, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Norway’s exodus of billionaires Premium content
Making sense of the world’s least important migration crisis
Thursday, 19 January, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Bank of Japan 2 — Markets 1 Premium content
Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and his colleagues are right to keep yield curve control in place
Thursday, 12 January, 2023

Martin Sandbu
Reasons for confidence in the euro Premium content
More nuanced thinking on both the currency and its inflation prospects
Thursday, 5 January, 2023

Martin Sandbu
When wage inflation is good for you Premium content
And some New Year readings on the biggest economics themes affecting us
Thursday, 15 December, 2022

Martin Sandbu
The west must massively upgrade its financial commitments to Ukraine Premium content
The country’s friends are inching towards accepting the magnitude of the challenge — but too slowly
Thursday, 8 December, 2022

Martin Sandbu
Where next for Europe’s industry? Premium content
More evidence that factories have weathered the energy crisis well
Thursday, 1 December, 2022

Martin Sandbu
What energy crisis? European industry is showing its adaptability
Manufacturing output remains strong across most of the EU
Thursday, 24 November, 2022

Martin Sandbu
The wealthy who like the idea of a wealth tax Premium content
The moneyed classes are beginning to think governments have been too kind to them
Thursday, 17 November, 2022

Martin Sandbu
It’s the economy, stupid (but not as we thought) Premium content
Their surprisingly good midterms should make US Democrats appreciate Bidenomics
Thursday, 10 November, 2022

Martin Sandbu
The EU begins to grasp its fiscal nettle Premium content
New proposal accepts that budget rules must complement politics, not substitute for it
Thursday, 3 November, 2022

Martin Sandbu
‘Obvious truths’ about inflation that are nothing of the sort Premium content
It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so
Thursday, 27 October, 2022

Martin Sandbu
How to make the UK’s budget maths add up Premium content
Spending cuts are far from the only option
Thursday, 20 October, 2022

Martin Sandbu
How (not) to intervene in energy prices Premium content
There are ways to prevent hardship that are both cost-efficient and keep the incentive to save energy
Thursday, 13 October, 2022

Martin Sandbu
The post-pandemic recovery has been officially cancelled Premium content
Taking on some lazy arguments for monetary tightening
Thursday, 6 October, 2022

Martin Sandbu
The economic policy paradigm shift continues apace Premium content
IMF-World Bank meeting shows the previous hands-off consensus is still being left in the dust
Thursday, 29 September, 2022

Martin Sandbu
What we can learn from the past week’s market ructions Premium content
The UK market panic reveals more about challenges to monetary than fiscal policy
Thursday, 22 September, 2022

Martin Sandbu
How I learnt to stop worrying about public debt and inflation Premium content
Some economic arguments for benign neglect