All articles by Ben van der Merwe
Ben van der Merwe is a data journalist at GlobalData Media, specialising in FDI. He joined from the Reach Data Unit, where he was a fellow of the Google News Initiative. His investigative journalism has previously appeared in the Observer, VICE,Private Eye and New Statesman.
Ben van der Merwe
Weekly data: Could interest rate hikes cause a global recession?
Economies around the world are teetering on the brink, but will a hike in interest rates, en masse, cause a global recession?
Weekly data: The global crisis has strengthened the US dollar
The US dollar has been bolstered by various global crises, but this is bad news for emerging markets with dollar-denominated liabilities.
Weekly data: Civil unrest on the rise as inflation bites
A report by Verisk Maplecroft shows that 62 out of 132 countries analysed are under a considerable threat of civil unrest as inflation surges.
Weekly data: EU gas reserves are filling up rapidly but not evenly
EU gas reserves are ahead of schedule in many countries, but the closure of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in late August shows just how precarious the situation is.
Weekly data: The UK is heading for a winter of discontent
Energy prices are set to soar in the UK later in 2022, plunging the country into another winter of discontent, with no real of a solution coming from the new Prime Minister.
Weekly data: Is the West losing the will to sanction Russia?
The West’s sanctions on Russia are experiencing varying degrees of effectiveness, and rising inflation will test its resolve.
Weekly data: Is the US in recession or not?
Job creation is high, but the country’s GDP is contracting. If the US is in recession, it is following an unusual formula, which is why debate on the matter is so heated.
Weekly data: Why the ECB is wary of raising interest rates
The European Central Bank has raised interest rates by 0.5 percentage points, but why has it been less hawkish than its UK and US counterparts?
Weekly data: Zero-Covid policy pushes China to the brink of recession
China has reintroduced stringent lockdowns to bolster its zero-Covid policy, but is this action leading the country into a recession?
Weekly data: No, the UK’s public finances aren’t out of control
The contenders to become UK prime minister are vying to highlight their tax-cutting credentials, but are the country’s public finances in such poor shape?