Competition is one of the foundational concepts in economics. We’re taught in intro courses that competition lowers prices, because it allows markets to allocate resources efficiently. This is an example of Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” in action, a cornerstone of economic theory.But does competition always lower prices? The answer is, yes, sort of — it just depends on the degree of competition.Since that answer probably doesn’t satisfy anybody, let’s dig deeper.

The economics job market is in a period of change. The march of AI in work and research presents myriad opportunities but requires new skills in candidates, which recruiters need to be able to identify. The recognition that some tasks, for example coding/modelling or research, can be supported by, or even in part largely carried out by AI tools, means roles need to be adjusted, reduced, or merged into other positions.

The United Kingdom has a rich history of education. Its Oxford University is considered the second-oldest continuously operating university in the world (or third, depending which online list you look at). And it seems that almost every city in the country has its own dedicated, globally-ranked university, making it a study destination for many.

Whether you want to learn about a new topic, to brush up on your skills, or to meet more people in your economics field, summer schools are an ideal opportunity for you. Many reputable universities run intensive but stimulating summer courses that give students the chance to increase their academic standing.

Love it or hate it, economics is a discipline that becomes increasingly mathematical the deeper you get into it. It wasn’t always this way; many contributions to the field have been made through logical arguments and even philosophy.

Higher education recruitment is entering a period of profound transformation.Across Europe and globally, universities are facing shrinking domestic student pools, rising cost concerns, and increasingly skeptical prospective students. At the same time, the digital discovery process has fundamentally changed. Students no longer simply search Google for programs—they ask AI assistants, browse professional communities, and gather insights across multiple platforms before ever contacting an admissions office.

Here at INOMICS we are always on the lookout for a good econ read. Here is a selection of new economics book releases from the first quarter of 2026 (okay, one from the very end of 2025!). Our selection includes three new works on labour economics, with a focus on social welfare and economic development.Additionally we highlight two new books relevant for economic methodology, including a major new textbook for students on microeconomics, as well as a new book bridging the gap between behavioral economics and empirical methods.The final three books in our round-up include an eclectic mix of focuses, from an analysis of the status of the dollar as the primary reserve currency in the international economy, an analysis of the role of women in the international economy through prominent case studies like Taylor Swift, through to a new work looking at AI in Economics.Whether you are a student of economics or you are simply interested in economic topics, we wish you happy reading.

If you are an undergraduate student of economics, the prospect of a Master’s, MRes or PhD can feel hard to picture. You might be wondering what the pace is like, how mathematical the first term really is, and what “graduate-level” expectations look like day to day.One practical way to find out is to take part in a summer school designed specifically as a bridge into postgraduate study. These courses introduce more advanced methods than most undergraduate programmes cover in depth, and they help you identify what to strengthen before you apply.

We all know that AI models are becoming increasingly commonplace, with hundreds of software companies now offering AI-powered tools, and dozens of iterations of ChatGPT and similar LLMs popping up every year. While some bemoan AI tools, they’ve also been lauded as powerful and helpful tools that we ought to be using every day.Regardless of where you stand on the AI-usage spectrum, one thing is certain: AI models are reshaping education, even at the highest levels. Economics is no exception. Even for PhD students like me, AI tools are becoming a feature of student life — and when used smartly, can be a great asset to learning. 

When I was an undergraduate student and took my first economics class, I was hooked. But, rather than major in economics, I chose to major in business. That’s because I wanted to understand how the economy worked at its “smallest” unit, which I surmised was the individual business.Economics can of course study individuals and their decision-making too, but at least on the supply side, I thought that a single business could be considered the smallest unit of the economy.Economic theory can tell us how firms behave in a perfectly theoretical world…but how do they actually function? This was a question that captured my attention, and I decided to major in business (with a concentration in management consulting) to understand the working world as much as I could.

Regression analysis is a key topic in economics, data science, and computer science, but its roots go further back than these disciplines. Sir Francis Galton is credited with the term, after studying the heights of parents and their children, and noticing that those heights tended to “regress” back towards the mean. That name became associated with this type of analysis, and has stuck, even though a more accurate name might have been something like “variance analysis”.We’ve written previously about what a regression analysis is. If you’re completely new to the idea of a regression, that’s a good place to start. In this article, we’ll look more closely at this tool in the data scientist’s, economist’s and statistician’s toolbox, to understand exactly what’s happening when we run one.

As 2025 draws to a close, we round up some of the new book releases in the field of finance. 

As 2025 draws to a close, we round up some of the new book releases in the field of economics. 

Recently, I applied to PhD programs in the UK and Europe. I’m from the USA originally, but I got my Master’s in Economics and Management Science in Berlin, Germany. So, when it came time to apply for economics PhDs, I cast a wide net across Europe. I’ve proven that I can handle applying to, moving to, and studying in a foreign country, after all.But it turns out that I still had a lot to learn about applying to PhDs! That’s partly because US-style PhD programs are different from UK- or European-style PhD programs, and partly because applying for a PhD is just different than applying for a Master’s degree. 

Food lies at the heart of Christmas celebrations around the globe. Whether it’s tamales steaming in Mexican kitchens, turkey roasting in American ovens, or spiced mulled wine warming hands in Germany, the holiday season sparks a global surge in demand for traditional foods. This demand doesn’t just shape family traditions—it drives agriculture, small businesses, and supply chains worldwide. Let’s explore how festive feasts influence the economies of countries like the UK, Mexico, Germany, and more.

The holiday season is coming and Christmas is just around the corner. If you want to avoid buying presents for the holidays in a panic, you had better get to planning the gifts you'll be giving.

Technology-driven growth — the topic that won three economists the 2025 Nobel Prize — is a big deal! Throughout the vast majority of human history, living standards and per capita income were relatively unchanged, even despite breakthrough inventions and discoveries like fire, agriculture, and the printing press. Only in the late 1700s and early 1800s did sustained economic growth begin to occur, and economists have shown that most of this sustained growth happens purely because of increases in productivity.