The Portuguese government has announced the nomination of Alvaro Santos Pereira as the next governor of the central bank, succeeding Mario Centeno, whose term ended in July. Pereira, chief economist at the OECD, must undergo parliamentary questioning before his appointment. Centeno's tenure faced criticism for perceived lack of independence after transitioning from finance minister to central bank governor.

Professor Jagjit Chadha from the Faculty of Economics at Cambridge has been appointed a Fellow of Gresham College.

The Euro Area Business Cycle Network (EABCN) has taken responsibility for updating the Euro Area Business Cycle Dating Committee’s (EABCDC) Area Wide Model (AWM) database, originally managed by the ECB. This move aims to enhance the availability of the data for research on the euro area business cycle, with plans for updates twice yearly.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has appointed Rodrigo Valdes as the new Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department, effective immediately. Valdes, who succeeds the retiring Vicky Sterlini, brings extensive experience in economic policy and fiscal management.

David López Salido has been appointed as the Director General of Economy at Spain's national bank, while Galo Nuño will take on the role of Director General of Institutional, European and Transparency Relations at Banco de España.

Dr. Dominik Steinkühler has been appointed as the new Head of Group Development and Economics at KfW, effective September 1, 2025. He succeeds Dr. Susanne Maurenbrecher, who will become General Manager in October.

Mark Calabria has been appointed as the chief statistician by the White House, succeeding Karin Orvis. The move was announced by Calabria himself via X, and reported by Washington news outlet FedScoop. 

Teresa Garcia-Milà, a prominent figure in the economic sector, has been elected as the new President of Cercle d’Economia, marking a significant milestone in her career. The news was announced by Barcelona School of Economics, which she leads as General Director. Her leadership and contributions in the economic field also earned her a spot on Forbes' prestigious Top 100 list of most influential women in Catalonia.

Dorothea Rosskopf and Lee Jae-hyeong have been announced as winners in the Korea Times' 21st Economic Essay Contest, showcasing exemplary work in the field of economics.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced Alena Wabitsch from the University of Oxford as the winner of the 2025 Young Economist Prize. 

Hydro-Québec has announced the appointment of Claudine Bouchard as its new President and CEO. With over 25 years of experience at the company, Bouchard's leadership will focus on advancing the Action Plan 2035 and leading prominent infrastructure projects.

The first half of 2025 brought with it a renewed focus on global trade wars, particularly as the United States government began to (again) question many long-standing global trade agreements — whether formally inked or traditionally observed. As a result, discourse about tariffs reached a fever pitch in the news and across social media.So, let’s ask a simple question: are tariffs good or bad for an economy, and the people within it?