Category: Finance

For years, Donald Trump’s distinctive, large and bold signature has captured the public’s attention. Not only did it recently come to light that his signature appeared in a book that Jeffrey Epstein received for his 50th birthday, but it fits neatly alongside Trump’s long history of brash self-adulation. “I love my signature, I really do,” […]

When it comes to setting monetary policy for the world’s largest economy, what data drives decision-making? In ordinary times, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee, which usually meets eight times a year, have a wealth of information at their disposal, including key statistics such as monthly employment […]

Walk into any grocery store to stock up for Halloween and you will discover that, for chocolate treats, you have two basic choices: Will it be Mars or Hershey? I often buy both, but that is beside the point. The point is that the two giants compete for market share, but both enjoy robust sales. […]

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is the largest, most effective tool the U.S. has to reduce food insecurity. As of late 2025, it helps more than 42 million people – including 2 million Pennsylvanians and nearly half a million Philadelphians – buy groceries. But starting Nov. 1, 2025, Pennsylvania will stop distributing SNAP […]

When Malawi suffered a severe drought in 2016, VisionFund Malawi (VFM) used a returnable grant to test and learn the boundaries of a good recovery lending program. The board was initially cautious, questioning whether the management team’s good intentions were risking the viability of the microfinance institution (MFI) itself, but the end results were overwhelmingly […]

Nvidia has announced a $1 billion equity investment in Finnish telecom giant Nokia, marking a strategic partnership aimed at advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and laying the groundwork for next-generation 6G networks. The deal, confirmed on October 28, 2025, gives Nvidia a 2.9% stake in Nokia through the purchase of over 166 million newly issued shares […]

When it comes to setting monetary policy for the world’s largest economy, what data drives decision-making? In ordinary times, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee, which usually meets eight times a year, have a wealth of information at their disposal, including key statistics such as monthly employment […]

Morocco is taking a bold step to transform its financial system into a true enabler of women’s economic empowerment. In partnership with CGAP, Bank Al-Maghrib and the Ministry of Economy and Finance are in the process of launching a “Women’s Financial Inclusion (WFI) Coalition”. Embedded within the governance of Morocco’s upcoming next phase of the […]

President Donald Trump seems to want to have it both ways on the U.S. economy. On the one hand, he recently said the economy is in its “golden age” and referred to the U.S. as the “hottest country anywhere in the world.” Yet at the same time, he has outright demanded that the Federal Reserve […]

Strengthening outcomes orientation means making impact measurement and management (IMM) fit for outcomes, designed around an organization’s context and purposes so outcomes data and evidence can inform strategic, capital, and operational decisions. In a previous blog, we argued that IMM must integrate outcomes in a fit-for-purpose way. Now, we’re ready to share a work-in-progress framework […]