Economic news and analysis

The outcome of the US midterms on 3 November seems already decided: prediction markets give the Democrats around a 90% chance of winning the House of Representatives and a 60–70% chance of winning the Senate. Case closed.

Autumn often provides the perfect opportunity to dive into that pile of books gathering on your nightstand. But have you ever wondered how many of these novels were written entirely by humans? A recent study on the US book market suggests AI now plays a far greater role than most assume – with economic consequences that also affect authors who don’t use these tools.

In our latest nowcast, developed in partnership with Ghent University, we observe a recovery in economic growth during the quarter that has just ended. Despite a challenging international environment and a difficult budgetary situation, the Belgian economy is displaying a degree of resilience.

Structurally higher interest rates, geopolitical uncertainty and changing export markets call for a new approach. Koen De Leus shares his tips and insights on how to strengthen your business’s financing, investments and growth strategy.

Reducing statutory pensions is politically nearly impossible: anyone who touches them risks protests from half the population. The realistic approach, therefore, is not to dismantle the first pillar (note: adjustments are still necessary) but to strengthen the second.

The average statutory pension in the EU is projected to drop from 43% of wages in 2022 to 36% by 2070, according to the European Commission’s Ageing Report. In concrete terms: someone receiving €100 in pension today will see that shrink to around €84 within 2 generations. Europe has no safety net for this. In most member states, over 90% of pension income comes from the government. Expanding occupational pensions is therefore essential and it simultaneously addresses a second European challenge: the shortage of risk capital.