economics

June 20, 2024

Decoding ‘Bidenomics’ and its role in the US election

With the US election looming in November, economic policies are taking centre stage in re-election campaign bids. ‘Bidenomics’ is both a source of fiery criticism and fervent support for the president, but what does it actually mean for Americans?

16 year-old Camilla Savelieva explains the intricacies of President Biden’s economic policies

May 30, 2024

What does the looming TikTok ban mean for smaller business?

Almost 40% of small or midsized businesses say they rely on TikTok in order to be able to keep running. A ban could put a huge number of businesses at risk and threaten thousands of jobs

16 year-old Noah Saphier reports on the possible economic consequences of a TikTok ban in the US

May 16, 2024

Explainer: What is the blue economy?

As sustainability becomes significantly more prevalent in government policy, a goal for corporations, and a focus of social activism, the blue economy has the potential to shape millions of lives

18 year-old Nadia Diakowska explains the blue economy and its impact on youth employment

May 16, 2024

Energy in crisis: why nuclear power could be our future

Since the Industrial Revolution, one primary question has been central to all of humanity’s technological advancements: how do we generate enough energy? Historically, energy was generated with the easiest, cheapest, and most accessible fuel source: coal. However, the dangers of fossil fuels mean that we must find an alternative to ensure Earth continues to be habitable

18 year-old Erin Walshaw investigates our most controversial power supply

May 09, 2024

The meteoric rise and fall of FTX and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried

The cryptocurrency tycoon was accused of stealing billions of dollars from his customers. The trial of the disgraced CEO has now come to an end, bringing to light the murky details of FTX’s collapse and its consequences

16 year-old Camilla Savelieva chronicles FTX’s collapse and explains its impact on the cryptocurrency world

May 02, 2024

A novel approach to affordable housing – Habitat for Humanity’s $1 acquisition

As Gen Z enters the job and housing markets, the need for innovative solutions to the housing crisis has become even more critical. Working closely with volunteers, donors, and partner families, Habitat for Humanity is providing a needed solution

17 year-old Abigail Gonzalez Zavala sheds light on a new solution to her state’s housing crisis

April 25, 2024

How a fire helmet company is revolutionizing workplace inclusion

Phenix’s program, Opportunity for All, is dedicated to improving the employment rate of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) via an innovative education and working program. But it is also a smart business move

17 year-old Inika Singh interviews program administrator Bailey Comstock on how the California firm is helping those with intellectual disabilities

March 22, 2024

Why are we resistant to traditional offices, and how can we repurpose vacant spaces?

I think my generation is so accustomed to online schooling that we can’t imagine ourselves working from an office. With both a climate and global housing crisis, we could repurpose these spaces to provide a much needed solution

18 year-old Nadia Diakowska on a work-from-home culture and reusing empty offices

March 15, 2024

We’re not ‘lazy’, technology has simply made jobs easier and more profitable

“Lazy,” “entitled,” “careless” and “lacklustre” are just some of the words used to describe my generation. But is Gen Z deserving of such names or are these just amplified misconceptions?

18 year-old Timur Boranbayev on corporate rejection amid the changing workplace

March 15, 2024

Interning amongst disenchanted workers, I realised the reality of social mobility in Singapore

With a stable political environment to attract a large share of foreign direct investments, Singapore is no doubt an economic powerhouse. Yet it withheld a more ghastly truth – a vast cityscape of inequality and an overworked population

18 year-old Chenxi Zhang examines the dreams of young Singaporeans

March 08, 2024

Lib Dems pledge youth-focused agenda: Exclusive interview with Sir Ed Davey

Ahead of the next UK general election, the Liberal Democrat leader promises to continue “knocking on the doors of young people” to listen to their concerns

16 year-old Jefferson He interviews Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey on youth-centric issues

March 08, 2024

How many water bottles is too many? The state of overconsumption in America

Stanley Cups recently saw an astronomical increase in sales coupled with a social media craze. Companies continue to capitalize on the fear of missing out and influencer-led marketing campaigns

17 year-old Christian Yeung speaks with economy expert Brianne Foley

February 16, 2024

Oligopolies on the vaccine market hindered saving lives - should Pfizer have profited?

With the UK’s ongoing Covid inquiry, in which an independent organisation is examining the British government's response to the pandemic, it is worth asking – should this essential drug have ever been for-profit?

16 year-old Ananya Prasanna examines the profit incentives driving pharmaceutical advancement

February 09, 2024

How can banks attract young customers? Understanding Gen Z's preferences

Student debt, AI improvements, and data privacy. In order to target a Gen Z demographic, banks must listen and adapt their engagement strategies

18 year-old Nadia Diakowska investigates young people’s priorities with banking

February 09, 2024

With £28bn ‘green investment’ pledge gone, what Labour’s government will mean for the UK economy

Ahead of the upcoming general election Labour has unveiled a “Five Point Plan for Growth” to promote economic prosperity in all parts of the country. Harbinger’s takes a closer look at each pledge

18 year-old Timur Boranbayev analyses the economic implications of a Labour government

February 02, 2024

‘The south is being left behind’. UNCTAD summit raises concerns over the current international order

With the largest grouping of the global south, the G77 January summit aimed to address the growing gap leaving developing countries behind amidst climate, humanitarian and economic concerns

17 year-old Sofiya Suleimenova reports on the ‘cascading crisis’ in the global South

January 26, 2024

The rise of careless consumerism among young people

Rapid consumerism fueled by short trend cycles are promoting an unsustainable mindset among the young that clothes are temporary and easily replaceable, ignoring the environmental crisis

17 year-old Shriya Kalluri explores the link between social media and fast-fashion

January 26, 2024

How higher education consulting agencies have a stronghold on college admissions

Getting into a top university is getting astronomically more competitive. With more students turning to college admission consultants for an increased chance of being admitted, the playing field is far from even

18 year-old Chenxi Zhang on the US university admissions system

January 12, 2024

Major economies tackling the housing crisis: Implications for the youth

The major economies, like the US, China, and the UK, aim to address the housing crisis amid growing concerns about widening affordability gaps. This article will explore how the situation will impact the younger generation who are at greatest risk

18 year-old Timur Boranbayev on the global economic outlook

December 22, 2023

Election outcomes bring optimism into the Polish stock market, experts report

Economist Katarzyna Polanska speaks with Harbingers about the historic stock market upturn and the projections fueling optimism for Poland’s economic landscape

18 year-old Nadia Diakowska reports on the the strengthening of the Polish zloty

December 08, 2023

Vancouver's New Leaf Project: Providing direct cash assistance to homeless individuals

The initiative aimed to increase the financial stability of those unhoused has far surpassed its expectations. Those who received funds not only became more food secure but also found stable housing much faster, taking three months as opposed to five

17 year-old Erin Walshaw on the promising results to ease homelessness

December 08, 2023

Fast fashion’s ugly secret. Numerous brands in legal trouble over intellectual property theft

The fast fashion industry has long been infamous for its exploitation of vulnerable labourers, waste production, and environmental degradation. More recently, however, intellectual property scandals have also mounted against some notable fashion corporations

16 year-old Tanya Chi reports on independent designers’ accusations

December 01, 2023

Autumn Statement 2023: Four key takeaways for the UK economy

UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, delivered economic plans in his Autumn Statement budget for the following years ahead. This article will provide an explainer on the key takeaways

18 year-old Timur Boranbayev explores the economic implications from this years report

December 01, 2023

How social media influencers reshaped the global marketing landscape

Social media influencers have become crucial drivers of the economy, and their contribution to the global market cannot be ignored. With the rise of social media, e-commerce has taken on a whole new level of significance

18 year-old Nadia Diakowska on the rising value of e-commerce

November 24, 2023

How Claudia Goldin inspires me by shattering barriers in the male-dominated realm of economics

Goldin presented a previously unheard-of hypothesis arguing that access to the contraceptive pill played a vital role in accelerating the revolutionary increase in female workforce participation, doubling in size between 1960 and 1980

18-year-old Nadia Diakowska on the inspiration from this year’s Nobel Prize winner in Economics

November 10, 2023

Is Hollywood saved now the writers’ strike has ended?

Strikes of actors and writers have cost the industry over $6 billion. After all the developments, many teenagers who dream of putting their stories on the big screens began to wonder: is entering the writing industry a good choice?

17 year-old Anatolii Mishustin explores the aftermath of the writer’s strike

November 10, 2023

Unwritten Dreams. Do I stand a chance to break the generational wealth gap and live the American Dream?

Carved from my parents’ sacrifices, their hopes for a brighter future, and their resilience in the face of adversity, I was grappling with the complexities of “The American Dream” as I questioned whether it truly aligned with the narrative I was enveloped in

17 year-old Abigail Gonzalez Zavala analyzes her chances to make it in 21st century United States

November 03, 2023

The economics behind the UK’s planned ‘crackdown’ on vaping

The number of children using vapes in the past three years has tripled prompting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to promise action against vaping, which is to create the first ever ‘smoke-free generation’ in the UK by 2030

18 year-old Timur Boranbayev analyses economic implications of legal suppression of the vaping industry

October 27, 2023

How will the UK’s ageing population affect our wallets?

The ageing population will likely result in the decline of the UK’s active labour force. This will put greater pressure on the future working population - including today’s teenagers - to deliver the funds necessary for the public sector

17 year-old David Otegbola on the economic future of young people

October 27, 2023

Market economy and school choice improve academic outcomes, so why don’t we learn from science?

Academic variation driven by wealth and access inequalities shapes the present of today’s students. The income gap between lower and upper-class families is one of the greatest predictors of academic outcomes

17 year-old Grace Minakowski was the runner-up for the Harbinger Prize in Economics

October 27, 2023

Will Sunak’s fight against a strained economy win over young people?

Despite an “alarming” unpopularity among young people, Sunak has tried to uphold his economic promises with the hope of influencing voters by alleviating economic burdens to improve the quality of life

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev breaks down the economic policies ahead of UK elections

October 20, 2023

‘Deranged cultural standards’ - How Sri Lanka’s misogyny is impeding its economic recovery

McKinsey Global Institute estimates that advancing gender equality in Sri Lanka could add $64 billion to its GDP by 2025

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska analyses a negative feedback loop between inequality and poverty

October 06, 2023

‘It’s like an addiction’ — American teenagers fall victim to online sports gambling apps

Whether through indirect or direct means, teenagers are being influenced to pursue online sports gambling. The rapidly growing industry is preying on those with underdeveloped minds, increasing profits to the detriment of future generations

17 year-old Arham Shah wins the Harbinger Prize in Economics

September 01, 2023

Understanding Poland’s economic transformation would enable Sri Lanka to learn from Warsaw’s errors

Many experts fear that in light of the recent economic crisis, the Lankan government’s sole focus will be debt disposal, hence the introduction of reforms may occur in a haphazard way, jeopardising the country’s security

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska speaks with economic experts Marcin Zielinski, Professor Adam Bodnar, and Filip Konopczyński

August 25, 2023

How the UK Cost of Living Crisis is affecting migrants

Since 2021, the economic situation in the UK has started to worsen, and this has affected many people, both citizens and non-citizens. However, while the government is providing some support to British citizens, migrants are being overlooked

17 year-old Jakub Hejka interviews Polish migrants on the Immigration Health Surcharge

August 12, 2023

Sri Lanka’s restructure of State-Owned Enterprises may pose a threat to the safety of the country

Following the 2022 bankruptcy, the Sri Lankan government has been implementing tough reforms to improve the economy. It appears as though the government is too focused on paying off debts to acknowledge the possibility of compromising safety

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska outlines deficiencies in the government’s decision-making

August 10, 2023

Volatility of Sri Lanka Rupee signals the economic crisis is not over for recently bankrupt country

In July, the LKR lost 6% of its value against the USD, and was the worst-performing currency in South-East Asia. The decline of LKR suggests that the economic crisis in the country that went bankrupt in 2022, is far from over

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska reports on the current economic situation in Sri Lanka

July 21, 2023

Actors joined striking writers to save Hollywood as we know it

With actors’ walk-outs – including at the notable premiere of Oppenheimer in London, where Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Florence Pugh all left the theatre – and arrested productions, the entertainment industry is suffering colossal stock price losses

17 year-old Sofiya Tkachenko reports on the ongoing strike

July 14, 2023

'Barbenheimer': is this the most important box office battle in a decade

Barbie is winning, and it is hardly surprising. After all, one film is about dealing with mortality, the sense of self purpose, and challenging American elites, and the other one is a historical thriller titled Oppenheimer

17 year-old Anatolii Mishustin on ‘counterprogramming’ movie marketing

July 07, 2023

Turkey’s economy: Could the re-election of Erdogan pose a threat?

Despite actions made for economic recovery, there are 4 reasons explaining why the prosperity of Turkey’s economy may be under threat

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev analyses the election repercussions

June 23, 2023

7 ways AI could benefit healthcare

The development of AI leads to lots of new and exciting possibilities of its applications in the modern world, including within healthcare. This article will outline 7 ways in which AI can benefit healthcare and the challenges associated with adopting it

18 year-old Grace Whitehouse outlines the practical uses of the technology

June 16, 2023

COP28: Controversies surrounding the first ever global environmental stocktake

Months before the COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, the United Nations climate summit’s president is facing severe backlash over his background in the fossil fuel industry

17 year-old Anatolii Mishustin reviews expert concerns

June 02, 2023

Maintain or abolish the Monarchy? The impact of the Royal Family on the economy

Debates over the continuation of the Royal Family have reawakened as taxpayers covered the £100 million being spent on the Coronation amid a cost of living crisis. Questions over the value of the Monarchy are once again at the forefront of people’s minds

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev speaks with an expert and reviews the figures of spending

May 05, 2023

Single currency for East Africa: 7 things you need to know

A single African currency for East Africa is targeted to be instituted by the African Central Bank by 2028 to create an ‘economic and monetary union’. Harbingers’ Magazine has created this explainer to outline the details of the plans

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev breaks down the economic implications

April 21, 2023

The Economist’s surprisingly shallow attempt at cracking Gen-Z customers

The Economist’s analysis of young customers falls short of a genuine attempt to give a platform to Gen-Z. It feels like writers and editors have not taken the time to understand and embrace the complexity of the ‘new world of shopping’ they attempted to explain’

18 year-old Natasha Banga on the misaligned voice of youth

March 09, 2023

The cost of living crisis: Financial impact on young people

The cost of living crisis has caused young people to be financially disadvantaged, with the ongoing situation set to deteriorate in the coming months

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev on the long-term economic consequences to youth

March 03, 2023

The maths of the COVID-19 era. The pandemic told in four equations

A difference of R, as little as one, has dramatic effects on the number of those infected within a population which without intervention would continue to increase at a rapid rate thus resulting in increased numbers of deaths

17 year-old Grace Whitehouse uses her own calculations to explain COVID-19 with maths

January 29, 2023

The Cost of Living Crisis: Concern over rise in abandoned pets

The cost of living crisis not only impacts individuals, but also rescue centres and the lives of volunteers, who are relied heavily on to keep centres running

Sofia Radysh investigates animal welfare during the UK cost of living crisis

October 31, 2022

Cold Hard Cash or Change Agent? Charities and the For-Profit Revenue Model

In the world of charitable giving, profit is a dirty word. Most charities rely heavily on donations as their primary source of income. Charities and businesses are divided, not only by their aims, but their revenue streams. Yet, in the bustling city of Kathmandu, I came to question the conviction of this dichotomy

Dylan Yip on incorporating business practice into charity

October 15, 2022

Zambia’s efforts to prevent famine and poverty with organic farming

Those at the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC) recognised the long list of problems arising from chemical farming, so the organisation changed to organic farming in the mid-1980s to promote a healthier, more sustainable way of living. The main focus of KATC’s work is to train farmers and government agents in the basics of organic farming.

17 year-old Maksymilian Sinczak on the efforts to promote sustainable agriculture in Zambia

August 09, 2022

Are young people the biggest losers of the UK Conservative race?

Truss believes in spending today and paying it back later. From our young perspective, this benefits the Boomer Generation who will have lower income tax and soon go into retirement, whilst the working population of Millennials and Gen Z will have to pay the price

19 year-old Isaac Kadas explains how the Tory leadership race harms the future of those young today

June 23, 2022

Invest in good mathematicians. Weapons of Math Destruction review

Ill-conceived algorithms are strengthening injustice, inequality and prejudice across law enforcement, education, labour, banking and housing.

Natasha Banga reviews Cathy O’Neil’s book

June 22, 2022

Medicare for All: a debate

Seeing a million citizens die due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an economic crash and rising unemployment, just highlights the importance of the Medicare for All debate. Could this program transform our healthcare system for the better – or would it further harm our economy?

Dylan Yip lays out opposing stances on the Medicare for All debate in the United States.

June 22, 2022

A thought-provoking experience. For better or worse. How to Blow Up a Pipeline review

In his 2020 book a leading Swedish climate activist since the 1990s condemns the nonviolent methods mobilised in the climate movement by claiming they only promote passivity—instead, offering us a historical argument, Malm persuasively argues for a more aggressive and confrontational approach.

Sophie Elliott reviews Andreas Malm’s How to Blow Up a Pipeline

April 13, 2022

Farming on the battlefield. The reality behind Ukraine’s efforts to put food on our tables

Undoubtedly, the world hunger problem will be further exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. With bombs landing in fields, farmers joining the military, fuel, seed, and fertilizer shortages, alongside the blocking of ports in the Black Sea by Russian fleets and mines, UNICEF expects the number of hungry children to double as a result of Putin’s war.

Sophie Abromaviciute on how the Russian aggression against Ukraine will result in global famine

March 11, 2022

Not metaverse, but Apple’s privacy policy change drove Facebook’s devaluation

On February 3rd, Facebook’s stock price at NASDAQ declined by 26%. Over the last 6 months in total, it has amounted to a 46% price drop. Essentially, almost half of Facebook’s value has been erased within weeks. But why?

Ilya Kan explains the paradox behind Facebook’s plummeting stocks

January 09, 2022

Fallout of the pandemic is the first time Gen Z experiences inflation

Boiled down to its essence, inflation is a process of rising prices - or, to be more precise, the devaluation of money. If inflation is at 5% (5.1% is the current level of inflation in the United Kingdom) prices are 5% higher than a year ago - so, on average, the same thing that used to cost £100 is now priced at about £105

Natasha Banga explains the economic phenomenon Gen Z has not yet had the chance to experience - and what The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street has to do with it.

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