In many ways, a country can become good at football (soccer) and nurture a World Cup winner but it also could get snagged by the "middle income trap."
From needing a new name to making California growers happy, boosting avocado consumption has been about overcoming obstacles.
Connecting economics, current events, and history, our weekly economic news roundup ranges from Medicare's problems and an aging Italian population to student loan benefits.
When coffee drinkers hear that some prices at Starbucks will rise, their response will depend how how elastic their demand is.
With debt and delinquencies multiplying, a student loan crisis could be developing but on the other hand, not necessarily.
Soon to be swamped by the baby boomers, Medicare's finances are summarized in this year's report from the trustees that oversee the program's funding.
Including more people saying, "Where's my refund?" the number of IRS problems has been increasing while its budget has been shrinking.
Looking at Italy's aging population and the impact on national spending, we might better understand the populist direction of Italian politics.
Knowing that last Friday was National Doughnut Day, we can thank the inventor that made doughnut mass production possible.