The economy, explained
Why things cost what they cost.
Economics for everyday decisions — why prices move, how markets behave, and what it means for your wallet.
🧠Behavioural Economics
The Anchoring Effect: Why the First Number Sticks
The first price you see shapes everything after it — in shops, salary talks, and house sales.
6 min read
🌍The Big Picture
What Causes Inflation? A Plain-English Guide
Demand, supply shocks, and expectations all play a part. Here is how they interact.
7 min read
🏷️Pricing & Marketing
Why Prices End in .99
Charm pricing, prestige pricing, and the left-digit effect — what the research says.
5 min read
🏛️Market Structures
Monopoly, Oligopoly, and Competition: How Market Structure Affects Prices
The number of sellers in a market shapes prices, quality, and innovation.
6 min read
🧠Behavioural Economics
Loss Aversion: Why Losing Hurts More Than Winning Feels Good
We feel losses more strongly than equal gains. That simple asymmetry explains a lot of everyday behaviour.
6 min read
🌍The Big Picture
How Interest Rate Changes Affect Your Wallet
Mortgages, savings, credit cards, and the job market all respond when central banks move rates.
6 min read
🏷️Pricing & Marketing
The Subscription Economy: Why Everything Is a Monthly Fee Now
Predictable revenue for companies, convenience for customers — and a few traps.
6 min read
🏛️Market Structures
Network Effects: Why Platforms Tend to Win Big
Each new user makes the service more valuable for everyone else — which leads to winner-takes-most markets.
6 min read
🧠Behavioural Economics
Nudges and Choice Architecture: How Defaults Shape Decisions
Small changes in how choices are presented can have large effects — for pensions, health, and shopping.
5 min read
🌍The Big Picture
How AI Is Changing the Economics of Marketing
Cheaper content, sharper targeting, and new questions about attention and trust.
6 min read
🏷️Pricing & Marketing
Dynamic Pricing: Why Prices Change by the Minute
Airlines, ride-hailing, and concert tickets use real-time pricing. Here is how it works and why it is controversial.
6 min read
🏛️Market Structures
What Makes an Economy an “Emerging Market”?
Rapid growth, rising incomes, and developing financial systems — plus the risks investors and businesses watch.
6 min read
Browse every guide
12 articles across 4 topics.
Open Explainers