The global economy showed signs of resilience at the beginning of this year as central bank campaigns to contain inflation started to pay off and China scrapped pandemic restrictions. While the recovery endured, price increases proved persistent and the outlook for world economic growth five years out weakened to a historically low level.

Despite persistent challenges, signs of progress were undeniable by mid-year, and the likelihood of a so-called soft landing had increased in the final months of 2023.

Against this backdrop, this year’s most-read blogs reflect attention to prospects for growth, interest rates, and how high borrowing costs affect people and businesses. Readers also focused on Asia, which was the main growth driver among major regions, and Europe, where inflation debates centered on corporate profits and wage gains. Central bank digital currencies, climate change, debt, and geoeconomic fragmentation also remained popular—and may still be next year, as the issues remain just as pressing.

Click on the images below to read the blogs.