Making Sen$e Columnist

Column: How gold and art auctions can gauge stock market confidence

By Vikram Mansharamani

Just as a fall in Sotheby’s shares signals confidence is receding, a spike in gold prices points to a rise in fear.

Column: 3 true Social Security horror stories

By Laurence Kotlikoff

Getting retirement benefits shouldn't be this complicated, writes Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff.

Column: When to quit, from an expert on grit

By Angela Duckworth

Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals — essentially, the opposite of quitting. But is quitting ever a good thing?…

Column: El Nino, the global spoilsport affecting oil, food prices and tourism

By Vikram Mansharamani

A wildfire rages, displacing tens of thousands. Droughts ravage crops, leaving tens of millions hungry. An African nation sells off some of its famous wildlife. Bleaching harms stretches of the Great Barrier Reef. What's happening? El Niño.

Column: Don’t be fooled. CO2 emissions still tied to economic growth

By Robert Stavins

The carbon intensity of many economies continues to fall. But don’t be fooled. Economic growth does affect CO2 emissions.

Column: In Brazil, finding opportunity in deepening crisis

By Vikram Mansharamani

Brazil is suffering from a toxic cocktail of economic, political and public health crises. Once hailed as a beacon of emerging market growth, the country now wallows in pessimism.

Column: ‘Mainstream America’ doesn’t actually exist

By Gerald Jaynes

"Mainstream America" is a flawed, dangerous idea.

Column: Will Saudi Arabia’s plan to overhaul its oil-dependent economy work?

By Vikram Mansharamani

With low oil prices plaguing the country, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has a plan to wean the country from its almost complete dependence on oil.