“The emergence of Big Tech in financial intermediation“. BigTech firms are entering finance, and their access to massive amounts of information may give them an edge in areas like credit assessment and beyond. This column assesses the economic forces behind the adoption of Big Tech services in finance.

 “Has the dollar lost ground as the dominant international currency?“. A currency’s share of global foreign exchange (FX) reserves, as reported by the IMF, is a key indicator of its prominence as a reserve currency. In 2013, the IMF had information about the currency composition of only about half of global FX reserves. Today, that share stands at 94 percent as most major reserve holders, including China, now report (confidentially) to the IMF the currency composition of their FX reserves.

 “Banking, FinTech, Big Tech: Emerging challenges for financial policymakers“. FinTech and Big Tech firms are both increasingly stepping on banks’ traditional turf. This column looks at the challenges generated by new technology-enabled entrants to the global banking industry and the public authorities that oversee it.

 “Data sharing in credit markets“. International institutions such as the World Bank have shown that data sharing on borrowers contributes to improving the risk profile of borrowers and increasing access for more customers to credit markets. Several relevant academic articles underline these results.

 “The IT revolution and southern Europe’s two lost decades“. Productivity growth in southern Europe has been lower than in other developed countries. The column argues that this has in large part been caused by slow adoption of information technology, compounded by inefficient management.

 “Cybersecurity and digital trade: Getting it right“. Trade and cybersecurity are increasingly intertwined. The expansion of the internet globally and use of data flows globally by businesses and consumers for communication, e-commerce, and as a source of access to information and innovation, is transforming international trade.

 “Preparing for Horizon Europe: The essential guide“. The EU is now planning its biggest-ever R&D programme. Science|Business, drawing on its independent news coverage, takes you through what it’s all about, so you can start preparing.

 “Making public services interoperable across the EU“. Digital is reshaping all aspects of society, including the way public administrations work with one another and how public services are delivered. The potential of the data economy for the EU is significant: in 2016, it was worth almost €300 billion, i.e. about 2% of the EU28 GDP; by 2020, it is expected to be over €700 billion.

 “La Banca centrale europea“. The European Central Bank is an independent and supranational institution with the primary task of defining and managing monetary policy for the euro-area, ensuring price stability. The publication tells its history and illustrates its functions, structure and responsibilities and the exceptional answers to respond to the “perfect storm” of the crisis.