Finance
Beauty, Power, Art, and Finance
Art, money, and power twist together in complex ways, in a dynamic that may be older than humans. In his research, Yale SOM’s William Goetzmann traces the social meaning of art and money and the ways they set pecking orders, create art superstars, and blow up into senseless bubbles.

What Did the Last Four Years Teach Us about Managing Inflation?
William English, a professor in the practice of finance and a former economist at the Federal Reserve, discusses lessons learned from central banks’ responses to four-plus years of extraordinary economic disruption.
What Does a Record Stock Market Mean?
We asked Yale SOM’s William Goetzmann, an expert on financial markets and the history of finance, what soaring stock prices say about the economy and the future of the markets.
Assembling an Economy in Space
A mix of public and private investments are positioning the space economy for a period of growth and innovation, says Sven Eenmaa ’98, director of investment and economic analysis at the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory.
Our Most-Read Stories of 2023
This year, Yale SOM research examined sustainable investing, the dynamics of social media, the role of race in school discipline, and the complexities of airline pricing. And faculty offered expertise on issues in the news, including the changing workplace, noncompete agreements, the politics of ESG investing, the effectiveness of masks, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and the Barbie movie phenomenon.
Is Commercial Real Estate in for a Downturn…or a Crisis?
Commercial real estate downturns don’t typically create systemic threats. Yale SOM’s Andrew Metrick offers a nightmare scenario showing why this time might be different.
Lower-Income Employees Are More Likely to Remain at 401(k) Defaults, Even If It Costs Them Money
Automatically enrolling employees in retirement plans is a powerful tool for increasing savings. But Yale SOM’s James Choi and his coauthors find that once enrolled, people with lower incomes are more likely to remain at default contribution rates, even if they aren’t optimal.
Did Student Loan Forbearance Push Distressed Borrowers Further into Debt?
In a new study, Yale SOM’s Heather Tookes and her co-authors find that after loan forebearance went into effect in March 2020, distressed borrowers’ credit scores jumped. That allowed them to take on more credit card and auto debt—and, eventually, led to higher rates of delinquencies.
The Business of ‘Anti-Woke’ Is Falling Flat
Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian write that the exchange-traded funds that boycott companies taking action on social issues are underperforming the market and struggling to find investors.
How Property Tax Foreclosure Accelerates Gentrification and Magnifies the Racial Wealth Gap
Non-white homeowners are at disproportionate risk of losing their homes over unpaid property taxes, shows new research from Yale SOM’s Cameron LaPoint.
Green Investing Could Push Polluters to Emit More Greenhouse Gases
One common approach to sustainable investing is to provide capital for companies with low carbon emissions and withhold it for high-emissions firms. Research co-authored by Yale SOM’s Kelly Shue shows this approach can backfire.