Sergi Basco
@sbasco.bsky.social
Economist
PhD MIT
Universitat Barcelona
PhD MIT
Universitat Barcelona
The current Spanish housing boom is very different from the bubble in the 2000s. No, I don't see bubbles everywhere:) My reasoning is summarized in this article at @ara.cat (in catalan and link to English version inside).
Perquè l'esclat d'una bombolla sigui catastròfic no n'hi ha prou que els preus estiguin disparats, com passa al mercat de l'habitatge de Catalunya i del ...
Si esclata la bombolla, no serà devastador: l’indicador ignorat el 2008 que avui rebaixa el temor immobiliari
El preu de taxació ha crescut menys que el de venda, cosa que indica que no s'inflen els preus per motius crediticis
www.ara.cat
December 1, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The current Spanish housing boom is very different from the bubble in the 2000s. No, I don't see bubbles everywhere:) My reasoning is summarized in this article at @ara.cat (in catalan and link to English version inside).
Reposted by Sergi Basco
"Parece que existe una burbuja de IA, pero no tiene por qué acabar repitiéndose lo ocurrido en 2008". ✍️ Sergi Basco (@ub.edu)
Existe una burbuja de la inteligencia artificial y esto es lo que podría pasar si estallase
El valor de las acciones relacionadas con la inteligencia artificial se ha disparado en los últimos meses, pero una burbuja no puede mantenerse inflada para siempre.
theconversation.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:43 AM
"Parece que existe una burbuja de IA, pero no tiene por qué acabar repitiéndose lo ocurrido en 2008". ✍️ Sergi Basco (@ub.edu)
My take on the (yes) AI bubble, and the good, the bad, and ugly consequences.
theconversation.com/yes-there-is...
theconversation.com/yes-there-is...
Yes, there is an AI investment bubble – here are three scenarios for how it could end
The value of AI-related stocks has ballooned in recent months. What happens when the bubble bursts?
theconversation.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:35 PM
My take on the (yes) AI bubble, and the good, the bad, and ugly consequences.
theconversation.com/yes-there-is...
theconversation.com/yes-there-is...
9 EZ banks just announced that they will launch an Euro stablecoin. If they have green light, it will likely add fragility to EZ financial system and make future financial crises worse.
The euro ‘stablecoin’: how this new crypto venture could threaten the eurozone’s already fragile economy
Private banks are launching a euro-pegged cryptocurrency. It could spell disaster for Europe’s economy.
theconversation.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:18 PM
9 EZ banks just announced that they will launch an Euro stablecoin. If they have green light, it will likely add fragility to EZ financial system and make future financial crises worse.
Reacting to US-EU trade deal. Very weak response of EU. Negative effects for EU heterogeneous across countries and sectors. It seems the car industry and Germany may be the biggest losers. Spain too, as it depends on both cars and German cars.
Interview: Spanish economist says EU gains little from new tariff deal with U.S.
english.news.cn
August 4, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reacting to US-EU trade deal. Very weak response of EU. Negative effects for EU heterogeneous across countries and sectors. It seems the car industry and Germany may be the biggest losers. Spain too, as it depends on both cars and German cars.
Following my latest post in The Conversation
I was asked to say a word on @warren.senate.gov
comments on Genius Act. As I wrote, I share her concern on potential negative consequences of the law... but not just for US citizens!
decrypt.co/331818/eliza...
I was asked to say a word on @warren.senate.gov
comments on Genius Act. As I wrote, I share her concern on potential negative consequences of the law... but not just for US citizens!
decrypt.co/331818/eliza...
Elizabeth Warren: American People Will ‘Pay the Price’ for GENIUS Act - Decrypt
Sen. Elizabeth Warren slams Trump's GENIUS Act crypto legislation, warning that Americans will "pay the price."
decrypt.co
August 4, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Following my latest post in The Conversation
I was asked to say a word on @warren.senate.gov
comments on Genius Act. As I wrote, I share her concern on potential negative consequences of the law... but not just for US citizens!
decrypt.co/331818/eliza...
I was asked to say a word on @warren.senate.gov
comments on Genius Act. As I wrote, I share her concern on potential negative consequences of the law... but not just for US citizens!
decrypt.co/331818/eliza...
Nice article at @FT. Glad to see that my post linking the Genius Act to financial crisis reflected the mainstream view
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
July 27, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Nice article at @FT. Glad to see that my post linking the Genius Act to financial crisis reflected the mainstream view
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
@npr.org has very similar post as my recent one. Same analogies included. Stablecoins are like casino chips but need to trust that the casino have enough funds! I go one step ahead linking them to potential global financial crisis.
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
July 16, 2025 at 6:39 PM
@npr.org has very similar post as my recent one. Same analogies included. Stablecoins are like casino chips but need to trust that the casino have enough funds! I go one step ahead linking them to potential global financial crisis.
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
Reposted by Sergi Basco
La nueva ley sobre stablecoins promete estabilidad, pero podría sembrar el caos financiero. Aquí un experto explica cómo:
Ley Genius: Estados Unidos va a intentar regular las criptomonedas, pero eso no las va a librar del riesgo
La normativa aprobada en el Senado de EE. UU. permitiría a grandes empresas emitir criptomonedas. Esto plantea un interrogante primordial, ¿estará garantizada su estabilidad?
theconversation.com
July 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
La nueva ley sobre stablecoins promete estabilidad, pero podría sembrar el caos financiero. Aquí un experto explica cómo:
Reposted by Sergi Basco
[some-subscribed-rss] New Post: Genius Act: This New US Crypto Law Could Pave the Way for the Next Global Financial Crisis, by Yves Smith https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/07/genius-act-this-new-us-crypto-law-could-pave-the-way-for-the-next-global-financial-crisis.html
July 10, 2025 at 7:38 AM
[some-subscribed-rss] New Post: Genius Act: This New US Crypto Law Could Pave the Way for the Next Global Financial Crisis, by Yves Smith https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/07/genius-act-this-new-us-crypto-law-could-pave-the-way-for-the-next-global-financial-crisis.html
The US Genius Act could lead to the next global financial crisis. This is the punchline of my new post.
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
Genius Act: this new US cryptocurrency law could pave the way for the next global financial crisis
The legislation would allow corporations to issue their own ‘stablecoins’, which are essentially digital casino chips.
theconversation.com
July 10, 2025 at 11:05 AM
The US Genius Act could lead to the next global financial crisis. This is the punchline of my new post.
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
theconversation.com/genius-act-t...
Article in @ara.cat featuring my research (with D. Lopez-Rodriguez and E. Moral-Benito) on housing prices and productivity. "The housing bubble in Spain explains 40% of the fall in aggregate productivity of the country between 2003-2007". (Article in catalan).
empreses.ara.cat/empreses/hab...
empreses.ara.cat/empreses/hab...
Habitatge i productivitat: com l'encariment dels immobles empobreix l'economia
Un estudi recent mostra que l'augment del preu dels pisos distorsiona l'accés al crèdit necessari perquè les empreses inverteixin
empreses.ara.cat
July 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Article in @ara.cat featuring my research (with D. Lopez-Rodriguez and E. Moral-Benito) on housing prices and productivity. "The housing bubble in Spain explains 40% of the fall in aggregate productivity of the country between 2003-2007". (Article in catalan).
empreses.ara.cat/empreses/hab...
empreses.ara.cat/empreses/hab...
Reposted by Sergi Basco
🏘️ L’augment del preu de l’habitatge pot frenar la productivitat?
💬 Una recerca liderada pel professor @sbasco.bsky.social, publicada a The Economic Journal, mostra com l'encariment dels immobles pot distorsionar el crèdit empresarial i afavorir les empreses amb més actius immobiliaris.
💬 Una recerca liderada pel professor @sbasco.bsky.social, publicada a The Economic Journal, mostra com l'encariment dels immobles pot distorsionar el crèdit empresarial i afavorir les empreses amb més actius immobiliaris.
June 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🏘️ L’augment del preu de l’habitatge pot frenar la productivitat?
💬 Una recerca liderada pel professor @sbasco.bsky.social, publicada a The Economic Journal, mostra com l'encariment dels immobles pot distorsionar el crèdit empresarial i afavorir les empreses amb més actius immobiliaris.
💬 Una recerca liderada pel professor @sbasco.bsky.social, publicada a The Economic Journal, mostra com l'encariment dels immobles pot distorsionar el crèdit empresarial i afavorir les empreses amb més actius immobiliaris.
Reposted by Sergi Basco
🏘️ Can rising house prices hurt productivity?
💬 A new study led by @sbasco.bsky.social, published in The Economic Journal, reveals how increasing property prices can distort credit allocation in favour of firms with more real estate assets—regardless of their actual efficiency.
💬 A new study led by @sbasco.bsky.social, published in The Economic Journal, reveals how increasing property prices can distort credit allocation in favour of firms with more real estate assets—regardless of their actual efficiency.
June 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
🏘️ Can rising house prices hurt productivity?
💬 A new study led by @sbasco.bsky.social, published in The Economic Journal, reveals how increasing property prices can distort credit allocation in favour of firms with more real estate assets—regardless of their actual efficiency.
💬 A new study led by @sbasco.bsky.social, published in The Economic Journal, reveals how increasing property prices can distort credit allocation in favour of firms with more real estate assets—regardless of their actual efficiency.
Labor regulation exacerbates the negative effects of import competition on workers' earnings. Especially among workers in low-wage occupations. We document these results for the increase in Chinese imports in France.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Import competition and labor regulation: Worker-level evidence
How does labor regulation shape worker adjustment to import competition? We estimate the effect of collective agreements on French workers’ earnings d…
www.sciencedirect.com
June 13, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Labor regulation exacerbates the negative effects of import competition on workers' earnings. Especially among workers in low-wage occupations. We document these results for the increase in Chinese imports in France.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
And now for something completely...well, it's the same post in Spanish. US policies are contributing to make the US dolar a non-global reserve.
theconversation.com/podria-el-eu...
theconversation.com/podria-el-eu...
¿Podría el euro sustituir al dólar como moneda de reserva mundial?
Las monedas se basan en la confianza, y la política estadounidense está erosionando rápidamente la imagen del dólar como refugio seguro.
theconversation.com
May 21, 2025 at 6:10 PM
And now for something completely...well, it's the same post in Spanish. US policies are contributing to make the US dolar a non-global reserve.
theconversation.com/podria-el-eu...
theconversation.com/podria-el-eu...
US policies contribute to make US dollar a non-global reserve currency, but it will take a (long) time for the Euro to replace it (if ever).
theconversation.com/could-the-eu...
theconversation.com/could-the-eu...
Could the euro replace the dollar as global reserve currency? It’s not getting any less likely
Currencies are built on trust, and US policy is quickly eroding the dollar’s image as a safe haven.
theconversation.com
May 14, 2025 at 11:42 AM
US policies contribute to make US dollar a non-global reserve currency, but it will take a (long) time for the Euro to replace it (if ever).
theconversation.com/could-the-eu...
theconversation.com/could-the-eu...
My post about IMF forecast now in English. The punchline: we are in a world of Knightian uncertainty where bond vigilantes seem to be running away from US
theconversation.com/imf-world-ec...
theconversation.com/imf-world-ec...
IMF World Economic Outlook: economic uncertainty is now higher than it ever was during COVID
Uncertainty is far worse for the economy than a fixed, high tariff.
theconversation.com
April 24, 2025 at 7:20 AM
My post about IMF forecast now in English. The punchline: we are in a world of Knightian uncertainty where bond vigilantes seem to be running away from US
theconversation.com/imf-world-ec...
theconversation.com/imf-world-ec...
I was asked to give my take on the latest (surely not last) Trump tariff announcement.
theconversation.com/2-de-abril-e...
theconversation.com/2-de-abril-e...
2 de abril en la Casa Blanca: ¿día de la liberación económica o día de los inocentes?
No se sabe si los aranceles de Trump son definitivos o si se trata de una medida de presión para negociar nuevos gravámenes u otros acuerdos, pero esta incertidumbre es mala para la economía global.
theconversation.com
April 4, 2025 at 4:50 PM
I was asked to give my take on the latest (surely not last) Trump tariff announcement.
theconversation.com/2-de-abril-e...
theconversation.com/2-de-abril-e...
I was asked to write a quick comment on the announcement of the White House to impose tariffs around the globe (in Spanish)
theconversation.com/enamorado-de...
theconversation.com/enamorado-de...
Enamorado de los aranceles: el fin de la globalización económica
Introducir aranceles que cambian por producto y país, y pretender que todo se produzca a nivel interno causaría perdidas de productividad en todo el mundo y el fin de la transición a un mundo de libre...
theconversation.com
February 14, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I was asked to write a quick comment on the announcement of the White House to impose tariffs around the globe (in Spanish)
theconversation.com/enamorado-de...
theconversation.com/enamorado-de...
Reposted by Sergi Basco
New at JIE: "The effect of import competition across occupations" by Sergi Basco, Maxime Liégey, Martí Mestieri, Gabriel Smagghue
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2024.104001
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2024.104001
January 24, 2025 at 5:58 PM
New at JIE: "The effect of import competition across occupations" by Sergi Basco, Maxime Liégey, Martí Mestieri, Gabriel Smagghue
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2024.104001
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2024.104001