Economics

Credit reports and scores: how credit records affect borrowing, employment, and disputes Credit history Understand credit reports and scores: what appears on your file, how lenders, landlords and employers use them, and practical steps to access, dispute and improve your credit histo…

Creditor (lender) Creditor A creditor is an individual or organization that provides funds or credit to another party, expecting repayment and usually charging interest; includes banks, suppliers, bondholder…

Currency: Definition, Functions, History and Types Currency An encyclopedic overview of currency — what it is, how it works, its history from commodity standards to fiat and digital forms, uses in trade and policy, and common classification…

Currency symbol Short graphic sign used to denote monetary units. Covers appearance, placement, history, encoding, and common examples with distinctions from currency codes.

Czechoslovak koruna (CSK) Czechoslovak koruna Former national currency of Czechoslovakia, subdivided into 100 haléř/halier, used from 1919 until the 1993 dissolution when separate Czech and Slovak currencies replaced it.

Dani Rodrik: economist of globalization, development and political economy Dani Rodrik Profile of Dani Rodrik, a Turkish economist and Harvard professor known for work on globalization, the democracy–sovereignty–globalization trilemma, development policy and growth d…

Danish krone The Danish krone (DKK) is Denmark's currency, subdivided into 100 øre. Introduced in 1873, it is issued by Danmarks Nationalbank and used in Denmark and Greenland; it is closely ma…

David Ricardo: Classical Economist and the Theory of Comparative Advantage David Ricardo Concise account of David Ricardo (1772–1823): biography, major works, comparative advantage, rent and value theories, advocacy of free trade, criticisms, and his ongoing influence…

Deficit spending Deficit spending is when expenditures exceed revenues over a period. It applies to governments, businesses, and households and influences fiscal policy, debt, economic activity and…

Deflation: causes, effects, history and policy responses Deflation Deflation is a persistent decline in the general price level. This article explains what causes deflation, how it differs from disinflation, historical episodes, likely economic ef…

Demand (economics): definition, determinants, curve, elasticity and uses Demand Demand is the quantity of goods or services buyers are willing to purchase at given prices. This article explains demand concepts, determinants, demand curves, elasticity, exceptio…

Demand forecasting Demand forecasting estimates future customer demand for goods or services using historical data, statistical models, judgment, and real‑time signals to guide inventory, production,…

Denarius (Roman silver coin) Denarius A principal silver coin of Rome from the late Republic through the early Empire; widely used, gradually debased, and influential on later European and Islamic currencies.

Denomination (currency) Denomination in currency is the face value assigned to individual coins or banknotes. This article explains meanings, forms, history, practical uses, and distinctions such as face…

Deposit A deposit is the act or result of placing or accumulating value or material for safekeeping, guarantee, or as a residue. The term applies across finance, commerce, law, geology and…

Deposit account A deposit account is a bank-held account for storing funds, recording transactions and enabling withdrawals or payments. Common forms include checking, savings, money market and te…

Depression (economics) A prolonged, severe downturn in economic activity marked by deep unemployment, falling output and prices, strained finance and long recovery periods.

Derivative (finance) A financial derivative is a contract whose value is based on an underlying asset or benchmark. This article explains structure, types, history, uses, risks, and distinctions such a…

Deutsche Mark Former currency of West Germany and reunified Germany (1948–2002). Divided into 100 Pfennig; replaced by the euro at the fixed rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 DEM. Issued by the Deutsche Bund…

Developed country A developed country has high levels of economic activity, infrastructure, and human development; definitions vary and are based on indicators such as GDP, income, health and educat…

Development Economics: Theory, Indicators, Policies, and Debates Development economics Study of economic change in low- and middle-income countries, focusing on growth, welfare, institutions, inequality, and policy tools used to promote sustained human development.

Developmentalism (economic strategy) Developmentalism Economic approach that emphasizes active state intervention, protection of domestic industries, and a diversified internal market to promote industrialization and structural change…

Dime (United States coin) The U.S. dime is a ten-cent coin first authorized in 1792. Small in size but important in daily and collectible use, its design and metal composition have changed several times, no…

Dinar — name, history and modern national currencies Dinar Dinar is the name used by several national currencies, derived from the Roman denarius and transmitted via medieval Islamic coinage; it remains in use across the Middle East, North…

Direct Tax: Definition, Types, and Key Distinctions Direct tax A concise guide to direct taxes: what they are, how they differ from indirect taxes, main categories, historical context, practical examples, and why they matter for public finance…

Dirham — historic coin and modern currency unit Dirham Dirham: a currency name and historic silver coin derived from the Greek drachma; used today in several countries and as fractional units elsewhere with a long medieval trading hist…

Dirk B. J. Schouten — Dutch economist and macroeconomic modeller Dirk Bernard Joseph Schouten Profile of Dirk Bernard Joseph (Dick) Schouten (1923–2018), Dutch economist, professor at Tilburg University, noted for contributions to macroeconomic modelling, teaching, and econ…

Discount store: definition, models, history and distinctions Discount store An overview of discount stores: definition, common business models, types, historical development, consumer role, distinctions from outlets and thrift shops, and contemporary trend…

Discounts and Allowances: Types, Purposes, and Market Effects Discounts and allowances An overview of discounts and allowances in commerce: definitions, common forms, purposes, historical development, examples, accounting treatment, and legal or strategic considerati…

Disposable and discretionary income Definitions and differences between disposable and discretionary income, how each is measured, their roles in household budgets and the economy, and limitations for policy and anal…

Dividend (corporate distribution to shareholders) Dividend A dividend is a distribution of a company's earnings to its shareholders. This article explains types, payment mechanics, history, investor roles, and key dates and distinctions.

Dollar (currency) Dollar A dollar is a common name for currencies used by several countries. This article explains its symbol, origin, major varieties, denominations, and economic role.

Dollar store A retail format selling a wide range of low-cost everyday goods. Originating from single-price shops, modern dollar stores now offer varied low-priced items across North America an…

Dominican peso (Peso oro) — currency of the Dominican Republic Dominican peso The Dominican peso (officially Peso oro, ISO code DOP; symbol RD$) is the monetary unit of the Dominican Republic, divided into 100 centavos and issued by the country's central ban…

Douglass North: economist and pioneer of institutional economic history Douglass North Douglass C. North (1920–2015) was an American economist and Nobel laureate whose work established institutions and transaction costs as central to understanding long-run economic p…

Dow Jones Industrial Average A major U.S. stock market index of 30 large publicly traded companies, often used as a barometer of the American economy and financial markets.

Dowry: marital transfer of goods, money, or property Dowry Dowry is the transfer of property, money, or goods at marriage. This article explains forms, historical roots, cultural variations, social effects, legal responses, and distinction…

Ducat A ducat is a historical European coin, best known as a widely circulated gold trade coin popularized by medieval Venice; it influenced trade, minting practice and numismatics until…

Đổi mới: Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market reforms Đổi mới Đổi mới (Renovation) refers to Vietnam’s post-1986 program of economic and institutional reforms that transformed a centrally planned economy into a socialist-oriented market econo…

East Caribbean dollar (XCD) East Caribbean dollar The East Caribbean dollar (XCD) is the common currency of most Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States members, introduced in 1965 and issued by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank…

East German mark (Mark der DDR) East German mark Currency of the German Democratic Republic from 1948 until reunification in 1990; issued in coins and banknotes, used under exchange controls and replaced by the Deutsche Mark duri…

Ecological economics Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field that studies economies as embedded within ecosystems, emphasising natural capital, biophysical limits, sustainability policy, and…

Econometrics: Quantitative Analysis of Economic Relationships Econometrics Econometrics applies statistical and mathematical techniques to measure, test, and forecast relationships among economic variables. It links theory and data for estimation, policy…

Economic boom: causes, characteristics and historical examples Economic boom An economic boom is a sustained period of rapid economic growth. This article explains typical features, common drivers, historical examples (notably the U.S. 1920s), and how booms…

Economic bubble: causes, characteristics, history and consequences Economic bubble An economic bubble is a rapid, unsustainable rise in asset prices followed by a sharp decline. This article explains causes, signs, notable historical examples, effects and why tim…

Economic deficit: definition, causes, measurement and consequences Economic deficit An economic deficit occurs when spending exceeds income. This article explains types of deficits, how they are measured, typical causes, policy uses, and key distinctions such as b…

Economic development: concepts, measures, and main drivers Economic development Overview of economic development: what it is, how it is measured, major components and drivers, a brief historical perspective, common policies and persistent challenges facing cou…

Economic index: definition, types, methods, uses, and limitations Economic index An economic index summarizes change in economic variables over time or across places. Covers price and quantity indices, composite measures, calculation methods, common uses, and k…