Worldwide: Economic Analysis

What if better disclosure works differently for different consumers, and what if a disclosure that improves decision-making overall can actually worsen outcomes for financially vulnerable consumers? These provocative questions are explored through a discussion of groundbreaking research that challenges conventional assumptions about consumer protection regulation.

Ankura's insights hub showcases expertise across cybersecurity, joint ventures, life sciences transactions, and regulatory compliance. From industrial joint venture exposures to emerging malware threats and China pharma dealmaking, these analyses reveal critical risks and opportunities facing organizations today.

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has upheld EPA's designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, rejecting industry challenges on statutory authority, procedural notice, and cost-benefit analysis grounds. This decision reinforces EPA's regulatory authority over PFAS chemicals and carries significant implications for companies involved in manufacturing, transporting, or disposing of materials containing these substances, potentially exposing them to substantial CERCLA liability

Retail sales rose 2.2% in Q2 versus Q1, while inflation increased 1.5%, suggesting that higher prices may have contributed to growth more than stronger demand. Personal sports, leisure, and e-commerce sales accelerated in June ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Restaurant brands navigate a complex landscape of inflation, shifting consumer behavior, and rising costs as they prepare for renewed IPO opportunities. Free zones adapt to strategic shifts while AI implementation...

We analyzed 65 major SaaS companies and AI-native competitors to find out how many have thus far made the shift. Our analysis reveals a slower, more uneven reality than expected—only 4 of the 65 have fully adopted outcome-based pricing, and of the remaining 61, more than half still rely primarily on per-seat models.

Bob Brewer, Braumiller Law Group is joined by Victoria Holmes of the Dispatch to cover an update on the Strait of Hormuz and trade volatility.

Manufacturing PMI has accelerated to its strongest level since mid-2022, while spot trucking rates and crude oil prices have surged dramatically in early 2026. The Strait of Hormuz disruption has compounded cost pressures across consumer sectors, though an interim U.S.-Iran ceasefire may bring margin relief if peace holds through the critical Q3 retail build-up period.

Mobile spectrum licence renewal presents regulators with a critical policy choice: should renewal fees reflect full market value, or can below-market pricing serve as an investment instrument? This white paper models how pre-committed renewal fee structures affect operator investment decisions and social welfare, revealing that optimal fees may strategically deviate from market rates when private returns fall short of social benefits. The analysis further explores how success-dependent fee extraction create