Leading economists and policy experts will gather at the London School of Economics and Political Science on 14–15 January 2026 to examine a growing body of evidence showing that oversized financial sectors undermine economic performance and fuel inequality.
The international research and policy conference, Too much finance, focuses on a well-established but under-appreciated finding in economics: beyond a certain point, financial sector expansion becomes a drag on growth rather than a driver of it. This exposes the social and policy costs of unchecked financial sector growth.
Alex Cobham, chief executive of the Tax Justice Network, said:
“When finance grows beyond what the real economy needs, it stops supporting progress and starts holding it back. The evidence on ‘too much finance’ is strong, but policy debate has not caught up. This conference responds in two ways. First, we’re bringing together the leading international researchers on this topic to provide the most robust analysis of the phenomenon and what drives it. And second, we’re bringing together activists from across the UK and beyond to examine why the policy debate and media coverage fail to reflect the evidence and how we can collectively make the evidence impossible to ignore.”
Jesse Griffiths, chief executive of Finance Innovation Lab, said:
“The financial sector is critical for a healthy, sustainable economy, but it can also do damage. This is why it is so crucial for the government to heed the evidence and focus policy on improving the impacts of the financial sector on the real economy, not pushing for financial sector growth at any cost.”
Claire Godfrey, executive director at the Balanced Economy Project said:
“Finance has grown too big and has become dominated by a small handful of interconnected and highly concentrated firms. The modern financial sector is now one of the most powerful actors in the modern economy, and this size and scale affords finance an unjust and excessive amount of power, enabling it to operate without accountability and often against the interests of the public and the planet. Our new report, Too Big to Cool the Planet, calls on competition authorities to step in urgently to limit unchecked concentrated finance power so we can reclaim our collective power to build an economy that works for the public interest and a sustainable future.”
The issue is global, but the discussion is particularly urgent in the UK, which is among the economies most exposed to the risks of oversized finance, even as political debate continues to frame financial deregulation as a route to higher growth. At the same time, countries across the global South have long faced pressure to liberalise domestic and cross-border financial regulation, despite evidence that such policies can be harmful.
The conference is organised with the support of the Tax Justice Network, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the International Inequalities Institute, the Balanced Economy Project, Finance Innovation Lab and the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity, alongside the Manchester School journal. Finance Innovation Lab is organising a dedicated invitation session on public narratives and policy change, while the Balanced Economy Project will present new research on the risks of oversized finance. Research presented at the event will form the basis of a special issue of the journal.
Across two days, the programme will combine the latest international economic research with in-depth policy discussion, addressing the strength of the evidence on too much finance, the mechanisms linking finance and growth, the implications for inequality, and the policy responses available to governments. Keynote papers will be delivered by Thorsten Beck of the European University Institute and Jayati Ghosh of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The conference will conclude with a roundtable focused on raising awareness of the policy implications of too much finance and on how research findings can be brought more effectively onto policymakers’ agendas.
A recording of the event will be made available on the Tax Justice Network’s YouTube channel after the event has concluded. Journalists interested in the research being presented, or in speaking with conference participants after the event, can contact the Tax Justice Network press team at [email protected] to request access to reports and interview opportunities.
Event details
Too much finance: international economic research and policy conference
Dates: Wednesday 14 January – Thursday 15 January 2026
Venue: London School of Economics and Political Science, Parish Hall, room PAR.1.02
Full programme available here.
A recording of the event will be made available after the conference here.
Notes to editor
- ‘Too much finance’ refers to a substantial body of economic research showing that when financial sectors grow beyond a certain size, they become a drag on economic growth and increase inequality. While the finding is well established in academic literature and international policy institutions, it has not been consistently reflected in national policy debates.
- Papers presented at the conference will form the basis of a special issue of the Manchester School journal, and the programme includes a dedicated session on public narratives and policy change.
- Journalists can request access to post-event summaries, research papers and interviews with speakers by emailing [email protected].