Cambridge IGCSE™, IGCSE (9–1) and O Level Economics (0445/0987/2281)
Cambridge IGCSE and O Level Economics
This factsheet provides an overview of the main changes to syllabuses for examination from 2027, and explains how our resources support you and your students with these updates.
Key change
The subject content has been revised and updated to make sure it remains relevant and up to date, as well as to support progression to further study. New content has been added with explicit references to the environment and sustainability, including a new topic on ‘causes and consequences of changes in globalisation’.
Please refer to the full syllabus document for full details of the new content.
What this means for you
The order of some content has changed, and wording has been updated to improve clarity.
Some existing content has been removed or significantly reduced, to make sure that guided learning hours are still relevant.
There is new subject content to be aware of and taught.
The wording of the Assessment Objectives (AOs) has been updated.
The weightings for the assessment have changed. The weighting of AO3 Evaluation has decreased from 20% to 10%. The weighting of AO1 Knowledge and understanding has increased from 40% to 43%.
The weighting of AO2 Analysis has increased from 40% to 47%.
For Paper 1, the total number of marks has increased from 30 to 40 and the duration has increased from 45 minutes to 1 hour. For Paper 2, the total number of marks has decreased from 90 to 80 and the duration has decreased from 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours.
The layout and wording of the Paper 2 mark scheme has changed, but the marking criteria remain largely the same.
The newly worded Assessment Objectives (AOs) test most of the same knowledge and skills as the previous syllabus. They are clearer and more closely aligned to other related syllabuses, to support smooth progression across the Cambridge Pathway.
The updates to the AO weightings place greater emphasis on knowledge and understanding, and on economic analysis. The assessment methods remain unchanged. The updates to the marks and exam durations provide more balance between assessment components, enabling students to adequately show what they know.
To develop our updated syllabuses and new published resources, we have spoken to economics teachers and educational experts worldwide.
How we support you
Their insights have helped us develop syllabuses and resources that encourage students to accelerate their learning and develop skills for life.
We have refreshed the content of the resources so that they fully align to the syllabus updates. There are 36 chapters in the coursebook and the order of some content has been adjusted, including merging some chapters together. Each chapter has new content which could include updated features, additional connections to sustainability or new syllabus content.
The following chapters have changed from the previous edition:
Chapter 5 – The role of markets in allocating resources
Chapter 19 – Firms and production
Chapter 21 – Types of market (previously as Chapter 23 – Market structure)
Chapter 22 – Government macroeconomic intervention (previously as Chapter 25 – The macroeconomic aims of government)
Chapter 24 – Monetary supply
Chapter 28 – Inflation (Deflation has been removed from the syllabus)
Chapter 33 – Specialisation and free trade (contains combined content from the previous Chapter 35 – Free trade and production, and Chapter 36 – International specialisation)
Chapter 34 – Globalisation and trade restrictions (contains content from previous Chapter 35 on globalisation)
The coursebook includes features that encourage students to think about real-world application, such as ‘Economics in context’ and ‘Economics in action’.
New topics of environmental sustainability and sustainable production have been added to the coursebook, integrated into existing topics rather than as new, separate topics. Chapters that include content on sustainability are:
Chapter 22 – Government macroeconomic intervention
Chapter 23 – Fiscal policy
Chapter 30 – Poverty
Chapter 32 – Differences in economic development between countries
Chapter 34 – Globalisation and trade restrictions
A range of assessment support will be available on the School Support Hub, including the scheme of work, learner guide and specimen paper answers, as well as example candidate responses available after first examination.
The coursebook and workbook include end-of-section practice questions set out in the style of the exam.
A separate Exam Preparation and Practice book will be available in 2026, providing additional support for preparing for the assessment.
For full details on the revised syllabus, visit cambridgeinternational.org/igcse
About the series
This series is suitable to support the Cambridge IGCSE, IGCSE (9–1) and O Level Economics syllabuses (0445/0987/2281) for examination from 2027. All components include a digital version, with a user-friendly layout designed with accessibility in mind.
Coursebooks with digital access
• Varied activities, such as writing a report or delivering a presentation, encourage active learning and provide formative assessment insights.
• ‘Economics in action’ feature allows students to make connections with the wider world, with a focus on work, sustainability and global economic events.
• Engaging videos bring real-life examples into the classroom, explaining content in a visual way to support understanding.
Workbook with digital access
• Key skills activities support students as they progress through the course, focusing on key skills including knowledge, evaluation and analysis.
• Practice questions enable students to practise what they have covered in each topic and prepare for assessment.
• ‘Improve this answer’ and ‘Your challenge’ exercises encourage students to evaluate a sample answer and apply improvements to their own answers.
Digital teacher’s resource
• Clear guidance through starter, main and plenary activities to support lesson planning, differentiation and assessment for learning.
• ‘Language support’ feature provides additional guidance on how to support students with language, particularly areas they may find challenging.
• Downloadable worksheets provide extra practice opportunities.
Exam Preparation and Practice – Available in 2026
This new resource is designed to increase students’ confidence, help them recognise different question types and understand connections between concepts. It also has a focus on reflection and managing test anxiety. A wealth of questions and activities will improve their ability to recall knowledge and answer effectively.
This text has not been through the endorsement process for the Cambridge Pathway. Any references or materials related to answers, grades, papers or examinations are based on the opinion of the author(s). The Cambridge syllabus or curriculum framework, associated assessment guidance material and specimen papers should always be referred to for definitive guidance.
Do you also teach Cambridge International AS & A Level Economics (9708)?
Our Exam Preparation and Practice resource to support the Cambridge International AS & A Level Economics (9708) syllabus is now available, in both print and digital formats. It includes over 400 auto-marked questions and past paper question practice.
Cambridge Pathway
The Cambridge Pathway offers five stages of education from age 3 to 19, with curriculum, resources and assessment. Registered Cambridge International Schools benefit from high-quality programmes, qualifications, assessments and a wide range of support so that teachers can effectively deliver in the classroom. Visit cambridgeinternational.org/pathway for more details.