Esther Duflo to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Duflo fans. Speculation had been rife that Nobel Prize in Economics 2019 will announce her retirement from all public activities, at age 53, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 12/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an economist isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an economist-Nobel laureate just isn't fun anymore,” she might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that she may branch out into other creative fields she is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouEsther

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouEsther was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made her make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouEsther.”
— @DesireePlum, 11 Oct 2026

“Duflo wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 11 Oct 2026

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