Economy
Why Trump Retreated on Tariffs
Trump may be about to discover that it is easier to begin a trade war than to end it successfully.
“Drill, Baby, Drill” Won’t Bring a Flood of Crude
Much of the commentary in the political press since Donald Trump won the election on November 5 has touted the supposed flood of U.S. crude oil production, which his new...
The Big Interest Rate Cut: Is the Federal Reserve Too Late?
At long last, it seems that the Federal Reserve has smelt the coffee that it was keeping interest rates too high for too long for the economy’s good. However, it...
America’s Greatest Enemy Isn’t China or Russia: Its $35 Trillion In Debt
With a With a $1.5 trillion deficit this year, $35 trillion in overall debt, and $1 trillion in interest payments this year, if the U.S. dollar is no longer the primary...
The Federal Reserve Has A Big Choice To Make
So much for the soft economic landing. The disappointing consumer price inflation numbers released on April 10 suggest that inflation will not come down to the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target...
Joe Biden’s Booming Economy? Inflation Is Still Killing Potential Homebuyers
Business headlines say that inflation is down, yet countless Americans are struggling, particularly with finding somewhere affordable to live. How do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory notions? First, lower inflation means prices...
China’s Economy Is In Serious Trouble
The word to describe China’s economy in 2023 is bumpy. After an expectations-exceeding growth of 4.5 percent in the first quarter of 2023 following three years of strict COVID-19 prevention...
China’s Housing Slowdown Is Bad News for Western Steel
The grim state of China’s housing market has so far had little effect on the iron ore price because its steel mills are diverting their surplus output onto export markets...
Problem for the U.S. Economy? Interest Rates Won’t Get Slashed Anytime Soon
If there’s one thing you can say about Fed policymakers, it’s that they don’t make decisions on a whim. When the Federal Open Market Committee met on Jan. 31, 2024,...
Can Pakistan’s New Government Save a Sinking Ship?
Pakistan faces multifaceted challenges, spanning an economic downturn, high unemployment, and political turbulence. The major ingredients in Pakistan’s economic and social malaise are the Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition government’s election...
The Federal Reserve’s Interest Rate Hikes Are Now Done
There is some good news and some bad news about today’s weaker-than-expected jobs report number. The good news is that the Federal Reserve is probably done with its aggressive interest...
The Federal Reserve Could Tank the U.S. Economy
John Maynard Keynes famously said that “when the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do sir?”. Since the Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting in September, the facts have...