Economics

The discussion about Greece and its future in the monetary union, or like Greenspan opined, the lack thereof, has focused on economic issues to the near-exclusion of all else.  This is myopic.  There are important geostrategic interests at stake.Historians continue...

After the Federal Reserve releases its labor market conditions index today at 10am EST, a number of key economic indicators will be released that will measure economic developments in the United States and in Europe.European lawmakers have recently disagreed on...

The ECB's decision yesterday to no longer accept Greek government bonds or state-guaranteed paper, but approving Emergency Lending Assistance (ELA) by the national central bank remains a key talking point today. The timing of the decision, following the meeting between...

The U.S. has a larger trade deficit with the rest of the world, but employment gains indicate strength in services is supporting the broader economy.The Bureau of Economic Analysis announced Thursday that the United States has a trade deficit of...

The Great Financial Crisis lingers.  That the world economy continues to grow does not change that fact.  There are different lenses from which one can view the crisis and seek to understand its implications. We are drawn to a lens that...

Three separate reports indicate that U.S. income and spending in the consumer services and financial sector are on the rise, helping job growth and business income.The Institute for Supply Management reported Wednesday that the non-manufacturing sector rose more than expected,...

Residential real estate continues to recover at a strong pace in the United States, but U.S. factories are beginning to see a fall in demand.A new report by CoreLogic shows that home prices rose 5% on a year-over-year basis in...

The powerful bout of long dollar liquidation, spurred by optimism that the new Greek government had moved away from its posturing about debt forgiveness, has largely faded today. The ECB is reportedly rejecting Greece's request to expand its T-bill offering...

Syriza’s surge to power with a campaign against austerity has forced politicians across Europe to justify their economic policies. The UK chancellor was hot-off-the-mark to assure everyone that the Greek election result should not be interpreted as a rejection of...

If ever we wanted a reminder of how global capitalism has got things wrong, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa serves the purpose well. Our assumption that economic growth is essential is not only a feature of markets and politics,...

Disasters and political scandals dominated South Korean politics in 2014. And hopes for progress on North–South relations on the Korean peninsula were left unfulfilled. Disasters and political scandals dominated South Korean politics in 2014. And hopes for progress on North–South...

Obama’s $4 trillion budget depends on lower inflation, as the president hopes more spending on the middle class will stimulate demand and growth throughout the economy.The new budget includes a number of initiatives that drive spending slightly higher than the...

The Reserve Bank of Australia joined the chorus of central banks to ease policy.  The 25 bp rate cut was not a major surprise but it did catch many a bit off-guard as recent data and the pace of the...

When the Swiss National Bank lifted its cap on the franc, many thought they understood the message.  It had reached the end of its rope.  Some suggested the ownership structure of the SNB (owned by the Swiss cantons and individuals...

The US dollar is mixed.  It has recovered from an early spike to JPY116.65 in early Asia to test the JPY117.80 area.  The euro briefly dipped below $1.1300 before Spanish and Italian PMIs surprised on the upside.  Sterling bounced on...