Global Markets & TPP

by Raymond J. Keating- Even as the economy improved during the first quarter of this year, trade did continue to struggle in February, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. After suffering steep declines in both exports and imports during February to May of last year, a recovery subsequently began […]

by Raymond J. Keating- International trade matters. It matters to the overall U.S. economy. It matters to consumers. It matters to small businesses. And it matters to U.S. workers. From a business standpoint – ranging from small to large firms – quite simply, expanding exports are expanding opportunities, and since practically all imports are inputs […]

by Raymond J. Keating- Trade had been a drag on economic growth prior to the pandemic hitting, and then, of course, both exports and imports dropped precipitously. As noted in the latest trade report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the slow clawing back has been underway for the past five to six months. […]

by Karen Kerrigan- (Reprinted with permission from Alibaba’s Insights) If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it is that the shocking disruption spawned by restrictions and shutdowns has given many SMEs a fresh perspective on how digital tools and platforms can help them identify new customers and market opportunities for survival and growth […]

by Raymond J. Keating- Costly policy measures prior to the pandemic served as a drag on the economy. Then COVID-19 hit and made matters worse. The latest trade data show that both exports and imports struggle to recover. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services August 2020” […]

by Raymond J. Keating- After three months of stunning declines in U.S. exports and imports, the freefall stopped in June, according to the latest report on trade from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Seasonally adjusted exports of U.S. goods and services had stagnated for the previous two years, but with the spread of the […]

  by Raymond J. Keating- When economists talk about free trade and its benefits, we’re not only talking about lowering or removing barriers to selling and buying goods and services, but also reducing governmental barriers to investment. Economic growth and development are enhanced by allowing for the efficient distribution of financial capital, based on market […]

by Raymond J. Keating- Impulses among politicians to impose some kind of “Buy American” regulations on pharmaceuticals amount to nothing more than protectionism that will cause serious ills for American consumers (i.e., patients), entrepreneurs, businesses (overwhelmingly small businesses), and workers. Despite the current politics, free trade actually is not controversial – or at least it […]

by Raymond J. Keating- It’s not surprising that during the pandemic crisis the latest trade data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis was grim. Yet the plunge in both U.S. exports and imports is still breathtaking. U.S. exports of goods and services declined by 20.5 percent in April, and that came after a drop […]

by Raymond J. Keating- A surefire way to make matters worse during a time of economic and political uncertainty is to impose additional governmental costs and controls, like higher taxes. And that includes taxes on imports – or tariffs. Three things have been clear about misguided trade policies over the past three-and-a-half years: ● First, […]