Global Markets & TPP

by Raymond J. Keating- As federal agencies serving up data on the economy work to catch up after the partial government shutdown, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released its report on November trade numbers on February 6. The data told a troubling story in terms of both exports and imports. Exports fell in November, […]

by Raymond J. Keating- China’s economic growth in 2018 registered 6.6 percent. If the U.S. were to experience such a level of growth, the reaction would be part euphoria, while others would speak dramatically about the economy “overheating.” But real growth of 6.6 percent in China was the slowest pace of growth in 28 years, […]

by Raymond J. Keating- The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis tells us that monthly U.S. exportsdeclined in October, and came in below the high hit in May of this year.Meanwhile, imports increased slightly in October, after a larger jump higher inSeptember. As for the decline in exports, there seem to be […]

\\ by Raymond J. Keating- According to the Federal Reserve’s survey of various contacts in its latest Beige Book released on December 5, the economy from mid-October to late November grew at “a modest or moderate pace.” However, “Dallas and Philadelphia noted slower growth compared with the prior Beige Book period,” and “St. Louis and […]

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan praised the progress and outcome of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kerrigan issued the following statement: “There is some very good news coming out of the G20 gathering in Argentina, and the […]

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – The nation’s leading advocacy group for entrepreneurs praised the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Argentina today, which will foster trade and enable business expansion through modernization of NAFTA. Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) president & CEO Karen Kerrigan said this modern accord addresses key […]

In an October 30 Op-ed in The Washington Times, SBE Council chief economist Ray Keating reviews the dominant role played by U.S. entrepreneurs and small businesses in trade with China. He notes that the economy has benefitted tremendously from a range of tax and regulatory initiatives implemented by Congress and President Trump, but tariffs undermine […]

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – On October 16, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) officially notified Congress about the Trump Administration’s intention to negotiate separate trade agreements with the European Union (EU), Japan and Great Britain. The nation’s leading advocate for entrepreneurs cheered the move, as removing barriers in these key markets will […]

by Raymond J. Keating- Free and growing international trade is good news for American consumers, small businesses and workers – expanding opportunity, choices, competition and growth. Imposing barriers to trade, such as tariffs and quotas, achieve the exact opposite, including increasing costs and reducing opportunity. While there are seemingly countless examples of the benefits of […]

  by Raymond J. Keating- Are all of the tariffs, retaliation, threats and talk of a trade war beginning to register in the economic data? Well, real GDP growth in the most recent quarter’s data was strong, thankfully. However, the latest trade data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis serves up a warning. Specifically, […]