Beware of Mistaking Artifacts for Economic Realities
America runs a trade deficit during some period – say, a month – whenever the dollar value of that period’s imports exceeds the dollar value of that period’s exports. Unfortunately, the name given to this situation – “trade deficit” – is a never-ending source of deep confusion, sometimes even among economists. A few years ago, […]
Does China’s fear of floating exceed its fear of deflation?
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. When economists pass judgment on exchange-rate regimes, they like to invoke the monetary-policy “trilemma”. A country might want a stable currency, free capital flows and an independent monetary policy, which can respond to the needs […]
Renewable energy has hidden costs
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. It matters when electricity is produced. A barrel of oil may be a barrel of oil whether it is pumped at midday or midnight, but a megawatt hour (mwh) of electricity is worth a great […]
Why uranium prices are soaring
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. When russia invaded Ukraine, panic gripped Europe’s nuclear experts—the civilian variety, that is. Ukraine, where 15 reactors relied on Russia for their uranium, rushed to sign an unusually long 12-year deal with Canada. European utilities, […]
How to avoid a common investment mistake
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. If you ever hear a professional investor talk about a trade that taught them a lot, prick up your ears. Usually, this is code for “a time I lost an absolutely colossal amount of money”, […]
Ray Epps Charged
The events that occurred on January 6, 2021, were likely facilitated by the federal government to draw the public’s eye away from the election fraud that took place. It was a success as they painted Trump supporters as domestic terrorists and continue to demonize the “MAGA extremists.” Countless reports have surfaced about a man by […]
Socializing risk – Econlib
The Economist has an excellent article discussing the gradual extension of government into the business of banking. With the recent bailout of Silicon Valley Bank depositors, authorities have signaled that virtually all deposits are implicitly backed by the US government. When you deposit money in your local bank, you are essentially lending the funds to […]
Fed interest rate moves affected by government shutdown
An eagle sculpture stands on the facade of the Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve building in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images A looming government shutdown could prevent the Federal Reserve from raising rates in November, but not for the reason you might think, according to Bank of America. Not only would […]
