In a November 12 commentary, Columbia University economist Jose Antonio Ocampo argued that controls on international capital may be necessary to make domestic monetary and fiscal policies effective because their effects can too easily be offset by large swings in international capital flows.
In a November 11 commentary, NYU economist Nouriel Roubini discussed the options for countries dealing with large capital inflows.
On November 10, the International Monetary Fund published a study of purchasing power exchange rates. These are considered more accurate than market exchange rates, which can be volatile and greatly overstate or understate values when making international comparisons.
In a November 4 commentary, Peterson Institute economist Anders Åslund praised today’s Scandinavian economic model, which has been reformed substantially and is now much more market-oriented.
Also on November 4, the World Bank published the 2011 edition of its annual report on Doing Business, which ranks 183 countries on government regulation and the business climate.
And on November 4, the United Nations Development Program released the 2010 edition of its annual Human Development Report. It shows that developing countries are making progress in health and education despite slow income growth.
An October 29 report from Nielsen examined reasons for China’s high savings rate. Key reasons include the demographic profile of the population, a cultural tradition that discourages debt, and the greater difficulty of obtaining credit.
In an October 28 commentary, MIT economist Simon Johnson expressed concern about the unwillingness of middle-income creditor nations to allow their currencies to rise, thus creating imbalances that could create future international financial problems.
On October 26, Chatham House, a British think tank, published a study of China’s currency strategy.
A September 23 report from the Congressional Research Service examined the operation of China’s $200 billion sovereign wealth fund.
I last posted items on this topic on October 26.
Bruce Bartlett is an American historian and columnist who focuses on the intersection between politics and economics. He blogs daily and writes a weekly column at The Fiscal Times. Read his most recent column here . Bartlett has written for Forbes Magazine and Creators Syndicate, and his work is informed by many years in government, including as a senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House. He is the author of seven books including the New York Times best-seller, Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday, 2006).
