A February 23 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis finds that a rise in the Chinese currency is unlikely to have much effect on the U.S.-China trade imbalance.
On February 22, the International Monetary Fund published a working paper examining growth in Africa. It found that while the continent as a whole continues to do poorly, many individual countries are doing quite well. The paper examines what these countries have in common.
A February 21 Bank of England working paper found that foreign capital inflows strongly stimulated the housing market in developed countries, having effects similar to an excessively easy monetary policy.
In a February 18 speech, Federal Reserve Board chairman Ben Bernanke blamed international capital flows for destabilizing the world economy. That same day, the Federal Reserve posted an academic paper elaborating on his argument.
On February 15, Eurostat published data on the minimum wage in EU countries.
On February 14, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas published a chartbook on global economic conditions.
On February 11, the Institute for the Study of Labor published a study of China’s high saving rate, which underlies many of the problems in the U.S.-China economic relationship. It finds that the Chinese savings rate will likely decline in the future for various reasons.
On February 1, the Congressional Research Service published a report on the international investment position of the United States and the consequences of being a debtor nation. That same day, it also published one report on foreign investment by American companies, and a second report on investment by foreign companies in the U.S.
On January 28, the CRS issued a report on currency manipulation by foreign countries and possible remedies through the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization.
I last posted items on this topic on February 10.
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. 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, Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday, 2006).
