Economists generally agree on few economic theories, but the negative impact of tariffs is one of them. The theory advocating for free trade without tariffs or barriers between countries was first articulated by Adam Smith in 1776 in “The Wealth of Nations,” showing that even if a country has an absolute advantage in producing goods, …
Another turbulent year looms – but so do opportunities
Last year was turbulent for the world economy, and this one may be no different. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had its full effect in 2023, reducing real incomes by pushing inflation up, particularly for food and energy. In addition, interest rate increases, put in place to fight the sharp rise in inflation, …
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The extraordinarily low-interest rate era is ending – what are the implications for financial markets and policymakers?
Following a sharp rise in inflation precipitated initially by the supply-side disruption as the pandemic ended and supply lagged demand, then the Russian invasion of Ukraine, central banks are tightening policy. The US Federal Reserve is at the forefront of this charge, raising interest rates at the fastest pace since the 1980s. There is no …