Inflation in the U.S. today remains stubbornly subdued. Since the end of the recession, annual price gains, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), have increased in the 1%-2% range. Many consumers, however, feel like the costs of the goods and services that they buy are increasing at much faster rates. Drilling into the […]
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The 2-Minute Thought: The Safest Form of Energy?
According to a 2010 study by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Academy of Science, coal is the most dangerous form of energy. The safest? It’s not solar, wind, or hydro. It’s nuclear, which accounts for fewer deaths and illnesses than other energy sources and is tied with wind […]
The 2-Minute Thought: In the Gig Economy, the Phillips Curve Gets Flattened
In a June speech, Andrew Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of England, said that much is well with the UK. The economy has had 17 consecutive quarters of growth, consumer and business confidence is solid, and the jobs market is strong. Employment is at its highest rate since 1973, while unemployment is at its […]
The 2-Minute Thought: America is Number One; China is the Center of the Universe
America is number one. China is center of universe. America is freedom. China is order. America is now. China is eternity. These ideas come from Harvard professor Graham Allison’s new book, Destined For War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? The main point of the book isn’t to elucidate the differences between China and […]
We’re Talking the Smiley Face Economy Here…
President Trump is intent on bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. He is convinced that “making things” is the Holy Grail to making America Great Again. It is true manufacturing has declined as a percentage of the economy. Back 50 years ago a quarter of America’s production was manufacturing. Today it is 12%. But […]
Following Up on Odds and Ends…
You might remember back in December we wrote about some common cuckoos who spend the Spring and early Summer in the wetlands near Beijing, China and then migrate South. No one knew exactly where these cuckoos went so scientists fitted five birds with micro solar tags connected to satellites. Two of the birds were lost […]
Small Cities Are Rising…
Living in New York, London, Tokyo, or any one of the world’s great cities is a singular experience. Every big city has its unique charms, but all offer hubs of creativity, cosmopolitan thinking and a chance to rub shoulders with “the best and the brightest.” For years, we’ve been hearing that the most talented, most […]
Where to Find Value Today…
The stock market’s gains this year have taken a lot of people by surprise. But a closer look at the details shows that the performance of just a handful of dominant technology firms, specifically Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google, is behind much of the broad market’s gains. Since January, these five “FAAMG” stocks have […]
The 2-Minute Thought: The ‘Nifty Fifty’
In the 1960s and early 1970s, there were 50 wildly popular stocks known as the “Nifty Fifty” that seemed invincible. Originally identified by Morgan Guaranty Trust as the fastest growing companies around, the Nifty Fifty were called “one-decision” stocks because you only needed to buy them but never would need to sell them. They were […]
The 2-Minute Thought: Japan Underappreciated
Japan has long served as the globe’s cautionary tale on deflation, stagnation, and the consequences of a dwindling, greying population. In the 20 years leading up to 2015 — while the U.S. economy grew by more than 130% — the Japanese economy grew not at all. It simply carried on quietly through its gloom with […]
Sven Eklof Graduated from Leadership Champlain
Sven Eklof recently completed Leadership Champlain, a program of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce for emerging leaders in their businesses, professions, and communities. Leadership Champlain is a 10 month program that focuses on community issues such as the Vermont Economy, Criminal Justice, Education, Civic Engagement, and Energy. The program develops leadership skills and […]
The Robots Are Everywhere…
After the November election President Trump pressured a number of companies to either keep their existing U.S. factories open or to bring jobs back to the U.S. The companies that complied often did so with a big caveat, that they would substitute robots for many of their employees in order to keep expenses down. Conventional […]
