by Eric Lotke | Nov 19, 2009 | Blog
President Obama is home from China and the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission today releases its 2009 report to Congress. What have we learned? That we need to pay attention because we’re getting schooled. While Obama posed for photos on the Great Wall...
by Eric Lotke | Nov 12, 2009 | Blog
As President Obama packs for China, I thought I’d show him a picture of how China is manipulating its currency. Source: Federal Reserve: Yuan, Broad dollar index. Graphic idea compliments of AAM. The dollar stays flat against the Chinese Yuan, even as it loses value...
by Eric Lotke | Nov 6, 2009 | Blog
Today’s unemployment data contain gloomy news. Gloomy, but expected. The interpretation of the data is even worse. First, the data. Unemployment rose to 10.2 percent last month, breaking the double digit barrier. Most people expected it to happen, though the job loss...
by Eric Lotke | Nov 5, 2009 | Blog
Today’s “Productivity and Costs” data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics contain what looks like good news. Productivity increased at a 9.5 percent annual rate during the third quarter of 2009, the largest gain since 2003. The Associated Press called it “sizzling.”...
by Eric Lotke | Oct 27, 2009 | Blog
President Barack Obama announced today $3.4 billion in government grants to help build a "smart" electric grid. Like many Obama initiatives, it’s a smart first step. But much more is needed and one piece is rarely mentioned at all. Start with the problem. America’s...
