The crisis in Japan has had a major impact on its economy but a minor one elsewhere, underscoring the country’s slipping prominence in the global economy. The earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear crisis that plagued the northeastern coast of Japan have caused immeasurable human toll. Early predictions of its economic […]
Author: Yudith Ho
The Economic Toll of the Japan Crisis
The disaster in Japan has caused immeasurable human toll but as more numbers from March and April are released, its economic impact may prove less dire than first expected, at least for the rest of the world. A few weeks after the earthquake and tsunami hit the northeastern coast of […]
Higher Exports in February May Narrow the Trade Deficit
The trade deficit likely narrowed in February due to growth in exports. A consensus survey of 71 estimates show a median trade gap of $44 billion, a 5 percent decrease from January’s $46.3 billion. One indication that exports were strong in February is in the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) […]
U.S. Farmers Rapidly Losing Market Share in Panama
For American farmers, the pending trade agreement with Panama is no longer about potential gains but about preventing the loss of existing export markets. Since 2007, when the agreement was signed, U.S. share of Panama’s agricultural imports has steadily declined, to 38 percent last year from 60 percent, according to […]
Trade Deficit Widens due to Unexpected Surge in Imports
The U.S. trade deficit widened by an unexpected 15.1 percent to $46.3 billion in January due to a 5.2 percent jump in imports. Economists surveyed expected a gap of $41.5 billion. Higher purchases of capital goods, industrial supplies and auto pushed imports up to $214.1 billion. Capital goods imports of […]
U.S. Trade Deficit Widened in December
The U.S. trade deficit widened by 6 percent in December, adding up to a record-high annual trade gap with China. The trade gap with China lessened by 19.1 percent in December to $20.7 billion. But the total annual deficit last year added up to the largest deficit the U.S. ever […]