In 2020, the World Economic Forum published its annual Global Competitiveness Report, as usual. However, in light of the global pandemic, it put its long-standing Global Competitiveness Index rankings on hold. Instead, the report focused on priorities for recovery and revival instead of competition.1 Indeed, economic globalization over the past two decades, in many ways,…
In its monthly Investment Insights publication, Merrill Lynch noted that while nationalism has been a strong trend throughout the past few years, globalism in the prior 30 years did much to reduce poverty worldwide. As trade agreements shifted many U.S. jobs and operations overseas, the average income of the lower 50% of global earners nearly…
The national debt is a measurement of how much the federal government owes creditors, most commonly depicted as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). A high debt-to-GDP ratio is considered viable when the economy is expanding, because that growth allows the government to generate higher tax revenues to help pay down the debt. However,…
In mid-November, China signed an important and symbolic free-trade agreement with 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia. The deal, which represents 30% of the world’s population, eliminates tariffs and quotas on 65% of goods traded in the Asia-Pacific region. Global economists say the deal is further evidence of Asia’s growing power,…
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – passed in 2010 and known colloquially as “Obamacare” – has experienced quite a ride. Initially, it was embraced by millions of Americans for whom it afforded tax-subsidized health insurance without access to employer-sponsored coverage. At the same time, it was derided for increasing government sharing costs…
In February, Spirit Airlines decided to transfer a portion of its operations from Miramar, Florida, to Nashville, Tennessee. The key driver of this decision was recurring hurricane and tropical storm risk. This means a loss of 240 jobs for the Panhandle area.1 By mid-September of the 2020 hurricane season, mainland U.S. had already been hit…
Prospects for stock market growth have remained resiliently and optimistically cheerful this year, despite the nine-month-long pandemic. Unfortunately, the time may be at hand for a stock market price correction that better reflects the state of the global economy. The lack of ongoing fiscal stimulus which, even if passed, may not feasibly be able to…
Prospects for stock market growth have remained resiliently and optimistically cheerful this year, despite the nine-month-long pandemic. Unfortunately, the time may be at hand for a stock market price correction that better reflects the state of the global economy. The lack of ongoing fiscal stimulus which, even if passed, may not feasibly be able…
If you received a stimulus check last spring to help cope with the financial effects of the COVID-19 virus on your household, there’s something you should know. Those funds are technically an advance rebate of a special 2020 tax credit. Many taxpayers will be able to reconcile that rebate on their 2020 return to equal…
A recent survey found that working households experiencing financial strain due to the pandemic have not been inclined to make withdrawals from their 401(k)s to help make ends meet. In fact, the vast majority haven’t even changed their rate of contributions. Instead, these households are relying on the “old standbys” of surviving during economic decline:…
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