Editors note: Kaplan misses the fact that we are underemployed according to our job quality index. www.jobqualityindex.com Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan says that he views the labor market as “likely at or past” full employment, hinting that Kaplan may see a weaker case for lowering interest rates. [Brian Cheung | February 18, 2020 |…

Editors note: China reducing tariffs is only a fraction of the issue. Since the government makes purchasing decisions, little matters except whether the government actually makes the decision to purchase. BEIJING (Reuters) – China will grant exemptions on retaliatory duties imposed against 696 U.S. goods, the most substantial tariff relief to be offered so far,…

Editors note: The Department of Commerce is doing some good work on economic security issues versus China. WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration is considering changing U.S. regulations to allow it to block shipments of chips to Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL] from companies such as Taiwan’s TSMC (2330.TW), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, two sources familiar…

Editors note: The increased trade deficit with EU transfers many good paying US jobs to Europe. Supporting their efforts towards full employment. Causing low quality job underemployment here. Dollar overvaluation needs to be eliminated. Europe’s surplus, a bone of contention for the president, rises amid efforts toward a new EU trade deal [Paul Hannon and…

Editors note: Germany is the country that is breaking up Europe because of its trade surplus and sucking the economic life out of the peripheral countries. Germany accounts for nearly one-third of the euro area economy, and its bilateral goods trade with Europe and the U.S. represented last year 1.8 trillion euro ($2 trillion). [Dr.…

Editors note: George Soros is a China hawk. Sensibly advising Europeans to abandon their appeasement and engagement strategy. Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states at the EU-China summit in Leipzig in September. Europeans need to understand that they will hand him a much-needed…

Editors Note: Deliveries of this high technology product should be stopped. At least until China starts delivering their high tech products to us. CFM, a joint venture between GE and France’s Safran, is asking for a license to export more LEAP 1C jet engines to China [Ted Mann and Bob Davis | February 16, 2020 |…

Editor’s note. Admiral Rogers sounded the alarm on China while in the Obama administration. His analysis is quite good.   Admiral Michael Rogers, former head of the U.S. National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, was instrumental in some of the early intelligence reporting that put Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE on the radar…

Editor’s note: Well said Dr. Navarro. Navarro says coronavirus is ‘wake-up call’ to create American pharmaceutical supply chain [James Politi | February 12, 2020 | FT] Peter Navarro, a senior trade adviser to Donald Trump, has urged the US to reduce its reliance on pharmaceutical and medical supply imports from China and the rest of…

Editor’s Note: Zach Mottl is chief alignment officer of Atlas Tool Works, in Lyons, Ill. He serves on the board of directors of CPA, and is a past chairman of the Technology and Manufacturing Association of Illinois. Tariffs are depriving Beijing of money it needs to expand brutal regime [Zach Mottl | February 13, 2020 |…