Commerce issues ‘historic’ final AD, CVD rulings in Chinese aluminum case

Editors note: the department of commerce is becoming very aggressive with self initiating trade enforcement cases. Wilbur Ross is doing a good job, unlike his immediate predecessors.  The Commerce Department on Wednesday announced affirmative final determinations against imports of Chinese aluminum sheet, advancing antidumping and countervailing duty investigations that were self-initiated by the agency last…

Memo: USMCA Rules of Origin, Further Details

By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director The USMCA Agreement contains rules of origin for the automotive industry that will have a wide-ranging effect on the auto industry.  They should be beneficial for US automakers, their suppliers, and autoworkers. At the headline level, automobiles will only be considered originating in North America and tariff-free if 75%…

How the U.S. Can Rebuild Its Capacity to Innovate

Editor’s note:  The US needs an industrial strategy. Our fear of picking winners is not shared by East Asia or Germany. Many U.S. firms have long had a simple mantra: “Invent here, manufacture there.” But, increasingly, those same companies are now choosing to invent as well as manufacture abroad. From automotive to semiconductors to pharma to clean energy, America’s innovation centers have…

US Manufacturing Resurgence is Broad-Based

By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director Manufacturing employment in the US has now shown year-on-year growth of more than 250,000 employees for six consecutive months, the largest and most sustained manufacturing job growth we’ve seen since 1998. Manufacturing employment may finally be on the path to a real recovery from the severe downturn that began…

US Trade Deficit Hits $54 Billion in September

Widening Trade Deficit Contrasts with Strong Jobs Picture, as China Trade Deficit Sets Another Record   The federal government’s employment report for October showed the US economy continues to perform strongly, with job growth of 250,000 in the month, including 32,000 added manufacturing jobs. Unemployment continues to be low and the labor force participation rate…