New Steel Trade Measures Needed as Import Issues Impact Additional Plants
The continued influx of ever cheaper steel imports, particularly steel rebar and steel wire rod, is posing a serious threat to U.S. steel producers.
JQI Dips Due to Declining Wages in Several Sectors as November Jobs Total Bounces Back from Low October Level
The November JQI fell substantially, decreasing by about 0.5%. One of the major reasons behind this decline is falling wages for Electrical equipment manufacturing and Support activities for air transportation.
U.S. Manufacturing’s Shrinking Share of GDP and How to Catch Up
U.S. manufacturing has fallen from 21-25% of GDP in 1950s to about 10% today. The decline is worse than the average of first world developed countries. The result is an unbalanced economy excessively dominated by services and imports.
October Job Report Far Below Expectations, Total Private Sector and Manufacturing Employment Drop, JQI Flat
The U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index (JQI) is now 83.59, essentially flat with only a 0.01% increase compared to last month. Meanwhile, the overall October 2024 Jobs Report from the government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics showed only 12,000 jobs added in October.
Keynes’ Support for Broad Tariffs
Keynes believed that free trade could exacerbate domestic unemployment and economic imbalances and argues for the use of tariffs and trade protections to safeguard national industries, preserve employment, and promote the balance of trade.
How Tariffs Benefit the Working Class and Reduce Income Inequality
Tariffs are a progressive policy that reverse the negative economic effects of free trade, creating good-paying jobs, boosting working-class income, and reducing income inequality.
Economic View: Tariffs Done Right Can Rebuild Our Economy
Proposals for new tariffs face a lot of criticism these days, from the media, from economists, and from foreign policy types. Part of the reason is that it’s Donald Trump making the proposals and many in those groups don’t like Trump. But the fact is that tariffs can work to build our economy. They have worked before and they have worked recently as well.
Currency Misalignment Monitor, October 2024
The U.S. dollar remains at about the same worldwide valuation in our latest quarterly Misalignment Monitor, continuing to create a double-digit import incentive to the great disadvantage of domestic U.S. producers.
Harley-Davidson Moves More Production to Thailand, Thanks to Thai Tariffs and Tax Incentives
Harley-Davidson announced it is moving production of its Pan America, Sportster, and Nightster bike models from the U.S. to Thailand. Harley’s growing Thailand production is directly incentivized by 60% Thai motorcycle tariffs and corporate tax breaks.
Job Quality Index Rises For Fourth Straight Month, But Far Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
The U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index (JQI) was 83.10 in August compared with 82.99 in July, the fourth straight month of growth after bottoming out in March of this year.
