Category Archives: Economic fundamentals

Fixing the Panama Canal

The impact of the reduction in Panama Canal capacity illustrates choices we will have to make. Some are more pro-survival than others

Thomas Friedman Is Wrong (Again) on Who Failed Peace in Israel/Palestine

US and Israeli policies sank any hope for a stable Palestinian state by intentionally sabotaging economic progress in the West Bank and Gaza.

Odds of US Bank Failures Rise with Office Space Loan Losses, Fed Interest Rate Mismanagement

US bank pain: Loans for urban office buildings come a cropper as they were already suffering other interest rate losses.

Unhappy New Year: How Austerity is Making a Comeback in Berlin and Brussels

How EU states are still trapped in their self-devised austerity hairshirt.

From the Great Divergence to South-South Divergence

A discussion of the need to replace the Great Divergence framework illustrates how economists often cling to outdated ideas.

Status of US Dollar as Global Reserve Currency and USD Exchange Rates: Long, Slow, Uneven Decline Continues

China’s renminbi keeps losing ground. But tiny “other” reserve currencies combined are taking share from the US dollar.

Prof. Michael Hudson, World Predictions for 2024 (USA, UN, Palestine, Russia And BRICS)

Michael Hudson pulls out his crystal ball to forecast what might be in store for 2024.

India’s Russian Oil Imports Helped Prevent A Global Polycrisis

India makes a bold claim about spillover benefits from having ignored Western sanctions on Russian oil.

Europe’s Bad China Bluff

A show of Europe’s leaders eyepoking China to try to shift blame for their policy failings.

Breaking News: Chinese, Iranian and Indian Warships Are Now in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden

As the Red Sea has become a new hot spot, more countries are sending warships to prevent mischief…potentially not just from the Houthis.

World Bank Enables Private Capture of Profits, Public Resources

The World Bank insists on private finance or economic recovery but does little to ensure profit-hungry commercial finance serves the public

This Generation’s Problem: Climate Chaos

Climate-change-induced extreme events look more and more imminent.

As Russia Signals It Can Achieve Maximalist Aims in Ukraine, How Would Russia Manage Kiev and Western Ukraine?

Russia is presumably thinking hard about not just how to conclude the war in Ukraine, but what happens the morning after.

Yanis Varoufakis: Europe’s 15-Year Slump

The survival of the euro has come at the cost of Europe’s permanent stagnation and continuing fragmentation

Rich Nations, IMF Deepen World Stagnation

With the Fed raising interest rates, IMF surcharges worsen debt distress in the global South, increasing poverty worldwide.