Inflation Undershoots Again in May —Tariff Effect Nowhere To Be Seen
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
This morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published the May consumer price index, and once again inflation has undershot Wall Street expectations.
US Trade Deficit with China Increases in April
By Steven L. Byers, PhD, CPA Senior Economist
The US international trade deficit in goods and services for April 2019 declined slightly to $50.8 billion, down $1.1 billion from $51.9 billion (revised) in March. US goods exports fell $4.4 billion, and services declined by $185 million. US...
Tax Changes May be Afoot for Multinational Entities
By David Morse, Tax Policy Associate Director
Law 360 reported this week that US Treasury officials believe multinational companies should anticipate new formulas as a part of future taxation. This is good news for companies producing in America who are tired of paying higher tax rates than many...
CPA Briefing Paper: Why Economic Forecasts of the Effects of Trade Action Are Consistently Wrong
Jeff Ferry, Chief Economist
Steven Byers Ph.D., Senior Economist
June 2019
This Briefing Paper looks at the shortcomings of economic models of trade action, their causes, and modifications to improve the accuracy of these forecasting models.
CPA Study Shows Across-the-Board China Tariff Would Boost US Economy, Create Thousands of Jobs
By Jeff Ferry and Steven L. Byers, PhD
Economic modeling results from the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) show that an across-the-board 25% tariff on all China imports would deliver a significant, sustained boost to the US economy, including the addition of $125 billion to GDP in 2024 and...
US Trade Deficit Edges Up To $50.0B as China Deficit Shrinks to Lowest in Five Years
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
The US trade deficit in goods and services edged up in March to $50.0 billion, slightly worse than February’s $49.3 billion. But the big news in today’s report from the Department of Commerce was that the US goods deficit with China has fallen significantly,...
When Chinese Networks Spy On Their Users
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
On April 30th, global wireless telecom company Vodafone went public with a statement to Bloomberg News saying that the London-based wireless provider found “hidden backdoors,” i.e. multiple security flaws in the wireless network supplied by Chinese network provider Huawei.
Does Nike Play Fair in Oregon?
By David Morse, Tax Policy Associate Director
Multinational companies are on the verge of outmaneuvering small domestic companies in Oregon by avoiding the business taxes that domestic companies pay. Specifically, Nike is close to ensuring the Oregon Joint Committee on Student Success raises taxes on businesses using a gross receipts tax...
The US is the world leader in 5G; We’re just missing one piece
By Jeff Ferry, Chief Economist
There is widespread concern in the US, ranging from cable TV shows right up to the White House, that the US is losing the race for 5G wireless networks. The concern is right, but the analysis is wrong.
February Trade Deficit Improves 3.4% To $49.4B As China Deficit Hits Best Level in 23 Months
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
The US trade deficit in goods and services for February was $49.4 billion, an improvement of 3.4 percent over the January figure of $51.1 billion, providing more evidence that tariffs are reducing the US deficit. That’s according to figures published today...
What is the Golden Age of Taxation?
By David Morse, Tax Policy Associate Director
“There is not going to be a return to a golden age of tax, this is about change,” declared Will Morris, chair of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD’s Committee on Taxation and Fiscal Policy.
January US Trade Deficit Improves By $8.8B as China Deficit Shrinks to 7-Month Low
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
The US trade deficit in January 2019 shrunk dramatically, coming in at $51.1 billion, $8.8 billion below the December level and $1.9 billion below the year-ago January level.
US Trade Deficit Hits $621B in 2018; Goods Deficit & China Deficit Hit New Records
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
Data published this morning by the Department of Commerce show that US trade figures continued to worsen in December and for the year 2018, in response to the strengthening dollar, a fast-growing US economy, and a surge in imports to front-run last year’s tariffs,...
Chinese Provinces Still Quietly Implementing Made in China 2025
By Steven Byers, CPA Senior Economist
Last summer, Chinese officials began talking about the liberalization of Chinese markets, in response to criticism of the highly nationalist and protectionist Made in China 2025 (MIC2025) strategic plan. That was in response to growing trade tensions with the US, and other foreign governments and...
Solar Power Deployments Up 4.5% Last Year as Tariffs Stimulate Manufacturing Expansion
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
The solar power industry enjoyed a healthy 2018, with solar deployments rising 4.5 percent to 11.6 Gigawatts installed last year.
New Anti-Tariff Study Again Cries “Wolf”
Erroneous 2018 Predictions Repeated
By Steven Byers, CPA Senior Economist
Nearly a year after predicting 470,000 jobs would be lost due to President Trump’s tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, Trade Partnership Worldwide has published an updated study titled “Estimated Impacts of Tariffs on the US Economy and Workers.” The new
Trade Deficit Moderates to $49.3B in November; China Deficit Improves Sharply
By Jeff Ferry
CPA Chief Economist
Trade data for November 2018 published Wednesday by the Department of Commerce indicates that the Trump Administration’s tariffs may finally be improving our balance of trade.
Why China is Losing the Trade War
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
Three things happened last week that made me feel more confident than ever that US tariffs are working and China is losing the so-called “trade war,” which is not a war at all but simply a battle to enable the US economy to stand...
Huawei’s Employee Bonus Program For Stealing Technology
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Chief Economist
On January 16th, a grand jury in the US District Court in Seattle, Washington indicted Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei for theft of trade secrets and attempting to corruptly obstruct a civil lawsuit.
GM Cutbacks Due to Offshoring, Not Tariffs
By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director
General Motors is having a very good year in 2018. That’s right. You read that right, a good year. Maybe even an excellent year.