As of today, the U.S. government’s current deficit and debt are indeed currently at unprecedented levels for peacetime—once we account for them appropriately.
Since 2003, prices of basic agricultural commodities have skyrocketed worldwide, threatening to
further impoverish hundreds of millions. Supply and demand are only part of the story. Read more »
If current policies do not change, it is estimated that, taken as a whole, up to five million homeowners could lose their homes due to foreclosure over the next few years. Which policies would truly help homeowners at risk? Read more »
France's sans-papiers (literally, “without papers”), as undocumented immigrants are called, have recently taken a dramatic step out of the shadows—by occupying their workplaces. Read more »
Through the alchemy of comparative advantage, Haitian "mud cookies," a traditional remedy for hunger pangs, could become the country's most valuable commodity. Read more »
A former insider answers the questions: How do private equity firms make
money? How do private equity firms affect the distribution
of financial risk in society as a whole? And how does the
regulatory landscape in the United States give private equity
firms an advantage in the market? | Order this issue or subscribe.
The Global Oil Market
Paul Cummings
Why are oil prices skyrocketing? Many economists and
business analysts like to talk about "the fundamentals": supply (constrained) and demand (strong). But in fact the so-called fundamentals tell us little about why oil prices are rising rapidly. | Order this issue or subscribe.