In a continued downward trend, expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses decreased by $24.9 billion, or 14.2 percent. At $151.0 billion, they were below the annual average of $277.2 billion for 2014–2023. In a new release today by the U.S Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, expenditures by […]
Tag: Tariffs
American consumers pull back spending amid Trump policy chaos
With ongoing uncertainty from the Administration regarding international trade, American consumers are anxious and have reduced their spending substantially in May. Retailers experienced their second consecutive month of plummeting consumer spending. And the decline is growing. After a slight decline of just -0.1% in April – May retail sales fell off the proverbial cliff, […]
U.S. trade policy chaos expected to spur Global economic slowdown
With the world’s largest economy sputtering amid ongoing chaotic tariff and trade policy, the World Bank released its twice-annual Global Economic Prospects report on June 10. The report slashed its annual U.S. growth rate from 2.3% – which it had predicted just six months ago, to just 1.4%. If the prediction is correct, it would […]
U.S. manufacturers’ orders plunge in April under Trump Tariffs
Just last week, the White House promoted in an article, “MADE IN THE USA: President Trump’s Vision is Revitalizing American Industry,” how Trump’s policies were ‘working’ to rebuild America’s manufacturing sector. However, new economic data released today from the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau showed that new orders for U.S.-manufactured goods plunged sharply in April. The […]
Trump’s tariffs spur unprecedented stockpiling of foreign goods
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced on Tuesday that Americans went on a no-holds-barred foreign goods shopping spree like no other. The goods and services trade deficit was an astounding $140.5 billion in March, with total imports of $419.0 billion! In total, the trade deficit increased by $17.3 billion from February. […]
Price transparency for consumers – a ‘hostile and political act’ in Trump’s world
In a truly bizarre press briefing this morning, the Administration’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that a reported measure by Amazon to start displaying the cost of tariffs next to the total price of products on the site was a “hostile and political act.” Really? Showing consumers the actual cost of the goods they purchase […]
A ‘bonanza’ of lies for America – Trump proposes ‘make-believe’ tax policy
In a typical short-on-details, big-on-claims Truth Social post on Sunday, President Trump touted a ‘make-believe’ tax benefit that could come from his chaotic tariff plan. Trump stated that “when Tariffs cut in, many people’s Income Taxes will be substantially reduced, maybe even completely eliminated. Focus will be on people making less than $200,000 a year […]
Pre-tariff panic buying drives the auto sector as consumers look to avoid Trump’s chaos
March consumer retail spending data came in hotter than expected yesterday – led by surging motor vehicle and parts sales. Up a whopping 5.3% month-over-month, auto and auto parts sales seem to have been impacted by those consumers who wanted to get ahead of looming 25% tariffs that took effect on April 2. Consumers spent […]
Working double (or triple) duty? The new normal in Trump’s ‘golden age of America’
“The golden age of America has only just begun,” President Trump said at the beginning of March during his speech at the Joint Session of Congress. “It will be like nothing that has ever been seen before.” One must wonder if the growing number of Americans working multiple jobs to afford the Trump era really […]
Never let facts get in the way of a good spin story
Yesterday, on ABC News This Week, Jonathan Karl interviewed United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. The interview covered various issues related to the Administration’s chaotic tariff policy. Partway through the interview, Lutnick made an awkward transition away from the topic at hand – the recent, seemingly last-minute flip-flop on specific electronics tariffs – and […]