After USMCA, Taking Aim at China?

11 October 2018 After years of describing NAFTA as "the worst trade deal in history", the Trump Administration along with Canada and Mexico signed the US Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). The White House, naturally, hails the accord as a historic triumph for American workers and farmers. Critics view the deal as a simple rebranding of [...]

Strategy 2019: Turning (Even More) Defensive!

19 September 2018 As analysts return from summer holidays, they tend to extend their earnings forecasts into the next year.  In this spirit, I am casting my strategic gaze into 2019 as well.  In order to set the stage, a brief review of our 2018 strategic themes may be helpful.  In our December essay "Aging [...]

USA and European Union: With Friends Like These…..

24 June 2018 Even in comparison with the recent deterioration in diplomatic norms, the breakdown of the recent Group of 7 meeting was breath-taking.  The long-planned gathering, cut short by US President Trump's early departure for his hastily planned Singapore summit with North Korea, began with Donald Trump's advocacy to include Russia in future occasions.  [...]

US-China Trade: Three Sides to Every Story

17 April 2018 As with any disputed relationship, there are three sides to every story: my version, their version, and the truth.  So it is with the deepening Sino-American bilateral trade conflict.  In order to reach a workable resolution to the current dispute (which I fully expect), policymakers on both sides need to consider the [...]