4/06/2018

So why is the US Trade Deficit going up?

From CNBC:
The U.S. trade deficit increased to a near 9½-year high in February as both exports and imports rose to record highs . . . . 
The Commerce Department said on Thursday the trade gap rose 1.6 percent to $57.6 billion. That was the highest level since October 2008 and followed a slightly downwardly revised $56.7 billion shortfall in January. . . .
The recent tax cuts that have made the US a much more attractive place to invest, causing us to run more of a surplus in the capital account (the account that looks at trading of assets between countries).  As the US becomes a more attractive place to invest, more money is invested in the US relative to other countries.  But that means, if the exchange rate is to remain constant, they will have to run a deficit in the combined goods and services accounts. 


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4/04/2018

200,000, not 800,000, attended "March for Our Lives" event

CBS notes:
More than 200,000 people attended the March for Our Lives demonstration in Washington D.C. on Saturday, according to Digital Design & Imaging Service Inc (DDIS). The Virginia-based firm uses a proprietary method for calculating crowd size using aerial photos 
The peak crowd size was 202,796 people, with a margin of error of 15 percent, the firm said. The crowd reached its largest size at 1 p.m., according to the company's estimates. . . .

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