Why a Single Currency Works in the US, but Not Very Well in Europe: Three Minimal Conditions for the Eurozone to Function

Posted on by Farok J. Contractor

© 2015 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University America has been using a single currency since 1793, when the United States Mint in Philadelphia first began issuing US dollar coins. However, it is not the longevity of a currency that determines whether it succeeds, but institutional mechanisms. Such mechanisms are weak or lacking in Europe. … Continue reading Why a Single Currency Works in the US, but Not Very Well in Europe: Three Minimal Conditions for the Eurozone to Function

Is China set to become the world’s largest economy in 2015?

Posted on by Farok J. Contractor

© 2015 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University The business press has been excitedly predicting the day when the Chinese economy will surpass that of the US in size. Just when this will happen has been a matter for debate—estimates have ranged from 2016 to 2025. In order to compare a nation’s economic size to that of … Continue reading Is China set to become the world’s largest economy in 2015?

Whither the Chinese Yuan? Is the RMB Still Undervalued?

Posted on by Farok J. Contractor

© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University Introduction to my May 8, 2014 YaleGlobal Online article: “Renminbi Undervalued? Think Again” The exchange rate between the US dollar and the Chinese Renminbi Yuan (RMB) is of crucial importance to both the American and Chinese economies since the bilateral trade between the two nations (imports plus exports) is nearing … Continue reading Whither the Chinese Yuan? Is the RMB Still Undervalued?

The US – One of the World’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Locations?

Posted on by Farok J. Contractor

© 2014 Prof. Farok J. Contractor, Rutgers University In 2012, I was one of the observers who indicated that American manufacturing productivity was, by far, the best in the world. (See my August 7, 2012 Yale Global Online article “7 Reasons to Expect US Manufacturing Resurgence,” which provided figures from the International Monetary Fund and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.) In … Continue reading The US – One of the World’s Most Competitive Manufacturing Locations?