Executive Summary Introduction On January 17th, 2026, Mercosur—a South American customs union comprising Argentina, Bolivia (partial-member), Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—signed a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union. The deal is slated to remove around $4.8 billion in tariffs between the two economic blocs, leading to an estimated 39 percent annual growth in EU exports to Mercosur (from $72 billion in 2024 goods export) and the elimination of EU duties … Continue reading
Executive Summary: Introduction On October 9th, China imposed export controls on rare earth minerals and related technologies. Since then, rare earth minerals have been dominating news headlines, with many experts espousing the importance of reducing the U.S.’s dependence on China for these minerals. The Trump administration’s policies have heavily focused on rare earth minerals too; … Continue reading
Executive Summary: As part of his rationale for increasing tariffs, President Trump has focused on the U.S.’s trade deficits. Experts have long debated whether trade deficits matter; some argue a trade deficit simply signals that the region is attractive to foreign investment and has strong consumer demand, while others have instead contended that a trade … Continue reading
Aryan Mirchandani Executive Summary Introduction Historically, only a few technological innovations have created anticipation that rivals the likes of artificial intelligence, which has catapulted the first phase of the new productivity revolution. Proponents of AI argue that it will streamline workflows, enhance decision-making, and unlock rapid efficiencies across wide-ranging industries. The Trump Administration is making … Continue reading
Executive Summary: On February 1st, 2025, Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. Two days later, Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on these trade threats. Since then, Trump has announced a myriad of tariffs, many of which he has paused or completely revoked in the following days. … Continue reading
Executive Summary Introduction There is a housing supply shortage in the United States which is skyrocketing home prices. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Home Ownership Affordability Monitor reached 64 for the total U.S. market in May 2025. This is the lowest number on record and well below 100, the benchmark for “affordable.” In January … Continue reading
Executive Summary Introduction President Trump has long called for the U.S. to impose higher tariffs to reduce the trade deficit, which he has declared a national emergency. His administration announced unprecedented unilateral tariffs to reverse what it alleges are unfair trade practices. This strategy ignores the accounting principle known as the balance of payments: The … Continue reading
Executive Summary Introduction On June 18, the Japanese firm Nippon Steel finalized a “historic partnership” with U.S. Steel (USS), acquiring the company for nearly $15 billion. This came after years of Biden and then Trump blocking the purchase due to national security concerns. The deal was finally allowed soon after President Trump was promised a … Continue reading
Executive Summary Introduction Although President Trump has paused his April 2 “Liberation Day” tariffs for 90 days, he continues to threaten immanent sector-specific tariffs. The threatened sectors include pharmaceuticals, copper, lumber, semiconductors, chemicals and minerals, and energy, which combined account for roughly 20-percent of U.S. imports and include most products initially exempted from “Liberation Day” … Continue reading
Executive Summary Introduction Since the beginning of 2025, sweeping layoffs across the federal government have resulted in the dismissal of over 30,000 employees. The primary sector of federal workers facing cuts are those in their probationary period. Civil servants remain on probation for one year after they are hired, promoted, or demoted. While on probation, … Continue reading
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