US Should Welcome New World Order

Second-quarter growth rate higher than expected

(NEWSER) - Sumbrime-lending and housing-market woes didn't hold back the rest of the economy in the second quarter, as overall growth exceeded expectations and hit a 3.4% projected annual rate, the government said today. Economists pointed to the expanding global economy, which drives demand for exports, as well as greater business investment and government spending to explain the jump. More»

How one country ducked the economic downturn

(NEWSER) - Australia has weathered the financial crisis better than any other developed country. Last week its central bank raised interest rates, indicating its primary concern is now inflation, not growth. What were the keys? Phil Dobbie of BNET explains:

• Befriending China: Australia used to export much of what it made to the US and UK, but over the last decade much of that trade has shifted to China. In fact, some economists argue that Australia didn’t need a stimulus package—Beijing’s stimulus was enough.

Mexico contracts 21.5% as American demand dries up

(NEWSER) - Yesterday Mexico became the latest country to disclose a sharp economic contraction as a result of the slowdown in US consumption of imported goods. Mexican GDP fell at an annualized rate of 21.5% in the first quarter, following Germany, down 14.4%, and Japan, 15.2%—its worst performance since 1955. As the Wall Street Journal reports, declining US demand is taking severe effects on exporting nations. More»

Treasury seeks billions to help IMF prop up struggling nations

(NEWSER) - Tim Geithner is calling on the other G20 nations to help the US get the global economy back on its feet, the Washington Post reports. The Treasury secretary, who leaves for a G20 summit tomorrow, said in a briefing yesterday the administration plans to ask Congress for another $100 billion to help the IMF aid the worst-hit economies, and urged other leaders to substantially increase their contributions. More»

Plunging exports, protectionism undercut 'golden age'

(NEWSER) - World trade has quadrupled since 1982, but economic woes are eating away at globalization’s “golden age” as exports fall, foreign workers head home, and governments seek to protect their own, the Washington Post reports. “The collapse of globalization is absolutely possible,” said a US economist. “It happened in the 20th century in the wake of World War I and the Great Depression, and could happen again.” More»