News & Updates:

• 
  White House Eyes Infrastructure Win, Chinese Economy Cools
  Trump signed an executive order on infrastructure. California and other states and municipalities have sued the Trump Administration over funding cuts for sanctuary cities. The US is seeing gains to spending, as China’s economy starts to cool down.
• 
  Obamacare Rate Deadlines Pushed Back as Inflation Stalls
  Insurance companies are waiting to hear about the future of Obamacare. The EPA is looking to roll back standards for fuel economy despite industry pushback. Inflation continues to rise slowly and the housing market is becoming increasingly unaffordable.
• 
  Brazil’s Economic Crisis and the Future of BRICS Countries

  In hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic games in 2016, the Brazilian economy may appear to be on the up-and-up. Once the booming center of Latin America, Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill thought Brazil worthy of the now-famous “BRICS” moniker in 2001, placing it among economic powerhouses Russia, China, India, and South Africa. [1] As of late, however, Brazil has suffered a fall from grace; 0.1% GDP growth in 2014 followed by 3.8% and 3.3% declines in 2015 and 2016 respectively. [2]

• 
  Inflation Vexes Central Banks as Republicans Start Bipartisan Health Work
  The GOP has moved the debate over the future of healthcare back to the committees, increasing hope that they will return to bipartisanship. Republican governors are also working to reform healthcare within their states. Jobless claims have continued to fall as the labor market tightens, but despite this, inflation continues to stagnate.
• 
  Will the U.S. Economy Recapture Past Growth?
  Faculty Affiliate Professor Jeremy Siegel leads a discussion between Northwestern University Professors Robert Gordon and Joel Mokyr.