Monthly Archives: February 2007

What is the purpose of health insurance?

Tyler Cowen is in a provocative mood today, in a post on adverse selection and health insurance: When I argue that adverse selection is not the key, I hear a common response: "*You* try getting insurance after you have been … Continue reading

Posted in Econoblog | 1 Comment

Inflation “to blame” for high Q4 GDP

Floyd Norris unpacks the Q4 GDP numbers in the NYT, and concludes that Lower inflation and improved exports made a mediocre quarter appear much better than it was. Nouriel Roubini has much the same conclusion, but cites consumer spending as … Continue reading

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Hedge funds: Not just carry-traders!

First, Sushil Wadhwani closed his flagship $1 billion global macro hedge fund, which lost money in 2006. Reports Edward Chancellor at Breaking Views: Wadhwani believed that the gaping US trade deficit would push down the value of the dollar against … Continue reading

Posted in Econoblog | 2 Comments

How about a windfall tax on oil companies?

Robert Reich, divining no "intestinal fortitude" on the part of the Democrats for a carbon tax, reckons that a windfall tax on oil company earnings is the next best thing: The Dems should propose a temporary windfall profits tax on … Continue reading

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Is there a role for the IMF?

It’s not just Martin Hutchinson who looks at the IMF’s report on financing its running costs and sees a picture of obsolescence. The Economist, too, is getting in on the act: Mr Crockett’s team wants the fund to fund itself … Continue reading

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The new felixsalmon.com

Some big news: felixsalmon.com has, overnight, become a finance and economics blog. If you haven’t been here before, welcome – and if you’re a regular reader, I promise I Stefan will set up a page very soon which excludes the … Continue reading

Posted in Announcements, Econoblog | 26 Comments

Why do the Democrats oppose Bush’s health plan?

Dean Baker is an excellent blogger, and was the first person that I know of to pick up on the fact that President Bush’s health plan could decimate the social security benefits of the working poor: a very important, and … Continue reading

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