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Japan’s economy just might be starting new chapter

The world’s third-largest economy has suffered from a caricature. Yes, Japan fell from its pinnacle in the 1990s because of a property crash, enfeebled banks and a dwindling population. But that was then. It’s not falling anymore. When Japan’s economy was stumbling, China became the darling of the commentariat, investors and multinational companies developing supply chains. The mood towards China, ...

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US makes it harder for China to cut a trade deal

As promised, US President Donald Trump has escalated his trade war against China — announcing tariffs of 10 percent on another $200 billion in goods, plus a threat to raise the levy to 25 percent next year. Nearly half of China’s exports to the US now face Trump’s taxes on trade. The president boasts that the latest measure will bring ...

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Five essential numbers for measuring an economy

When you hear about economic growth, or the size of the economy, it’s referring to gross domestic product. Invented in the 1930s, GDP measures the market value of everything produced in a country (or region, or state) in a given year. When you hear about the labor market, it usually involves the unemployment rate, which is the percent of people ...

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