The hottest Economics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

The Berlin Wall has fallen, but Germany remains divided

Back To Sifar • 59 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
🌍 World Politics Germany Cold War Economics Ideology Infrastructure
  1. Western and Eastern Germany remain vastly different today due to historical events like the Cold War and post-World War 2 division.
  2. Significant disparities exist between Western and Eastern Germany in areas like religion, GDP per capita, and political tendencies, reflecting the lasting impact of past economic and political decisions.
  3. Investments in developing the Eastern part of Germany are ongoing, aiming to bridge the gap and achieve true unity in the country.
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Money Market Update

Concoda • 286 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
💰 Finance Markets Investing Banking Economics Money
  1. Dollar liquidity remains high with low failures to deliver, stable bond volatility, tight dealer repo spreads, and tightening cross-currency bases
  2. Changes in the Fed's rescue mechanism are upcoming, as discussed in a recent post by Concoda
  3. Exploration of the transformation in the repo market and its potential impact on other dollar markets

Most important stories of 2023: Gaza, Ukraine, China, BRICS, dedollarization, bank crises, inflation

Geopolitical Economy Report • 617 implied HN points • 31 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics Economics Corruption
  1. The most important stories of 2023 included Gaza and Ukraine wars, US-China tensions, BRICS expansion, de-dollarization movement, inflation crisis, and bank collapses.
  2. Countries worldwide are making efforts to move away from the US dollar to challenge its dominance in global trade and geopolitical influence.
  3. US involvement in geopolitical events such as tensions with China, coup plots in Peru, and Mexico's stance on US relations continue to shape international dynamics and relations.

7 Charts Show the Housing Tipping Point Has Arrived

The New Urban Order • 199 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
💼 Business Housing Supply and Demand Real Estate Economics Urban Development
  1. There is a significant increase in multifamily housing supply, signaling a potential tipping point in the housing industry.
  2. Cities like Minneapolis that have increased housing supply are seeing a decrease in rent prices, showcasing the impact of supply and demand in the housing market.
  3. The increase in housing supply across the U.S. is leading to declines in rent prices in many major markets, demonstrating the effectiveness of increasing supply to address housing affordability.

Noah Smith, I Don't Buy The Comparative Advantage Argument

Am I Stronger Yet? • 141 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Economics Future implications Workforce Artificial Intelligence
  1. Economic models based on comparative advantage may not hold in a future dominated by AI.
  2. The argument that people will always adapt to new jobs due to comparative advantage overlooks issues like lower quality work by humans compared to AI and transactional overhead.
  3. In a world with advanced AI, confident predictions based on past economic principles may not fully apply, raising questions about societal implications and the role of humans.

Daily Chartbook #392

Daily Chartbook • 209 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
💰 Finance Economics Markets Investing Stocks
  1. Daily Chartbook provides a daily summary with 30 charts for subscribers to catch up on the day.
  2. The content of this post is for paid subscribers only, sign in or subscribe to access.
  3. Access to the Daily Chartbook is available through subscription on their website.

Nuclear Power not only should be cheap; it was cheap: 3 cents/kWh cheap.

Gordian Knot News • 307 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation Economics
  1. In the 1960s, nuclear power was as cheap as coal, at about 3.2 cents per kWh in 2024 dollars.
  2. Nuclear power plants require significantly less material and labor compared to coal plants, making them potentially cheaper to build and operate.
  3. High regulatory costs, escalating material and labor expenses, and a misdirected regulatory system have contributed to making nuclear power more expensive than it should be.

RTF Lecture Invitation: Guanzi- Introduction to 3000 Years of Chinese Economic Thought (Feb 4 at 2pm ET)

Through A Glass Darkly • 334 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Education History Philosophy World Politics Economics
  1. The Rising Tide Foundation lectures aim to showcase Chinese cultural dynamics and economic history to address misconceptions and lies about China and Russia.
  2. They emphasize the importance of gaining true insight into different cultures to develop critical thinking skills and combat misinformation.
  3. The upcoming lecture on '3000 Years of Chinese Economic Thought' will explore the origin and meaning of economics from a traditionally Chinese point of view.

The Man-Made Miracle of SpaceX

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 125 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Space Exploration Entrepreneurship Innovation Economics Telecommunications
  1. SpaceX follows a strategy of learning from failures to achieve success, as seen from their history with Falcon rockets.
  2. SpaceX's Starship program has promising advancements like successful stage separation, in-orbit fuel transfers, and potential for deep space missions.
  3. SpaceX's success and profitability are driven by innovations like reusable rockets and the Starlink satellite constellation, reshaping the space industry.

causing prosperity

bad cattitude • 165 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💰 Finance Economics Wealth Poverty Income Inequality
  1. Welfare states are not charity; they can lead to poverty traps
  2. To create prosperity, we need pillars like property rights, scientific rationalism, modern capital markets, and effective communication systems
  3. Redistribution of wealth to alleviate poverty can actually increase absolute poverty, impacting economic growth and overall wealth

Capitalism that works

Japan Optimist • 314 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
💼 Business Economics Innovation Leadership Sustainability
  1. Japan is considered a potential economic superpower and role model
  2. Japan's social resilience, political stability, corporate competitiveness, technocratic pragmatism, and private sector innovation are seen as strengths
  3. Japan's demographic destiny is viewed as a positive force for next-generation leaders, citizens, and the rising Asian middle class

Manchester United Finances Q1 2023/24

The Swiss Ramble • 373 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💰 Finance Sports Business Investments Economics Markets
  1. Manchester United announced financial results for Q1 2023/24, showing a pre-tax loss but increased revenue and profit on player sales.
  2. Revenue streams for Manchester United increased, particularly in match day, broadcasting, and commercial aspects.
  3. United's profit from player sales rose from £17m to £29m, attributed to the departure of certain players.

Banks banks banks (redux)

Yet Another Value Blog • 1022 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
💰 Finance Banking Investing Economics Markets Earnings
  1. If you're looking at banks below tangible book value, you don't need to worry much about hidden disasters on their balance sheets.
  2. Even though there are concerns like a potential commercial real estate crisis or a recession, banks seem well-prepared and overcapitalized.
  3. Rising interest rates could actually make banks more profitable due to their interest rate sensitivity.

Mental models for cybersecurity startup founders and why Microsoft cannot easily force nimble early-stage companies out of business

Venture in Security • 275 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Innovation Market Analysis Economics
  1. Large corporations like Microsoft may have resources, but they often struggle to innovate due to the innovator's dilemma.
  2. Startups need to focus on understanding market needs and finding the right distribution channels to succeed.
  3. Cybersecurity founders should consider external factors like market conditions and economic trends when planning their startup journeys.

5 Insights From Warren Buffett’s 2023 Annual Letter

Behavioral Value Investor • 193 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
💰 Finance Investing Market behavior Business Analysis Economics Regulation
  1. Good long-term businesses are harder to find than you think. Predicting long-term winners isn't easy, and financial forecasts often miss the mark. Practice humility in investing and be ready to adjust your thesis.
  2. Avoid dealing with dishonest individuals. It's difficult to spot insincerity, and once dishonesty is detected, it's best to move on immediately.
  3. Markets are still prone to irrational behavior. Human nature hasn't changed, and rapid information dissemination can lead to herd mentality and market inefficiencies. Manic behavior in markets is here to stay.

Race, IQ and Immigration

David Friedman’s Substack • 206 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Race IQ Economics Welfare
  1. IQ is heritable and may differ among different races, but claims about the intelligence of Africans remain a topic of debate.
  2. The fiscal impact of immigrants is a complex issue, with data suggesting immigrants from countries with lower national IQ may have negative fiscal impacts in welfare states.
  3. Restricting immigration from low national IQ countries is debated, with considerations about the potential benefits and drawbacks in terms of societal contributions and economic impacts.

U.S. helped Pakistan cancel elections with a controversial IMF bailout--funded by a secret Ukraine weapons program

Bad News • 1218 implied HN points • 18 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics International relations Conflict Government Economics Military
  1. The U.S. helped Pakistan cancel elections by providing an IMF bailout funded by a secret Ukraine weapons program.
  2. The IMF bailout demanded harsh structural policy reforms in Pakistan, leading to protests against soaring gas and electricity prices.
  3. The arms sales from Pakistan to the U.S. for Ukraine played a critical role in securing the IMF loan that allowed Pakistan to delay elections and deepen a crackdown on dissenters.

Apologies for yet more radio silence/forthcoming book

Building a New Economics • 275 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🚌 Education Economics Research Publishing Finance
  1. The author has been busy working on a new book and various projects for BC4LS.
  2. The new book includes chapters on economics, pricing, energy, and the role of neoclassical economics in misleading about global warming.
  3. The author plans to release the manuscript to financial supporters only to avoid jeopardizing potential sales for the publisher.

Doom and boom?

Off to Lunch • 294 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Economics Investment Government Industry Technology
  1. The next UK government will face tough economic choices post-election, with challenges in public finance and investment.
  2. Private sector growth and business breakthroughs are crucial for economic development in the UK.
  3. Birmingham is experiencing challenges due to lack of public transport investment, emphasizing the importance of private sector investment for job creation.