On The Numbers Archives

The U.S. dollar last week appeared mercifully to end its plunge. World markets cheered, and the immediate financial crisis in the U.S. abated. But this week the dollar is retesting all-time lows versus the euro and yen, and commodity prices, capital flows, and trade remain vulnerable to its movements. Inflation in dollar-linked China is rising fast, and an over-strong yen could thwart Japan's recent recovery after its painful 1990s deflation. In the U.S., currency swings are destabilizing the economy and fueling anti-trade populism. After a decade of wild instability, it's time to rethink global currency markets and monetary policies.

Over the past few months we have followed the turmoil in Pakistan closely. In the mad dash to come out with analysis after the election, Gallup Pakistan is leading the pack with a set of polls that are giving a world of insight into the way Pakistanis are thinking about the election.