Should We Worry about Trade Imbalances?

Thomas Lubik and Timothy Sablik

Richmond Fed Economic Brief, 2017, issue October

Abstract: Trade imbalances are a perennial concern for policymakers and the public. But what does it mean for a country to have a trade surplus or deficit? The United States has run persistent trade deficits since the late 1970s, while Germany has had trade surpluses since the 1990s. Is either position inherently good or bad? The answer to this fundamental question of economic policy is a resounding "no" ? up to a point.

Keywords: Trade; trade imbalances (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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