The global economic environment appears to have placed the US economy at a cross roads of sorts. The stronger dollar, weaker global growth and dropping oil prices look set to undo the terms of trade that have been favorable to US producers. The consumer, in the near-term at least, becomes a beneficiary as jobs and income can grow against the backdrop of a stronger dollar effectively capping goods inflation and borrowing rates. The economy consequently begins to resemble a “lite” version of what lifted US and global activity before the recession began. Lite because the impact is unlikely to be as strong or last as long.
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