Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (15) |
Author: albaby1 SILVER
SHREWD
  😊 😞

Number: of 84351 
Subject: Re: Trump Steps on his own Trade Policy
Date: 05/13/25 12:25 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 10
The equation for national income is:

GDP = C + I + G + (Net exports)


That's the wrong equation. I was referring to the national saving and investment identity:

S +  (M – X) = I +  (G – T)

S = savings
M = imports
X = exports
I = investment
G = government spending
T = taxation.

Basically, it just illustrates that your nation's current account and capital account have to balance. By definition. The exchange rate will adjust so that capital inflows match current account outflows, or vice-versa in a country running a current account surplus. So if you increase your capital account inflows (by increasing foreign direct investment), you have to have an increase in your current account outflows (a higher trade deficit), other things being equal.

We have a big trade deficit (M - X), because we have both a big government deficit (G - T) and a lot of investment in our country (I) that isn't funded by our savings (S). So if Trump is out there driving up more FDI, that's going to increase the trade deficit. Because again, the current and capital accounts have to balance.

Here's a good explainer:

https://opened.cuny.edu/courseware/lesson/536/over...
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to albaby1 here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 84,309 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
It's going to get worse · 33 recs · 2025
G’day Donny · 30 recs · 2026
Old Related Story · 28 recs · 2026
HCR is a national treasure · 27 recs · 2025
Fascism in America · 27 recs · 2025
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (15) |


Announcements
US Policy FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of Politics | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community