1/🧵Why US Labor Participation (LPR) so low? Look at its uncanny correlation with CNY. It gives a new perspective.
LPR peaked ~2001 when China entered WTO. As China ascended to a manufacturing superpower, US LPR fell in tandem, labor force shrank.
Did China steal US jobs?
2/🧵 Or we could say China “swapped out” US jobs. Ricardo thought countries gain by trading with respective comparative advantages.
But if U is at top of supply chain while C at bottom, U’s low-end jobs are permanently lost, while C supplies cheaper but not better products.
3/🧵 so as China grew, US low-end jobs lost but unemployable at high-end. LPR fell across age groups, but particularly in less educated, younger groups. Rising social costs.
Then China climbs up the supply chain & eventually competes with US. Hence trade war & Thucydides Trap.
On the All-hands National Video Conf to steady the economy: only marginal details over the state council meeting over the weekend, which was met by market plunge on Monday; 90bn trucks, 40bn micro loans, -140bn tax, 320bn social security delayed (1/N)
Rhetorics suggests some room for monetary maneuvering later. But recognition of policies in 2020 means no flooding the system for now. Mortgage rate already lower, property policy city-specific, but unlikely effective cos weak confidence & income. No surprise again.
As the market had a chance to plunge after the state council meeting, & news marginally positive from the videoconf, traders less likely downside-biased while waiting for more detailed policies to come through — still stuck.