Weekly Econ Articles
Airline Profits, the Giants, PPI, Trade, and a Game of Chicken
Costs of Production: You’re paying $383 for a plane ticket. About $3.80 is profit for US airlines | Sherwood News
Most US airlines are seeing a drop in revenue per passenger in 2025, which partly explains why entry into the airline industry has been comparatively low, with only 2 new market entries.
Price System: Eli Manning says he's no longer interested in buying a piece of the NFL's Giants: 'It's too expensive for me' | CNBC
Valuations of NFL teams are on the upswing, pricing out even former Giants quarterback Eli Manning from buying a 1% share in his former team.
Inflation: China’s producer prices fall 3.6% in June, biggest drop in nearly two years as deflation deepens | CNBC
Excess inventory, in part a build up from lower exports to the US, is pushing Chinese producers to lower prices to get rid of excess inventory, prompting the ire of Chinese policymakers who have criticized the price cuts and vowed to tighten regulations on aggressive price-cutting.
Game Theory: Game of chicken: Eric Adams, Cuomo want each other out of NYC mayoral race | Politico
NYC mayoral candidates Adams and Cuomo are engaged in a classic game of chicken–if both candidates stay they split the vote on candidates looking for Zohran alternatives, but if one drops, the other sees a path to victory.
Trade and specialization: Trump threatens 20 countries with new tariffs by Aug. 1 | CBS News
The 90 day tariff pause has been extended to Aug. 1. Trump has recently sent letters to 20 countries, including South Korea and Japan, to inform them of their new tariff rate.
Trade and Specialization: Where does the US get its copper? | Reuters
Trump just announced plans for a 50% tariff on imported copper. But it’s not part of Trump’s trade war with China. Half of the copper used in the US comes from Arizona, and 90% of the remaining half comes from the Americas-Chile, Peru, and Canada.
Trade and Specialization: How US buyers of critical minerals bypass China's export ban | Reuters
“The U.S. imported 3,834 metric tons of antimony oxides from Thailand and Mexico between December and April, U.S. customs data show. That was more than almost the previous three years combined.” Just because something isn’t legal doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.