The Hale Report

econVue editor Lyric Hughes Hale is joined by George DiMartino, professor of International Economics at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. They discuss his most recent book, The Tragic Science: How economists cause harm and they aspire to do good. Economic research has life  or death policy consequences seen by economists as trade-offs—not right or wrong, in the moral sense. De Martino believes that economics is a profession in search of a standards. A surgeon can yield a scalpel, and either do harm or good. For that reason doctors are tested, licensed, and have to ascribe to a code of ethics. This is not true for economists. As he writes: “Economists wield extraordinary power—but unlike doctors or lawyers, they do so without a professional oath, license, or code of conduct. That must change.”— The Oxford Handbook of Professional Economic Ethics

Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness, dives into the dynamic landscape of U.S. innovation and competitiveness. She discusses the importance of public-private partnerships in fostering technological advancements and emphasizes the urgent need for educational reform, particularly in Chicago. Wince-Smith calls for restored federal R&D funding to boost innovation and examines the historical influence of women in shaping societies. The conversation reflects on global competitiveness and essential strategies for maintaining U.S. leadership in technology.

In the 68th episode of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale speaks with Brian McCarthy, founder of Macrolens and one of the sharpest voices on China and global macroeconomics. They discuss the latest round of U.S. tariffs, China’s mounting structural challenges, and how geopolitics and markets are colliding in 2025. Is China’s growth story over? What does that mean for investors and policymakers alike? Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on trade, deflation, financial flows—and the illusion of stability.

Lyric Hughes Hale talks markets, economics, and geopolitics with Bluford "Blu" Putnam, a distinguished economist with over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, encompassing roles in central banking, investment research, and portfolio management. Among other roles, he served as Chief Economist at CME Group. Given current market and policy volatility, he says that it is important to distinguish between uncertainty and risk.  They also talk about his new book, “The Apprenticeship of Warren Buffet”.

In Episode 66 of The Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale interviews Kerry Brown. His new book Why Taiwan Matters: A Short History of a Small Island that will Dictate Our Future was released today in the US. It is sobering and, I think, realistic. Professor Brown doesn’t see a way out of the current status quo in Taiwan:“For today, strenuous defence of the stalemate is all that we can meaningfully do. Anything else is insanity.”

My guest today is Rebecca Patterson, a distinguished American economist and investment strategist with over 25 years of experience analyzing the intersection of politics, policy, and economic trends in financial markets.

Dr. Ed Yardeni is a distinguished economist and investment strategist with over four decades of experience analyzing global financial markets. He is the President of Yardeni Research, Inc., a firm specializing in global investment strategies and asset-allocation analyses.

My guest is economist Jesper Koll, and our topic is Japan. We will be discussing how Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's recent election has introduced significant shifts in Japan's political and economic landscape.

Welcome to the 62nd episode of the Hale Report. My name is Lyric Hughes Hale, and I am editor-in-chief of EconVue and your host today, Friday, Nov 1st, 2024. My guest is Jason Furman. Professor Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the Department of Economics at Harvard University.

On the 61st episode of the Hale Report, Lyric Hughes Hale welcomes Brian Wesbury. Chief economist at First Trust LP, he has advised the Federal Reserve and Congress. Mr Wesbury is a well-known business economist and a contrarian pundit on global economic issues, and a frequent media commentator.