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Economy Economy
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Trade War Continues: China's imports tumble as demand stutters

Trade War Continues: China's imports tumble as demand stutters

China’s latest import and export numbers are out, and let me tell you, they’re not pretty. Imports tanked, exports lost their mojo, and the trade war with the U.S. is heating up faster than a summer scorcher in Texas.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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Pesticides Aren’t Just Killing Pests—They’re Gutting Our Ecosystems

Pesticides Aren’t Just Killing Pests—They’re Gutting Our Ecosystems

A groundbreaking study led by Chinese researchers, published in Nature Communications, dropped this week like a grenade in a greenhouse. After analyzing 880,000 pesticide use cases, the verdict is brutal.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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China’s Retail War Just Went Nuclear — And Your Brand’s in the Blast Zone

China’s Retail War Just Went Nuclear — And Your Brand’s in the Blast Zone

JD.com didn’t “beat earnings.” It dropped a $48 billion GDP nuke on China’s retail sector—and the fallout’s about to scorch Main Street, USA.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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The Silicon Handshake: Alibaba & Apple’s Dance of the Damned

The Silicon Handshake: Alibaba & Apple’s Dance of the Damned

When your innovation engine sputters, you hitch a ride with China’s battered tech prince—regulatory handcuffs included. Apple's move to try and stay relevant in the fastest moving economy.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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The Gray Ceiling: You’re Too Old to Work, Too Young to Retire

The Gray Ceiling: You’re Too Old to Work, Too Young to Retire

A Guangzhou trash gig wanted workers under 35. The backlash exposed a brutal truth: In China, your career shelf life can end before you even have a chance to have a midlife crisis.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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The Postal Heist

The Postal Heist

How Temu Sellers Are Hijacking USPS to Fuel America’s Cheap-Shit Addiction

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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China’s Luxury Sector Bets on “Employee Influencers” to Survive the Storm

China’s Luxury Sector Bets on “Employee Influencers” to Survive the Storm

China’s Luxury Market Isn’t Dying—It’s Holding a Mutiny. How Minimum-Wage Clerks With Xiaohongshu Accounts Are Outselling Gucci, Why Chanel’s Secret Salons for Oligarchs Are Backfiring, and What Your Brand Can Steal From the Chaos Era.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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Trump’s Tariff Tango: Temu Twirls, Shein Stumbles

Trump’s Tariff Tango: Temu Twirls, Shein Stumbles

Trump’s $800 loophole slaughter left Shein gasping for air freight. Temu? Already building arks of ocean containers and U.S. warehouses. Lesson: In trade wars, the quick drown the quicker.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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Trump’s Tariff Gambit: Trade Wars, Fentanyl, and the Fight for Economic Dominance

Trump’s Tariff Gambit: Trade Wars, Fentanyl, and the Fight for Economic Dominance

With sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, the U.S. reignites a global trade war. But beneath the surface, this move isn’t just about fentanyl or immigration—it’s about reshaping the rules of the global economic game.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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Electric Dreams, Battery Nightmares: The Real Story Behind China’s EV Boom

Electric Dreams, Battery Nightmares: The Real Story Behind China’s EV Boom

From record-breaking EV sales to the mounting costs of battery replacements, get the gritty details behind the country’s domination of the electric vehicle scene and the price of being the best.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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China’s Economic Playbook for 2025: Same Problems, New Wrapping Paper

China’s Economic Playbook for 2025: Same Problems, New Wrapping Paper

A breakdown of China’s Central Economic Work Conference: the strategies, the spin, and how it could shape your next move for this year.

Stephen Bivens
Economy Economy
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China’s Fiscal Flex: A Promise to Rev Up Growth in 2025

China’s Fiscal Flex: A Promise to Rev Up Growth in 2025

After a year of stagnant growth and subdued consumer confidence, Beijing is going all-in with aggressive fiscal measures to reignite its economy and stabilize its housing market.

Stephen Bivens