Ghoul Patrol

[Dennis Robert Redmond]

Based on the Fed's March 7 release of their flow-of-funds numbers, the US
net international investment position as a % of GDP now looks like the
following:

1999  -21.5%
2000  -22.9%
2001  -26.7%

Also, corporate profits as a % of GDP peaked in 1997 at 10.02% of GDP, the
highest since 1968, but slumped since then to 7.33%, despite subzero
interest rates. Decade averages of the same statistic show a sluggish
upturn, which may (or may not) be the sign of another Long Boom:

1950-59: 10.58%
1960-69: 10.67%
1970-79: 8.59%
1980-89: 6.44%
1990-99: 8.33%

-- Dennis