The US is running an $800 billion annual trade deficit in traditional goods and services. Yet, because Americans consistently earn a higher return on their investments abroad than foreigners earn on their US investments, US debt is rising at perhaps only half the rate that it might otherwise.
华尔街和其他地区的金融业所赚取的惊人的利润同时也给宏观经济带来了巨大的影响。美国在传统商品和服务上每年的贸易赤字为8000亿美元。然而，因为美国人在对外投资上始终比外国人在美国的投资赚取高得多的回报，因此美国债务的增长速度也许只有其本应有的一半左右。