exports

Chinese New Year kicked off on Monday, and the celebration of the new lunar cycle will effect you than you might think. When the country that manufactures so much of what we buy goes on vacation for two weeks, U.S. retail can hardly act like it's business as usual.

The U.S. stock market's recent gyrations have many investors ready to look overseas for better returns. But it's a complicated world out there, which is why many less-experienced investors are still sitting on the global sidelines. Here's what you need to know make investing in emerging markets a little less scary.

How many problems with the U.S. economy would be solved if more people bought American, and if more companies would were willing to help them do so by manufacturing here? Joel Joseph of the Made in the USA Foundation thinks it would help plenty, and he's honoring those that have taken the lead.

Unilever, the second largest consumer goods company in the world, recently announced plans to build one of its largest production bases in China. Unilever already has sales in China worth over $20 billion and anticipates a substantial increase in this figure in the years ahead.

Detroit's revival is nearly complete: Chrysler recently made its first profit in five years, Ford has posted its best results since 1998, and GM is poised to retake the crown as the world's biggest automaker. But to hold onto that position, GM will have to adjust to a rapidly shifting auto market.

U.S. consumers already have been hit with higher prices for food and fuel. But the rising prices won't stop there. The weak dollar means that prices for imported goods -- and components -- are headed up, further boosting inflation.

The Group of Seven countries on Thursday agreed to intervene to reduce the value of the Japanese yen, which has surged to record levels after last week's earthquake and tsunami. A strong yen could cripple the country's exports and further damage its economy.

This week, President Obama announced that he's nominating Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as U.S. Ambassador to China. There are several short-list contenders to replace Locke at Commerce, but the question is: Who would best be able to help Obama double U.S. exports in the next five years?

The U.S. manufacturing sector is a sight for sore eyes: After more than a year of expansion, it's still growing, as American factories continue to churn out the equipment, machines and products that emerging-market nations need to develop their infrastructures.

Among the questions investors now face: How much rally is left in cotton since skyrocketing 171% already in a year? Among the variables to consider are weather, demand and how much more land gets devoted to cotton. Analysts point to better and worse ways to play this commodity.