(The opinions expressed here are those of the authors.)

By Anna Szymanski

Aug 7 (Reuters) - Looking for inspiration? Every Friday,

Weekend Reads rounds up what the Reuters Open Interest team has

been reading, watching and listening to.

This week's picks explore America's reliance on Chinese goods,

U.S. economic overheating, geothermal power, green steel and

risks emanating from the bond market.

This weekend, we're reading...

MIKE DOLAN, ROI Finance & Markets Columnist: Mary Lovely and

Christine Wan of Washington's Peterson Institute examine how

U.S. policymakers have made little progress in reducing

America's dependence on Chinese-made goods and services, despite

years of trying. Although direct trade fell sharply in the seven

years through 2024, combined direct and indirect trade -

including goods made elsewhere with Chinese components -

declined by just 2 percentage points, raising the question of

whether the latest round of tariffs will have a similarly

limited impact.

CLYDE RUSSELL, ROI Asia Commodities and Energy Columnist: This

insightful piece from nonprofit news organisation Dialogue Earth

asks whether the Iran war has set back the shift toward green

steel. Without giving away the conclusion, it appears that the

conflict may be a short-term negative but potentially a

longer-term positive.

JAMIE MCGEEVER, ROI Markets Columnist: If elevated U.S.

inflation returns to target without tighter monetary or fiscal

policy, it would be a minor miracle. Why? Because the U.S.

economy is overstimulated and at risk of overheating. This might

seem puzzling in light of slowing real GDP, chaotic politics and

global conflict, but my ROI colleague Mike Dolan explains why in

this compelling column.

GAVIN MAGUIRE, ROI Global Energy Transition Columnist: This

report from the Energy Transitions Commissionargues that

geothermal power could solve multiple energy challenges

worldwide, thanks to recent breakthroughs in drilling

techniques, alongside successful pilot projects in

non-traditional locations.

We're listening to...

RON BOUSSO, ROI Energy Columnist: This podcast from the Oxford

Institute for Energy Studies examines the long-term impact of

the Iran war on the energy sector and the global economy.

And we're watching...

JAMIE MCGEEVER, ROI Markets Columnist: The last few weeks have

been seismic for world markets. We've seen the highest U.S. bond

yields since 2007, historic U.S. intervention to support the

Japanese yen, a rout in South Korea's AI-heavy stock market, and

Wall Street grinding to new highs. These might seem like

isolated events, but they're very much interconnected. Investor

and financial writer Jesse Felder explains why and explores the

risks of wider market turmoil in the latest episode of the

Wealthion investing podcast, "Could Treasury Yields Break the AI

Boom?"

Opinions expressed are those of the authors. They do not reflect

the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is

committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

(By Anna Szymanski

Editing by Marguerita Choy)