Category Archive: 5) Global Macro

Proving Q2 GDP The Anomaly, Incomes Yet Again Fail To Accelerate

One day after reporting a slightly better number for Q2 GDP, the BEA reports today that there is little reason to suspect it was anything more or lasting. The data for Personal Income and Spending shows that the dominant condition since 2012 remains in effect – “good” quarters, or whatever passes for one these days, are the anomaly. There still is no meaningful rebound in income.

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The Two Parts of Bubbles

What makes a stock bubble is really two parts. Most people might think those two parts are money and mania, but actually money supply plays no direct role. Perceptions about money do, even if mistaken as to what really takes place monetarily from time to time. In fact, for a bubble that would make sense; people are betting in stocks on one monetary view that isn’t real, and therefore prices don’t match what’s really going on.

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Why Wages Have Lost Ground in the 21st Century

One of the enduring mysteries for conventional economists is why wages aren't rising for the bottom 95% even as unemployment is low and hiring remains robust. According to classical economics, the limited supply of available workers combined with strong demand for workers should push wages higher.

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Jim Rogers 2017 ✪ GoldSeek Radio SEPT 2, 2017 CHARLES HUGH SMITH & JIM ROGERS

Jim Rogers 2017 ✪ GoldSeek Radio SEPT 2, 2017 CHARLES HUGH SMITH & JIM ROGERS #CLIFHIGH #CLIFHIGH2017 #CLIFHIGHTHISWEEK #CLIFHIGHNEW #CLIFHIGHTODAY #CLIFHIGHBITCOIN #CLIFHIGHWILLEND #CLIFHIGHREVIEWS #JIMROGERS #JIMROGERS2017 #JIMROGERSTHISWEEK #JIMROGERSNEW #ECONOMIST #FINANCIAL #JIMROGERSTODAY #JIMROGERSONBITCOIN Jim Rogers This Week: https://goo.gl/4iebdy Jim Willie 2017 Reviews: https://goo.gl/4iebdy Subcribers For Chanel:...

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Emerging Markets: What has Changed

India Prime Minister Modi has started a cabinet shuffle. Freeport McMorAn ceded control of the world’s second largest copper mine to the Indonesian government. Central Bank of Russia took over Bank Otkritie, once Russia’s largest private bank. Kenya’s top court nullified last month’s presidential election. Fitch cut Qatar’s rating by one notch to AA- with negative outlook.

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Moscow Rules (for ‘dollars’)

In Ian Fleming’s 1959 spy novel Goldfinger, he makes mention of the Moscow Rules. These were rules-of-thumb for clandestine agents working during the Cold War in the Soviet capital, a notoriously difficult assignment. Among the quips included in the catalog were, “everyone is potentially under opposition control” and “do not harass the opposition.” Fleming’s book added another, “Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an enemy...

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Corruption in Brazil: the scam that put politicians behind bars | The Economist

Brazilian politicians and business leaders are heavily involved in what might be the world’s biggest corruption scandal. An investigation that started in a Brazilian car wash has spread to 16 countries, embroiled more than 100 politicians and business leaders and put billionaires behind bars. But there is a silver lining to the chaos Click here …

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Jeffrey Snider Evolution of Eurodollars, Money as interbank liabilities

Jeffrey Snider: Eurodollar University Part 1 —————— Erik Townsend welcomes back Jeffrey Snider to MacroVoices. Erik and Jeffrey discuss: — How Dollar .

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Deja Vu

According to orthodox theory, if interest rates are falling because of term premiums then that equates to stimulus. Term premiums are what economists have invented so as to undertake Fisherian decomposition of interest rates (so that they can try to understand the bond market; as you might guess it doesn’t work any better). It is, they claim, the additional premium a bond investor demands so as to hold a security that much longer (more return to...

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Currency Risk That Isn’t About Exchange Values (Eurodollar University)

This week the Bureau of Economic Analysis will release updated estimates for Q2 GDP as well as Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) and Personal Incomes for July. Accompanying those latter two accounts is the currently preferred inflation standard for the US economy. The PCE Deflator finally hit 2% and in two consecutive months, after revisions, earlier this year.

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Bi-Weekly Economic Review: Don’t Underestimate Gridlock

The economic reports released since the last update were slightly more upbeat than the previous period. The economic surprises have largely been on the positive side but there were some major disappointments as well. The economy has been doing this for several years now, one part of the economy waxing while another wanes and the overall trajectory not much changed. Indeed, the broad Chicago Fed National Activity index probably says it all, coming...

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Why is Mecca having an $80bn makeover? | The Economist

Saudi Arabia is investing billions of dollars remodeling Mecca, home of Islam’s holiest site—the Kaaba. Its plans include building the world’s largest hotel. The aim is to double Mecca’s capacity to host worshippers, to nearly seven million, by 2040. The redevelopment has destroyed scores of old shrines. Click here to subscribe to The Economist on …

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The 5 Steps to World Domination

You don't need an army to achieve World Domination; all you need is enough cheap credit to buy up everything that generates the highest value and/or income.

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Emerging Market: Preview of the Week Ahead

EM FX ended last week on a strong note, buoyed by perceived dovishness from Yellen at the Jackson Hole symposium. However, US jobs data this Friday could test the market’s convictions. Within EM, data are likely to support our view that EM central banks can retain their largely dovish posture into 2018.

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Which is the most expensive city to live in as a foreigner? | The Economist

We asked people in Hong Kong which city they thought was the most expensive to live in as a foreigner. Click here to subscribe to The Economist on YouTube: http://econ.trib.al/rWl91R7 Daily Watch: mind-stretching short films throughout the working week. For more from Economist Films visit: http://films.economist.com/ Check out The Economist’s full video catalogue: http://econ.st/20IehQk Like …

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More Noise Than Signal

A number of people have forwarded this Bloomberg article – Wall Street Banks Warn Downturn Is Coming – to me over the last couple of days. That fact alone is probably a good argument to ignore it but I can’t help but read articles like this if for no other reason than to know what the crowd is thinking.

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United States Durable Goods In July; Rinse, Repeat

The Census Bureau reported today updated estimates for Durable Goods in July 2017. Quite frankly, nothing has changed so minimal commentary is all that is required. The aircraft anomaly from last month faded, leaving total new orders of $229.2 billion (seasonally-adjusted). That is less than in May before the Boeing surge, and less even than estimated order volume in March 2017.

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Did the Economy Just Stumble Off a Cliff?

This is more intuitive than quantitative, but my gut feeling is that the economy just stumbled off a cliff. Neither the cliff edge nor the fatal misstep are visible yet; both remain in the shadows of the intangible foundation of the economy: trust, animal spirits, faith in authorities' management, etc.

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We Need a Social Revolution

In the conventional view, there are two kinds of revolutions: political and technological. Political revolutions may be peaceful or violent, and technological revolutions may transform civilizations gradually or rather abruptly—for example, revolutionary advances in the technology of warfare.

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Amber Heard: Why being called a “bitch” in Hollywood isn’t all bad | The Economist

Amber Heard is one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Ahead of Women’s Equality Day she talks about the dark secret of gender bias in Tinsel Town Click here to subscribe to The Economist on YouTube: http://econ.trib.al/rWl91R7 Amber Heard is an actress with credits including “Magic Mike XXL”, “The Danish Girl” and “Justice League”. She is also …

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