Consumers, Producers, and the Unsettled End of 2020
2021-01-17
The months of November and December arenât always easily comparable year to year when it comes to American shopping habits. For a retailer, these are the big ones. The Christmas shopping season and the amount of spending which takes place during it makes or breaks the typical year (though last year, there was that whole thing in March and April which has had a say in eachâs final annual condition).
Seizing The Dirt Shirt Title
2021-01-06
In mid-December 2019, before the world had heard of COVID, Chinaâs Central Economic Work Conference had released a rather startling statement for the world to consume. In the West, everything was said to be on the up. Central banks had responded, forcefully, many claimed, more than enough to deal with that yearâs âunexpectedâ globally synchronized downturn.
Consumers, Too; (Un)Confident To Re-engage
2020-12-19
There is a lot of evidence which shows some basis for expectations-based monetary policy. Much of what becomes a recession or worse is due to the psychological impacts upon businesses (who invest and hire) as well as workers being consumers (who earn and then spend).
A Lesson In PMIs: Relative vs. Absolute
2020-11-24
The bid for âdecouplingâ has never been stronger, and, unfortunately, this time actually represents the weakest case yet for it. According to the mainstream interpretations of the most recent sentiment indicators, the US and European economies appear to be going in the complete opposite directions.
Deflation Returns To Japan, Part 2
2020-11-23
Japan Finance Minister Taro Aso, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, caused a global stir of sorts back in early June when he appeared to express something like Japanese racial superiority at least with respect to how that country was handling the COVID pandemic.
Whatâs Going On, And Why Late August?
2020-10-29
This isnât about COVID. Itâs been building since the end of August, a shift in mood, perception, and reality that began turning things several months before even then. With markets fickle yet again, a lot today, whatâs going on here?