Turkey’s BIST Soars 24% Amid Inflows, Loose Policy
#TurkeyWatch 🇹🇷: Turkey's main stock index, the BIST 100, is up nearly 24% YTD, and foreign investors are piling into Turkish bonds and equities. Turkey's disinflation story is gaining credibility and capital is flowing in. BEWARE. TURKEY'S MONETARY POLICY REMAINS TOO LOOSE. https://t.co/ubNTzVl6KH
China’s USD Pullback Demands over $100B Monthly Liquidity
Setser: "$100b a month is a large sum, it had to go into a fairly liquid corner of the market". And of course if on top of this China really were reducing its exposure to USD assets, we would need more...
European Auto Sales Dip, EV Demand Softens Decline
European auto sales fall even as EV demand cushions the drop https://t.co/MRYjYElcs2 via @MonicaRaymunt https://t.co/fVEMCkDkcZ
China’s Lunar New Year Spending Modestly up Amid Stimulus
SCMP: "Consumer spending during China’s Lunar New Year rose modestly this year, according to early official data, as authorities extended the holiday and stepped up stimulus measures to support domestic demand." https://t.co/d5LzFaVd4V via @scmpnews
Universal Tariff Beats Currency Devaluation for Trade Balance
The irony is that to reduce trade imbalances, tariffs should mostly substitute for currency devaluation, in which case a single, universal tariff is likely to be far more effective than a hodgepodge of bilateral and sectoral tariffs. https://t.co/QVpoGNLwuH
China May Pause Reserve Dedollarization if US Eases Taiwan Stance
So no more dedollarization of China's formal reserves if the US softens its Taiwan policy? Tis an option that China is at least considering per Lingling Wei and the WSJ 1/ https://t.co/365Y8wHJV4
Equal Tariffs, but China Parity May Backfire
Memo to self: file under unintended consequences. ✍️ @ft “The tariff structure puts all countries on an equal footing. . 💥”But parity with China is not necessarily good news.” For other countries 🎩📈 @SimonEvenett @IMD_Bschool https://t.co/OCibAcj1Ms
Countries Subsidize Exports, Cutting Domestic Consumption to Offset US Tariffs
1/4 As this WSJ article points out, countries are keeping their exports competitive in the face of US tariffs by increasingly subsidizing them, with the subsidies ultimately being paid for in the form of suppressed consumption. https://t.co/phOREv8G8z
S&P 500 Records Worst 17‑year Start, US Rank 69th
🔴This is one of the WORST starts for the S&P 500 to the year in HISTORY: S&P 500 is lagging the rest of the world equities by 8 percentage points, the worst start to a year in at least 17 years. The...
India Skips US Deal, Outpaces Japan in Trade
PM Takaichi sticks with Japan's one-sided trade agreement with the US. India’s PM Modi has wisely not signed a trade agreement with Uncle Sam. INDIA LEAVES JAPAN IN THE DUST. https://t.co/aWVetL1q0z
China’s Top Solar Firms Slash One‑third Staff Amid Losses
1/7 Reuters: "China's biggest solar firms shed nearly one-third of their workforces last year, company filings show, as one of the industries hand-picked by Beijing to drive economic growth grapples with falling prices and steep losses." https://t.co/BDS9UWJaXO
Accelerating Trade Imbalances Will Deepen Global Tensions
Good PIIE paper by Tamim Bayoumi and Joseph E. Gagnon on the consequences of accelerating trade imbalances. They warn that trade tensions are likely to get worse, something I have been saying for years and continue to say. I don't...
World Pivots to India as US Tariffs Alienate Allies
#IndiaWatch 🇮🇳: At the margin, the world is making a Pivot away towards India. TRUMP’S TARIFFS = MAKING LOTS OF US ENEMIES. https://t.co/3H8maAoa62
China Buys FX as Yuan Rises to Curb Appreciation
A little more complicated -- China consistently buys more fx when the CNY is appreciating (whether for structural or cyclical reasons). Exports start converting, and controlling the pace of appreciation takes intervention. Subtle point, but clear in the data
Bloomberg's Oil Glut Narrative Shows They're Six Months Late
Bloomberg is still arguing “oil glut” & saying the correlation between geopolitics in the Middle East & oil prices is "broken" How can @bbgoriginals be 6 months behind the curve & still be in the news business? #Oil #EnergyMarkets #Geopolitics #Commodities...
Shadow Oil Fleet Stressed, Sanctions Spur Higher Prices
The shadow oil fleet isn’t gone — it’s under stress Seizures raise costs & strand barrels, but doing more against Russian & Iranian flows means higher oil prices & inflation https://t.co/P5EDN7PrRY #Oil #Sanctions #EnergySecurity #Russia #Iran #Geopolitics
Mexican Civil War Threatens US Supply Chains More than Tariffs
A Mexican civil war would be far more catastrophic to American supply chains than tariffs - Michael Vincent
Weighted Avg 2.3% Signals Bullish Breakout Over CBO
The probability weighted average of both @jasonfurman and the survey average is 2.3%*, i.e. solid breakout. That's bullish; CBO is at 1.8%. *(Assumes 5% for the >4% phase transition scenario. I figure probabilities of higher figures quickly fall to...
Japanese Builders Double Down on U.S. Housing Market
Japan’s big bet on the U.S. housing market got even bigger today Japanese builders are rapidly acquiring U.S. homebuilders—now Daiwa House is buying United Homes That's just 10 days after Japan-based Sumitomo Forestry said it's buying Tri Point Homes https://t.co/UnPOshRdS1
Trump Threatens Tariffs over Supreme Court Decision, Mocks Tariff Chief
Today, Trump issued a statement on Truth Social saying "any country that wants to play games with the ridiculous Supreme Court decision... will be met with a much higher tariff." THE TARIFF MAN HAS LOST IT. https://t.co/AA365cmzVQ
Trump's Tariff Rate Uncertain: 10% Formal, 15% Unconfirmed
Trump's 10% global tariff was formalized in a proclamation from Friday and goes into effect at midnight tonight. He later said he would raise it to 15% but with three hours to go, is yet to do anything formal to...
Section 122 Tariffs Reduced to 10% From 15%
Section 122 tariffs now being collected at 10%, not Trump's weekend 15%. Clearly, a well-oiled tariff machine here. 🤷🤷 https://t.co/5MjbcrZuXD https://t.co/jb72H2AZQ8
China’s $100B/Month FX Buying Blocks Dollar Diversification
Me, in the Financial Times -- On the surge in China's intervention, and the impossibility of diversifying away from dollar assets/ Treasuries when the state banks are buying $100b a month in FX 1/ https://t.co/Pc78czuld9
Germany Injects €1.3B Into Salzgitter Green Steel
After financial commitments fell through, the German government pours €1.3 BILLION into Salzgitter’s green steel project. GERMANY'S GREEN SECULAR RELIGION = KILLING THE GERMAN ECONOMY. https://t.co/gmESJ38qxH
Bessent: A Trader‑politician Unlike Typical Treasury Secret
Interesting on many levels. Bessent is much more of a trader (and yet also much more political) than most Treasury secretaries ... https://t.co/7m06uOU5eQ
2025 Shows Weakest Non‑Recession Job Growth in Decades
2025 delivered the weakest U.S. job growth of any non-recession year in decades. The US job market is NOT as hot as the spinmeister in chief Washington DC cracks it up to be. https://t.co/8bDuyzl0yp
Trump's Tariff War Sparks Court Battles, Supply‑Chain Uncertainty
Trump tariff vendetta picking up. Will all this go to the courts? Supply chain uncertainty.
Trump’s 15% Tariff Set to Expire, Supply Chains Uncertain
US House not likely to codify Trump’s 15% tariff. So the tariff will expire after 150 days. What will Trump do then? More Trump unpredictability for supply chains?
Crypto Expands Access to Inflation‑proof Assets for the Poor
Inflation is a regressive tax on the poorest people in society, since they only hold cash. Once people have wealth, they can afford and get access to inflation-resistant asset classes (stocks, bitcoin, real estate, etc). Expanding financial access and opportunities globally to...
Severe Unemployment & Stock Crash Trigger Major Fiscal Response
If the unemployment rate hits 6% with stocks down 25-30% (roughly the thresholds when we got TARP/CARES Act), we’ll get a big fiscal policy response. But it won’t be actual TARP or CARES, it depends on what the crisis looks...
S&P’s Calm Mask Hides Software Slump, Rising Defaults
The S&P 500 looks calm, but look under the hood. Software stocks are DOWN ~30%. Defaults are CLIMBING. Private credit is AT RISK. https://t.co/qJPf95n11Z
BofA Survey Turns Ultra‑Bearish on Dollar, Go Long
The BofA fund manager survey has never been this bearish on the dollar. It is time to bite your lip and start being a lonely dollar long. I have a sample size of one here, arguably a sample size of...
Mortgage Rates Dip as AI Job Fears Rise
Mortgage rates dropped into the 5s today because everyone is finally realizing the robots are going to take our jobs. Bittersweet.
Iran's Inflation Hits 79.1%, World’s Second‑Highest
#IranWatch🇮🇷: Today, I measure Iran’s inflation at a PUNISHING 79.1%/yr. That's the world's SECOND HIGHEST INFLATION RATE. I remain the only reliable source of inflationary measures in Iran. https://t.co/Z869QfIwJT
Gold Tops Global Reserves, Outshines All Assets
Gold is officially the most popular reserve asset in the world. BUY GOLD, WEAR DIAMONDS. https://t.co/A7A3qj1YGx
Global Imbalances Drive International Payments Problems
A bit more on section 122 -- Adam Tooze noted that the simplest read of "international payments problems" is a problem of global imbalances manifest by large surpluses and large (U.S.) deficits 1/ https://t.co/86nmn36jP7
RBA Holds Quarterly Trimmed Mean, Shorten AUD Duration
RBA probes monthly inflation gauges but sticks to quarterly trimmed mean; policy shift distant, volatile. Risk: noisy swings. Trade: shorten AUD duration until monthly series confirms trend. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Buy VITL on Weakness: Target $44‑$50
Macro: VITL hits 52‑wk low $25.47; -22% Y/Y, -47% 6m. Fundamentals: LTM profit; analyst PTs $44–60. Risks: demand, ERP, guidance cuts. Trade: buy weakness to $44–50. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA. More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
CBO Update Shows No Near-Term Deficit Solution
This month the CBO released their first updated budget projection since January 2025. In short, there is no solution in sight to reduce the fiscal deficit. https://t.co/r8ycIrViqQ
Green Tech Production Quadruples, Outpaces All Consumer Goods
Technology production (green) * ~50 in 2000 * ~190 today Nearly a 4x increase over 25 years This is the only category with powerful long-term structural growth. It recovered strongly after 2008 and exploded again post-2020. Everything else? Mostly flat. Industrial Production: Consumer Goods (2017...
Chinese Investors Surge Gold ETF Holdings by 52%
The Chinese are buying gold ETFs like HOT CAKES. According to the World Gold Council, China’s gold ETF holdings rose from 188.8 tonnes at the end of August 2025 to 286.3 tonnes by the end of January, a 52% increase. BUY GOLD,...
Energy Firms Ramp up Lobbying for Venezuela Opportunities
👀 #Energy-related companies' interest in opportunities in #Venezuela is starting to show up in lobbying reports. Expect to see more of this K Street action, as we reported in this morning's @axios Future of Energy newsletter. #OOTT (1/3)
Rupee's Fall Fuels 349% Surge in Gold Imports
The WEAKENING Indian rupee is triggering a GOLD RUSH. The rupee is DOWN 5.6% against the USD since the start of last year. In response, India’s gold imports has surged 349% during the past year. BUY GOLD, WEAR DIAMONDS. https://t.co/iGjJpyGh1p
June 13 2026 Deadline Ends Tariff Refund Protests
The key deadline your company needs to be aware of to make sure you're eligible for tariff refunds is June 13, 2026. After that date you will not be able to file protests for entries filed on February 4th,...
Britain’s Chagos Choice Signals Resolve to China
Britain’s decision on the Chagos Islands is more than politics. It shapes how strategic rivals — especially China — interpret UK resolve, alliances and influence. This analysis explains why this matters in the context of great-power competition and what it reveals about...
Honored with Volcker Lifetime Award for Economic Policy
I’m honoured to receive the Paul A. Volcker Lifetime Achievement Award for Economic Policy. Paul Volcker’s personal conviction reshaped the trajectory of central banking in the US and around the world. Read my speech https://t.co/YcIx8y210A https://t.co/w1EZ0DOmzW
A Turning Point Is Inevitable—Just Waiting for Timing
It seems like we're all waiting for a climax on this chart. Whether it might be the end of the tarrifs. Whether it might be a deal between Iran and the US. Something will turn this around, it's not a matter of...
Mortgage Rates
5-handle The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate today: 5.99% Same day last year: 6.89% ---------------------- 10-year treasury yield today: 4.03% Spread today: 196 bps
30‑Year Mortgage Falls Below 6%, Boosting Spring Buying
A nice little market selloff creates a flight to safety. And gets the 30-year fixed below that stubborn 6% threshold, finally. The key will be staying sub-6% to allow human psychology to work its magic during the spring home buying...
AI Panic Ignored as Markets Remain Near Peaks
It's kind of amazing there is so much worry about AI doom with the S&P 500 w/in 2% of all-time highs and the unemployment rate at 4.3% Have we ever had an enormous risk like this play out with everyone worried...