CNBC – Banks may be behind the mysterious drop-off in car sales Lenders may have helped put the brakes on car sales last month. March’s sudden slowdown in vehicle sales surprised economists, who are now watching to see if the trend continues and whether it is also foreshadowing a weakening of the consumer. Auto sales… Continue reading Auto Sales Tumbled In March
The Wall Street Journal – If Everyone Is So Confident, Why Aren’t They Borrowing? Economists are struggling to explain a sudden slowdown in bank lending One of the great mysteries and biggest concerns in the economy right now is the slowing growth in bank lending. Economists are searching for answers but none are entirely satisfying. Total… Continue reading Declining Bank Lending
PRweek – United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz named PRweek U.S. Communicator of the Year Munoz will be honored at the annual PRWeek U.S. Awards ceremony in New York City next week on Thursday, March 16. Oscar Munoz, the charismatic CEO of United Airlines, is PRWeek U.S.’s Communicator of the Year for 2017 – he is… Continue reading The Worst Timed Award Of The Year
The Wall Street Journal – Obama’s Debt Interest Bomb Rising interest payments are already showing up in the federal fisc. President Obama left his successor many time bombs—think chemical weapons in Syria and the collapsing Affordable Care Act. But a burning fuse that gets less attention showed its first signs of the explosion to come in… Continue reading Interest On U.S. Debt
The Financial Times – Gundlach: appetite for reflation trade will wane further Tempered US growth and inflation expectations have dented trade’s momentum Jeffrey Gundlach, the influential bond investor, has warned that appetite for the so-called reflation trade will evaporate further in coming months as expectations for an acceleration in US economic growth and inflation are tempered.… Continue reading The End Of The Reflation Trade?
Bloomberg.com – Rock Star Era at Risk for Wall Street Analysts Facing Fee Reform Firms seen cutting $300 million out of research budgets Providers race to come up with new pricing models by January Upending eight decades of convention in how equities research is priced on Wall Street will increase transparency and reduce conflicts. What it… Continue reading More On Wall Street Research
Bloomberg Business – Technology Hits Workers’ Income Share More Than Trade, IMF Says Labor’s share of income falling in most major economies The advance of technology is the biggest reason workers are earning a shrinking slice of the income pie, according to a new study by the International Monetary Fund. Labor’s share of national income declined… Continue reading Technology and Jobs
The Wall Street Journal – Economists React to the March Jobs Report: ‘Mostly Just Weather-Related Noise’ What economists and analysts said about Friday’s jobs report from the Labor Department The disappointing 98,000 increase in nonfarm payrolls in March will be seized upon by the usual suspects as confirmation that the U.S. economy is poised for… Continue reading Maybe Friday’s Weak Payroll Number Was NOT Just Due To Weather
The Wall Street Journal – Are Traders Creating a Bizarre New Feedback Loop… Feedback Loop… Feedback Loop? Money managers’ growing use of insurance against sharp market moves is keeping volatility near historic lows, according to one theory The theory, advanced by several money managers, bankers and analysts, describes a type of feedback loop in which… Continue reading It’s All Too Easy Being Short Volatility
Fact Set – Earnings Insight Earnings Growth: For Q1 2017, the estimated earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 is 8.9%. If 8.9% is the actual growth rate for the quarter, it will mark the highest (year-over-year) earnings growth for the index since Q4 2013 (8.9%). Comment The chart below is compiled using Bloomberg’s survey… Continue reading Q1 Earnings Season Begins This Week
MarketWatch – In the midst of an oil-price slump, one area in Texas is enjoying a bit of a boom Mergers and acquisitions involving the Permian are worth $17 billion so far this year, including corporate acquisitions and asset buys, according to IHS Markit. That compares with nearly $26 billion in the area’s transactions for all… Continue reading U.S. Shale Drilling Revival Continues