Bloomberg Business – Wall Street Is Taking On More Risk Again Three words have finally set Wall Street deal-makers loose: President Donald Trump. Officially, the Trump administration has yet to rewrite Obama-era rules restricting how much debt banks can pile onto companies in buyouts. But a spate of recent transactions shows financiers are letting go of their concerns… Continue reading Leverage Is Back On Wall Street
The Wall Street Journal – U.S. Worker Productivity Slipped in Final Months of 2017 U.S. worker productivity grew below its long-run average for the seventh straight year in 2017. Nonfarm business-sector productivity, measured as the goods and services produced per hour worked, advanced 1.2% last year from 2016, the Labor Department said Thursday. That matched the… Continue reading Productivity Slows In Q4 2017
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The Wall Street Journal – Bitcoin Is Falling Fast, Losing More Than Half Its Value in Six Weeks Bitcoin plunged below $8,000 on Friday, extending its sharp rout since the start of the year in a selloff triggered by a widening regulatory crackdown on cryptocurrencies. Around midday in Europe, Bitcoin was down nearly 12% on the day at… Continue reading Bitcoin Won’t Stop Falling
CNBC – Some investors are worried low volatility might be the start of a market crash. Here’s why “Low volatility may eventually prove to be a trap for markets, when the tide turns, suddenly revealing the pressure cooker it led investors into,” Filia said. “Low volatility sows the seeds of its own demise, as it… Continue reading Could Low Volatility Cause A Market Crash?
Today at 9:00 AM CT (10:00 AM ET, 7:00 AM PT and 15:00 GMT) Bianco Research, in conjunction with Arbor Research & Trading, will be hosting a webinar/teleconference moderated by Jim Bianco. The economy is booming, earnings expectations are through the roof and markets are on fire. If this proves to be the impetus to inflation’s… Continue reading Conference Call Thursday – Inflation: Be Careful What You Wish For
The Federal Reserve is ending Yellen's term with a hawkish bias, but also a lack of confidence in their forecasts for inflation and wage growth.
Summary Inflation expectations have finally become exciting again. We believe longer-end TIPS breakevens will ultimately play catch-up and steepen the curve. A short-term bump in the road caused by diminishing hard and soft data may offer opportunities in the months to come. Comment U.S. 30-year TIPS breakevens (216 bps) are riding the wave of excitement… Continue reading Setbacks in Soft and Hard Data Surprises May Offer Opportunities for Inflation Hunters
Bloomberg – U.S. Raises Longer-Term Debt Sales as Budget Deficit Worsens It raises size of 3-, 10- and 30-year debt sales next week Mnuchin’s debt management team will sell next week $26 billion of 3-year notes versus $24 billion in November, it said Wednesday in its refunding announcement. The department also lifted to $24 billion the… Continue reading Changes in Treasury Issuance Favor Bear Flattening
CBS New York – De Blasio Declares Winter Weather Emergency For NYC As Snowstorm Clobbers Area (January 4) New York City officials urged people to stay off the roads Thursday, as a massive snowstorm pounded the area, but the snow still caused plenty of trouble. Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the city, where a… Continue reading Do Not Expect The Harsh January Weather To Affect Tomorrow’s Payrolls Report
View PDF The Wall Street Journal – Yellen Hands Off Go-Slow Approach to Rate Rises as She Departs Fed As Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen concluded her last policy meeting Wednesday with a decision to hold rates steady, she left her successor the challenge of deciding whether to pick up the pace of rate increases to… Continue reading Understanding Fedspeak