Tag: Mike Shedlock

Inflation Around the World: How Does the US Compare to Canada and the EU?

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/inflation-around-the-world-how-does-the-us-compare-to-canada-and-the-eu

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Excerpt:

  • Inflation in the US was the first to peak.
  • US inflation peaked in June at 9.06 percent and is currently (through September) at  8.20 percent.
  • Inflation in France peaked at the lowest rate, 6.08 percent.
  • France also has the lowest current rate of 5.55 percent.  
  • Inflation in Germany is 9.99 percent and still rising
  • Inflation in Italy is 8.87 percent and still rising
  • Inflation in Spain was the highest peak so far at 10.77 percent
  • Inflation in the UK is 8.80 percent matching the July high.
  • Inflation in Canada peaked at 8.13 percent and is now 6.86 percent

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 3 Dec 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

The 2-10 Yield Curve Inversion Recession Signal is the Strongest in Over 40 Years

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-2-10-yield-curve-inversion-recession-signal-is-the-strongest-in-over-40-years

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The 10-year to 2-year inversion is 71 basis points, the steepest since October 1981 (see chart)

Never before have we seen such strong inversions except right before or in recessions.

It will not be different this time. A recession is on the way, assuming it’s not already started.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 22 Nov 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

The 3-Month T-Bill Yield Inverts With the 30-Year Long Bond

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-3-month-t-bill-yield-inverts-with-the-30-year-long-bond

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The 3-Month T-Bill yield hit 4.22% early this morning. At that time the 3-Month to 30-Year inversion was about 9 basis points. 

The chart above still shows the inversion, just a bit less. 

So much for the idea the Fed would steepen the curve. 

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 1 Nov 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Dot Plot Show Fed Anticipates More Hikes in 2023 to 4.50 Percent

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/dot-plot-show-fed-anticipates-more-hikes-in-2023-to-4-50-percent

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Excerpt:

Hikes Come Hell or High Water? 

  • The Fed participants have a median expectation of 4.25 to 4.50 percent for the end of 2022
  • That’s another 1.25 percentage points more this year.
  • The Fed then anticipates one more hike in 2023 to 4.50 to 4.75 percent.

I have to admit that a year ago I did not foresee this. But here we are. 

The key question is not where we’ve been but where we are headed. I Highly doubt the Fed hikes another 1.25 percentage points this year or gets anywhere close to 4.50 to 4.75 percent in 2023.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 21 Sept 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

ECB’s Blunt Press Statement Today Screams One Big Idea, Stagflation Has Arrived

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/ecbs-blunt-press-statement-today-screams-one-big-idea-stagflation-has-arrived

Excerpt:

The Governing Council today decided to raise the three key ECB interest rates by 75 basis points. This major step frontloads the transition from the prevailing highly accommodative level of policy rates towards levels that will ensure the timely return of inflation to our two per cent medium-term target. Based on our current assessment, over the next several meetings we expect to raise interest rates further to dampen demand and guard against the risk of a persistent upward shift in inflation expectations.

Inflation remains far too high and is likely to stay above our target for an extended period. According to Eurostat’s flash estimate, inflation reached 9.1 per cent in August. Soaring energy and food prices, demand pressures in some sectors owing to the reopening of the economy, and supply bottlenecks are still driving up inflation. 

Price pressures have continued to strengthen and broaden across the economy and inflation may rise further in the near term.

Very high energy prices are reducing the purchasing power of people’s incomes and, although supply bottlenecks are easing, they are still constraining economic activity. In addition, the adverse geopolitical situation, especially Russia’s unjustified aggression towards Ukraine, is weighing on the confidence of businesses and consumers.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 8 Sep 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Fed Rate Hike Odds Jump to Full Point After the Hot CPI Report

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/fed-rate-hike-odds-jump-to-full-point-after-the-hot-cpi-report

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Yesterday, the market penciled in a three-quarter point hike. Today, the market expectation is for a full point hike.

The WSJ notes that would be the largest hike since the Fed started directly using overnight interest rates to conduct monetary policy in the early 1990s.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 13 July 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

The Asininity of Inflation Expectations, Once Again By Powell and the Fed

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-asininity-of-inflation-expectations-once-again-by-powell-and-the-fed

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Common sense and practical examples suggest that inflation expectations theory is ass backward.

So much of the CPI is nondiscretionary that it’s difficult to impossible for CPI expectations to matter. 

Yet, economists focus on expectations that don’t matter and ignore the expectations that do matter, namely asset prices!

I have written about this several times previously, two of them before I even found the Fed study supporting my view. 

…..

A BIS study concluded “Deflation may actually boost output. Lower prices increase real incomes and wealth. And they may also make export goods more competitive.“

Indeed, that must be the case as more goods for less money by default improves standards of living.

The Fed was hell bent on reducing standards of living via inflation. Now they struggle to undo the inflation and asset bubble consequences they created. 

The Fed is the problem, not the solution.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 25 Jun 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Japan Has Economic Choices, Two of Them are Poison

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/japan-has-economic-choices-two-of-them-are-poison

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1. Japan can defend its interest rate line by printing more money but at expense of the yen 

2. Japan can defend the yen by hiking rates or by selling its reserves until reserves run out

Japan has a nasty choice 

I received this email reply to the above Tweet from Michael Pettis.

“Looks right. I’d add that by weakening the yen, Japan seems always to support their exporters at the expense of their consumers, which may be why domestic demand is always so weak and growth so sluggish.“

The smart thing for Japan would be to hike rates and let the Yen strengthen. 

Instead, if they stay on the same path, the yen might blow up.

All of Japan’s efforts to achieve growth by inflation and exports have backfired. One might think that after 40 years they would try something else.

The single worst choice for Japan would be to blow its currency reserves in an attempt to defend both the Yen and its interest rate peg.

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 22 Jun 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

The ECB Has a Huge Dilemma: Price stability or Bail Out Nations

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/the-ecb-has-a-huge-dilemma-price-stability-or-bail-out-nations

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The spreads between German government bonds and those of the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain) have skyrocketed in recent weeks. 

This comes while Eurozone inflation is at a record high 8.1 percent. 

….

On June 16, Bloomberg reported Lagarde Tells Ministers ECB Plans for Limit on Bond Spreads

….

There is no single interest rate that makes any sense for Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal. 

The Fed is struggling to find the neutral rate, and I believe will overshoot, but at least there is a neutral rate. 

Lagarde is on Mission Impossible with 19 countries in the Eurozone, all with a different neutral. 

In theory, the sovereign bonds of Germany and Greece are the same. Default risks are the same.

In practice this is total nonsense, and for the third time the idea is being tested. 

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 20 Jun 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Price of Crude Jumps as EU Foolishly Doubles Down On Sanctions

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/price-of-crude-jumps-as-eu-foolishly-doubles-down-on-sanctions

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“This is surely unworkable – a carve out for Hungary, which allows its refineries to enjoy sky rocketing margins on sales elsewhere in the EU because of their access to Russian crude. It’s almost laughable,” said Jeremy Warner.

It seems the carve out for Hungary was “workable” after all, with predictable results.

Russia, China, Hungary, and energy producers are the beneficiaries of these terribly counterproductive sanctions.

This is my “Hoot of the Day” but it’s early. I may easily need bonus hoots. 

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 31 May 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

In a Rare White House Meeting, Biden Meets Powell to Discuss Inflation

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/in-a-rare-white-house-meeting-biden-meets-powell-to-discuss-inflation-guilty-meets-guilty

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PCE stands for Personal Consumption Expenditures. Those numbers come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)

CPI stands for Consumer Price Index. Those numbers come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The key difference is the PCE includes prices paid on behalf of consumers (e.g. Medicare and Medicaid), whereas the CPI only contains prices directly paid by consumers.

The PCE tends to overweight medical expenses while the CPI tends to overweight rent.

The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation is PCE.

CPI and PCE Both Seriously Flawed

Neither measure directly incorporates home prices. Economists explain this away by stating homes are a capital expense. 

OK, so what? The fact is, rising home prices (asset prices in general), are a direct reflection of inflation.

By ignoring asset prices, the Fed helped blow the biggest economic bubble yet. Now the Fed struggles to contain the serious inflation it helped create.


Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 30 May 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk

Diversity At the Fed and ECB? There is None, It’s a Big Self-Serving Lie

Mary Pat Campbell

Link: https://mishtalk.com/economics/diversity-at-the-fed-and-ecb-there-is-none-its-a-big-self-serving-lie

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At the ECB, you better be gung-ho pro-EU. You better believe negative interest rates are a good idea. And you must back the idea that targeting 2% inflation makes sense.

Finally, if somehow you find yourself at the ECB disagreeing with any of those things, you are expected to shut your mouth so the consensus view never shows any dissent.

….

At FRBNY, I recall the people who ran Treasury markets, money markets, etc. literally had no relevant experience or expertise. The job of staff was to make them appear competent, but it didn’t really matter what they did because Fed can’t fail and they can’t get fired.  

This creates a culture where anyone with talent or ambition GTFO ASAP. There are exceptions, but those who rise tend to be those who have no where else go. It’s a weird structure where the higher you go, the more incompetent you are.

So it’s no surprise Fed is failing

Author(s): Mike Shedlock

Publication Date: 13 May 2022

Publication Site: Mish Talk