BREAKING: 90% of US cities saw a rise in year over year unemployment rates in July, according to the BLS.
Jobless rates jumped in 350 of the 389 metropolitan areas last month. Additionally, in 8 large metro areas with a population of 1 million or more, FEWER people held a job in July 2024 than in July 2019. At the same time, average weekly wages DROPPED in 43% of the 389 metropolitan areas. In 5 of the 8 highest-paying areas with average weekly wages above$1,400, salaries declined year-over-year. The US labor market is weakening. Source: The Kobeissi Letter
Is the SP500 trading out of sync with other markets?
Source: zerohedge, Morgan Stanley
Speculators have turned Bearish on the U.S. Dollar for the first time since February 🚨
Source: Barchart, Bloomberg
The world's most important stock exchange and the world's most important stock index.
Source: J-C Parets
Asset class returns as of end of August and since 2011
Source: Charlie Bilello
Sector Heatmap Performance for August 🔥
📈 Consumer Staples were the biggest winners $XLP 📉 Energy was the biggest loser $XLE Source: Trend Spider
The S&P 500 is up 18.4% in the first 168 trading days of 2024, the 15th best start to a year going back to 1928 and best start to a presidential election year ever.
Source: Charlie Bilello
BREAKING: Global net gold purchases by central banks reached 483 tonnes in the first half of 2024, the most on record.
This is 5% higher than the previous record of 460 tonnes set in the first half of 2023. In Q2 2024, central banks bought 183 tonnes of gold, marking a 6% year-over-year increase. On the other hand, this was 39% lower than the 300 tonnes of purchases seen in Q1. The largest buyers were the National Bank of Poland, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Central Bank of Turkey. Why are central banks stocking up on gold? Source: The Kobeissi Letter
