China reports fastest industrial expansion in nearly 2 years; retail sales growth misses estimates
China's industrial production advanced by 6.6% year-on-year in November 2023, following a 4.6% gain in the previous month and beating market forecasts of 5.6%. It was the fastest pace of growth since February 2022. Retail sales climbed 10.1% in November from a year ago, the fastest pace of growth since May — though analysts had expected a 12.5% spike following a low base in 2022. Retail sales rose 7.6% in October. Fixed asset investment in urban areas cumulatively grew 2.9% in the first 11 months of the year, compared to expectations for 3% growth. China’s urban unemployment rate stayed at 5% in November. Source: Trading Economics, CNBC
China is the only country experiencing deflation
CPI is down 4.7% since 2020 while every other country has experience inflation – some experiencing the highest in decades. Source: Genevieve Roch-Decter, CFA, Bloomberg, Macrobond
Each time inflation in China turned negative the global economy was in a recession: 2001, 2008-09, 2020... Is this time different?
Source: Jeffrey Kleintop, Bloomberg
Looming Threat to Japanese Bonds: A Setback for the Global Fixed-Income Rally?
Amidst the impressive year-end rally in the global fixed-income market, a significant development last night casts a shadow over this upward momentum. The yield on the Japanese 10-year bond surged by 12 basis points, driven by comments from BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda and Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino, instigating a belief that change might unfold sooner than anticipated. The probability of the BOJ ending its negative rates policy this month skyrocketed to nearly 45%, as Himino's speech was perceived as relatively hawkish, amplifying the significance of the BOJ's December meeting to a live event. Adding to the market tension, the Japan 30-Year Bond Sale recorded its lowest bid-cover since 2015. Notably, the sharp steepening of the Japanese curve, from 20 bps in March to 80 bps at the end of October, coincided with a significant increase in US Treasury yields over the same period... Source: Bloomberg
INDIA IN THE TOP 5!
India's stock market hit a milestone this week. It's now a $4 trillion market. Here's how that looks alongside the world's biggest. Source: David Ingles, Bloomberg
Chinese total private sector debt (level and relative to GDP). This helps explain why Moody's downgraded China's credit rating today...
Source: Longview Economics
BREAKING 🚨: Chinese Stocks have fallen to their lowest prices in 5 years
Source: barchart
Gold hit record high 2'135.39/oz in early trading hours
Gold surged to a new all-time high as growing expectations for US rate cuts early next year. This latest leg of gold's rally has been turbocharged by comments on Friday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Precious metal's strength has been underpinned buy other factors as purchases by governments and central banks as well as geopolitical uncertainty.
