China reopens borders with Hong Kong
Source: Bloomberg
A reality check on Europe's energy shock: the French trade deficit
France's trade deficit in Dec. '22 was the widest in two decades when compared to the same month in previous years, a crude way to adjust for seasonality. Europe's energy shock is large and ongoing. Source: Robin Brooks
US existing home sales have been falling faster today than they did during the Great Financial Crisis
Source: Morgan Stanley
German housing market remains in a freeze
Mortgage lending was down 43% YoY in December, representing 4th negative record in a row since data records began in 2003. Compared with peak of €32.3bn from March 2022, the decline is almost 60%. Source: HolgerZ, Barkow consulting
The annual interest rate payment on US Government Debt is $850 Billion and rising fast
At the current pace, interest on US government debt will soon hit one trillion dollars... Source: MishTalk.com, www.zerohedge.com
China Celebrated Lunar New Year Like Covid No Longer Exists
Source: Bloomberg
Disinflation in one chart
In the 90s, a company needed 8 employees to generate $1 million in revenues. Due to technology, now it needs 2. Source: MacroAlf
Fed fund rate above Core PCE for the first time since the pandemic!
For the first time since February 2020, Fed funds rates are positive in real terms as the Core PCE index came out at 4.4% (vs. 4.5% for the Fed funds rate). This bodes well for an imminent halt in rate hikes, unless the US economy surprises on the upside. Source: Bloomberg
