A remarkable chart. The sector composition probably does not explain everything
Source: Michel A.Arouet
FED meeting minutes key takeaways:
1) rates likely at or near their peak 2) 2pct inflation target is maintained 3) monetary policy is likely to stay restrictive for some time 4) clear progress has been made on inflation (dixit the Fed) 5) see rate cuts by the end of 2024 FOMC views continue to diverge from market expectations (2x more rate cuts are currently priced vs. Fed guidance) Source: CNBC, The Kobeissi Letter
The international role of the US dollar in one chart
Source: JP Morgan
US Interest expense ~$1.1 trillion as of today
That's $250BN more than the Defense Budget; $250BN more than spending on Medicare, $200BN more than spending on health, and will surpass the $1.35 trillion spending on Social Security this year, becoming the single biggest outlay Source: www.zerohedge.com
US Hiring plunged by 363K in November, the biggest monthly drop since July 2020
Vacancies fell in November to 8.79 million, lowest since 2021 Quits rate dropped to lowest level in more than three years Source: www.zerohedge.com, Bloomberg
A record 85% of Americans now say it's a bad time to buy a house, according to Reventure
Two years ago, just ~30% of Americans thought it was a bad time to buy a home. Even in 2008, during the worst housing crisis of all time, this metric did not top 85%. In a market with high rates and supply levels 40% below the historical average, affordability is at all time lows. Source: The Kobeissi Letter
BREAKING: Total US debt hits $34 trillion for the first time in history, putting US debt up 100% since 2014
Since the debt ceiling "crisis" ended in June 2023, total US debt is up nearly $3 trillion. This debt balance is more than the value of the economies of China, Germany, Japan, India and the UK COMBINED. The US is now spending $2 billion PER DAY on interest expense alone. Debt per capita is at a record high of $101,000. Source: The Kobeissi Letter
All-Time High $6.3 Trillion sitting in U.S. Money Market Funds
Source: Win Smart, CFA, FT
