Eurodollar University

It doesn't help that policymakers and Economists quite openly admit they will and even should lie to you about the state of the economy. But to go so far as to call legitimate and widely-shared criticism misinformation is taking this too far. The reason it is going this way is just how difficult the situation has become, which brings us back to the first point: who's actually telling the truth?Eurodollar University's conversations w/Steve Van MetreShould Economists Deceive? Prosocial Lying, Paternalism, and the ‘Ben Bernanke Problem’https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1256&context=peri_workingpapersFoxNews Democrat claiming 'inflation rates are down' interrupted by higher than expected inflation reporthttps://www.foxnews.com/media/democrat-claiming-inflation-rates-down-interrupted-higher-expected-inflation-reportThe Undecideds What Are Undecided Voters Really Thinking?https://markhalperin.substack.com/p/what-are-undecided-voters-reallyBloomberg Fed’s Bostic Says Policy Is Taking Longer to Slow Growthhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-23/fed-s-bostic-says-policy-is-taking-longer-to-slow-growthhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

After months of silence, a couple of critical developments from the beleaguered commercial real estate sector show up all at once. For the first time since the Global not-Financial Crisis, a senior tranche of a CLO took losses - a lot of losses - while redemptions threaten to force liquidations at one of the spaces more important CRE funds. Not good first signs for the bubble unwind.Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBloomberg A Really Bad Sign for Commercial Real Estatehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-05-23/bloomberg-evening-briefing-a-really-bad-sign-for-commercial-real-estateBloomberg Starwood’s $10 Billion REIT Turns to Survival Mode as Real Estate Pain Lingershttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-23/starwood-reit-sets-drastic-redemption-limits-on-liquidity-crunchBloomberg Lenders Race to Buy Back Delinquent Multifamily Mortgage Loanshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-01/jpmorgan-says-commercial-real-estate-clo-loan-buyouts-are-set-to-reach-a-recordFitch Global Contagion Risk Growing from Rising CRE Losses, Led by Officehttps://www.fitchratings.com/research/non-bank-financial-institutions/global-contagion-risk-growing-from-rising-cre-losses-led-by-office-02-04-2024https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

On top of dumping Treasuries (which I covered in detail in a previous video https://youtu.be/j00_S1iug9c), China's also dumping its excess production on the rest of the world. The tactic has become so pervasive governments worldwide are responding with more than idle threats. But what are they really worried about given this means cheaper stuff and lower prices? Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisRemarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at Press Conference Ahead of the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetingshttps://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2363Reuters Yellen wants G7 'wall of opposition' to China's excess industrial capacityhttps://www.reuters.com/markets/yellen-says-g7-discuss-responses-chinas-excess-industrial-capacity-2024-05-23/Treasury Secretary Yellen on PBShttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/treasury-secretary-yellen-on-why-biden-is-targeting-chinese-manufacturing-with-new-tariffshttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

The retail giant's latest earnings report confirmed...well, pretty much everything. Inflation risks, consumer capacities, the direction of interest rates and more. Target's results help setting the debate on prices while also dovetailing right in with a whole bunch of the latest figures on especially gasoline and even rents. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisTarget Corp First Quarter Earningshttps://corporate.target.com/press/release/2024/05/target-corporation-reports-first-quarter-earningsTarget Corp Press Release Lowering Priceshttps://corporate.target.com/press/release/2024/05/target-will-help-consumers-save-big-by-lowering-prices-on-5,000-frequently-shopped-itemsCNBC Target shares tumble 10% as consumers buy fewer groceries and home goodshttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/22/target-tgt-q1-2024-earnings.htmlBLS New Tenant Rent Indexhttps://www.bls.gov/pir/new-tenant-rent.htmhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

There is a widespread feeling that something doesn't 'feel' right about the economic situation. While the official world vehemently denies it, they have every incentive not to admit the truth. There are various ways and methods to quantify living standards, especially material standards. Using officials' own methodology, we find the 'feeling' is very well grounded in material fact(s).Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBoston Fed How do We Measure Standard of Livinghttps://www.bostonfed.org/-/media/Documents/ledger/winter2004/livstand.pdfCDC Drug Overdose Deathshttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db491.htmCDC Birth Statshttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/births.htmCDC Birth Rateshttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2020-2021/Brth.pdfChristopher Waller Little by Little, Progress Seems to be Resuming.https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/waller20240521a.htmhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Apple becomes just latest corporation to report results in line with recent macro statistics. That list now includes Home Depot and even today's Red Lobster bankruptcy. People are struggling and businesses are noticing and feeling the impact. But how far has it gone? Some other metrics are not encouraging. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisApple Second Quarter Earningshttps://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/apple-reports-second-quarter-results/CNBC Apple announces largest-ever $110 billion share buyback as iPhone sales drop 10%https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/02/apple-aapl-earnings-report-q2-2024.htmCNBC Red Lobster files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protectionhttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/20/red-lobster-bankruptcy.htmlCNBC Home Depot misses on revenue, as high interest rates hurt saleshttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/14/home-depot-hd-q1-2024-earnings-.htmlCNBC Are consumers pulling back on spending? It depends on which CEO you askhttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/20/consumer-pullback-ceos.htmlBloomberg What Is Buy Now, Pay Later? How It Works and the Hidden Risks You Should Knowhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-09/what-is-buy-now-pay-later-how-bnpl-plans-workBloomberg Treat Buy Now, Pay Later Loans Like Real Debthttps://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-05-14/treat-klarna-affirm-buy-now-pay-later-loans-like-real-debtBloomberg Americans Are Racking Up ‘Phantom Debt’ That Wall Street Can’t Trackhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-07/-buy-now-pay-later-has-americans-racking-up-phantom-debtFlexhttps://help.getflex.com/hc/en-us/sections/360004885954-Get-Startedhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Business at Walmart is brisk these days...and that's a big problem. The better things go for the company especially at the grocery department the worse you know it is in the economy. And the big retailer just put up robust results because it isn't just struggling Americans coming in to shop, Walmart is now getting tons of business from high-income earners, too, because now they're struggling. Not exactly the soft landing signal we'd hoped.  Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van MetreNY Post Wealthier customers flock to Walmart to boost retailer’s sales in strong Q1 earningshttps://nypost.com/2024/05/16/business/wealthier-customer-flock-to-walmart-to-boost-retailers-sales-in-strong-q1-earnings/Bloomberg Why We Can't Shake the Vibecession, Even in the Face of Good Newshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-05-16/high-prices-and-phantom-debt-why-we-can-t-shake-the-vibecessionhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

The Chinese have sold a record amount of US Treasuries. Again. Most mainstream explanations point to political motives including many asserting an intentional act to move away from the dollar. The actual reason is indeed monetary but not at all in that way. The important immediate implications tell us a lot about the conditions for the globally synchronized economy.Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBloomberg China Sells Record Sum of US Debt Amid Signs of Diversificationhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-16/china-sells-record-sum-of-us-debt-amid-signs-of-diversificationCNN China has teased how it might fix its property crisis. Markets are loving ithttps://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/business/china-property-crisis-unsold-homes-hnk-intl/index.htmlChina NBS Basic situation of the national real estate market from January to April 2024https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202405/t20240517_1955760.htmlhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

A major global central bank would never hike rates during a prolonged recession, would it? You might be surprised to find out the answer is a solid, yes. Not only did it just happen, the reasons why tell us a whole lot about the real aim of central bank policies, where they come from, and, more important of all, the status of our globally synchronized world. The cycle drama just got taken up a notch. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBloomberg Japan’s Economy Sputters as Dismal Run Extends to Three Quartershttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/japan-s-economy-contracts-as-consumers-companies-cut-spendingReuters Japan's economy skids, clouding BOJ's rate hike planshttps://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japans-gdp-contracts-complicating-bojs-rate-hike-plans-2024-05-16/Reuters Japan's finmin says 'speculative' moves in currency market impacting yenhttps://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/japans-finance-minister-sees-speculative-moves-currency-market-2024-04-01/Investing.com Japan GDP shrinks more than expected in Q1 as consumption slowshttps://www.investing.com/news/economic-indicators/japan-gdp-shrinks-more-than-expected-in-q1-as-consumption-slows-3443154https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

They called it the most important economic update in living memory, holding the key to everything from inflation to economy and interest rates. When it came out, it wasn't what everyone thought and even more interesting those numbers ended up being overshadowed by another set alarmingly consistent with everything else we've been seeing lately. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisBLS April US CPI press releasehttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdfBloomberg Here Are the Key Takeaways From US CPI Report for Aprilhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/us-cpi-report-april-2024-key-takeaways-on-inflation-core-measureBloomberg US Retail Sales Stall After Downward Revisions in Prior Monthshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/us-retail-sales-stall-after-downward-revisions-in-prior-monthsCNN The backbone of America’s economy was just dealt a serious blowhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/05/15/economy/us-retail-sales-april/index.htmlhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU