Posts Tagged ‘Debt’
January 5, 2023
Happy New Year! We’re starting 2023 with a podcast I recorded with Richard Bonugli and Marc Faber. We didn’t make any forecasts (in traditional CNBC fashion), but just discussed potential outcomes in the macro global financial situation.
Critical to the discussion was what I am calling the two doctrines: Paul Volcker and Ben Bernanke. The Volcker Doctrine is based on wringing inflation out of the economy when it begins to boil, while the Bernanke Doctrine is focused on preventing deflation from gaining a foothold. In the last five decades the US and Europe have not experienced DEFLATION as the central banks and fiscal authorities have PREEMPTED the onset of such an outcome. In DEBT-PLAGUED economies DEFLATION is the worst potential outcome. Remember, Volcker confronted a 39% DEBT-TO-GDP ratio while today Jerome Powell confronts a 106% ratio and even much greater private/corporate debt. Enjoy the PODCAST with a strong libation or sugar-free drink for too much stimulant will not be advised.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
Tags:Ben Bernanke, Debt, deflation, Jerome Powell, Paul Volcker
Posted in Fed | 4 Comments »
November 21, 2021
We at Notes From Underground on Oct. 31 wrote a post titled, “The Odious Designs of ECB Policy.” It noted that during the ECB post-meeting press conference President Christine Lagarde said — in response to a question of whether the ECB would coordinate TAPERING with the world’s other central bank — “comparisons, for good reason are ODIOUS, simply because we are not thinking about the same economies.”
(more…)
Tags:Christine Lagarde, Debt, ECB, Euro, Fed, Gold, U.S. Dollar
Posted in Central Banks, Currency, Debt Market, ECB | 13 Comments »
July 22, 2021
At the beginning of the week, the COVID DELTA VARIANT was the major concern as the weekend brought news of a widespread increase. It seemed world financial markets were in the throes of concern of another pandemic lockdown with the Olympics being cancelled. We at NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND offered context and stressed that the zero interest-rate markets would provide a far different backdrop than what occurred in March 2020. We did learn that zero interest rates lowered inflation concerns and the Olympics are still taking place, although to empty stadiums. SO THE BULL MARKET MUST GO ON.
(more…)
Tags:central banks, Christine Lagarde, Debt, ECB, European Central Bank, SPS
Posted in ECB | 9 Comments »
December 29, 2019
As we approach 2020, it seems as though the financial world is unconcerned about the dramatic increase in DEBT. Yes, the airwaves are alive with news of the extremely low level of mortgage delinquencies but fail to discuss the growing delinquency of 90-day auto loans and the $1.5 trillion pile of student loan debt, an albatross for college graduates over the 20 years. Corporate debt has increased by the magic of financial engineering in which share buybacks and dividend increases are greased with the benevolence of central banks caught in a trap of their design.
(more…)
Tags:Debt, European Union, Federal Reserve, Gold, monetary policy, Nordstream 2 Pipeline, Russia, tariffs, U.S., U.S. Dollar, U.S. yield curves
Posted in Currency, Debt Market, Fed, Gold, United States | 29 Comments »
October 7, 2019
Let me wish all those celebrating the Jewish New Year a Healthy and Happy New Year (and I wish the same for those who don’t celebrate the Jewish calendar). Tuesday night begins the Day of Atonement in which the individual is obligated to acknowledge any shortcomings, ask GOD for forgiveness and announce the desire to rise to a higher level in the coming year. There is a list of 44 sins confessed publicly, which covers the entire litany of transgressions the individual/community has most probably engaged in. (I’ve linked a list here.)
(more…)
Tags:Christine Lagarde, Debt, ECB, European Union, fiscal stimulus, Germany, Mario Draghi
Posted in Debt Market, ECB, Europe, Germany | 12 Comments »
August 7, 2018
The markets remain locked into the latest tweet from either politicians or CEOs. Whether it’s about tariffs or taking a company private, the Twittersphere has the ability to move markets for a nanosecond. Regardless of the algos and the continued march of passive investing NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND believes that Hyman Minsky has entered the room. A Minsky moment occurs when complacency leads to increased risk-taking while using increasing leverage. It is not market valuations that disrupts markets but rather the amount of debt that needs to be serviced. Can future cash flows ensure that the vast amount of debt can be managed? Leverage is a great aphrodisiac but if priapism results the exit strategy can elicit great pain. The markets are built on record debt.
(more…)
Tags:China, Debt, emerging markets, Fed, PBOC, Yuan
Posted in Debt Market | 20 Comments »
May 28, 2018
On Friday, Rick Santelli and I discussed the situation in Europe, especially the FRAGILE situation in Italy. An important metric that needs to be watched is the huge amount of sovereign debt that is “comfortably” sitting on the Italian banks’ balance sheets. Under BIS rules (and other global financial regulations) sovereign debt carries a ZERO RISK WEIGHTING, meaning that commercial banks can hold sovereign bonds and hold no reserves against such an asset class.The Italian banks have been the repository of their sovereign bonds, which makes them vulnerable to a rise in BTP yields as the price drops due to the political concerns involving the inability of FIVE STAR/LEGA to come to an agreement on an acceptable cabinet.
(Click on the image to watch me and Rick discuss the Italian situation)
(more…)
Tags:Debt, ECB, Italy, Mario Draghi
Posted in CNBC, ECB, Italy | 9 Comments »
November 29, 2016
The world is all abuzz with the good feelings radiating from the aftermath of the Trump victory. However, no matter how long the U.S. equity market rallies, be certain that Trump is not draining the swamp of Washington, D.C. He is proving to be a caretaker. Today’s pick of Elaine Chao for Transportation Secretary is just more of the same. Ms. Chao is certainly qualified. After all, she has an MBA from Harvard, but being a past member of the Bush Cabinet means we are using old, worn-out tires. The Transportation Secretary will be overseer of many of the INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS the Donald has promised to deliver. The pork barrel these projects will be dipped in will be beyond lucrative and the wife of Mitch McConnell ought not to have been given this role.
(more…)
Tags:BTPs, Debt, ECB, FOMC, Gold, infrastructure, Italian referendum, Mario Draghi, nominal rates, QE, real rates, Renzi, Trump
Posted in Debt Market, ECB, Fed, Gold, President Trump, United States | 14 Comments »
November 28, 2016
This is a tough POST to write for I will criticize a newspaper I have read every day for at least 30 years. (In fact, I still have it delivered on my doorstep and read most of it online in the evening before the hard copy arrives.) The London Financial Times had a front page story, “Troubled Italian Banks Face Fresh Risk of Failing If Renzi Loses Vote.” This is a deplorable headline for it harkens back to the days of the mainstream media warning of dire consequences if Brexit passed and the Trump was elected president. THIS IS SCARE MONGERING. It raises the question: When will the Davos crowd EVER LEARN?
(more…)
Tags:BOJ, Debt, ECB, Euro, European Union, Germany, Gold, Hollande, Italian referendum, Japan, JGBs, Merkel, Renzi, Yen, yield curve
Posted in BoJ, Currency, Debt Market, ECB, Italy | 8 Comments »