While I was off visiting my children and grandchildren, the government took its own hiatus. However, while I am back at it, the government is still shuttered (partially, at least). For years the pundits have ranted about the negative effects on the economy (and some even singled out the markets). For all of the noise, the bond market is stable and stocks have rallied 8 percent since the shutdown began on December 22.
Posts Tagged ‘Esther George’
Notes From Underground: We are IN the Marcusian ONE DIMENSIONAL World
June 20, 2016It takes a BOURGEOIS APOLOGIST to point out the limitations of our thought processes. The current financial world is seen through the prism of BREXIT. Every nuance from the pollsters result in magnified market reactions. Last week’s political assassination of a sitting member of Parliament brought the political establishment to halt campaigning and caused a national contemplation as to where England was headed. The look into the British psyche, according to the “new” polls, has brought the voters to find favor in the status quo–exactly what Geoffrey Gundlach had predicted several weeks ago (SEE NOTES POST, IF I WAS A RICH MAN). Yra’s first law: Money is fascist and always seeks the highest return in a hoped for stable regime. Political assassination leans the ship of state toward the LEEWARD side, but there are three days left and many new polls to provide volatility to the markets. But I caution there are other events in the world that are of more than of a passing interest.
Notes From Underground: In a Room of Academic Modelers, the Woman From Kansas Shows Some Backbone
January 30, 2013The FED‘s statement today showed no surprises and the vote even was the same as Kansas Fed President Esther George voted NO in opposition to further monetary accommodation by the monetary authorities. James Bullard of the St.Louis Fed voted with the severe majority as did Chicago Fed President Charles Evans. The Bullard vote did not surprise as he has shown a pragmatic edge over the last several years but the consensus vote by Charles Evans was surprising. President Evans has been the most vocal proponent of increased Fed action over the last year when he was a non-voting FOMC member. Today’s negative number on the GDP should have provided Mr. Evans with a perfect excuse to push for a larger FED asset purchase program. At least Ms. George votes in a consistent manner with her rhetoric. The FOMC release opened with this phrase”… suggest that growth in economic activity paused in recent months, in large part because of weather-related disruptions and other transitory factors.” Again, as in years past, it is a spate of bad luck that has caused last quarters slowdown. Before it was the Tsunami in Japan which Bernanke termed “bad luck.”