Posts Tagged ‘Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’
January 20, 2019
Let me begin by reiterating that this is NOT a political blog but a place for the exchange of ideas dedicated to those who desire to improve trading and investing in order to increase profits. My STRENGTH is bringing an in-depth knowledge of political economy and 40-plus years of trading my own funds (while also managing other people’s money via hedge funds).
My personal political views OUGHT not to be relevant for when it comes to generating ideas. I adhere to the wisdom of Deng Xiaoping: “I don’t care if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice.” While I might criticize certain persons in any political administration it is merely to criticize actions as a way of comprehending policy outcomes. (For example, my disdain for Steven Mnuchin is solely based on what I deem to be his incompetence, a similar contempt that I held for Tim Geithner.)
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Tags:Chinese Yuan, Davos, Mexican peso, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, U.S. Dollar, U.S.-China trade
Posted in China, Currency, trade, United States | 7 Comments »
January 6, 2019
“I am a sick man. I am a wicked man.”
So opens the Dostoyevsky novella Notes from Underground. Sometimes I seem to be caught in a similar existential trap as I analyze the global macro data and fundamentals. I am sick because I continue to pursue the opportunities that explode before me. I have taken a turn for the worse and become sick because of the constant flow of manipulated headlines crafted to purposely activate the trading algorithms. Tweets and headlines with no context have become the coin of the realm, especially for high frequency trading operations. But their role in the market jungle does little to dissuade me from honing my craft. The bottom line: Greater preparation and more patience is needed.
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Tags:balance sheet unwind, Ben Bernanke, Gold, Janet Yellen, Japanese yen, Jerome Powell, nonfarm payrolls, QE, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, U.S. Dollar
Posted in Currency, Fed, Japan, United States | 19 Comments »
February 26, 2018
There are several important areas for discussion but first I wanted to post a podcast from the Financial Repression Authority that I participated in last Wednesday with Jim Bianco and Peter Boockvar. Pour your libation of choice and have a listen. Please post any questions or points on information on the blog in order to stimulate a discussion that creates potential profitable trading ideas.The moderator Richard Bonugli does a great job of provoking discourse but allows the conversation to freely flow in search for high quality dialectic. Enjoy.
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Tags:currency war, ECB, Euro, Fed, growth, inflation, Jerome Powell, Mario Draghi, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, U.S. Dollar
Posted in Currency, ECB, Fed | 3 Comments »
April 27, 2017
Mario Draghi’s nonsense is a compost heap as he tries to continue his efforts to build the ECB‘s balance sheet to the point of no escape. The ECB president danced around inflation questions by generally holding to the view that inflation across the entire euro zone would have to rise to the 2% level for the central bank’s mandate to be met. Currently, Draghi holds to the view that the recent elevated levels of inflation are transitory due to higher energy costs. It was noted that there has been a decline in service sector costs, which could put downward pressure on inflation once the energy prices pass through the data. Draghi also emphasized that with the current unemployment levels in some EU countries there was far too much slack which keeps wages from rising. A positive point for the ECB is that it does not follow NAIRU as a major gatekeeper of wage levels. In his typical effort to elevate his position, Draghi applauded the ECB for saving the EU financial system and economy, but until the politicians make the needed structural changes there will be continued “substantial monetary accommodation” so the ECB can meet its inflation mandate.
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Tags:ECB, inflation, Larry Summers, Mario Draghi, QE, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Trump tax plan
Posted in ECB, United States | 5 Comments »