7. June 2023
China: The economy sees pressure from 'containment measures' and monetary tightening in the West. 'Self-reliance and a strong military' is Beijing's answer
6. June 2023
The lessons from Australia: Monetary normalisation is here to stay for an extended period despite declining inflation
Germany: The economy's fragile 'reconstruction' has just started, but the coalition government in Berlin is already in big trouble
5. June 2023
USA: ISM service survey shows falling growth, lower inflation and employment contraction
Turkey needs to do the opposite of Erdoganomics, now and not tomorrow. The unavoidable outcome will be a deep recession
2. June 2023
USA: The labour market remains buoyant despite slow growth. The Federal Reserve will continue on a path of monetary tightening
1. June 2023
USA: ISM manufacturing survey shows no signs of an upcoming recovery. The price index drops sharply
German workers lost within 18 months what they had gained since 2010. Now, they want compensation
31. May 2023
Germany: The inflation report continues to benefit from a mild winter. Is there too much self-complacency in a more dangerous world?
China is at a crossroads: Western corporate leaders with significant interests in China have many good reasons to be concerned about the future
30. May 2023
USA: Consumer survey shows tentative signs of weakness in the labour market but still elevated inflation expectations
Eurozone: A weak EU survey and ECB Monetary Development Report will boost market expectations of a more dovish ECB
Sweden: The lack of credibility in the previous decades hangs over the Swedish krona like a dark cloud
26. May 2023
USA: Inflation expectations will not go away in the current tight labour market environment
25. May 2023
France: The economy will soon come to a standstill
A short note on the US debt limit crisis: One cannot ignore the fact that the Republicans have a valid concern that the United States needs to address now
24. May 2023
Germany: IFO survey confirms the Eurozone struggle is far from over. It has only just begun
British CPI report: This is neither '2008' nor 'the 1970s' - the long-term task of central banks is far more challenging
23. May 2023
US new home sales report: No signs of 'economic contraction' will force the Federal Reserve to err on the hawkish side
A short note on the latest geopolitical events: The course of events has taken control away from politicians around the world
22. May 2023
'Virtual China visit' - Steffen Schiottz-Christensen from Chengdu, China. Register Now - 'First come, first served'
Japan: 'Back-sourcing' and increasing wages require significantly higher productivity, corporate spending and inflow of foreign workers
USA: Philadelphia Fed survey shows more disinflation and manufacturing contraction. The starting point in the next recovery phase is a tight labour market
17. May 2023
Japan: The economy surprises by showing strong growth in the first quarter of 2023, but labour shortages put a lid on the economy
A strong French labour market report is not good news but underscores an EU problem that will become significantly worse in the future
16. May 2023
Podcast interview with Anders Overvad, Think Tank Europa: The EU faces a fiscal and demographic hurricane [language: Danish]
China's economy stumbles, but Beijing has no intentions of supporting households. The main focus is SOEs and defence spending
15. May 2023
Eurozone: A mild winter is not enough to support manufacturing activity. Many European manufacturers face an existential crisis without subsidises
Germany: Falling wholesale price statistics indicate CPI inflation close to the 3%-4% range. Nonetheless, 'monetary normalisation' continues
12. May 2023
The European Union faces an unprecedented demographic and fiscal hurricane
11. May 2023
China: A benign inflation report underscores structural weakness in the economy. Will Beijing bail out distressed provinces?
10. May 2023
USA: Annual inflation is slowing, but still a long way to go with a different labour market than in 2008 - and higher 'normalised policy rates'
Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has, so far, been a positive surprise. However, pragmatism will soon be tested as Italy faces unprecedented demographic headwinds
9. May 2023
USA: NFIB small business sentiment survey underscores the decisive difference between 2008 and today
USA: CBO report shows soaring interest payment boosting the budget deficit. Investors need to get used to a new normal - the end of central banks sponsoring fiscal expansion
8. May 2023
Is Turkey still a democracy? If so, the upcoming election provides hope for the future and a sharp lira appreciation
Germany: Industrial orders and production plunge. Berlin moves to 'Plan B' - subsidised energy price of 6 cents. The slow demolition of the Single Market continues
USA April Employment Report: Secular forces will limit the rise in unemployment despite lower growth. Consequence: Elevated policy rates for longer
4. May 2023
USA: The financial market interpretation is 'pause' or 'easing', but the press conference shows Powell intends to err on the hawkish side
3. May 2023
USA: ISM service survey neither indicates an upcoming recession nor contraction in the labour market
France: Public sector imbalances deteriorate. The ECB will no longer sponsor fiscal irresponsibility, leading to higher real bond yields
The Federal Reserve is aware that a premature reversal of monetary policy will have the same catastrophic consequences as in 1980
2. May 2023
Not an easy task for the ECB: Another weak German retail sales report, more deposits outflow from Eurozone banks and falling 'lending standard'
Australia: The RBA's decision to raise policy rates is a reminder to the financial market of a long-term monetary normalisation process
1. May 2023
USA: The manufacturing sector still shows economic contraction but not enough to change the course of monetary policy
The Bank of Japan stays the course despite increasing core inflation. Reindustrialisation and rearmament will make the impact of adverse demographics even worse
China: Growth momentum slows as the impact of the reopening process fades. Beijing exploits geopolitics to make life even harder for foreign brands on the mainland
14. April 2023
No updates from April 17th to April 28th
Falling inflation is precisely what central banks and the bond market predicted. But it will be challenging to fulfil investors' next expectations leg in the Eurozone
13. April 2023
USA: The March producer price report shows what the ISM survey has predicted for some time. Investors forecast rate cuts, but a policy of 'monetary normalisation' will prevail
China's trade report is yet more evidence that Beijing is betting on one of the 'old tools' - exports. Beijing will launch more aggressive infrastructure spending
12. April 2023
USA: Falling energy prices pull headline inflation lower. Service price inflation slows but remains far too high
The Bank of Japan faces a dilemma - but its freedom of manoeuvring is limited
11. April 2023
China turns to the same policies that President Xi Jinping despised in the past. State-sponsored asset managers bail out state banks. Chinese manufacturers move production closer to the United States
'Mission Accomplished' for Beijing: President Macron's catastrophic kowtow in Beijing divides the EU even more, and the transatlantic alliance is now at risk
5. April 2023
USA: ISM service survey shows broad-based weakness - and significantly lower inflation pressure
The US labour market shows tentative signs of weakness - but this will not change the task of the Federal Reserve because the situation is different from 2008
4. April 2023
Beijing's efforts to internationalise the yuan are bearing fruit. The United States cannot overestimate the consequences of losing the dollar's status as a reserve currency
Eurozone: German trade report underscores that dependence on China keeps increasing - directly and indirectly
3. April 2023
USA: ISM manufacturing PMI index dropped deeper into the contraction zone - and Opec+ throws a spanner into the works
The Bank of Japan's Tankan survey shows a tightening labour market, stronger service sentiment and a weaker manufacturing sector. Still waiting for 'monetary normalisation'
31. March 2023
Germany: Retail sales in real terms plunge, as workers do not care about falling annual inflation. Workers need falling consumer prices or higher wages
President Xi Jinping is no longer trying to hide where China is headed. History shows that it pays to listen to authoritarian leaders
30. March 2023
EU survey shows lacklustre growth, no further improvement in CPI inflation, but falling factory gate price pressure - and a tight labour market
Eurozone: Preliminary reports show a sharp decline in the inflation rate. Nonetheless, the ECB does not base monetary policy on 'base effects'. Policy bias remains hawkish
29. March 2023
Sweden: A small bounce in business and consumer sentiment, but households' inflation assessment skyrockets to a new all-time high
Germany and France: Consumer surveys underscore the challenges facing the ECB. Wage increase calls are supported by demographic 'tailwind'
28. March 2023
Bank deposit outflows accelerated in the Eurozone in February. Commercial banks will be forced to raise deposit rates
France: Insee business survey shows lacklustre growth - and sticky prices. ECB says tightening will continue
27. March 2023
Eurozone: ECB's Monetary Development shows tightening conditions - but the ECB is expected to stay the course of 'overkilling' the economy
Germany: IFO survey significantly reduces the risk of 'recession' - so far
24. March 2023
Japan: The quality of being 'long the yen' - even without monetary tightening
23. March 2023
USA: The banking crisis and Wall Street investors distract the Federal Reserve, but Chairman Powell will stay the course
22. March 2023
Britain: Inflation will not go away as central banks face a totally different environment than in 2008
A short note on the 'frenemies meeting' in Moscow: Deglobalisation, RMB internationalisation and more geopolitical tensions confirmed
21. March 2023
US existing home sales jumped much-faster-than-expected in February - house prices dropped for the first time since 2012
The big difference between the '2008 bank run' and today: There is political and public support to rescue the banking system - but not for bailing out bank shares
20. March 2023
Germany: Factory gates inflation declines, but the absolute level of producer prices is still 50% higher than in 2019 - and the next inflation leg has already hit the shore
Podcast interview with foreign policy expert Camilla Tenna Nørup Sørensen: War or peace? Is China's President Xi Jinping a peacemaker or Moscow's ally? [language: Danish]
17. March 2023
Xi Jinping as peacemaker in Europe? Yes, if China benefits
Eurozone: Labour costs jumped in the last quarter of 2022. Q1 will be even stronger as the EU faces a secular labour supply problem
China cuts the reserve requirement ratio. The economy needs growth drivers. Xi Jinping could act as a peacemaker in Europe if China benefits. China and USA could benefit
16. March 2023
USA: Philadelphia Fed survey continues to show a weak manufacturing sector - but activity in the service sector is far more important
A short note on today's ECB Meeting: Monetary tightening is needed because today is not 2008
China: House prices 'bounce' back in February - but housing fundamentals are weak
Podcast interview with China expert Jorgen Delman: The West regrets its dependence on China - and Beijing bets on self-sufficiency and increases military spending. Decoupling will be expensive, very expensive - for China and the West [language: Danish]
15. March 2023
China: Economic statistics in January-February do not give rise to much optimism
14. March 2023
USA: Headline inflation moderates, but the biggest sector of the economy, services, sees the highest inflation rate since 1982
USA: NFIB small business survey shows a tightening labour market
By Invitation: China's new Parliament focuses on economic recovery, security, and confrontation with the US
13. March 2023
A short note on the Iran-Saudi deal, yuan internationalisation, SVP, federal debt refinancing, CHIPS, IRA, banking crisis and North Korea
USA: Fiscal balances deteriorate as the Federal Reserve creates headwinds - and will continue to do so. Washington will soon have to raise defence spending markedly
10. March 2023
USA: January labour market report was not a 'statistical error' - and employment growth continued in February. No signs of labour market weakness in the coming months
China: Monetary statistics still show no signs of a sustainable and self-propelled economic recovery. Does Xi Jinping care? Maybe!
'Virtual Company visit' - Albatros: Adventure tourism in China - and what is happening in China. Register Now - 'First come, first served'
9. March 2023
China: Falling inflation shows a weak and vulnerable recovery. The 'solidarity dilemma' facing Europe
8. March 2023
The Eurozone is facing the same tight liquidity situation as the US economy - but the ECB faces bigger problems
USA: The liquidity situation is now contracting at the fastest rate since the 'Volcker era' - and the labour market might still show strength for a little longer
7. March 2023
Germany: Industrial orders continue to bounce back. The difference between the financial crisis and today is the demographic headwind
A disappointing trade report and the Two-Sessions NPC meeting underscore that China faces significant headwinds
