Archive - May 2012 - Blog entry

In this recovery consumer services bought/supplied have grown by 3.2 percent from their level at the end of recession as of the 33rd month of the expansion. It is the weakest performance we have seen by a long shot in the last eight recoveries that lasted this long. The previous low point at this point in the cycle was in the 2001 recovery at 6.5% before that it was the 9.2% rise in the 1990 recovery. In those comparisons you get the sense of structural change as it is in the most recent recoveries that growth has become progressively weaker. The average for this point of the expansion cycle would be an 11.4% gain in services output if we had normal service sector growth. IF we had that, we would have had 5.5 million MORE jobs even after discounting for productivity growth in the sector and the loss of goods sector jobs from that demand shift to services. That means about 165K more jobs per month than what we have had all recovery long. This not a trivial problem it is a huge problem. And no one seems to be thinking about it.

In no business schools, or economics departments, anywhere in the world, have suggested that such a thing should take place

US home prices have once again made a post-bubble low in spite of all the artificial intervention and massive bailouts to financial institutions.  The bottom line unfortunately is that US household incomes have been strained for well over a decade.  You can slice it up by nominal or inflation adjusted data but household incomes have been moving in a negative direction during the 00s and continuing into this decade.  Keep in mind there is a massive pipeline of problems still in the housing market with over 5.5 million mortgage holders in some stage of foreclosure or simply not paying on their mortgage.  This is more than a housing crisis but a crisis of quality job growth.

Arguably, more millionaire money was made during the Great Depression than at any time in history. Well, if that's true then it looks as if history may be poised to repeat itself. The question is, who will be ready?

Gold is down 1.6% on the week. The gold market has seen peculiar, lack lustre, low volume trading this week punctuated with sudden, oddly timed, very large sell orders. This leads to quick price falls followed either by slow, gradual recovery or a sharp bounce, prior to next bout of strangely timed sudden large sell orders.  

This was clearly seen by the mysterious and massive $1.24 billion ‘Goldfinger’ trade on Monday. 

But the system is gummed up.

Fraud ... What Fraud?

The April jobs report was 'worse than expected'. While some will tell you that with revisions is was 'as expected is say: Huh? Do they mean that now that March job gains are stronger at +154K it is more likely that we would have projected a slowdown to +115K jobs in April? Really? As expected net of revision? On what planet? No We think you should look at the headline numbers and revisions as separate events to some extent. When you do you learn a lot more. On balance we think there may be room for optimism in this dismal-seeming report. But it's guarded and speculative optimism.

All you need to read.

One of the best definitions of fascism – the one used by Mussolini himself – is the “merger of state and corporate power“. We’re pretty much there …

As the economy slows, demand for jobs are about to increase, right? After all, it must be true, they just said it in the news!!!

Everything you need to know about Big Law...

All you need to read.

Bernanke’s legacy is still to be made. But he has put the US economy in a position from which it can succeed. If Europe falls apart, it will be more difficult. If we fall of the fiscal cliff we will have our own Thelma and Louise moment. The Fed Chairman has already said he can’t save us from that shock. It’s really time for fiscal policy makers to step up. As long as they refuse it makes Bernanke’s job all the harder. And the pressure on him is intense.

Bernanke is under a lot of pressure and is given little credit for what have been remarkable achievements. Do risks remain? They sure do. But that result is yet to be decided. Meanwhile risks elsewhere are at least as pressing. Look at his successes...