As we wrap up the first quarter earnings season and approach the midpoint of the year, a major theme emerging out of corporate America and Goldman analysts is the deteriorating financial health of low-income consumers. 

A team of Goldman analysts led by Kate McShane, CFA, published the latest low-income activity dashboard that shows monthly trends have been "mixed recently, noting tailwinds from lower gasoline prices and improved mobility along with headwinds from weaker credit metrics and slowing consumer confidence." 

After the Powell pivot late last year sparked frenzied speculation of the timing and quantum of rate cuts, it only seems wise to be a little more circumspect this time around when the data falls the Fed’s way.

"We affirm our commitment to upholding the principles of sound money and protecting the savings of our constituents..."

"We are against any truce that plays into the hands of the enemy."

"The United States should read the situation & drop this case now."

World Court also seeking arrest of Hamas chief...

"Barack said to me, 'Go to Detroit and help fix it'..."

The outlook for the economy and corporate profits may be improving, but that’s not enough to make strategists significantly more bullish for the rest of the year.

Whoops...

...graduates turned their seats away from the stage during Biden’s speech, and many listened with their heads down... Fewer than two dozen of the more than 400 graduating students stood to applaud his speech...

Geoffrey Hinton also warns that advanced AI could pose an existential threat within the next five to twenty years...

After last week's non-stop rollercoaster, it will be a quieter week ahead for global macro with perhaps the most interesting events of the week being Nvidia's earnings and FOMC minutes on Wednesday.

Mr. Smith and his team have taken inconsistent positions during the case as it pertains to keeping some information sealed, or hidden from the public...

"The FSKBridge site is visible for the first time without the vessel." 

The US is in a stunningly strong position in such a world...  if only it can get out of its own way and be true to its founding principles

VIX dealers are once again running very big short positions

"Fundamentally, investors are not concerned about the health of the economy. I am not too worried about the commodity rally as it’s only one component of inflation and we are seeing other aspects of inflation starting to come off."

Hanke skewers the political class for deflecting the blame...