Thursday, June 13, 2013

Morning Journal--More government/business corruption

Economics

   This Week’s Data

            Well, so much for the miracle of sequestration and tax hikes.  The May Treasury budget deficit came in at $138.7 billion versus expectations of $110.0 billion.  Of course, there was much for sequestration et al to overcome; like, say, the fourth largest spending month in US government history; proving once again that the power of the executive branch trumps everything.

                Weekly jobless claims fell 13,000 versus expectations of a 4,000 increase.

            May retail sales rose 0.6% versus estimates of +0.5%; ex autos and gasoline, they were up 0.3%, in line.

   Other

            Are soaring bond yields good news? (medium):

            More macro data (short):

Politics

  Domestic

More perspective on the NSA/phone records brouhaha (medium):

            The problems with the immigration bill passed Tuesday by the senate (medium):

                One of the major risks to the economy and the Markets that I list in The Closing Bell is a banking system less financially sound and more poorly managed than is the accepted consensus.  This article on the trashing of Gary Gensler, head of the CFTC, is perfect example of why---government incompetence and institutional malfeasance combined to derail regulation that would put a stop to the inappropriate assumption of risks backstopped by the US taxpayer (medium):
           http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/06/obama-axes-bank-harrassing-gary-gensler-at-cftc-plans-to-install-lightweight-ex-goldmanite.html

No comments:

Post a Comment