China

Jim Chanos sees a slowdown in residential property sales coupled with declining prices. Real estate companies are starting to close down. He argued on CNBC yesterday that this means the first signs of a Chinese slowdown are showing. Video…

People who are staring at a tsunami of demand for commodities from the developing world and predicting a doomsday of $400 oil and $4000 gold are missing the longer-term retreating tide of demand as citizens of the developed world actually…

There is a difference between economic growth from mere factor mobilisation and economic growth from increased productivity. One requires a lot more capital investment and debt than the other. If and when capital investment growth slows,…

Is China currently rebalancing? The currency has been appreciating, the PBoC has hiked interest rates four times, and wages have been surging. Because of all of this I am often asked if China has finally begun the long-waited rebalancing…

As labour costs in China rise, economists are beginning to think about replacing labour with capital, something we have already seen as a major factor in suppressing wage gains in developed economies. This is also in line with what…

A fall in commodity prices increases the potential for financial market disruption and non-performing loan problems in China.

Almost a week before S&P’s move, Fitch cut the outlook for China’s yuan debt to negative from stable. Media coverage was almost non-existent and there has hardly been any commentary. Frankly, most observers don’t even seem to know it…

Michael Pettis argues that Reserve currency status is a global public good that comes with a cost, and people often forget that cost.

Win Thin of Brown Brothers Harriman was on Bloomberg talking to Tom Keene and Michael Cloherty, head of U.S. rates strategy for fixed income and currencies at RBC Capital Markets, about the global markets for a good fifteen minutes today.…

The press is reporting that China plans to set up new investment funds that will put some of its $3 trln in foreign reserves to work in energy and precious metals. The PBOC is also reportedly studying a proposal to set up some sort of…