Economic Data

As in 2008, when global financial institutions were under attack, we are now facing a solvency crisis. This time the issue is Eurozone sovereign governments.  Make no bones about it, the EU's trillion dollar gambit has worked and a…

Well it is now official - or at least as official as it is going to get: the Spanish economy sneaked back into growth by a short head during the first three months of this year. According to data published in the Bank of Spain’s quarterly…

Well, according to a popular urban legend, Spain’s unemployment rate - which is the second highest in the EU after Latvia - is currently running at something just a touch over 20%. Or is it? The unemployment problem I wish to address here…

The results are in from the poll on Greek sovereign bond default. To the question of "Will Greece default?" a plurality said "Yes, but they will stay in the euro-zone after a managed restructuring." Another 26% answered…

The April 2010 Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® showed across the board strength in US manufacturing. The index hit 60.5 percent, a 6 year high and well above the 50 percent demarcation line between recession and recovery. The…

Markets were unimpressed with the size of the just-announced $145 billion rescue package or the ability of Greece to meet the terms. A bailout of all Club Med countries would, according to estimates I’ve seen, approach $800 billion. This…

Regular readers know that, while I have a little of what Marshall Auerback calls deficit terrorism in my DNA, I fully support fiscal stimulus as a means to arrest a deep downturn.  The horrendous Keynesian nightmare My move into…

The US turned in a fairly robust quarter in Q1 2010, with real GDP growth meeting expectations at 3.2% annualized. This comes on the back of a very robust annualized 5.6% growth in the previous quarter. This is the best growth two-quarter…

Highlights The US dollar is surrendering its recent gains against most major and emerging market currencies today amid reports that new substantial Greek savings (24 bln euros) will be sufficient to spur a larger (100-120 bln euro) aid…

SocGen's Albert Edwards was out with a note today which is in line with my calls for a marked slowing of the economy toward the end of this year. He indicates that the rate of change in leading indicators in the real economy and in markets…