US Economics Update How big a deal are the China tariffs? The tariffs on Chinese imports outlined by President Donald Trump today won’t have a huge impact on the economy even if implemented in full, and we suspect they will end up being watered down. But as... 22nd March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Powell era begins on a hawkish note The Fed’s decision to raise interest rates by 25bp today was widely expected but some investors may have been caught off-guard by the degree to which Fed officials increased their projections for... 21st March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Trump, tariffs and protectionism Developments over the past couple of weeks suggest that President Donald Trump might finally be following through on the protectionist threats he made during the election campaign. The measures... 7th March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Jan.) The reduction in the Fed’s balance sheet has begun to gather pace but is still having next to no impact on the monetary aggregates, suggesting that the effect on the broader economy will also be small... 6th March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Steel tariffs risk retaliatory action President Donald Trump’s announcement today that the US will impose major new tariffs on steel and aluminium imports didn’t come as a huge surprise, since the Commerce Department’s recent 232 report... 1st March 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Weaker dollar is here to stay After depreciating by almost 10% in trade-weighted terms since the beginning of 2017, we suspect that the dollar is set to remain relatively stable over the next few years. The depreciation already... 20th February 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update NFIB survey points to faster wage growth The January NFIB small business survey paints an upbeat picture of economic activity, but it also suggests that the markets are right to focus on the prospect of faster wage growth this year. 13th February 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Pick-up in wage growth a weather-related distortion The reported acceleration in wage growth last month, which triggered the recent market sell-off, was nothing more than a weather-related distortion. The unseasonably cold January explains both the... 6th February 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Senior Loan Officer Survey (Jan.) The Fed’s latest Senior Loan Officer Survey points to a reacceleration in the growth rate of business loans, although auto loans look set to weaken further. 5th February 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update March rate hike coming Janet Yellen’s final meeting as Fed Chair pretty much summed up her entire tenure; policy was left accommodative but there were hints it will be tightened gradually in the future. The more hawkish... 31st January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec.) The reduction in the Fed’s balance sheet has so far been exceptionally gradual, which helps to explain why there’s been next to no impact on the monetary aggregates. Meanwhile, bank lending growth has... 31st January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Saving rate going to zero…and that’s okay (probably) The household saving rate fell to a 12-year low of 2.4% of disposable income in December and, based on the recent surge in the values of equities and real estate, it could fall all the way to zero. 30th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Infrastructure spending still a tough sell in Congress Although stronger infrastructure investment could provide a significant boost to the economy, President Donald Trump’s plan to make private investors do most of the heavy lifting is unlikely to... 30th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update A primer on Federal government shutdowns It is still possible that Congress will reach a late deal to avoid a partial government shutdown beginning this weekend, but the chances of agreement seem to be slipping away. 18th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Higher oil prices not yet a serious problem As a net oil importer, the recent rise in oil prices should eventually be a negative for the US economy, but the near-term impact may actually be positive. Mining investment is set to rebound in the... 17th January 2018 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Nov.) The Fed’s quantitative tightening has so far had little impact on the monetary aggregates, but the effects of rising short-term interest rates are becoming more visible. Meanwhile, after slowing... 10th January 2018 · 1 min read
