U.S. corporates refuse to get tempted by consumer-spending signal

posted in: Credit, Economy | 0

Non-residential fixed investment contributed 0.68 percent to the four-percent growth in U.S. gross domestic product in the second quarter.  A much larger 1.69 percent came from personal consumption expenditures.  Back in 1Q08, non-residential fixed investment peaked at $1.99tn, preceded by … Continued

ZIRP-induced interest-rate dynamics between income and payment

posted in: Credit, Currency, Economy | 0

There is probably no other price as important as the price of money – that is, interest rates.  They are what grease the wheels of an economy.  Simplistically, when rates are high, people are incentivized to save more.  When they … Continued

Mismatch between capex-cautious but profit-rich corporations and already-levered but ready-to-take-on-more-debt consumers

posted in: Economy, Equities | 0

The 1Q14 GDP print was a shocker, to say the least!  Real GDP inched up a mere 0.1 percent SAAR, versus consensus expectations of 1.2-percent expansion.  Sure, it is the advance estimate, with two more still to come.  Sure it … Continued

An ‘escape velocity’ that keeps escaping

posted in: Economy, Equities, Technicals | 0

Are we there yet?  Have we yet reached the escape velocity?  You know the 6.96 miles-per-second speed needed to break free from the gravitational pull of the earth.  I am of course figuratively referring to the prevalent expectations that the … Continued