Gold Rush !

Gold Rush !

Breaking: ?Rescue teams search for Iran's president after helicopter crash [BBC]

Breaking: ?Putin and Xi Vow to Step Up Fight to Counter US ‘Containment’ [Bloomberg]

Breaking: ?How Slovakia’s toxic politics left PM fighting for his life

As the geopolitical tension escalates from actual wars to the assassination attempt of the prime minister of Slovakia, the President of Iran disappearing in a helicopter crash and unprecedented military actions in the Taiwan Strait,? just as the new Taiwanese President takes charge, so the accumulation of hard assets continues: Gold, Silver, Copper etc and a commodities supercycle seems to be upon us. And that has to be inflationary for those who haven't been accumulating.

In the last 2 years, central banks and, in particular, China and Russia have been continuously amassing Gold. Recently the Chinese authorities have urged the population to buy Gold, it's much easier to do in China, as has India who is naturally a big purchase for jewellery.

Friday saw Gold and spectacularly Silver and Copper surge.

In equity markets we also saw the re-emergence of Gamestop as the meme-stock craze reasserts. Despite what the FED says,? liquidity is abundant for this to happen.

That's liquidity in markets. The consumer is now in bad shape in the US and even worse shape in Europe.?

Gold Monthly since 1971
Gold Monthly since 1971

Gold bars sold out in Hanoi, HCMC as prices skyrocket [VN Express]

Silver Monthly since 1995
Silver Monthly since 1995

Regulators Sounding The Alarm

Powell at Foreign Bankers Association in Amsterdam this week, expressed his concern yet again at the fiscal financial deterioration in the US. When asked? about whether the expanding deficits and national debt makes his life trickier, Jerome Powell responded: "I think it is utterly non-controversial to say that US fiscal policy is on an unsustainable path..." "We're going to have to deal with this sooner or later and sooner is a lot more attractive than later....." "I think you mentioned Congressional Budget Office. I think anyone, everyone, and anyone, should be reading the things they're publishing about the U.S. budget deficit and the path and should be very concerned that elected people need to get their arms around it sooner rather than later."

US Economy

A slightly dovish CPI helped calm markets although there is no sign that inflation is going lower after 4 consecutive CPI prints at the same levels. Many are arguing higher, many lower but, in reality, we're stuck at these levels.?

Yet markets are determined on rate cuts and now as an emergency action against the legions of black swans circling the global economy.

The chart of truth, US 10 year bond yield show us a 40 year secular deflationary trend ending in 2022.

US 10 Year Bond Yields Monthly
US 10 Year Bond Yields Monthly

PPI came in hotter than expected, and therefore near future CPI unlikely to decline much.

US PPI APRIL 2024
US PPI APRIL 2024

You can read CPI any way you want

US CPI April 2024
US CPI April 2024

But retail sales are collapsing

US Retail Sales April 2024
US Retail Sales April 2024

And consumer confidence is plummeting

University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (May)
University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (May)
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia May Business Survey 2024
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia May Business Survey 2024

Seattle Could Shutter 20 Elementary Schools Due To Budget Constraints [Zerohedge]

Goldman Strategists Say Loss-Making US Companies Face Rates Risk [Bloomberg]

Red Lobster expected to file for bankruptcy after closing dozens of restaurant locations [Yahoo News!] ?

How One of the World's Oldest Hedge Funds Went Bankrupt [Bloomberg]


In The Background

>> Japan

An amazingly quick deterioration in the Japanese economy, recently thought of as solid with dangerous inflationary trends.

JAPAN GDP Q1 2024
JAPAN GDP Q1 2024

Japan's economy skids, clouding BOJ's rate hike plans [Reuters]

BOJ May Raise Rates as Soon as June, Ex-Chief Economist Says [bloomberg]

>>China

China is now throwing the kitchen sink at the economy including plans to buy unsold real estate from developers.

And it's working as far as the stock market is concerned.

Hang Seng Monthly
Hang Seng Monthly

China fires starting gun on $140bn debt sale to boost economy [FT]

Chinese officials are considering government purchases of unsold homes (from distressed developers at steep discounts) to ease apartment glut

China considers local government purchases of unsold homes, Bloomberg News says [Reuters]

>> Commercial Real Estate?

Everyone is underestimating the knock-on effects for banks and lending.?

>> Europe

Stuck

EU GDP Q1 2024
EU GDP Q1 2024

Australia

Australia Wage Price Index Q1 2024
Australia Wage Price Index Q1 2024

Inflation still elevated and unemployment jumping

Australia Unemployment April 2024
Australia Unemployment April 2024

The budget looks inflationary and certainly doesn't seem to be trying to achieve anything apart from buying votes.

Sleepwalking


What's Next

Check out the FED minutes for any change to here for longer narrative.


This Week's Important Economic Indicators [London time]

This Week's Important Economic Indicators [London time]
This Week's Important Economic Indicators [London time]


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