Eurodollar University Jeff Snider

A major global central bank would never hike rates during a prolonged recession, would it? You might be surprised to find out the answer is a solid, yes. Not only did it just happen, the reasons why tell us a whole lot about the real aim of central bank policies, where they come from, and, more important of all, the status of our globally synchronized world. The cycle drama just got taken up a notch. 
Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis
Bloomberg Japan’s Economy Sputters as Dismal Run Extends to Three Quartershttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/japan-s-economy-contracts-as-consumers-companies-cut-spending
Reuters Japan's economy skids, clouding BOJ's rate hike planshttps://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/japans-gdp-contracts-complicating-bojs-rate-hike-plans-2024-05-16/
Reuters Japan's finmin says 'speculative' moves in currency market impacting yenhttps://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/japans-finance-minister-sees-speculative-moves-currency-market-2024-04-01/
Investing.com Japan GDP shrinks more than expected in Q1 as consumption slowshttps://www.investing.com/news/economic-indicators/japan-gdp-shrinks-more-than-expected-in-q1-as-consumption-slows-3443154
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

They called it the most important economic update in living memory, holding the key to everything from inflation to economy and interest rates. When it came out, it wasn't what everyone thought and even more interesting those numbers ended up being overshadowed by another set alarmingly consistent with everything else we've been seeing lately. 
Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis
BLS April US CPI press releasehttps://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf
Bloomberg Here Are the Key Takeaways From US CPI Report for Aprilhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/us-cpi-report-april-2024-key-takeaways-on-inflation-core-measure
Bloomberg US Retail Sales Stall After Downward Revisions in Prior Monthshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-15/us-retail-sales-stall-after-downward-revisions-in-prior-months
CNN The backbone of America’s economy was just dealt a serious blowhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/05/15/economy/us-retail-sales-april/index.html
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

When the person who is supposed to help you find a job finds out they no longer have one themselves, that's a warning sign about the economy. Those have been proliferating lately and mostly focused on employment. This fits nicely (in a bad way) into other late cycle signals coming across including a sharp rise in consumer credit delinquencies. 
Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis
Indeed Message from CEOhttps://www.indeed.com/press/releases/a-message-from-our-ceo-chris-hyams-2
FRBNY HOUSEHOLD DEBT AND CREDIT REPORT (Q1 2024)https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc.html
Liberty Street Economics Delinquency Is Increasingly in the Cards for Maxed‑Out Borrowershttps://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2024/05/delinquency-is-increasingly-in-the-cards-for-maxed-out-borrowers/
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

China's total credit in April actually fell for only the third time and by the most ever. Clearly the government is alarmed by that as well as the distinct lack of traction in the real economy (more deflation in producer prices, minimal gains in consumer prices). We'll go over what was just reported, what the government's next government plan is likely to be, and what the market(s) reaction(s) has(have) been. 
Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis
NYT Biden Looks to Thwart Surge of Chinese Importshttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/politics/biden-china-imports.html
WSJ China Hints at New Growth Push as it Warns of Rising Uncertaintieshttps://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-calls-long-delayed-policy-meeting-warning-of-rising-uncertainties-032fb571
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

There is a resurgence underway not from consumer prices as everyone thinks, instead the use of the term "stagflation." This is really nothing more than the shift in narrative attempting to incorporate more visible economic weakness while still keeping it the idea "inflation." But as the former takes the forefront, the latter will continue to fade until what's left isn't even stagnation. 
Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van Metre
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Another critical economic measures shows big negative changes and they aren't "inflation" problems. It's not just that American consumers are cracking, the consistent theme which keeps coming up over and over is jobs. The US labor market has been stuck in half a recession already, is this now the other half?
Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis
UofM Surveys of Consumershttp://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/
CNBC Consumer sentiment tumbles as inflation fears surge, closely watched survey showshttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/10/consumer-sentiment-tumbles-as-inflation-fears-surge-closely-watched-survey-shows.html
https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU