Daily Comment
Daily Comment (August 15, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Markets are calming down. Here’s what we are tracking this morning: North Korea blinks: According to numerous reports, the military leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) offered plans to Kim Jong-un for a missile test around the U.S. territory of Guam. After reviewing… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 14, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] There was a lot of news over the weekend. Here is what we see as important: North Korea fears ease: Although worries remain about an escalation of tensions with North Korea, as we noted last week, there is no evidence of U.S. mobilization for an attack… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 11, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Commentary from the White House remains belligerent, but U.S. equity futures appear to be stabilizing. Here is what we are watching: U.S. v. North Korea: In a press event yesterday, President Trump doubled down on his bellicose rhetoric against North Korea. He added to it this… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 10, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Global equity markets are lower this morning as tensions surrounding North Korea rise. There is a growing chorus of commentators warning about a repeat of 1987 (maybe because we are approaching the 30-year anniversary?), which would be momentous because that crash was the last major one… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 9, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] It’s not quiet today. There is a lot of news, almost all geopolitical. We are seeing modest “flight to safety” in financial markets this morning, with equities in retreat while Treasuries, gold, the Swiss franc and Japanese yen move higher. We don’t expect any equity pullbacks… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 8, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Financial markets remain quiet. Here are some of the headlines we are following: Zuma out? South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, faces a parliamentary vote of no-confidence today (around 9:45 EDT). That isn’t exactly news as this is the sixth such vote Zuma has faced. There is… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 7, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] It’s a quiet Monday morning in August. Washington is mostly on recess and families are squeezing out the last few days of summer before school begins. Here are the notable news items. Sanctions on North Korea: The UNSC voted unanimously to apply further sanctions on North… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 4, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Happy employment day! We cover the data in detail below but the headline numbers are reflecting a strong economy. Payrolls came in at 209k, with revisions adding a modest 2k. Expectations called for a 180k rise. The unemployment rate was on forecast at 4.3%, down from… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 3, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Washington is shutting down for August, earnings remain solid and news flow is rather quiet. Here’s what we are watching today. BOE holds steady: The BOE held everything steady. Its QE remains in place and rates were left unchanged. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 8-0… Read More »