Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

The Treasury yield curve has now almost totally inverted

The Treasury yield curve has now almost totally inverted  – by New Deal democrat One of the few leading indicators not flashing red for recession has been the short end of the Treasury yield curve, which has been relentlessly positive – until now. While the 10 year minus 2 year Treasury spread has been negative […]

Putin’s war comes home

Infidel753, Putin’s war comes home. For most of the duration of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the majority of Russians have either supported the aggression or at least not objected too energetically.  The war did not affect them much, except insofar as Western sanctions did.  That is now changing, thanks to Putin’s ill-advised and stunningly incompetent […]

The tide has now turned as to house prices

The tide has now turned as to house prices Last month I wrote that the FHFA showed evidence that house prices had peaked, and that “since the FHFA has a tendency to turn slightly ahead of the Case Shiller index, this strongly suggests that a sharp deceleration in the Case Shiller index YoY will start […]

What News Was in My In-Box, October 26, 2022

Quite a few varying articles in healthcare and other topics this week. Pfizer is hoping to make a killing on it mRNA vaccine, shots are approved for 6 months to five-years of age, Medicare Advantage plans, and Novartis is back again with a cancer drug. A COA has blocked student loan relief, lots of talk […]

The Wealth of America’s Bottom 50% Doubled

How can this be?  September 28, 2022, we have Senator Bernie Sanders tweeting (I don’t, guess I need to eat some bird seed). The obscene level of income and wealth inequality in America is a profoundly moral issue that we cannot continue to ignore or sweep under the rug. A society cannot sustain itself when […]

When will housing construction turn down? A fuller consideration

When will housing construction turn down? A fuller consideration  – by New Deal democrat No important economic news today. Also I am traveling this week, so there might be some light posting, as in, I might skip a day or two. But I very much want to see what is happening with house prices, which […]

New Deal democrat’s weekly indicators for October 17 – 21

Weekly Indicators for October 17 – 21 at Seeking Alpha My Weekly Indicators post is up at Seeking Alpha. If you thought the long leading indicators couldn’t get any worse – well, they could. As usual, clicking over and reading will bring you up to the virtual moment as to how the economy is doing right […]

“Long Beach and Los Angeles Shipping Backlog Ends”

If you have no idea of what a container ship looks like when loaded with containers, here is one example. I have no idea what port this one may be pulling into. The backside of the container ship has 178 containers with the top corners empty. If you had the time and the know-how, I […]

If GOP Wins Either House Of Congress, Dems Must Kill the Debt Ceiling

If GOP Wins Either House Of Congress, Dems Must Kill Debt Ceiling  If it comes to pass and especially if the GOP takes both houses, presumably Democrats will be able to kill the debt ceiling in the lame duck session. This assumes Manchin and Sinema stick with them on it, which one of them might […]

September existing home sales and prices decline

September existing home sales and prices decline  – by New Deal democrat With the exception of their big impact on prices, I do not particularly pay attention to existing home sales. Their economic impact is small compared with the construction of new homes which may have spearheaded by companies like that New Home Builder in […]