Tag Archives: Hot Topics

Brief and interesting charting of the top countries in GDP Ranking. As taken from “World GDP Rankings 2023 | Top 10 Countries Ranked By GDP” – Forbes India. If you have not been on the IMF site, it is worth a look as there is plenty of data and ways to sort the data. The top 10 largest economies/ richest countries in the world in 2023, sourced from IMF data (as of December 04, 2023) “The United States of America, China, Japan, Germany,...

Angry Bear has posted about the 340B Drug Pricing program several times now. What is key to this program is it making available medicines which are out of reach for those who are lower income and uninsured patients. However, the program is being used to divert funding to other hospital facilities. Some are going as far as closing portions of a facility, moving the care to other facilities, and maintaining the original facility so as to be eligible...

In my lingo, existing home sales still down and mortgage rates for new homes still high. Builders are doing what they can do to encourage sales. New Deal democrat gives a clearer view and a hint of an outcome. Read on . . . Existing home sales try to find a bottom, while severe bifurcation with new home market continues  – by New Deal democrat Existing home sales rose 3,000 on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis in November. They are...

J.P. asks AI to summarize their discussion on better government from the other day. J.P. McJefferson: “Chatting With AI On Better Government,” jpmcjefferson.blogspot.com. ME (J.P.) This discussion we’ve been having is somewhat long and detailed. I’m afraid people may not have the time to read it all. Do you think there is any way you could summarize this in about 300 words? ChatGPT Certainly! Here’s a concise summary of the (earlier)...

Parts of the Mexican border are already closed due to the influx of migrants. Puerto Peñasco or Rocky Point and Lukeville crossing, Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, San Ysidro, etc. and several rail crossings. Reader Jim Han offered up a Thom Hartmann commentary suggesting Dems take the deal Repubs are offering up. Thom also points the finger at Repub commentary claiming a Biden policy opened southern borders to all who can get to it. Not true...

Housing under construction continues to levitate  – by New Deal democrat Although they aren’t the most leading of housing metrics, because of supply-chain issues during the pandemic, housing units under construction has been the most important one, because they represent the actual economic activity of construction. With the exception of 2001, which was an investment-led downturn, they also have always turned down significantly before a...

Have wages “really” increased since before the pandemic?  – by New Deal democrat All of the remaining 2023 data – housing sales and construction, and personal income and spending, as well as the Index of Leading Indicators – will be reported this week. After Christmas, only initial claims will be reported next week. Today there is no significant data. But over the weekend, a little tiff erupted on another site that I read, about whether real...

 – by New Deal democrat My “Weekly Indicators” post is up at Seeking Alpha. The big decline in long term interest rates this week in the wake of the Fed’s announced “pivot” towards lowering rates created one of the biggest changes in the long leading indicators for several years. Meanwhile most of the coincident indicators continue to speak of a strong economy. The intersection that is going to tell the tale going forward in the next 6...

Industrial production remains below late 2022 peak even after end of UAW strike  – by New Deal democrat Industrial production historically has been the King of Coincident Indicators, turning up and down at the onset and end of recessions in the past. But as I wrote last month there are signs that has changed in the past 20+ years since China was admitted to normal trade relationships with the US. Because manufacturing is a much smaller share of...

Real retail sales mildly positive, but still suggest further deceleration in job gains  – by New Deal democrat Before proceeding further, I should mention – and should have mentioned as to jobless claims – that we are in that part of the year where seasonality often wreaks havoc, so outsized gains or losses should be taken with a grain of salt. This is particularly true as to YoY comparisons of retail claims, because last year November and...