Categories Finance

The Capital Spectator: Investing, Asset Allocation, and Economic Insights

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        <p>* Relations between the US and China <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/23/bidens-taiwan-defense-pledge-inflames-u-s-china-relations-00034588">have become tense</a> following Biden's statements regarding Taiwan<br/>* The direction of US trade policy towards China <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/23/business/economy/china-trade-tariffs-biden.html">remains ambiguous</a><br/>* The European Union's ban on Russian oil imports is <a href="https://www.ibtimes.com/eu-oil-embargo-days-ukraine-isolation-drives-russia-closer-china-3518033">anticipated</a> shortly<br/>* The Eurozone experienced ‘solid’ growth in May as indicated by data from the <a href="https://www.markiteconomics.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/bc097909c30948a2aa6cdfc7f06a4db5">PMI Composite Index</a><br/>* The Chief of the European Central Bank <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-24/lagarde-says-ecb-won-t-rush-as-consensus-shuns-half-point-hike?srnd=economics-vp">states</a> there is no urgency to tighten monetary policy<br/>* The Great Resignation appears to be ongoing, according to a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/24/great-resignation-to-continue-one-in-five-likely-to-switch-jobs-pwc.html">recent global survey</a><br/>* Could Spain be the <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/24/spain-paints-itself-as-the-answer-to-europes-russian-energy-problem.html">solution</a> to Europe’s energy challenges from Russia?<br/>* UK private sector growth has <a href="https://www.markiteconomics.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/00c0cc00756e401abf6bf7bc610f01da">slowed</a> to its lowest rate since winter 2021<br/>* US growth <a href="https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2022/05/23/chicago-fed-index-suggests-economic-growth-increased-in-april">remained strong</a> in April according to the Chicago Fed National Activity Index:</p>

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Following a period of significant downturns, global markets generally showed improvement during the trading week ending Friday, May 20, as indicated by various ETFs. The notable exceptions were US stocks and real estate investment trusts, which experienced considerable declines.

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        <p>* President Biden <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/23/politics/biden-taiwan-china-japan-intl-hnk/index.html">asserts</a> that the US would intervene militarily if China attacks Taiwan, yet…<br/>* The White House <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-23/biden-says-us-military-will-defend-taiwan-from-any-china-attack?srnd=premium">clarifies</a> Biden’s statements regarding US support for Taiwan<br/>* The US <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/us-announces-major-asia-economic-deal-in-effort-to-boost-profile-counter-china.html">reveals</a> a significant economic agreement for Asia to counteract China<br/>* What are Turkey’s reasons for <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/why-turkey-doesnt-want-sweden-finland-to-join-nato.html">blocking</a> NATO membership for Finland and Sweden?<br/>* Shadow banking presents a growing <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d22ec352-a4a4-4f4c-832a-cb05af5110f1">risk</a> to the global economy<br/>* The US economy is in a ‘transition’ phase, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/22/inflation-economy-deese-biden-white-house-00034263">according to</a> the White House economic adviser<br/>* Treasury yields <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/bonds-descent-stalls-amid-stock-turmoil-11653244412?mod=hp_lead_pos3">have stabilized</a> as bond demand increases amid economic anxieties<br/>* Is the early 2000s dot-com crash <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/looking-lot-dot-com-crash-110000945.html">repeating itself?</a><br/>* The era of unrestricted data flow is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/23/technology/data-privacy-laws.html">coming to an end</a><br/>* The US Q2 GDP is still projected to recover according to the Atlanta Fed’s <a href="https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow">GDPNow estimate:</a></p>

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        <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Futures-Uncertain-Economics-Disasters/dp/1009100122?crid=3B4WWXAS6W7ID&amp;keywords=%E2%97%8F+Fragile+Futures%3A+The+Uncertain+Economics+of+Disasters%2C+Pandemics%2C+and+Climate+Change&amp;qid=1653058397&amp;sprefix=fragile+futures+the+uncertain+economics+of+disasters%2C+pandemics%2C+and+climate+change%2Caps%2C650&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=thecapitalspe-20&amp;linkId=e7a71305dc7ab1d0fa745ebfbb4735b1&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=1009100122&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=thecapitalspe-20&amp;language=en_US" border="0"/></a><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thecapitalspe-20&amp;language=en_US&amp;l=li3&amp;o=1&amp;a=1009100122" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>● <a href="https://amzn.to/3NodzWb">Fragile Futures: The Uncertain Economics of Disasters, Pandemics, and Climate Change</a><br/>Vito Tanzi<br/><strong><a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/fragile-futures/4D094AB53E822EE500A025205527CB22#fndtn-information">Summary</a> via publisher (Cambridge U. Press)</strong><br/>This book revisits a distinction made in 1921 by economists Frank Knight and John Maynard Keynes between statistically predictable events (‘risks’) and unpredictable ones (‘uncertainties’). Governments often disregard the latter, viewing issues like pandemics, natural disasters, and climate change as uncontrollable Acts of God. Consequently, there is minimal preparation for potential future catastrophes. Our interconnected and globalized society requires a more robust and coordinated governmental response to uncertain future events. This book advocates for a broader governmental role globally in addressing these crises while striving to minimize economic inequalities.</p>

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