A lot of people are going to be watching the employment report for evidence of whether the economy has hit escape velocity. |
Given the moves in the markets, you have to wonder whether Japan is going to surprise on the upside on growth. |
I personally think that it's going to be quick, that the Iraqi army will join the Italian army in historical folklore. |
I think there's a one word summary out of this thing: War. |
If China slams on the brakes, there's going to be a wave of pricing pressure. |
One of the biggest fears, from an economic point of view, would have been a catastrophe in the oil fields. That hasn't happened and it looks like it probably won't happen. In a sense, that's a bigger deal for the economy than if the war lasts one week or four weeks. |
People are trying to get rid of the material, and this is the way they're doing it. What they don't understand is that it is very dangerous. |
Sure, the plan could push Treasury yields up. But if it contributes to an increased efficiency of the economy and boosts growth, what's not to like? |
The contagion has now hit the financial sector, which is a bigger deal because it can affect every sector of the economy. It's like having a problem with your circulatory system. |
The economy has hit an air pocket, at minimum. |
The Europeans are obviously frustrated that they're bearing the brunt of the current account adjustment and want the United States to say that the Asians have to play a role. |
The guys with the big deficits want to stimulate policy. And the guys with the big surpluses remain very tight. There's only one thing that can give in that situation, and that's currency. |
The idea that there is going to be a war is thoroughly accepted in the financial markets right now. But nobody can know what the exact contours are going to be. |
The missing link is jobs. But I would guess the odds are 70 or 80 percent that we're going to see strong job growth in the next few months. |