MACRO ECONOMIC NEWS

TRYING IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD FAILURE; IRONICALLY FOR SUCCESS TOO. WISHING TRIUMPH FOR THE DAY AHEAD.

Macro Economic News 15 Feb 2019

 

Germany's economy stalled in the final quarter of last year, just skirting recession as fallout from global trade disputes and Brexit put the brakes on a decade of expansion amid signs that exports will stay subdued for the time being. China is counting on promises of big purchases of semiconductors and other U.S. goods to ease trade tensions and persuade President Trump to extend a tariff truce and later resolve the market-rattling dispute. The Trump administration’s pick to help overhaul the way many Americans finance their home purchases told Congress he would work to preserve the popular 30-year mortgage, a product he has criticized in the past. A government watchdog said Education Department leaders were lax in regulating the industry that collects student-loan payments for the government, possibly contributing to a rise in defaults.

 

FINANCIAL TIMES

[I]  US key holiday retail sales shrink by most since 2009

[I]  Russia and Iran take Turkey to task on Syria terror

[I]  Iraq caught in crossfire as Trump upends US policy

[I]  US and China resume talks to resolve trade impasse

[I]  China exports return to growth despite trade tensions

[I]  May suffers Commons defeat on Brexit plan B

[I]  Germany avoids slipping into recession by a whisker

 

REUTERS

[I]  Gold prices firm as dollar eases on grim U.S. retail sales

[I]  Hong Kong snares record haul of rhino horns from South Africa

[I]  U.S. House passes border security bill, sends to Trump

[I]  China's factory-gate prices slow for seventh month, raising deflation fears

[I]  China sets anti-dumping tariffs on Brazilian chicken imports for five years

[I]  Oil prices hit 2019 highs amid OPEC-led supply cuts

[I]  Mexico factory exports seen slowing in 2019 amid trade wars, labor strikes

[I]  'Black eye' for German economy as it flirts with recession

[I]  Chance of a U.S. recession up, number of Fed rate hikes down: Reuters poll

[I]  Singapore fourth quarter GDP growth at two-year low, warning for manufacturing

[I]  Poorer EU countries should fight youth unemployment with reforms: IMF's Lagarde

 

BLOOMBERG 

[I]  Congress Sends Trump Bill to Avert Shutdown Amid Emergency Plan

[I]  Trump Plans to Unilaterally Shift Almost $7 Billion for Wall, Official Says

[I]  U.S.-China Trade Talks Set to Wrap Up With Few Signs of Progress

[I]  Illinois Governor Eyes Bond Sale, Tax Hike to Rescue Pensions

[I]  China’s Slowing Factory Prices Add to Deflation Concerns

[I]  U.K. Parliament Throws Out May’s Plan to Renegotiate Brexit Deal

[I]  U.S. Soy Exports Won't Reach Pre-Trade War Levels for Years

[I]  Ham Prices Slump in Year of the Pig

[I]  China’s Slowing Factory Prices Add to Deflation Concerns

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL

[I]  Retail Sales Declined at Fastest Pace Since 2009 in December

[I]  China Seeks to Woo U.S. With Promise of Big Chip Purchases

[I]  In Need of Workers, the Midwest Recruits From Puerto Rico

[I]  The Green New Deal’s Global Blind Spot

[I]  Trump Pick Pledges to Preserve 30-Year Mortgage

[I]  Education Department Faulted on Student Loan Servicers

[I]  Retail Sales Fell in December at Fastest Pace Since 2009

[I]  Fed’s Brainard Says Balance-Sheet Runoff Should Probably End This Year

[I]  Gauge of Business Prices Ticked Down at Start of 2019

[I]  Trade Friction Stymies Growth in Germany and Japan

[I]  China’s 9% Surge in Exports Surprises Economists

[I]  Japanese Economy Scores Rebound

 

BUSINESS LINE

[I]  GST threshold raised for suppliers of goods in most States

[I]  WPI-inflation at 10-month low of 2.76% in January

[I]  Only 17% of firms report cyber attacks: EY

[I]  India, US to cooperate in defence, aerospace, financial services sectors

[I]  Centre offers 50 paise/unit support for solar projects that use locally produced equipment

[I]  Hotel industry expects upswing in room tariffs

[I]  Low-pressure area unleashes wet spell over North-West

[I]  Foreign investors shy away from Indian bonds

[I]  Banks step up lending to corporates

 

ECONOMIC TIMES

[I]  Education's demand-supply gap to spoil demographic dividend?

[I]  Mills to sell sugar at Rs 31/kg now from Rs 29 earlier: Ram Vilas Paswan

[I]  Growth likely to reach 7.5 per cent next fiscal: Chief Economic Adviser

[I]  Government panel for raising minimum wage to Rs 375

[I]  Companies stare at cash flow problems due to new credit utilisation rules

[I]  GST relief for realty sector coming: Piyush Goyal

[I]  Economic data woes in India prompt call for independent verifier

 

BUSINESS STANDARD

[I]  Domestic companies see gross refining margins nosedive in December quarter

[I]  With rapid growth, India's advertising sector eyes Rs 1-trillion mark

[I]  Job creation, technology transfer, investments dominate India-US talks

[I]  Expert committee suggests Rs 9,750 a month as national minimum wage

[I]  Weighted average call rate anomaly needs to be fixed, says RBI research

[I]  RBI governor Shaktikanta Das rules out asset quality review of NBFCs

 

MARKETS (08:30 am)

[I]  SGX NIFTY Fut: 10789;  USDINR DGCX: 71.1125;  DJIA Mini: 25335;  FTSE 100 Fut: 7141;  NIKKEI 225 Fut: 20886;  EUR-USD: 1.1289; Crude Oil (WTI): 54.56;  Gold (Spot): 1312

 

Best Regards, ARBIND
15 Feb 2019