Time to question the central bank herd mentality
Central bank analysis rarely goes beyond predicting the timing of the next interest rate step and the total number of interest rate steps that will be implemented over a given period, writes Jeroen Blokland.
Trump 2.0
Donald Trump still leads in the polls. This has sparked a surge in so-called ‘Trump trades,’ reminiscent of market reactions seen during his previous tenure.
Good news is ‘just’ good news again
We are at a crossroads when it comes to incoming macro data. While it was long hoped for some disappointing figures to give the Federal Reserve the final push to move away from the “higher-for-longer” faith, good news is now “just” good news again.
Schade Deutschland, alles ist vorbei
Columnist Jeroen Blokland takes a look at persistently declining industrial production in Germany.
Ferrytales
It is high time for asset managers to reassess their private equity allocations, argues Jeroen Blokland.
Will debt sink the American empire?
With the United States facing another daunting budget deficit of seven percent of GDP this year, such alarming depictions of debt are proliferating.
High interest rates as an explanation for strong economy? Nonsense!
Financial markets and economies are often inscrutable. As an investor, you just have to put up with that.
Vive la France!
The European election results have sent shockwaves through traditional media and financial markets alike, primarily due to the significant shift towards right-wing parties.
Finally, a stir
The stock markets have had a fantastic rally. And while I am all for rising prices, it has also been a bit boring at times. But with the latest set of macro figures, things are getting a bit more exciting again, with a likely good outcome as a result.
I have regularly been called a “permabear” over the past 12 months, if not longer. Because even though the US economy in particular was steaming ahead, the chances of a recession have never been zero, in my opinion.
House prices defy predictions
US house prices have climbed over 6% in the past year, pushing the value of homes nearly 3% above their peak from June 2022. This increase came despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes aimed at curbing rampant inflation. Clearly, the traditional models for predicting house prices are no longer reliable.