Debt, Deficits, Cassandra!
Debt and deficits. Everywhere I look, read, listen, observe, or encounter in person or by text or by email, there are wannabe Cassandras predicting a calamity over debt and the deficit.
The Price of Eggs & Bird Flu
We thank readers for their feedback on the January 26 Sunday Kotok Report, “Trump 2.0 and Healthcare?” (https://kotokreport.com/trump-2-0-healthcare/).
And, yes, the book — The Fed and the Flu: Parsing Pandemic Economic Shocks — is finished and will be released on February 12. Details regarding preorders are updated at https://www.thefedandtheflu.com. Two recent reviews are out, at Kirkus Reviews and Readers’ Favorite.
Tariffs: Oh, Canada!
“The only certainty in (fiscal, trade and monetary) policy, politics, in our capital markets, in our social lives and, even in sports, is the lack of certainty these days.” — Doug Kass
Tariffs
Trump 2.0 tariffs and our trading partners’ retaliations are taking shape. What can we expect? Today I offer my own macro perspective and some thoughts from others.
National Defense & Transition!
I wrote about America’s national defense on the Sunday before Trump 2.0 Inauguration Day (https://kotokreport.com/national-defense/). Many thanks to readers for their varied viewpoints and responses. Here are some additional observations.
Trump 2.0 & Healthcare?
In the US stock market, the healthcare sector is represented by the sector spider XLV. Here’s a recent pre-inauguration picture of the sector spider’s performance.
National Defense
Readers, please note that this is my opinion alone.
I’m writing this in the midst of a continuously changing environment for the defense of the United States as the Biden regime transitions to the Trump 2.0 administration. Trump’s rhetoric (I hope that’s all it is) about military action in Panama or acquiring Greenland or intensifying tariff wars with our closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, are happening in a globally diverse and rapidly changing world.
Fires & Hurricanes!
The California fires will end up setting records in billions in a catastrophe loss. On the East Coast a similar new record cost will continue to be revealed as the trifecta hurricane damages from Debby, Helene, and Milton continue to mount.
America’s ERP, Korea & Its Stock Market
On the auspicious date of Friday the 13th of December 2024, I published “4 Stock Market Perspectives”. Readers are thanked for their comments. Today, let’s add to that discussion.
Debt Ceiling, Trump’s Problem & The New 119th House of Representatives
Let’s start the new year with an update and a math correction. But first, please remember that this commentary is released for a Sunday publication date on the Thursday before the Friday start of the new 119th House organization for the new Congress.
