The Power of Stimmies after Decades of Rampant Offshoring: Trade Deficit Hits Worst Ever, Duh by Wolf Richter • Apr 7, 2021 • 251 Comments Imports of goods soared, while the already small services surplus plunged to nine-year low.
Momentous Change in US Natural Gas with Global Impact as Exports Soar to Huge Record Despite Collapse in the Spring by Wolf Richter • Mar 15, 2021 • 86 Comments Biggest buyers: Mexico, South Korea, Japan, China, Spain, UK. Price spike in February, when Texas froze up, unwound. Asian LNG price spike in January is unwinding.
Consumers Paid Down Credit Cards Again! By Most Ever. But Cash-Out Refis Spiked to Highest since 2005/6 Peaks. What Gives? by Wolf Richter • Mar 5, 2021 • 172 Comments They’re not the same consumers.
The Growing Pains of Brexit, 50 Days In by Nick Corbishley • Feb 23, 2021 • 121 Comments The crucial services exports, manufacturing exports and imports, the arts & entertainment industry, fishing industry… it’s a mess.
US Trade Deficit in 2020 Worst since 2008, Goods Deficit Worst Ever Despite First Ever Petroleum Surplus. Services Surplus Drops Again by Wolf Richter • Feb 8, 2021 • 174 Comments But the Trade Fiasco with China was the least terrible since 2013.
Despite Terrible US Economy in 2020, Workers of Mexican Descent Sent Most Dollars Ever Back to Mexico by Nick Corbishley • Feb 4, 2021 • 91 Comments Against expectations, the feared plunge in remittances, as during the US Housing Bust, did not occur. For interesting reasons. Weirdest Economy Ever.
US Dollar as “Global Reserve Currency” amid Fed’s QE and US Government Deficits: Dollar Hegemony in Decline by Wolf Richter • Dec 31, 2020 • 299 Comments Other options also shaky. Central banks leery of Chinese RMB, its share still irrelevant. Euro’s share is stuck. But the yen’s share has been rising.
Holy-Cow Spikes in China-US Container Freight Rates & US Consumer Spending on Goods Trigger Mad, Possibly Illegal Scramble for Empties. US Farmers Twist in the Wind by Wolf Richter • Dec 20, 2020 • 135 Comments US Federal Maritime Commission investigates container carriers’ “abandonment” of American agricultural industry. Weirdest Economy Ever.
Bracing for Impact: My View as British Expat Just Before Brexit by Nick Corbishley • Dec 14, 2020 • 104 Comments None of the gloomiest predictions of how a Hard Brexit could impact UK expats in the EU has come to pass. But there are complications.
All Container Heck Breaks Loose amid Flood of Orders from US Retailers to Supply Stimulus-Stuffed Consumers, Cancelled Sailings by Carriers, and Record Spiking Freight Rates by Wolf Richter • Nov 16, 2020 • 151 Comments While US Farmers Struggle to Find Empty Containers for Exports.
