New Zealand Inflation Exceeds Forecasts, Spurring Rate-Hike Bets
New Zealand inflation unexpectedly held above the top of the Reserve Bank’s 1%-3% target last quarter, prompting markets to boost bets on a July interest-rate hike as the impact of an Iran-war driven surge in fuel prices is still to come. The currency and bond yields...
Insidious Inflation to DOOM Market & Economy
The oil price shock due to the Israel/USA Iran war led to my empirical research of the 1973 oil price shock which is widely considered t the first of many. My forte is to research extreme events and to find cause and then utilize findings to predict next similar...
Rypplzz, Leading Transformation to Digital from Physical World
1. Overview & Scope This foundational report evaluates Rypplzz, Inc., a private early stage technology company which is the leader in Spatial Intelligence (SI). SI is the proprietary new frontier technology that is needed to transform and most especially scale the...
Trump Signs Order on Psychedelics to Ease FDA Restrictions
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to expedite research and access to psychedelics used outside the US to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. “Today’s order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to...
Drone Maker Aevex Shares Climb 35% After $320 Million US IPO
Aevex Corp. shares rose 35% after the maker of military drones raised $320 million in a US initial public offering. Shares of the Madison Dearborn Partners-backed firm closed at $26.93 each on Friday in New York, versus an IPO price of $20 apiece. The offering of 16...
Hedge Funds’ Treasury Bets Risk Market Shock, Apollo’s Slok Warns
A buildup of leveraged hedge fund bets in Treasuries has left investors exposed to abrupt position shifts that could amplify stress across global bond markets, according to Apollo Global Management Inc. Chief Economist Torsten Slok. Hedge funds now own roughly 8% of...
Henry Paulson Suggests US Make a Break-Glass Treasuries Plan
Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson suggested US authorities prepare a back-up plan in order to avert a potential future collapse in demand for Treasuries resulting from long-running concerns over the federal debt load — an event that he warned would have...
Private Credit Funds Face More Pressure as Banks Swap Collateral
For years, Wall Street banks eagerly helped private credit funds amplify their investing firepower with hundreds of billions of dollars in loans, helping them notch ever-higher returns. Now, those same banks are tightening their arrangements, adding to the pressure on...
Indian Officials See Iran War Shock as Disruptive as Covid
Indian officials say the Iran war could be as disruptive to the country as the Covid pandemic was six years ago and the damage could linger for years to come, threatening to knock the world’s fastest-growing major economy off its path. The government is now drawing on...
Markets Are Too Blasé on War’s Economic Toll, Policymakers Warn
The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are historically beacons of free trade, capitalism and financial market wisdom. But at their spring meetings, the emerging theme has a contrarian vibe: Investors are underestimating the economic damage from the Iran war....
War’s Impact on Firms Goes Beyond Energy Costs: Fed’s Beige Book
War in the Middle East has given US companies a headache that extends well beyond dealing with higher energy costs, the Federal Reserve said. “The conflict in the Middle East was cited as a major source of uncertainty that complicated decision-making around hiring,...
Bessent ‘Optimistic’ Gas Will Drop to $3 Per Gallon Over Summer
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he was “optimistic” that the price of gasoline will abate over the crucial summer driving season, retreating back to $3 a gallon. “I’m optimistic that sometime between June 20 and September 20, that we can have $3 gas again,”...
Avis’s 200% Surge Lures New Shorts Eyeing Trip ‘Back to Reality’
A three-fold surge in the shares of car rental company Avis Budget Group in just two weeks has punished short investors betting against the stock. But the bears are not giving up; if anything, they are doubling down. Short interest in the company as a percentage of...
Singapore Bonds Surge Past Treasuries on Liquidity, Haven Demand
Singapore government bonds are extending their outperformance over US Treasuries to levels not seen since 2007, as a drop in local interbank borrowing costs points to a surge in haven demand. By tightening monetary policy this week, the Monetary Authority of...