Wall Street Journal (May 3)
“Global brands are hoping China’s gigantic consumer market will help rekindle growth as the world tries to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. They are facing an uphill battle.” Despite “seeing a solid bounceback in China… a full return to normal, much less growth, is proving harder because so many people have lost jobs and income, or want to save more.”
Tags: Bounceback, China, Consumer market, Coronavirus pandemic, Global brands, Growth, Income, Jobs, Normal, Recover
Time (March 10)
“While Chinese cities experiment with slowly reviving activity, other countries are canceling public gatherings, encouraging remote work and…following China’s lead with a lockdown on affected regions.” But it will still be a while before China is fully back to normal..if that’s even possible. Chinese factories, for example, “are gradually reopening but aren’t expected to reach normal production until at least April.”
Tags: China, Factories, Lockdown, Normal, Production, Public gatherings, Remote work, Reviving
Barron’s (January 29)
“Interest rates and volatility have been so low for so long that what was once abnormal is starting to look normal,” leading investment banks to adopt different approaches. Goldman has maintained its trading unit, “which lives or dies on volatility and which sealed Goldman’s reputation as the elite firm on Wall Street,” even though its revenue “has been reduced to crumbs.” In contrast, Morgan Stanley slashed the head count at its trading unit and has seen its market value surpass Goldman’s. But this could prove short-lived. “When trading conditions improve,” revenue from fixed income currency and commodities (FICC) “could bounce back quickly. No one else is as poised as Goldman to profit.”
Tags: Abnormal, FICC, Goldman, Head count, Interest rates, Investment banks, Morgan Stanley, Normal, Trading, Volatility, Wall Street
Chosun Ilbo (May 9)
Koreans elect their next president today, five months since the National Assembly impeached Park Geun-hye…. Korea had to endure unprecedented conflict and chaos over the past few months, and society continues to be divided along generational lines as many older people cling to certainties to which they have become accustomed. Many hope that things will now return to normal.”
Bloomberg (March 11)
“It’s been five years since the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl shook Fukushima. Roads have been rebuilt and electricity has been restored. But life has still not returned to normal for many of the prefecture’s residents.”
Institutional Investor (October 13)
“Volatility is back in financial markets after an extended absence—and you had better get used to it.” To be more precise, this is a return to normal levels of volatility after a period of excessive lows. “To accentuate the positive, elevated volatility will create some excellent buying opportunities.”
