The Guardian (May 20)
“The balance of global power is shifting fast, but Britain is stuck in the same old Brexit rut. Without a reckoning about the epic strategic error of leaving the EU, there is no serious debate about the country’s future place in the world.” The nation’s “capacity to influence global events was diminished, not boosted, by leaving the EU….The road to control leads back to Europe.”
Tags: Balance, Boosted, Brexit rut, Britain, Control, Debate, Diminished, EU, Future, Global events, Global power, Influence, Reckoning, Shifting, Strategic error
Barron’s (May 19)
“Bond markets haven’t been swayed by President Donald Trump’s latest assurances on the war with Iran, with yields holding stubbornly higher” and impacting the broader economy. “Elevated bond yields are contributing to rising inflation, with April producer inflation at its highest since December 2022, challenging growth investments.” It appears “the bond market is forcing a reckoning Trump isn’t able to stop.”
Tags: April, Assurances, Bond markets, Broader economy, Elevated, Growth investments, Iran, Producer inflation, Reckoning, Rising inflation, Swayed, Trump, War, Yields
Wall Street Journal (January 10)
“Excess capacity among carmakers in China is driving the world’s largest auto market into a shakeout phase.” According to one estimate, domestic carmakers are using just half of their capacity. “Among the early losers are foreign brands. General Motors, Volkswagen and Toyota have been bleeding market share to homegrown rivals.” That said, it seems evident that as the shakeout phase continues, “local brands face a reckoning too.”
Tags: Auto market, Bleeding, Capacity, Carmakers, China, Domestic, Excess capacity, GM, Market share, Reckoning, Rivals, Shakeout phase, Toyota, Volkswagen
Financial Times (June 25)
“A long-anticipated reckoning is under way in the US commercial property industry…. Sharply rising rates, a regional banking crisis that curtailed credit and a trend towards remote work are all wreaking havoc. Older office buildings have borne the brunt of the downturn, but other real estate categories have not been spared.” In New York City, the value of office buildings is “estimated to have dropped by $76bn from their most recent sales price.”
Tags: Anticipated, Commercial property, Credit, Downturn, Havoc, Office buildings, Reckoning, Regional banking crisis, Remote work, Rising rates, U.S.
Wall Street Journal (November 25)
“China’s zero-Covid reckoning” is approaching as “record infections and new lockdowns lead to rising public frustration and slower economic growth.” China’s economy is expected to slow further, “with growth estimates falling for the fourth quarter and the year below 3%. That’s assuming Chinese officials aren’t gilding the books. China’s official GDP target for this year had been 5.5%.”
Tags: China, Economy, GDP, Infections, Lockdowns, Public frustration, Q4, Reckoning, Record, Slower economic growth, Zero COVID
Washington Post (January 26)
“Thousands of Americans who jumped into crypto investing over the past two years in hopes of a rocket ride to instant wealth now face a similar reckoning: Prices for cryptocurrencies… have cratered since reaching all-time highs in early November, wiping out an astonishing $1.35 trillion in value globally, nearly half of the total market.”
Tags: Cratered, Crypto investing, Cryptocurrencies, Instant wealth, Market, Prices, Reckoning, Rocket ride, U.S., Value
The Economist (July 22)
“Despite the frantic political activity in Westminster…the country has made remarkably little progress since the referendum in deciding what form Brexit should take. All versions, however “hard” or “soft”, have drawbacks…. Yet Britain’s leaders have scarcely acknowledged that exit will involve compromises, let alone how damaging they are likely to be. The longer they fail to face up to Brexit’s painful trade-offs, the more brutal will be the eventual reckoning with reality.”
Tags: Brexit, Brutal, Compromises, Drawbacks, Frantic, Hard, Painful, Progress, Reality, Reckoning, Referendum, Soft, Trade-offs, Westminster
