Category Archives: Politics

Venezuela Leadership Concerns

Posted on January 15, 2013 by macromon

It was just three months ago that a majority of Venezuelans re-elected their charismatic and controversial president – only to see his cancer return. At the Quinta Crespo Market in Caracas, people go about their business as usual, even in … Continue reading →

Posted in Crude Oil, Geopolitical, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Silvo Won’t Stand for PM, Wants FinMin

Posted on January 7, 2013 by macromon

Silvio Berlusconi will not pursue his ambition to return to the office of prime minister. That’s the price of a deal he has finally secured with the Northern League in a bid to strengthen Italy’s centre-right ahead of next months … Continue reading →

Posted in Italy, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Economist Gets It…

Posted on January 5, 2013 by macromon

That is, why governments need asset bubbles as the average real wage falls.   See our post, America’s Bubble Dependent Economy. This also goes a long way in explaining the reelection of President Obama even with stubbornly high unemployment and a weak … Continue reading →

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America turns European – Can-kicking is a transatlantic sport

Posted on January 3, 2013 by macromon

Merde! This week’s Economist cover story,  America’s Turns European,  has pulled the curtain from the Wizard of Oz! FOR the past three years America’s leaders have looked on Europe’s management of the euro crisis with barely disguised contempt. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiscal Policy, Geopolitical, Politics | 1 Comment

America’s Bubble Dependent Economy

Posted on January 2, 2013 by macromon

Interesting chart (which we marked up) from the JEC of the U.S. Congress illustrating household net worth as a percent personal income.   If that doesn’t look like a head and shoulders formation in the making, nothing does! The second chart … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, Politics, Wages | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Stratfor: Political Change in Asia

Posted on December 22, 2012 by macromon

Good background on the changes coming as the result of Japan and South Korea’s elections.   Good stuff. Stratfor’s Vice President of East Asia Analysis Rodger Baker discusses this week’s elections in Japan and South Korea and the effects on the … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Geopolitical, Japan, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

South Korea Elects First Woman President

Posted on December 19, 2012 by macromon

http://www.euronews.com/ South Korea has its first ever woman in the top job. The electoral commission has confirmed that the conservative Park Geun-hye has won the presidential election. The 60-year-old will return to the presidential palace in Seoul where she was … Continue reading →

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Stratfor: Japan and Korea Elections

Posted on December 17, 2012 by macromon

Stratfor’s Vice President of East Asia Analysis Rodger Baker discusses the elections in Japan and South Korea and how the countries’ national interests could complicate U.S. efforts to shape its security policy in Northeast Asia. For more analysis, visit: http://www.Stratfor.com … Continue reading →

Posted in Japan, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Massive Move in Won/Yen Cross

Posted on December 16, 2012 by macromon

Add currency wars to Asia’s geopolitical tensions next year as a result of the Abe landslide. The Korean won/yen cross has strengthened a stunning 19.8 percent since June 4th.  That’s a big move in relative prices and competitiveness between the … Continue reading →

Posted in Geopolitical, Japan, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Most Corrupt Governments

Posted on December 5, 2012 by macromon

Transparency International is out with their Corruption Perceptions Index ranking governments on a scale 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The Corruption Perceptions Index scores countries on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). While no … Continue reading →

Posted in Geopolitical, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , | 2 Comments