On Monday the number of COVID cases in the U.S. spiked as labs reopened after the holiday. While this is more a technical spike due to labs catching up from previous days, the seven-day moving average is on the verge of making a new high.
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We have argued policy is a reaction function of rising cases. During this wave, imposed restrictions would mostly result in lost workdays as millions are following government guidelines and isolating.
This chart shows 2.04M tested positive in the past 10-days. If we assume 75% are in the workforce (few under 18 test positive), then 1.04% of the workforce is currently “out” with a positive test.
So, the effective unemployment rate just spiked 1.04% in the last 10-days.
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As the WSJ noted, this is global problem. And the problem for the economy might be worse outside the US. (Read: supply chain and >inflation)
Start with this headline that recently crossed ...
*WORLD HITS RECORD DAILY COVID CASES AS OMICRON MARS CHRISTMAS
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China might be the biggest ECONOMIC story right now.
It has a strict zero COVID policy and the Olympics are 6-weeks away.
Will a COVID spike now give the world an excuse to cancel the games?
Will China shutdown the "beginning of the supply chain" in the coming weeks?
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Most do not believe the scale above (missing 000s?) but think the "shape" is right.
less than 200 cases in Xi' an (13 million), >NYC, and it is shut with 30K now in a "COVID Hotel."
The immediate pushback is familiar: this “supply shock” will hurt real growth, so the Fed should cut rates.
This well-known economist has been making exactly that argument.
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That is only half the equation. A supply shock hurts growth, but it also raises inflation, so the real question is which side dominates.
In 2022, inflation rose more than real growth fell: the blue CPI line and arrow moved sharply higher while the green real-GDP bars and arrow moved modestly lower. The bottom panel shows the Fed’s answer: hikes, not cuts, as the federal funds rate moved from near zero in early 2022 to above 4% by year-end 2022.
Why? When inflation rises faster than growth falls, nominal growth (real GDP plus inflation) rises. If today’s oil shock does the same thing as 2022, the correct takeaway is not automatic cuts. It is possible that the Fed may have to stand pat or even consider hiking.
Ten seafarers have now been killed in 13 attacks on merchant vessels since the Iran conflict erupted on February 28 — more than the 7 U.S. servicemen killed in the war.
The focal point is shifting: can the Strait of Hormuz be reopened? Is the Administration pivoting to that mission?
Every day without a visible path to reopening, the market will price in more risk.
A 10% increase in energy prices that persists for a year would push global inflation up by 40 basis points and slow economic growth by 0.1-0.2%, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said.
So, what price measures "persists for a year?"
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As the table below shows, crude oil futures prices for delivery into 2027 are trading in extreme backwardation.
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Below is the calendar spread between the first contract (now April) and the 6th contract (now September).
As the bottom panel shows, this spread is -25%, a record since the mid-1990s when the contract specifications were last changed.