Gross U.S. Federal Debt as percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hit 105% in 2018, the highest since 1946.
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Is Europe the next Japan?
The 1980s was the Japanese decade with Japanese companies being the most valuable ones in the world and Japan being at the centre of the global economic growth. But since the 1990s, Japan has struggled with growth and deflation.
How big really is the total debt of the United States?
The answer is different on how you look at it – in terms of absolute outstanding debt, growth rates and relative to GDP.
In absolute terms the total credit market or total debt outstanding of the U.S. which includes debt owed by the government (Federal and local), corporations and households stands at $72 trillion.
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Household Net Worth in the United States saw its worst quarterly fall ever in Q4 2018
Household wealth (or household net worth) in the United States fell by a record $3.72 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2018. The fall in the stock markets would have probably been the largest contributor to the overall fall.
The average global central bank interest rate has barely changed over the past year
Between March 9, 2018 and March 9, 2019
- 53 countries raised interest rates with an average increase of 1.74%
- Excluding increases in Argentina, Turkey and Yemen, the average increase across the other 50 countries that raised interest rates was 0.82%
- 36 countries saw a decrease in interest rates, with an average decrease of 1.18%
- For all countries in the world, the average interest rate change was +0.29; excluding Argentina, Turkey and Yemen – the average interest rate change was -0.01%
The European Central Bank says interest rates would remain at record lows until the end of the year; Eurozone growth forecast slashed; New monetary stimulus TLTRO-III announced
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) expects the key ECB interest rates to remain at their present levels at least through the end of 2019.
The interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility are 0.00%, 0.25% and -0.40% respectively and these rates are expected to remain in place at least until the end of 2019.
Four charts on the U.S. Housing Market
Are more houses being constructed? And what about the average and median prices of houses being sold?
The UK faces three immediate economic challenges irrespective of what happens with Brexit
Highlights from February 2019
The S&P 500 rose 2.97% percent February following a 7.87% gain in January setting the start of 2019 its best start to a year since 1991.
The markets plummeted in December mainly due fears of slowing economic growth, worries about rising interest rates and global trade issues. What has changed since December?
U.S. Q4 2018 GDP growth estimated at 2.6%; 2018 GDP growth at 2.9%
Real gross domestic product (GDP) for the United States increased at an annual rate of 2.6% in Q4 2018, according to the initial estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
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