“The Brazilian economic downturn took a real turn for the worse in February," according to Markit's Composite PMI, which collapsed to record lows at 39.0. Despite a slightly less bad than expected GDP print this morning (stil down a record 5.89% YoY), hope was quickly extinguished as PMIs showed economic activity continuing to contract at a record pace, job losses accelerating, and manufacturing's collapse accelerating.
Moments ago Mitt Romney concluded a fiery speech in which he blasted Donald Trump, accusing him of being a "con man" and asking republicans to choose anyone else. Among the point he brought up was that Trump's domestic polices would sink America into a recession, that his foreign policies would make the world less safe, and criticized Trump's personal qualities, calling him "a bully" and "a misogynist."
Submitted by C. Jay Engel via The Sullivan Group,
It's probably nothing...
Charts: Bloomberg
The key (recurring) catalyst for today's early spike in oil, was the latest desperate attempt by an imploding OPEC member, this time Nigeria to push oil higher when overnight its petroleum minister Emmanuel Kachikwu said that key members of OPEC intend to meet with other producers in Russia on March 20 to renew talks on an agreement to cap oil output, Nigeria’s petroleum minister said.
The headlines in question: