Business

As those who frequent these pages are no doubt aware, NPLs at Chinese banks are rising.

Here’s a kind of 30,000 -foot view from RBS’ Alberto Gallo:

Via SouthBay Research,

Whether measured in volumes (container throughput via Hong Kong) or in dollars (US Import/Exports), the pain is the same: 16 months of steady collapse in global trade.  

The pain is getting worse. 

More containers are leaving the US and going back to China empty.  From the Port of Long Beach (a major US/China trade port):

The Senate and House passed the spending bill this week, which the President signed into law on the same day. Embedded in the law is a provision to lift the 40-year old crude export ban. The lifting of the crude export ban is a historic milestone, but seemingly less relevant for US E&Ps, Midstream and Oilfield Services as compared to a year and a half ago when WTI-Brent spreads were close to $9.00/bbl vs. the current spread of $0.80/bbl.

Now that all the suspense surrounding the Fed's rate hike is gone, and only questions about the future of risk assets and deflation remain in a "Policy Mistake" world, the market's attention is turning back to the disturbing topic which spread like wildfire two weeks ago when first Third Avenue, and then several more mutual and hedge funds announced they would liquidate while imposing redemption "gates."

By EconMatters

   Bearish Sentiment

A lot of bearishness has been priced into the natural gas market due to many factors including robust production, bulging inventories, and mild weather on average across the country. Natural gas in the futures market reached a low of $1.68 MMBtu for Henry Hub on the January contract this past week. Natural gas closed trading on Friday at around $1.77 MMBtu.