Europe

With polls closing shortly, Germany voted on Sunday in the country's federal elections, with long-serving Chancellor Angela Merkel looks certain to win a historic fourth term in office (see full preview here). Absent last minute drama, the poll is also expected to see the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) entering parliament for the first time. The only outstanding question today is which other party or parties will join the chancellor’s Christian Democrats coalition in her new government

Two weeks ago, one of our favorite derivatives strategists, BofA Barnaby Martin wrote something we have said for years: "QE has been the most effective way for CBs to 'sell vol'", arguing that accommodative monetary policies across the globe amid QE have "clearly supported a strong rebound in fixed income markets." This should not be a surprise: as Martin calculated, there is now some $51 trillion at risk should rates vol spike, not to mention countless housing bubbles that have been created since the financial crisis where the bulk of middle class wealth h

With just hours to go before the German election, Angela Merkel looks set to remain Chancellor for a record fourth term. This suggests largely unchanged economic policies, focusing on fiscal prudence and conditional steps towards European integration. However, with new political winds clouding the outlook for globalization, trade relationships and security in Europe, and with lingering questions on the sustainability of the EMU, Germany can ill afford to rest on its laurels, according to SocGen.

Authored by Patrick Buchanan via Buchanan.org,

If a U.S. president calls an adversary “Rocket Man … on a mission to suicide,” and warns his nation may be “totally destroyed,” other ideas in his speech will tend to get lost.

Which is unfortunate.

For buried in Donald Trump’s address is a clarion call to reject transnationalism and to re-embrace a world of sovereign nation-states that cherish their independence and unique identities.

Authored by Steven Vannelli via Knowledge Leaders Capital blog,

Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve officially signaled the beginning of its balance sheet run-off. At this point, that’s old news. But, yesterday, the Fed released the Z.1 Flow of Funds, which adds to the intrigue of the balance sheet run-off. Why?