United Kingdom

Britain’s minister for leaving the European Union, David Davis, urged lawmakers not to hold back PM Theresa May’s ability to negotiate a Brexit deal in talks she could trigger as early as this week. Davis on Sunday called on lawmakers to vote to drop two amendments that were added to a bill authorizing the talks with the bloc’s other member states, saying May should be able to enter with no strings attached the WSJ reported.

European bourses advance and Asian share rose led by a surge in Hong Kong stocks which rose the most in three months as Japan hit 15 month highs. U.S. futures are little changed along while the dollar rebounded from session lows after Friday's selloff. Crude oil has continued its retreat, down 0.2% and sliding for a 6th straight day after breifly dropping below $48 in overnight trading.

In his first spring Budget speech before the House of Commons, UK Chancellor Phillip Hammond sharply raised his growth forecast for the UK for 2017, expecting 2.00% growth and 2.4% inflation, compared to the previous November forecast of 1.40% and 2.3% respectively, while modestly cutting outer years until the two projections catch up again in 2021, adding that the UK had "confounded commentators with robust growth."

A summary of forecasts is as follows:

Via Soeren Kern of The Gatestone Institute,

Via Mike Shedlock of MishTalk.com,

The EU demands the UK pay Brexit costs of €60 billion.

I have commented for months on the absurdity of pay such demands.

And that reality is finally hitting home. 

Collision Course

Please consider U.K. May Be on Course for Early Clash With EU Over Brexit Costs.