While revised modestly higher from preliminary levels, US non-farm productivity plunged 2.2% in Q4 2015 - the biggest drop since Q1 2014.
Economists are gnashing their teeth to explain this "plunging productivity paradox" - we think it is rather simple...
While only modestly tongue in cheek, here is what is really going on...
The US Vice President will be meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv next week to discuss a new military deal. Joe Biden’s office announced his upcoming two-day trip on Wednesday, saying that he will also meet with the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Press TV reports: Moreover, the VP would pay a visit to the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the West Bank city of Ramallah in the occupied lands, as part of a broader Middle East tour that includes stops in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
Donald Trump – Bad For Dollar, Good For Gold?
Donald Trump's emergence as the Republican frontrunner and possible future U.S. President is causing some gold and investment analysts to suggest diversifying into gold according to the Wall Street Journal.
Donald Trump - Gage Skidmore via Commons.wikimedia.org
From the WSJ:
The other winner from Super Tuesday could be gold.
While Asian stocks continued their longest rally since August overnight, led higher for the third consecutive day on the back of Japan (+1.3%), Australia (+1.2%) and China (+0.4%) strength, European stocks have as of this moment halted their longest rally since October (Stoxx -0.1%) and U.S. index futures are little changed.