United States

While the key number analysts were looking for in today's Personal Spending data was the PCE Price Index, both headline and core, which rose by 1.9% and 1.7% respectively, the latter coming in as expected, just shy of the Fed's 2.0% inflation target, the internals on US incomes and spending were just as notable.  Here, the silver lining of a rise in incomes (+0.4% MoM vs +0.3% exp) was dashed by a disappointingly slow growth in spending (+0.2% vs +0.5% prev).

Via Peter Korzun of The Strategic Culture Foundation,

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed an outline agreement to buy Russian aircraft. It also plans to implement a joint project with Russia to develop a next-generation fighter that could enter service in seven or eight years.

According to Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who led the Russian delegation at the IDEX 2017 exhibition, the UAE is to purchase a batch of advanced Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighters.

Via Federico Pieraccini of The Strategic Culture Foundation,

The best-case scenario has come about, which is to say the end of a world facing the specter of a mushroom cloud. With Hillary Clinton's defeat, we avoided a nuclear denouement stemming from a direct clash with Russia in Syria and an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. Unfortunately the good news ends here.

 

Submitted by Koos Jansen of BullionStar

US Mint Releases New Fort Knox “Audit Documentation”: First Critical Observations

Just under 70 minutes, 4,825 words, and the message was clear - the speech was about "will" and "Americans"

Additionally "Obamacare" was mentioned 5 times, "Historic" was mentioned 3 times, and "massive" twice.

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I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. #JointAddress

— President Trump (@POTUS) March 1, 2017