Operating at the Intersection of Technology and the Capital Markets
Tag: inflation
The Atlanta Fed's real GDP estimate of 3.7% is well below inflation as measured by the Fed (CPI of 5.4%) and well below any real world price inflation measure. We do not subscribe to the Fed's theory that price inflation is transitory. Our view is that price inflation will grow from here. If real GDP … Continue reading It Is Beginning To Look Like Stagflation
The Fed conveniently excludes Food and Energy price increases from its Core CPI calculation. Speaking personally, our grocery bill is up approximately one-third vs. last year. We wouldn't be surprised if many Americans were experiencing grocery price increases of 25-50% over last year. At some point Food (and Energy), price increases translate into consumers buying … Continue reading Price Inflation Caused Consumers To Shop Less, Not COVID Fears. More Automation Is Coming.
There is no surprise to today's 5.4% reported CPI increase. Price increases of goods and services are here to stay. The Federal Reserve has inflated the money supply significantly since April 2020 without a commensurate increase in productivity. We have another $1 trillion in spending (and money printing), coming associated with the Biden Administration's infrastructure … Continue reading Price Increases Are Here To Stay
The most liquid measure of the money supply - M1 - is up 4.8x since February 2020. Given the exorbitant inflation of the money supply, we are only in the early stages of price inflation. Cash-rich Technology companies can take several steps to combat inflation. Now is not the time for cash-rich Technology companies to … Continue reading How Technology Companies Can Fight Inflation
For a more accurate read on price inflation than the tall tale spun by the CPI, look no further than growth of the money supply. It is the forever growing money supply that enables the Federal Reserve to spend $120 Billion per Month on purchases of Treasuries and Government Agency Securities to maintain artificially low … Continue reading What Is The Real Rate of Price Inflation?
Amidst the talk of the Fed potentially tightening monetary policy in 2023 or even next year, the Fed expanded its Balance Sheet at its fastest pace since March 17th of this year, growing assets 1.4% from the week prior. This narrative of the Fed potentially becoming more hawkish needs to be put into perspective. With … Continue reading The Fed Expanded Its Balance Sheet Amidst Tightening Chatter
Cash flow is king in a world smitten by nosebleed valuations and unsustainable spending The Fed's commentary around potentially increasing the Fed Funds Rate in 2023 vs. 2024 reminds me of the equity analyst who would base his valuation case on a P/E multiple applied to an earnings estimate that was five years in the … Continue reading Cash Flow Is King In A Bubble Economy
More bogus CPI numbers reported yesterday (HERE). The CPI itself is a poor price inflation measure given it excludes so many asset classes such as equities, art and crypto. Let's focus on one CPI line item - "food at home" which was up 0.7% over the past 12 months ended May. Sorry, that's a bogus … Continue reading Inflating The Debt Away. Higher Prices Are Here To Stay.
The punchline is that a significant percentage of new money creation over the past year was allocated to non-productive use cases. "Helicopter" money to individuals and non-performing firms are two examples. When capital is deployed for non-productive use (acquiring cryptocurrencies for example), that capital invariably bids up prices causing asset price inflation. Conversely, recipients that … Continue reading Rewarding Non-Productive Activities with New Money Leads to Price Inflation
"Inflation" to lead headlines again when CPI data is reported. Real-world price appreciation is well ahead of the Fed's 2% target. If last month was any indication the term "inflation" will dominate market-related headlines when May CPI data is released on Thursday June 10th at 8:30am ET (See Google Trends chart below for search term … Continue reading Jerome Powell: Inflator-in-Chief
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