US Budget

Stagflation’s Absence, Trump’s Deal-Making, Government’s Higher Debt

Jun 11, 2025 3 min read paid

The stock market didn't do much today. Neither did the bond market. But the price of a barrel of crude oil rose, and so did the price of an ounce of gold. President Donald Trump announced another deal with China. The US will allow Chinese students to continue attending American colleges, and China will continue to provide rare earth minerals to American manufacturers. Tariffs imposed on each country

Ed Yardeni

The Elephants In The Room

May 22, 2025 3 min read

The elephant is as good a metaphor as there is for the US government bond market. Its scale, power, memory, emotional intelligence, and tendency to live in complex family groups—just like the broad array of debt instruments—are right on the nose . . . er, trunk. Yet this week, we saw that the room in which the bond market operates has more than one elephant. The other large mammal in question

Ed Yardeni
William Pesek

Is A US Government Debt Crisis Imminent?

May 21, 2025 3 min read paid

Stock investors have been less "tarrified" about President Donald Trump's tariffs since April 9, when he postponed most of his proposed reciprocal tariffs by 90 days (chart). However, they may now be getting spooked that the bond market might be on the verge of a debt crisis, especially after Moody's downgraded US government debt on Friday and Japanese bond yields soared in recent days.

Ed Yardeni

The Economic Week Ahead: January 13-17

Jan 12, 2025 3 min read paid

The week ahead is packed with inflation, consumer, and manufacturing indicators. Long-term Treasury yields could climb closer to 5.00% this week if fears about stickier inflation intensify. We're expecting solid updates on consumer spending. In addition, Q4's S&P 500 bank earnings reported late in the week should be strong and counterbalance any hit to stock valuations from higher yields (chart). Here's

Ed Yardeni
Eric Wallerstein

Consumers Consuming, Producers Producing & Treasury Borrowing

Jun 18, 2024 2 min read paid

May's retail sales, including food services, rose just 0.1% m/m, weaker than expected (chart). That's in current dollars. Adjusted for inflation, they were not as weak. CPI goods fell 0.1% m/m during May. So real retail sales, less food services, rose 0.3%. Much of the recent weakness in retail sales has been in housing-related merchandise since housing sales remain weak. Real

Ed Yardeni
Eric Wallerstein

The Economic Week Ahead: August 7-11

Aug 5, 2023 2 min read paid

Everyone hold your breath: The next BIG inflation number will be July's CPI (Thu). It could be troublesome for bonds and stocks. That's if the Cleveland Fed's Inflation Nowcasting is on track. It is updated each business day. On August 4, it projected that the headline and core CPI inflation rates will both be up 0.4% m/m. The comparable y/y inflation

Ed Yardeni

Yellen's Drop Dead Date

May 11, 2023 2 min read paid

Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said on Monday, May 1 that the United States could run out of money to pay its bills by June 1 if Congress does not raise or suspend the debt limit, putting pressure on President Biden and lawmakers to reach a swift agreement to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt. In a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, she wrote: "After reviewing recent

Ed Yardeni

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