Yields on 10-Year Japanese Government Bonds have fallen by about a third over the past two weeks, as shown in the chart below. Given the tumult surrounding banks recently, and a series of relatively dismal economic data releases out of Japan, this isn’t exactly surprising….
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To shore up Silicon Valley Bank and the other failed banks, the Federal Reserve extended an open-ended line of credit via its Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) and discount window borrowings. So far, this program has increased the Fed’s balance sheet equal to roughly half…
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Based in Yokohama, Japan, Lasertec makes advanced inspection tools for semiconductor manufacturing. Using optical technology, its systems find defects too tiny to be seen by the human eye. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, defects may appear first on the photomask layer of a chip. If…
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The chart below demonstrates the multi-year decline in Credit Suisse’s business. Credit Suisse’s problems revealed today stem from issues the company discussed last June in a profit warning. Below is a chart of Credit Suisse’s assets under management discussed during that profit warning. According to…
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The fallout from the Silicon Valley Bank collapse and the continued troubles of other lenders has not been contained to the Western Hemisphere. Market implied policy rates for developed markets in Asia responded quickly and forcefully to fears of banking contagion from the US and…
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Headline CPI came in today as expected at 0.4%, however core inflation (ex food and energy) came in slightly higher at 0.5% versus the estimated 0.4% increase. Before the Silicon Valley Bank failure and currently ongoing banking rout unfolded last week, Jerome Powell said he…
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We just experienced the fastest bank run in history with the closure of Silicon Valley Bank. Apparently over 40% of the company’s deposits fled last Thursday and early Friday before closure. To put this is context, when Continental Illinois—at the time, the largest ever bank…
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GoodRx is a leading digital platform for consumer health care. It was founded on the belief that everyone deserves affordable and convenient health care in a country where prescription drug prices are not regulated, and the cost of prescriptions can differ significantly depending on the…
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For decades since the end of the Cold War there have been very limited restrictions on foreign investments by US investors compared to those of other countries. This has allowed US investors to transact in a wide array of international investment options. Indeed, following the…
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The Nikkei 225 (NKY) peaked in December 1989, and in local currency, has yet to reach the previous peak. But, I look at stocks from the standpoint of a US investor, meaning any foreign asset needs to be translated into USD. Yes, one can hedge…
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