The Week Ahead 03/25/2018

What to Watch for this Week

The economic calendar is regular, and the market is closed on March 30th, 2018, for Good Friday. Most of the data points on the Economics Calendar will be reported Tuesday – Thursday.  Earnings do not start in force for a couple of weeks so, trade issue will be in the spotlight this week.

I have identified two posts from Bloomberg and Forbes, that explains how we got into this trade mess, to begin with.

Economists broadly agree on the value of free trade, without reference to any specific agreement. Here are two excellent analyses of the current issues – first-rate analysis in a non-partisan fashion. Prof. Marty Finkler describes six false premises to the new US policy.

The market is reacting to news blips that are coming out of the White House.  As Larry Kudlow says, “the market hates uncertainty.” Right now the market is guessing what will happen next.

However, do not trade or invest based on the headlines.  Work to identify objective indicators, to guide you, rather than relying on your impressions of events and news.  Long-term indicators and outlook have been unchanged, even with this last bout of volatility.  As Options traders, we look to seel options with the volatility is high to collect more premium.

Global Spotlight

The U.S. Slaps Tariffs on China. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on March 22 that his next trade moves against China would be to place 25 percent tariffs on up to $60 billion worth of high-tech goods within the next two months.

A New Battery Poised to Launch. Building a better battery is a must to further the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Last week, Sila Nanotechnologies and BMW announced a partnership that could put lithium-silicon batteries in cars by 2023.

Military Drills Take a Back Seat to Talks. U.S. and South Korean forces will gather April 1 for their annual military exercises, which were delayed by the Winter Olympics.

Elections Mask Long-Term Woes. The winner of this week’s presidential election in Egypt is all but guaranteed to be incumbent President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who effectively has sidelined all opposition with the help of the military.

Postelection Frictions in Russia. The conclusion of the March 18 presidential election has not ended political debate across Russia.

stratfor.com

Economic Calendar

Here is a list of the U.S. economic events happenning this week.

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briefing.com

Last Weeks Numbers

Review Last weeks numbers here.

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