2016 - The Global Economic .... What?

[Zanza]

BUt frankly China doesn't buy a whole lot from the rest of the world - they're a deeply protectionist company.  A slowdown there isn't going to have serious negative repercussions (outside of commodity prices - which they do buy) for the rest of the world.

Chinas biggest importers are South Korea, Japan, USA, Taiwan and Germany - not known for exporting commodities. China buys massive amounts of investment and consumer goods as well as services.

[crazy canuck]

The best that can be said is that the Party will do everything it can to cushion it.

The question about that is whether the Party's intervention will prove positive or negative in the end.

But the Party has been intervening all along.

And look where it's got them.

A world leading economic power projected to be a larger economy than the US in the near future?

[crazy canuck]

BUt frankly China doesn't buy a whole lot from the rest of the world - they're a deeply protectionist company.  A slowdown there isn't going to have serious negative repercussions (outside of commodity prices - which they do buy) for the rest of the world.

Chinas biggest importers are South Korea, Japan, USA, Taiwan and Germany - not known for exporting commodities. China buys massive amounts of investment and consumer goods as well as services.

You have to understand BB looks at this from an energy based commodity perspective as his Province is almost entirely dependent on that sector.

[Zanza]

German industry (auto, machinery etc.) is in jitters as China is wobbling. Growing demand in the US and Western Europe has so far compensated. But China has become hugely important the last years.

[crazy canuck]

German industry (auto, machinery etc.) is in jitters as China is wobbling. Growing demand in the US and Western Europe has so far compensated. But China has become hugely important the last years.

When the US market crumbled I have a number of clients who created niche markets in China for high quality manufactured goods.  They have since become as dependent on that market as they once were on the US market.

[Ed Anger]

MAH STOCKS

[Phillip V]

I have so much dead money in Sprint (S). 

[grumbler]

US

+ the stock market has been going down because of earnings weakness, not just change in sentiment.
+ Job growth remains solid but the trend is definitely heading down.
+ Now looks more and more like the Fed tightened prematurely.
Bottom line - US may avoid recession but it is unlikely to be an engine for growth. 

Europe:  The ECB finally got in gear last year but took a cautious line at the last meeting despite continuing lowflation.  There are still big coordination problems in the EZ and the politics aren't getting easier to manage.  Bottom line: not optimistic about prospects for improvement.

China:  the wildcard.  Pace BB - the trade/GDP ratio for China is above 40% - not enormously high compared to smaller countries but quite respectable compared to the US (low 20s).  The wild commodity cycle is testament to China's global economic impact.    It is clear that growth is trending down.  The best that can be said is that the Party will do everything it can to cushion it.

And when history is written in the future this Age, in which all of these things are true, will be known as "Wednesday."

[MadImmortalMan]

Walmart closing 269 stores is a pretty worrying sign for the US economy.

[Admiral Yi]

Walmart closing 269 stores is a pretty worrying sign for the US economy.

Not necessarily.  It could be interpreted as Walmart customers moving upmarket.

[Phillip V]

Walmart closing 269 stores is a pretty worrying sign for the US economy.

Not necessarily.  It could be interpreted as Walmart customers moving upmarket.

Not necessarily. It could be interpreted as Walmart customers moving online.

[MadImmortalMan]

Walmart closing 269 stores is a pretty worrying sign for the US economy.

Not necessarily.  It could be interpreted as Walmart customers moving upmarket.

Not necessarily. It could be interpreted as Walmart customers moving online.

Or both, I suppose. The latter is definitely happening.

[Martinus]

MAH STOCKS

Welcome!

[Richard Hakluyt]

Supermarkets are struggling in the UK; but that seems to be due to long-term changes in the way people shop rather than any business cycle effects.

[Eddie Teach]

All you making fun of MIM's post should read more of Mono's. China still has a long way to go.