1
Chemical Activity Barometer Increases in April
Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 50 minutes ago
Note: This appears to be a leading indicator for industrial production.
From the American Chemistry Council: Chemical Activity Barometer Shows
Second Monthly Gain in April
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created
by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), rose 0.5 percent in April on a
three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, the second monthly gain after
several weak months.
...
“*The latest CAB signals gains in U.S. commercial and industrial activity
through mid-2019, but at a slow pace*,” said Kevin Swift, chief economist
at ACC. “As a result, the... more »
The wiggly line looks down to me.
2
Divided on Impeachment, Democrats Wrestle With Duty and Politics
SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and NICHOLAS FANDOS at NYT > Politics - 2 hours ago
House Democrats are agonizing between their responsibilities to hold a
president to account and the political implications for doing so.
The Democrats are never organized.
3
News Analysis: Victor or Victim? Trump Shifts Response to Mueller Report
PETER BAKER at NYT > Politics - 2 hours ago
While he once welcomed the report as “total exoneration,” the president in
recent days has assailed it as a “total ‘hit job’” produced by “true Trump
Haters.”
Democrats are never organized.
4
Iowa’s Longest-Serving Republican Switches Parties Because of Trump
MATT STEVENS at NYT > Politics - 2 hours ago
At least one is paying attention.
5
Split 5 to 4, Supreme Court Deals a Blow to Class Arbitrations
ADAM LIPTAK at NYT > Politics - 2 hours ago
The justices ruled that an arbitration clause in an employment contract
barred workers from banding together to pursue privacy claims.
No surprise.
6
She Was Loyal to Chris Christie. Now She Faces Jail Time for Bridgegate.
NICK CORASANITI at NYT > Politics - 2 hours ago
Bridget Anne Kelly is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday for her role
in the scandal that involved closing lanes to the George Washington Bridge
as political payback.
Bridget Anne Kelly recieves the rewards of loyalty to treachery.
7
Confused About Congestion Pricing? Here’s What We Know
WINNIE HU at NYT > Politics - 4 hours ago
Drivers will have to pay to enter the heart of Manhattan starting in 2021,
but the specifics have yet to be decided.
A good idea is under debate.
8
Why Buttigiegg Beats Harris and Beto To Be The DNC’s Champion
Ian Welsh at Ian Welsh - 5 hours ago
A lot of the candidates are running to the left in one way or the other,
but the party itself is uneasy about that. Party insiders (which 538
mislabels “activists”) like Harris most. Many people thought it would be
Beto; charismatic and policy and conviction empty. But the best centrist
candidate is like Obama: comes […]
Welsh is a Canadian.
9
Philly Fed: State Coincident Indexes increased in 37 states in March
Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 5 hours ago
From the Philly Fed:
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has released the coincident
indexes for the 50 states for March 2019. Over the past three months, the
indexes increased in 44 states, decreased in five states, and remained
stable in one, for a three-month diffusion index of 78. *In the past month,
the indexes increased in 37 states*, decreased in eight states, and
remained stable in five, for a one-month diffusion index of 58.
emphasis added
Note: These are coincident indexes constructed from state employment data.
An explanation from the Philly Fed:
The coincident i... more »
Job quality is not measured.
10
New Home Prices
Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 6 hours ago
As part of the new home sales report released yesterday, the Census Bureau
reported the number of homes sold by price and the average and median
prices.
From the Census Bureau: "The median sales price of new houses sold in March
2019 was $302,700. The average sales price was $376,000."
The following graph shows the median and average new home prices.
[image: New Home Prices] *Click on graph for larger image.*
During the housing bust, the builders had to build smaller and less
expensive homes to compete with all the distressed sales. When housing
started to recovery - with limited ... more »
That sinking feeling.
11
MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Latest Weekly Survey
Calculated Risk at Calculated Risk - 9 hours ago
From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage applications decreased 7.3 percent from one week earlier,
according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly
Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 19, 2019.
... The Refinance Index decreased 11 percent from the previous week. *The
seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 4 percent from one week
earlier*. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 3 percent compared with
the previous week and was *3 percent higher than the same week one year ago*
.
...
“The 30-year f... more »
I will buy after discussion.
12
In a Crowded Field, Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke Stake Out Similar Turf
JONATHAN MARTIN at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
As the presidential nominating contest narrows next year, there may not be
room for two white men under 50 who present themselves as mainstream
progressives.
Party conventions are good filters.
13
Party conventions are good filters.
13
In Push for 2020 Election Security, Top Official Was Warned: Don’t Tell Trump
ERIC SCHMITT, DAVID E. SANGER and MAGGIE HABERMAN at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
As homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen became increasingly
worried about Russian attempts to influence the 2020 election. But she
couldn’t discuss it at high-level White House meetings.
Problembs splash off Trump.
14
Problembs splash off Trump.
14
Confused About Congestion Pricing? Here’s What We Know
WINNIE HU at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
A good idea.
15
New York Times Communities You Can Join Online
MARIE TAE MCDERMOTT at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
Readers looking for lively online discussion have plenty of options.
All the news does not fit.
Pick and choose.
16
All the news does not fit.
Pick and choose.
16
Feature: Meet the Other Resistance: The Republican One
MARK LEIBOVICH at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
President Trump is overwhelmingly popular with his base, but a handful of
dissident Republicans think they know how to defeat him in a primary
contest. Are they crazy?
Do what works.
17
Do what works.
17
Europe Isn’t Feeling Much Pain From Trump Tariffs, Central Bank Says
JACK EWING at NYT > Politics - 10 hours ago
A study by the European Central Bank says tariffs on steel and aluminum
have caused only modest economic damage, but have rattled business
confidence.
The pain is in America.
18
The pain is in America.
18
On Politics: Supreme Court Hears Census Citizenship Question
NYT > Politics - 14 hours ago
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority seems poised to allow the Trump
administration to add a question on citizenship to the 2020 census.
Yes.
19
Yes.
19
Democrats Ask and Trump Says No, Signaling a Bitter Fight Ahead
PETER BAKER, ANNIE KARNI and ALAN RAPPEPORT at NYT > Politics - 18 hours ago
The administration’s refusals to provide documents and testimony to
Democrats could lead to clashes in court as the president seeks to stave
off inquiries into his personal and political matters.
Trump can only scream.
20
Trump can only scream.
20
Jared Kushner Dismisses Russian Election Interference as ‘Couple of Facebook Ads’
MARK LANDLER at NYT > Politics - 20 hours ago
His comments seemed to contradict Facebook’s own estimates that Russian ads
and social-media posts reached 126 million Americans during the election.Dismiss Jared.
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