2025 Commentaries

The Treasury Twist

There have been a few days of calm since the largest weekly rise for US long-term interest rates in over 40 years. To see such a move, along with a sharp weakening in the dollar, during a period of equity and credit market stress, is extraordinarily unusual. For decades, we have all been conditioned to […]

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What happens when the US rebalances the global trade landscape?

On September 22,1985 the Plaza Accord went into effect to stem the deep trade imbalances existing between the US, Japan, and Western Europe. Once again, beginning a week ago Thursday, the US made initial moves to rebalance an unlevel global trade playing field. This time, of course, the primary target is China. The game is […]

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The end of mercantilism, not exceptionalism

Please join Jefferies Chief Market Strategist, David Zervos, for a discussion on how Trump’s attack on mercantilist trade policies will likely impact global financial markets and geopolitics. By bringing over 70 countries to the table to rebalance a broken global trading structure, while isolating China, Trump has set the stage for an epic battle between closed protectionist […]

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Bullets for CNBC today at 10:30am EST

I generally draft a few bullet points for my TV hits before going on air. Given all the market madness, I thought I would share them with readers this morning so as to give everyone a better idea of where my head is after the last 3 trading sessions. ______ Notes for CNBC: Making sense […]

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Do you remember the Prisoner's Dilemma?

Here is a simplistic version of the game played every day in the global trade arena. Each country chooses to either be cooperative (C) or uncooperative (U). Below are some illustrative payouts: C:C -> $100:$100 C:U -> $30:$130 U:C -> $130:$30 U:U -> $10:$10 Right now, the US is playing C, while most of it’s […]

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Common sense QT tapering

A little more than a week has passed since Jay decided to slip on a red jersey and distance himself from that politically charged 50bps rate cut just before the election. His dovish messaging was crystal clear. And the near complete shutdown of Treasury QT put dovish action behind the dovish rhetoric. Jay clearly doesn’t […]

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