Rising asset prices can nudge people to spend more, amplifying economic cycles. Such a “wealth effect” has most clearly been observed in housing markets. Now it is also seen in the stockmarket https://t.co/RtPXZdqGmZ ...

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference following the issuance of the Federal Open Market Committee's statement on interest rate policy, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Sept. 17, 2025.Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday noted that asset prices, a category that typically includes stocks and other risk instruments, are at elevated levels.During a speech in Providence, Rhode Island, the central bank leader was asked how much emphasis he and his colleagues place on market ...

Thanks, Chair Powell. Matt Eaggan from CNN. We re we we recently learned that average FICO credit scores are down this year by two points, the most since 2009 during the Great Recession, and delinquencies are high for car loans, personal loans, credit cards.How concerned, if at all, are you about the health of consumer finances. And do you expect today's cut will help. So, you know, we're aware of that.I think this default rates have been um kind of ticking up and we do watch that. Um they're not at a level ...

Inflation & Monetary Policy - Inflation initially hovered around 3% at the start of the year, then fell to approximately 12%-2% in April, and is now near the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, representing a roughly 33% decrease since the beginning of the year [3] - The US has the largest gap between the City Inflation Surprise Index 3 months ago and today, indicating a positive surprise for the economy [4] - The US government has increased the national debt by approximately $500 billion since the debt ceiling was lifted in early July [6] - The consensus on Wall Street is that Jerome Powell will not change interest rates at the current Federal Reserve meeting, but a surprise rate cut could significantly boost stocks, Bitcoin, and gold [12] Technology & Innovation - Loom has introduced a robotic lamp that can perform chores, showcasing the potential for robots to integrate into everyday household items [14][15] - Shortcut demoed an AI Excel agent that reportedly outperforms first-year analysts from McKinsey and Goldman Sachs 89% of the time [16] - An AI Excel agent can build a multi-tab DCF model with assumptions, drivers, a Monte Carlo simulation, comps analysis, sensitivity tables, and a final dashboard in about 10 minutes [17] Billionaires & Problem Solving - Jensen Huang claims to have created more billionaires on his management team than any other CEO [20] - The success of billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang is attributed to their ability to solve significant problems in society [24][25] - The industry needs more billionaires who are problem solvers to drive progress and improve lives [26] Societal Issues - A shooting in Midtown Manhattan resulted in four deaths, highlighting the issue of violence in society [27] - The NYPD's response to the shooting was commendable, as officers ran towards the gunfire to neutralize the threat and protect civilians [28][29] - A Blackstone employee's quick thinking and leadership in barricading the office during the shooting is considered heroic [30]

Dollar Devaluation & Asset Prices - The dollar has devalued 50% over the last 35-40 years, a trend expected to continue unless there's a complete collapse in the currency [1][2] - Asset prices in the US are increasing faster than the dollar devalues, making dollar-denominated assets desirable globally [2][3] - Until the US runs surpluses or eliminates its debt, there will be a reason to be short the dollar, but demand for dollar-denominated assets will likely continue [4] - Dollar devaluation is a long-term phenomenon that has existed for 50+ years, acting as a drag that can be overcome by the increase in asset values [12] US Economic Strength & Investment - American ingenuity and supremacy, particularly in AI, will continue to drive demand for American assets [14] - Betting against the United States in the long run is generally a losing proposition [15] - The key boundary condition for US economic strength is the quality of human capital and its ability to innovate [17] - Significant investment in data centers, AI, and nuclear power plants indicates ongoing American exceptionalism [22] Foreign Holdings of US Treasuries - Foreign holdings of US Treasuries have declined from 34% in the last 10 years [18] - Decreased foreign holdings of US Treasuries suggest that foreign governments and central banks have less influence on American fiscal and monetary policy [19]

Q1 2019 Highlights - VLCC average spot rate in TI Pool was $35,195 per day, compared to $18,725 in Q1 2018[8] - VLCC average time charter rate was $27,630 per day[8] - Suezmax average spot rate was $27,380 per day, compared to $14,000 in Q1 2018[8] - Suezmax average time charter rate was $32,680 per day[8] - In Q1 so far, VLCC 535% fixed at around $26500 per day[12] - In Q1 so far, Suezmax 493% fixed at around $18000 per day[12] Financial Performance - Revenue increased to $232589 thousand in Q1 2019 from $98136 thousand in Q1 2018[13] - Net profit for the period was $19526 thousand in Q1 2019, compared to a loss of $39091 thousand in Q1 2018[13] - Result after taxation per share was $009 in Q1 2019, compared to $(025) in Q1 2018[13] - Cash increased to $1785 million in Mar-19 from $1730 million in Dec-18[15] Market Signals - US crude export outlook shows potential for growth to 2022[18] - Correlation between Euronav share price and new build VLCC value is 84%[25] - Demand 3% Supply 3% - VLCC $35K Q4 & Q1[26] Liquidity and Leverage - Liquidity increased to $785 million[17] - Leverage is 462% marked to market[16]