“Interest on Treasury Debt Securities (gross)” has exploded in the past half-decade, climbing from $523 billion in FY 2020 to $1.133 trillion in FY 2024—a 117 % jump. Through the first nine months of FY 2025, interest payments already stand at $921 billion; if the recent monthly run-rate continues, the full-year bill will land near … [Read more...] about Rising Interest-Service Costs Are Remaking the U.S. Treasury Budget
Archives for July 2025
fear and loathing in the us markets
Fear, Loathing, and Tariff Rodeos—How Institutional Investors Are Navigating 2025’s U.S. Market Cross-Currents “Buy the upside, rent the downside.” That mantra captures the uneasy mix of bullish positioning and tail-risk hedging that dominates today’s tape. 1 Where Today’s “Fear & Loathing” Shows Up 1.1 The Fear Tail-Risk Hedges Stay Busy. Index-put skew and … [Read more...] about fear and loathing in the us markets
The True Wealth of the U.S. System — Why Globalized Production Still Counts
America’s “true” wealth is not just the capital accumulated at home; it is the purchasing power and flexibility the country gains from an unmatched global production network. Import-price data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) underscore how that network supports: 1 — Companies Broader operating margins thanks to low-input costs Price discipline that … [Read more...] about The True Wealth of the U.S. System — Why Globalized Production Still Counts
Employment‑Driven Consumption: What’s Really Propping Up the Data?
Overall consumption is being sustained by real income growth at the aggregate level, thanks chiefly to continued gains in total employment. On a per‑capita basis, however, households remain cautious: spending per worker is subdued; it’s simply the larger number of workers that keeps the retail figures afloat. None of this is new, which is why recent retail‑sector data came in … [Read more...] about Employment‑Driven Consumption: What’s Really Propping Up the Data?
Key take-aways from cpi macro tape
1 — CPI: Services & “Food-at-Home” Dominate Headline CPI: 2.7 % Y/Y in June (up from 2.4 % in May). Shelter cooled, but: Medical-care services rose 0.6 % M/M; now 3.4 % Y/Y. Food-at-home gained 0.3 % M/M; 2.4 % Y/Y. Implication: Services inflation has re-emerged, making a near-term Fed cut unlikely. 2 — Long Bonds Under … [Read more...] about Key take-aways from cpi macro tape
June CPI (Release 15 July 2025): Why the Market May Shrug
Even if June headline CPI comes in near 0 % m/m (≈ 2.3 % y/y), policy-rate relief is unlikely while short-term bills trade on the Fed’s floor and fiscal worries linger. 1. Components that drive ~50 % of the index Energy (~7 % weight) Regular gasoline: roughly flat month-on-month. Diesel No. 2: retail price up about 3 % m/m. … [Read more...] about June CPI (Release 15 July 2025): Why the Market May Shrug