Posts tagged 'consumer spending'

The shape of discretionary spending in emerging markets

Masa joined the FT in 2009 and has worked on a number of desks across the paper, including Companies, Markets and Comment. She spent much of 2010 in New York covering the US equity markets. But earlier this year she finally saw the light and moved to Alphaville.

She started her career in the investment banking division at Lehman Brothers in the summer of 2007, timing it perfectly with the beginning of the credit crunch.

She studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University.

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| Jan 24 14:16 | Comment |

There may be signs that the wealthiest few zillionaires in emerging markets are outgrowing their love of bling or at least becoming more discerning.

But the fashion houses in Milan and Paris are unlikely to be losing sleep over that. Because for many millions in the EM, success and status remains all too bound up with having Chanel’s double-Cs on their handbag or an Ω on their wrist. Read more

Labour force and consumer spending edition

Cardiff writes mostly about US macroeconomic issues, with daily excursions into other topics about which he claim no expertise. Before Alphaville, Cardiff spent a little more than two years as a reporter at Dow Jones Financial News covering investment banking, asset management, and private equity. Along the way he has written freelance pieces on a variety of other topics from behavioural psychology to Muay Thai, the latter also being a personal interest that involves frequently getting kicked in the shins (and torso, and head).

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| Aug 22 2011 20:25 | Comment |

A decent review of a theme we’ve been exploring recently, courtesy of Moody’s Analytics:

Several important demographic trends will influence US activity for some time. They include (i) the slower growth of Americans aged 15 to 49 years, which is a population cohort that shows a comparatively strong correlation with the growth of real consumer spending, (ii) the record slow growth of the working age population, (iii) the much faster growth of older workers relative to younger workers, and (iv) the breakneck growth of those 65-and-over vis-à-vis the number aged less-than-65. Read more

Odds of another US recession seen rising

Tracy Alloway used to be deputy editor of FT Alphaville. Here she learned the details of derivatives, the absurdities of accounting and the various structures of ... erm ... structured finance. She now covers big US banks for the FT paper, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. She pops up on FT Alphaville every once in a while.

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| Aug 03 2011 09:06 | Comment |

The two-year-old US recovery’s staying power may be diminishing as consumers and the government pare spending, say five of the nine economists on the academic panel that dates recessions, Bloomberg reports. Meanwhile, a fall in US consumer spending is adding to economic woes. Consumers cut back on spending in June for the first time since September 2009 and incomes rose at the slowest pace in seven months in a further sign of sluggish economic growth, the FT says. Consumer spending fell 0.2 per cent over the month, following a downwardly revised 0.1 per cent rise in May, the commerce department said. Reuters reckons such lacklustre sentiment will weigh on growth. Read more

Fresh woe from Britain’s high street

| Jun 09 2011 10:46 | Comment |

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the UK retail sector…

… along comes another shocking trading statement. Read more

US morning econo-roundup

Cardiff writes mostly about US macroeconomic issues, with daily excursions into other topics about which he claim no expertise. Before Alphaville, Cardiff spent a little more than two years as a reporter at Dow Jones Financial News covering investment banking, asset management, and private equity. Along the way he has written freelance pieces on a variety of other topics from behavioural psychology to Muay Thai, the latter also being a personal interest that involves frequently getting kicked in the shins (and torso, and head).

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| Dec 23 2010 14:17 | Comment |

Not that we think any of these indicators will have much of an impact on the last trading day before Christmas — but here’s a roundup of activity on Thursday morning:

Initial weekly unemployment claims: Read more

Japan growth leaves doubts

| Nov 16 2010 03:33 | Comment |

Japan’s economy grew at a faster pace in the July-Sept period from the previous quarter, in part because the hot summer boosted consumer spending, but officials and economists warned that the outlook remained tough, reports the FT. The economy expanded at 3.9% on an annualised, price-adjusted basis as households took advantage of government stimulus programmes. But, says the WSJ’s Heard on the Street, the good news is actually ‘bad news’ for Japan. With 3Q spending driven by one-off factors, the question is whether the economy will slip into a technical recession early next year. Read more

Mr Bean was right

Joseph joined FT Alphaville way back in March 2010. He likes all the politically and legally fiddly bits of finance. He also likes credit, rates, global macro, tail risk, and all that stuff. (You should email him story ideas. He’ll take anything.)

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| Sep 28 2010 11:37 | Comment |

Don’t save, spend, Bank of England official Charles Bean advised Britain on Monday, telling Channel 4 News that low interest rates made any other choice rather useless.

‘No problem at all, my dear Bean,’ said Britain. Read more