Trump = Winning

[SOMEPARTS]

He called it "The United States and Mexico Trade Agreement" instead of NAFTA. Pretty funny stuff.

[polychronopolous]

U.S., Mexico reach NAFTA deal, turning up pressure on Canada

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Mexico agreed on Monday to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), putting pressure on Canada to agree to new terms on auto trade and dispute settlement rules to remain part of the three-nation pact.

Auto stocks soared and financial markets firmed on the expectation that Canada would sign on to the deal by the end of the week and ease the economic uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats that he would ditch the 1994 accord.

But details of gains and concessions in the deal were only starting to emerge on Monday, and Trump threatened he still could put tariffs on Canadian-made cars if Canada did not join its neighbors.

“I think with Canada, frankly, the easiest we can do is to tariff their cars coming in. It’s a tremendous amount of money and it’s a very simple negotiation. It could end in one day and we take in a lot of money the following day,” Trump said.

Negotiations between the three trade partners have dragged on for more than a year, putting pressure on the Mexican peso MXN= and the Canadian dollar CAD= both gained against the dollar after Monday's announcement.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta/u-s-mexico-reach-nafta-deal-talks-with-canada-to-start-immediately-idUSKCN1LC1E7

[loco]

S&P 500, Nasdaq jump to record highs as US and Mexico strike trade deal

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/27/us-stocks-to-open-higher-after-powell-signals-further-rate-hikes.html

[polychronopolous]

US consumer confidence rises to 18-year high





North America Consumer confidence Economy Business
US consumer confidence rises to 18-year high

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ consumer confidence rose in August to the highest level in nearly 18 years as their assessment of current conditions improved further and their expectations about the future rebounded.

The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 133.4 in August, up from a reading 127.9 in July. It was the highest reading since confidence stood at 135.8 in October 2000.

Consumers’ confidence in their ability to get a job and the overall economy are seen as important indicators of how freely they will spend, especially on big-ticket items such as cars, in coming months. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity.


“Expectations, which had declined in June and July, bounced back in August and continue to suggest solid economic growth for the remainder of 2018,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. “These historically high confidence levels should continue to support health consumer spending in the near term.”

The overall economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, grew at a 4.1 percent rate in the April-June quarter, the best performance since 2014. That estimate will be revised Wednesday. Many economists believe growth has slowed a bit in the current quarter to around 3 percent but will remain far ahead of the weak 2.2 percent GDP growth rate in the first quarter.

“Confidence is soaring to new heights which makes us bullish on growth and forecasts that this expansion may indeed shatter records for longevity next summer,” said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York.

https://apnews.com/a9444498173d4f42a52c83adb947fa74/US-consumer-confidence-rises-to-18-year-high

[Soul Crusher]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-workers-report-highest-job-satisfaction-since-2005-1535544000

[loco]

USD Holds Onto Gains, US GDP Revised Higher - US Market Open

Aug 29, 2018

Second estimate of US GDP data surprises to the upside with a reading of 4.2% vs. Exp. 4%, which is the highest level in 4 years. Subsequently, this has provided allowed the greenback to hold onto its best levels of the day against its major counterparts. Euro fails to break above 1.17, over 3bln worth of option expiries between 1.1650-1.1680 has seen the Euro trade in a relatively narrow range.

https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/market_alert/2018/08/29/USD-Holds-Highs-After-US-GDP-is-Revised-Higher---US-Market-Open.html

[loco]

But, but, but McCain...and, and Stormy...and, and Russian hookers. 

[Soul Crusher]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/30/raymond-james-jeffrey-saut-stocks-could-still-surge-9-percent.html

[Soul Crusher]

Trump heightens attacks against CNN, Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein over TT story
The Hill ^ | 08/29/18 | Tal Axelrod
Posted on 8/29/2018, 8:01:26 PM by yesthatjallen

President Trump on Wednesday stepped up his personal attacks against CNN, lambasting the network and veteran journalist Carl Bernstein for a July report about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting.

“CNN is being torn apart from within based on their being caught in a major lie and refusing to admit the mistake," Trump tweeted Wednesday evening. "Sloppy @carlbernstein, a man who lives in the past and thinks like a degenerate fool, making up story after story, is being laughed at all over the country! Fake News”.

Bernstein, known for his coverage of the Watergate scandal, co-wrote an article for CNN, reporting that Trump's former lawyer and "fixer," Michael Cohen, was willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that then-candidate Trump knew about the June 2016 meeting between Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Cohen’s attorney, Lanny Davis, later publicly confirmed that he was the source for the story. He walked back his claim that Cohen knew Trump was aware of the meeting.

“I regret not being much clearer in saying I'm not sure about this story,” Davis, who is an opinion contributor at The Hill, told NBC News.

Donald Trump, Jr. also criticized CNN for the story, tweeting Sunday, “Comical to watch @CNN covering for leftist hack @carlbernstein. He & Obama staffer @jimsciutto obviously got story wrong. CNN "stands by" it anyway, defending literal fake news. 3 "reporters" were fired for false CNN hit on @Scaramucci & this is FAR worse!”

"We stand by our story, and are confident in our reporting of it," a CNN spokeswoman said on Tuesday.


________________________ ____________


Awesome - so damn awesome

Bernstein is a hack and fat pos

[SOMEPARTS]

Trump wins all battles with the press, they just haven't figured it out yet.

When they realize they can't win by using fake sources they will coerce Twitter into ending Trump's account access....then it will truly be on.

[Soul Crusher]

https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/08/29/what-2-women-who-actually-clerked-for-kavanaugh-really-think-of-him/

[Soul Crusher]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/boom-times-83-execs-say-business-is-better-76-see-more-growth

[loco]

Stocks clinch best August performance in over 4 years

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/31/us-markets-global-trade-tensions-ramp-up.html

[Yamcha]

This is not the America I know!!!

[polychronopolous]

U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to 49-Year Low



The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to its lowest level in 49 years last week.

Labor Department data released Thursday show that seasonally adjusted initial claims filed in the week ending September 1 fell to 203,000, down 10,000 from the previous week. The last time the number of weekly jobless claims was this low was December, 1969, when 202,000 filed initial requests for benefits.

Job openings started outstripping job seekers in March, and the labor market is now considered near full employment. The U.S. economy reached a record 6.7 million job openings in April, hundreds of thousands more than the number of unemployed workers. The number of openings has never been higher than the number of job seekers since the government started keeping statistics on both in 2000.

At the same time, wages have mostly stagnated, befuddling economists who continue to expect that their growth will pick up.

The economy grew at a 4.2 percent rate in the second quarter of 2018, the fastest in four years. The Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates twice this year and is considering doing so again in response to the economy’s robust growth.

Meanwhile, trade disputes with China and Europe have provoked ripples in the market as companies hedge their bets on whether to count on the economy’s continued strength.

U.S. manufacturers worry that rising prices of steel and aluminum imports caused by President Trump’s tariffs will harm companies as other countries respond in kind with their own tariffs.

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/jobless-claims-fall-49-year-low-us/

[Dos Equis]

lol   

Donald Trump Jr. "fixed" Kaepernick Nike ad with father's face
By CAITLIN O'KANE CBS NEWS September 6, 2018
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-face-colin-kaepernick-nike-ad-fixed-donald-trump-jr-instagram/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab6a&linkId=56506986

[loco]

.

[Agnostic007]

.

They are above where they were Aug 15 to put it in perspective. So relatively no damage at this point.

[Dos Equis]

.

They definitely lost my business.  But I was already going to break up with them after getting my new pair of UA cleats.  Love them.  Better than Nike.   

Poll: Nike Favorability Crashes 34% with Kaepernick Ad Campaign
Kaepernick NikeGetty Images/Ezra Shaw
6 Sep 2018

A poll from Morning Consult shows devastating results for Nike’s brand favorability, in the days after making Colin Kaepernick the face of their new ad campaign.

According to the poll via Axios, Nike’s numbers “dropped 34 points from a net +69 favorable impression (76% favorable, 7% unfavorable) among consumers to a net +35 favorable impression (60% favorable, 24% unfavorable).”

These numbers are nothing short of devastating for Nike, and with no other news worthy of note, there’s no explanation for the sudden decline other than the company’s commitment to Kaepernick.

According to Axios:

While Nike could face negative purchasing consideration as a result of the campaign, experts argue the sports goods giant likely calculated these risks and deemed that it wouldn’t impact its bottom line significantly, despite any short-term pushback.

According to the poll, before Nike announced Kaepernick as the face of its ad campaign, only 2% of Americans reported hearing something negative about Nike recently. That number increased to 33% after the announcement.
The poll also found that purchasing intent was down after the announcement.
Earlier Morning Consult polling shows that brands have relatively little upside in wading into issues that involve President Trump.
Another key finding of the poll was that Nike’s favorability not only didn’t improve among African Americans, it actually declined. This finding is particularly devastating considering it was widely reported that Nike decided to embrace Kaepernick, in part, to increase their already considerable appeal among blacks.

The report features over 8,000 interviews conducted among American adults, including 1,694 interviews pre-campaign launch (8/26/18 – 9/3/18) and 5,481 interviews post-campaign launch (9/4/18 – 9/5/18). Additionally, Morning Consult conducted a study among 1,168 adults in the U.S. about Nike’s ad and the decision to choose Kaepernick as the face of the campaign.

https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2018/09/06/poll-nike-favorability-crashes-34-with-kaepernick-ad-campaign/

[polychronopolous]

Economy adds more jobs than expected in August, and wage growth hits post-recession high

* Nonfarm payrolls grew by 201,000 in August. Economists surveyed by Reuters expected a 191,000 increase.

* Average hourly earnings jumped by 2.9 percent, above the 2.7 percent increase expected.

*The unemployment rate held near a generational low of 3.9 percent.



Long-awaited wage growth posted its biggest increase of the economic recovery in August while payroll gains beat expectations and the unemployment rate held near a generational low of 3.9 percent, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday.

Average hourly earnings rose 2.9 percent for the month on an annualized basis, while nonfarm payrolls grew by 201,000. Economists surveyed by Reuters had been expecting earnings to rise 2.7 percent, payrolls to increase by 191,000 and the jobless level to decline one-tenth of a point to 3.8 percent.

The wage growth was the highest since April 2009.


"If we continue to see wage growth move higher, it puts the Fed in play for a fourth rate hike, absent tariff concerns," said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. "I don't think this is going to be the beginning of a downturn in the market, but the fact is there had been other reports leading up to this suggesting wages had been moving higher. Today's print is indicative of a tight labor market."

Yields jumped after the numbers were released and stock futures fell on expectations the data justified more rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

The news wasn't all good on the employment front. Counts for the two previous months were lowered by 50,000 — from 248,000 to 208,000 in June and from 157,000 to 147,000 in July. In the big picture, though, the August number was in line with the average monthly gains of 196,000 over the past 12 months.

In addition, there was a surge in those counted as not in the labor force. The number rose by 692,000 to 96.3 million.

A broader measure of unemployment that takes into account discouraged workers and those at jobs part time for economic reasons edged lower, from 7.5 percent to 7.4 percent.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/07/us-nonfarm-payrolls-aug-2018.html

[polychronopolous]

Middle Class Income Is Finally Back To Where It Was In 2000

(CNN) — No wonder the middle class is feeling squeezed. Its income is only returning to where it was in 2000.

The typical family of three had an income of just under $78,450 in 2016, according to a Pew Research Center report, which used the most recent data available. In 2000, it was just under $78,100.

Whatever advances the middle class made in the early 2000s were snuffed out by the Great Recession, said Rakesh Kochhar, a senior researcher at Pew. Its median income had dropped to $74,000 by 2010, and it took several years to return because of the historically slow economic recovery just after the downturn.


Only upper income families have seen some uptick. Their income rose to nearly $187,900 in 2016, compared to $183,700 in 2000.

The poor have yet to climb back, however. These households had a median income of just over $25,600 in 2016, not yet at the nearly $27,000 they made in 2000.

Overall, just over half of American adults were in the middle class in 2016. That’s up slightly from 2011, but down from 61% in 1971. Nearly 30% were lower income in 2016, and 19% were upper income.

The Midwest is home to many robust middle class metropolitan areas. Some 65% of adults in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, are middle class — the highest share in the nation, Pew found. On the flip side, Laredo, Texas, had the lowest share at 39%.

Related: Almost half of US families can’t afford basics like rent and food

The future, at least, may be brighter for the middle class. Incomes rose more strongly between 2014 and 2016 as the economic recovery picked up, though it tilted towards the better off, Kochhar said. Median income is expected to continue trending upwards, especially as more people get jobs.

The Census Bureau will report median household income for 2017 for the nation overall on Wednesday. It rose to just over $59,000 in 2016, up 3.2% from a year earlier.

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/09/11/middle-class-income-2016-2000-pay-economy/

[loco]

Job openings reach unprecedented levels, so does quitting

U.S. employers advertised the most jobs on record in July, and the number of workers quitting their jobs also hit a new all-time high.

Americans are increasingly taking advantage of a tight labor market to find new, often higher-paying jobs. That could help push up wages broadly across the economy.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that the number of job openings rose 1.7 percent to 6.9 million, the most on record dating back to late 2000. The number of people quitting jumped 3 percent to 3.58 million, also a record. Quits are typically a good sign that jobs are plentiful, because people usually quit when they have another job or are confident they can find one.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/job-openings-reach-unprecedented-levels-143532557.html

[loco]

[Soul Crusher]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/12/middle-class-income-hit-an-all-time-high-last-year-us-census-says/?utm_term=.2ce06519f984

[Soul Crusher]

Trump effect: Food stamp usage down for EIGHT straight months
The National Sentinel ^ | 9/13/18 | USA Features
Posted on 09/13/2018 10:53:22 AM PDT

Winning: Americans’ use of food stamp assistance has now fallen for the eighth straight month as the POTUS Trump economy continues to expand, raising all boats and not just those of “the rich.”