From Left-Tail to Left Sidelined Markets are scrambling to recalibrate after an unexpected, dramatic rollback from the U.S. and China over the weekend. In a move that exceeded expectations, the U.S. slashed tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China reciprocated with a drop from 125% to just 10%. Disclaimer: I
Handcuffed perpetual optimism The Trump tariff "step-downs" may have taken the edge off of the worst-case trade war scenarios. Between the Treasury Bessent floating interventionist tools (including the "not-so-subtle nod to buybacks) and Waller softening up the Federal Reserve tone, there's a clear effort to engineer a sentiment
Fed unwilling to mop up the consequences of Trump tariffs Fed Chair Powell is playing the adult and reminding the public that tariffs aren't just headlines. Powell is flagging the obvious, yet overlooked by many. Tariffs are inflationary. They act like a tax on imports, driving up prices for consumers, which feeds into the CPI. At the same