Links 8 February 2018

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

• The Era of Easy Money Is Ending, and the World Is Bracing for Shocks – NY Times
• What the hell is happening with the stock market? We asked an expert. – VOX
• U.S. Crude Output to Jump Above 11 Million Barrels a Day Sooner Than Expected – Bloomberg
• These Kinds of Stock-Market Losses Aren’t That Unusual – Bloomberg
• Over $550 billion wiped off cryptocurrencies since record high just under a month ago – CNBC
• Bitcoin drops below $6,000 for first time in three months – Yahoo
• Bitcoin Falls Below $6,000, Plummeting 70% From December High – WSJ
• Bitcoin falls; half its value lost in 2018 – Reuters
• BIS Chief Sees ‘Strong Case’ for Cryptocurrency Intervention – Bloomberg
• Market Volatility Has Gone Through the Roof. Here’s Why That Matters – Bloomberg
• How to interpret a market plunge – The Economist
• European Markets Continue Slide Following Asian and U.S. Sell-Offs – Fortune
• XIV trader: ‘I’ve lost $4 million, 3 years of work and other people’s money’ – Market Watch
• Don’t Forget What Causes a Recession – Bloomberg

Americas:

• Amtrak train breaks apart at 125 mph – NY Post
• Trump Drops the T-Word – WSJ
• After approving Medicaid work requirements, Trump’s HHS aims for lifetime coverage limits – McClatchy
• The ‘Borking’ of America – Washington Monthly
• The cowardice among Republicans is staggering – Washington Post
• US trade gap hits $566 billion in 2017, highest since 2008 – AP
• Hidden tunnel could lead to Mayan ’entrance to the underworld’ – CNN
• Trump immigration plan could keep whites in U.S. majority for up to five more years – Washington Post
• Democrats Are Caught in a Tax Bill Trap – Bloomberg

Europe:

• EU plans to cut UK’s market access if Brexit transition terms broken – FT
• Polish president signs Holocaust bill, triggers Israeli, U.S. criticism – Reuters
• German Metal Workers Reach Deal Favoring Free Time Over Wages – Bloomberg
• European shares tumble in new sell off – BBC
• German pay deal heralds end of wage restraint in Europe’s largest economy – Reuters

Asia:

• Apple to build a second data center in China: Report – CNBC
• Mercedes-Benz apologises to Chinese consumers – SCMP
• Asia Insight: China chases oil benchmark to knock US off global perch – Nikkei Asian Review
• Japan’s Nikkei stock index falls more than 1,500 points – CNBC
• North Korea Said To Orchestrate Largest Crypto Heist Of All Time – Zero Hedge

Trans-Tasman:

• Why US Marines are deployed to Australia’s far north – The Australian
• Australian Conservatives vow to repeal Marriage Equality – QNews
• Reducing youth crime requires knowing which policies actually work, criminologist says – ABC
• Australia’s trust in media at record low as ‘fake news’ fears grow, survey finds – The Guardian
• School funding: Catholics say non-government schools receiving almost $750 mil from taxpayers – ABC
• Nick Xenophon Team to block cashless welfare card expansion – The Guardian
• What would a young Malcolm Turnbull say about secrecy bill? – The SMH
• Govt seeks to enshrine national facial recognition system in law – ITNews
• NBN take-up dips as low as 39 percent – IT News
• Target stores could be converted into Kmart following profit crash – News.com.au
• Landmark inquiry finds Australia’s banks are exploiting their most loyal customers – The Age
• Unemployment falls to almost decade low  – Interest.co.nz
• 40% sales rate at Barfoot & Thompson’s auctions last week – Interest.co.nz