Links 4 September 2018

Global Macro / Markets / Investment:

• The Next Financial Crisis Lurks Underground – NY Times
• Tesla, software and disruption – Benedict Evans
• Stiglitz: The Myth of Secular Stagnation – Project Syndicate
• What Does it Mean to be a Financial Expert? – The Irrelevant Investor
• The Online Gig Economy’s ‘Race to the Bottom’ – The Atlantic
• The World Isn’t as Bad as Your Wired Brain Tells You – WSJ
• Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are useless – The Economist
• The effect of house prices on household borrowing – VOX

Americas:

• From Criminal Convictions to Ethical Lapses: The Range of Misconduct in Trump’s Orbit – NY Times
• John McCain’s Funeral Was the Start of Something – Esquire
• Predictable movements in asset prices around FOMC meetings – VOX
• Why startups are leaving Silicon Valley – The Economist
• Argentina turmoil batters big names in bond market – FT
• Spooky Theory on Ills of U.S. Diplomats in Cuba – NY Times
• The Americas, armed trade and cheap energy: review of Kenneth Pomeranz’s “The Great Divergence” – Global Inequality
• America’s deal with Mexico will make NAFTA worse – The Economist

Europe:

• The IMF abetted the European Union’s subversion of Greek democracy – Open Democracy
• What Does it Mean to be a Financial Expert? – The Guardian
• PM: No compromise with EU on Brexit plan – BBC
• There will be no second referendum on Brexit – it would be a gross betrayal of our democracy – The Telegraph
• German business leaders raise alarm over Brexit progress – FT
• Markets ask who will go next on the UK high street – FT
• The Real Story Behind The Anti-Immigrant Riots Rocking Germany – Buzz Feed

Asia:

• Trump’s Rougher Edge Complicates Trip by Pompeo and Mattis to India – NY Times
• Chinese Billionaire Arrested in Minnesota in Sexual Misconduct Case – NY Times
• Trade, War, and the South China Sea – The Diplomat
• To Counter China, U.S. Looks to Invest Billions More Overseas – WSJ
• Too Many Chinese Children Need Glasses. Beijing Blames Video Games. – NY Times
• Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows – NY Times

Trans-Tasman:

• China officially bans ABC website, claims internet is ‘fully open’ – ABC
• Greens Leader Richard Di Natale targets new prime minister and Coalition who he says ‘don’t deserve to govern’ – The Guardian
• Scott Morrison sends his children to private school to avoid ‘skin curling’ sexuality discussions – The Guardian
• Morrison considering deregistering CFMEU – 9News
• Labor has proposed measures to bring down soaring gas prices and ensure domestic supply – SBS
• Australia house prices fall for 11th straight month as downturn deepens – Straits Times
• Andrews government releases thousands of confidential documents on Matthew Guy – The Age
• The ABS is under an Orwellian ‘efficiency’ siege – Canberra Times
• Alarm as top-level security vetting is outsourced to private contractors – The SMH
• Government’s reef monitoring stalled during crisis bleaching event as funds dried up – The Guardian
• The Turnbulls flee Scott Morrison’s ‘nanny state’ – New Daily
• Melbourne leads worsening national home price downturn – ABC
• Dire consequences: fake honey imports could lead to a humanitarian disaster – The SMH
• The peak body for the recruitment sector says there is a need for a new class of worker – a hybrid of a permanent and casual employee – The Guardian
• Australia’s political parties got $62m in ‘dark money’ donations last year – The Guardian
• Morrison ‘not convinced’ pulling out of Paris treaty would cut energy prices – The Guardian
• Full response from Mathias Cormann for a FactCheck on corporate tax cuts and the US economy – The Conversation
• Corruption watchdog has no way of measuring its productivity: audit – The SMH
• Australians told to expect ‘longest and deepest’ housing slump – The Guardian