Links 8 October 2018

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

• Bitcoin is as efficient as a lame hippopotamus with a hangover – Preston By Me
• Vanguard’s Chief and 2 Other Fund CEOs on How Their Firms Will Change in the Future – Barron’s
• Why it’s time to end the tit-for-tat tariffs in the U.S.-China trade war – Brookings
• Surprising Truths About Trade Deficits – NY Times
• Bankers’ liability and risk taking – VOX
• Why Quant Investor Cliff Asness Is Staying Calm, Despite a Tough 2018 – Bloomberg
• All the Nightmares for Stock Investors Start in the Bond Market – Bloomberg
• On Wall Street, the Bond Market Sets the Tone – NY Times
• Why this week’s bond sell-off may be just a blip – FT
• Anxiety Starts to Grow in Junk-Bond Market – WSJ
• A Retirement Wealth Gap Adds a New Indignity to Old Age – WSJ
• The $500 Million Central Bank Heist—and How It Was Foiled – WSJ
• Bots Are Manipulating Price of Bitcoin in ‘Wild West of Crypto’ – WSJ
• U.S. share of global venture capital fell more than 20% in 5 years – Venture Beat
• Climate scientists are struggling to find the right words for very bad news – Washington Post

Americas:

• Senators representing less than half the U.S. are about to confirm a nominee opposed by most Americans – Washington Post
• Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation will delegitimize the Supreme Court – VOX
• F.B.I. Review of Kavanaugh Was Limited From the Start – NY Times
• McConnell calls opposition to Kavanaugh a ‘great political gift’ to Republicans – Washington Post
• After Lots of Bluster, Trump Has a Week to Brag About – NY Times
• Federal Revenues Level Despite Strong Growth, CBO Says – WSJ
• U.S. Unemployment Rate Falls to Lowest Level Since 1969 – WSJ
• Europe’s Beloved Roundabout Finally Invades America – Bloomberg
• Will U.S. Economic Growth Dip, or Will the Rest of the World Catch Up? – Bloomberg

Europe:

• Where in the World Is Denmark’s $2 Billion? – NY Times
• SNP could back second Brexit referendum tied to independence vote – The Guardian
• Europe Tells Trump: Don’t Bully Us on Trade – WSJ
• Bob Diamond Builds Online Greek Bank as Investors Flee Rivals – Bloomberg
• Chips are down for Britons after dry summer hits potato crop – FT
• UK cyber security agency backs Apple, Amazon China hack denials – Reuters
• EU drafts tough contingency plans for no-deal Brexit – FT
• Theresa May v the ’Great Twatsby’ at the Tories’ Groundhog conference – The Guardian
• Brexiters misunderstand the European project – FT

Asia:

• China Used a Tiny Chip in a Hack That Infiltrated Amazon and Apple – Bloomberg
• FT journalist denied visa renewal in Hong Kong – FT
• Fan Bingbing, China’s screen empress, silenced – FT
• Hong Kong Plans to Expel a Financial Times Editor – NY Times
• Tokyo’s legendary Tsukiji fish market closes – FT
• French police launch investigation after Interpol chief goes missing for a week in China – The Independent
• Pence’s China Speech Seen as Portent of ‘New Cold War’ – NY Times

Trans-Tasman:

• Unions will launch a major advertising campaign targeting soaring executive salaries and company profits – 9News
• ‘No longer required’: Nauru orders mental health carers to leave island – SBS
• Have your race: leave the Opera House alone – The SMH
• My apologies, Alan Jones – you really do run NSW – Michael Pascoe – New Daily
• Labor’s left wing growing uneasy about Nauru children and Pacific trade deal – The Guardian
• Federal Minister Stuart Robert removed from company that charged taxpayers for internet – The West
• Robots are coming for Coles staff: the supermarket giant is investing millions to automate supply – Business Insider
• Australian academics union tries to impose another sellout agreement at University of Melbourne – WSWS
• Homeless and disadvantaged Victorians can now travel on public transport for free – The Age
• Uighurs in Australia tell their stories of Chinese re-education camps – ABC
• Privatised NSW land titles registry hiked fees by 1900 per cent – The SMH
• Australian flu cases drop more than 80 per cent, government figures show – ABC
• Stuart Robert to pay back internet charges after Scott Morrison demands answers – Brisbane Times
• ACTU’s new campaign to change the rules – SBS
• Bill Shorten to unveil election manifesto – SBS
• Ex-Lib leader urges Wentworth protest vote – SBS