Links 14 February 2019

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

• Wealth Inequality Is Way Worse Than You Think, And Tax Havens Play A Big Role – Forbes
• Bill Gates tweeted out a chart and sparked a huge debate about global poverty – VOX
• A hedge fund’s ‘mercenary’ strategy: Buy newspapers, slash jobs, sell the buildings – Washington Post
• Bill Gates: Taxing the rich is fine, but ’extreme’ politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are missing the point by focusing on income – CNBC
• The libertarian fantasies of cryptocurrencies – FT
• The global outlook – speech by Mark Carney – Bank of England
• Latest Warning Sign for Markets: A Possible ‘Earnings Recession’ – NY Times

Americas:

• A record 7 million Americans are 3 months behind on their car payments, a red flag for the economy – Washington Post
• Just Released: Auto Loans in High – NY Fed
• Best U.S. Job Numbers Ever? Not If You’re Out of Work for a Year – Bloomberg
• Senate: No direct proof of conspiracy between Trump campaign, Russia – NBC News
• Trump tax returns: House Democrats ready for ultimate fishing expedition – Washington Examiner
• Democrats in 2020 are at risk of turning into Republicans in 2016 – Washington Post
• America’s Lack of Child Care Is a Big Economic Problem – Slate
• The Biggest Economic Divides Aren’t Regional. They’re Local – NY Times
• Young People Really, Really Want a Green New Deal – The Nation

Europe:

• Incredible Shrinking Europe – WSJ
• UK chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins warns MPs the choice is May’s deal or extension – ITV News
• Is Theresa May intent on a no-deal Brexit? – FT
• Germany closes Muslim kindergarten over Islamist links – DW
• UN tells Belgium to apologise for its colonial past in Congo – Telegraph
• Northern Scotland will lose £320 million in EU funding post Brexit – Press & Journal

Asia:

• China, U.S. Seek to Narrow Gap on Trade for Trump, Xi to Close at a Summit – WSJ
• Uighur crackdown: ‘I spent seven days of hell in Chinese camps’ – BBC
• Uighurs ask China: ‘Show me my mother and father are alive’ – BBC
• China draws up law that makes it perfectly legal to hack any internet-related company activating in its borders – CDNet
• How bad is China’s economic slump? It’s impossible to tell – CNN
• China’s Tencent Invests in Reddit, Sparking Free Speech Protests – Bloomberg

Trans-Tasman:

• The deaths haven’t stopped: a fact Scott Morrison can’t avoid – The Guardian
• Bob Katter threatens to recall parliament unless Coalition moves on banking reform – The Guardian
• ‘No culture, no fun’: Music giants rally against state government – The SMH
• Welcome to your first job: expect to be underpaid, bullied, harassed or exploited in some way – The Conversation
• Adani facing government probe into latest coal terminal water release into wetlands – ABC
• Australians Not Frightened Enough, Government Says – The Shovel
• ‘A legacy of plastic waste’: Coles launches new collectables series – The Guardian
• Tesla Powerwall shines in Sydney blackout by keeping house cool despite heatwave – Electrek
• Dutton’s department processed just 15% of citizenship applications last year – The Guardian
• ‘Effectively zero’ house price inflation for NZ – Interest.co.nz
• RBNZ pushes out timeframe for interest rate moves – Interest.co.nz
• Orr: Economic effects of banks having to hold more capital would be ‘lost in the wash’ – Interest.co.nz
• Advertisement