Links 24 August 2020

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

• The Dirtiest Secret in Finance, Investing Skill Doesn’t Exist – Medium
• The world’s largest wealth manager explains how the Fed has completely altered how the stock market works – and says the S&P 500 can climb another 9% by next June – Business Insider
• Can we prevent a surge in pandemic-related homelessness? – WEF
• Countries are competing to attract digital nomads – Economo
• Investors worried about US stocks are betting on Europe – Economic Daily
• Inflation is the wrong scarecrow for the markets – Economo
• Bubble-hunting has become more art than science – Economist
• Nouriel Roubini: The expected V-shaped recovery becomes U- or even W-shaped – Economo

Americas:

• As more colleges stay online, students demand tuition cuts – AP News
• Canada’s economic growth seen outpacing U.S. as virus containment pays off – Reuters
• A record 46 billion-dollar companies have filed for bankruptcy in the US this year – Business Insider
• People Aren’t Buying the ‘Great American Recovery’ Narrative – Coin Desk
• Millions of Americans scrape by after benefits expire: ‘I lost everything’ – The Guardian
• Virus Alters Where People Open Their Wallets, Hinting at a Halting Recovery – NY Times
• Economists foresee an unemployment “tsunami” coming – Economist

Europe:

• Britain’s public debt exceeded a record 2 trillion GBP – Economo
• UK retail sales regained its pre-pandemic levels – Economo
• ECB: The economy is stabilizing, but uncertainty remains – Economo
• ‘We are not afraid’: Belarus challenger urges protest unity – CTV
• Lukashenko vows to defend Belarus borders as more mass protests planned – The Guardian
• Lukashenko says he will close Belarus factories that are seeing protests: RIA – Reuters

Asia:

• China’s Online Retail Market Expected To Hit $1.8 Trillion in 2022 – Crypto Price
• China approves BlackRock, Temasek and CCB joint wealth venture – Reuters
• The new debt flow in Japan obliges the BoJ to buy more bonds – Finances Herald
• Japan’s second quarter GDP shrinks at record 27.8% amid pandemic – Japan Times
• Japan May allow in All Stranded Foreign Residents from September – Japan Times
• Chinese Tech Giant Alibaba Moves to Placate Trump – BBC

Trans-Tasman:

• Energy experts: Morrison’s ‘gas-powered recovery’ a pipe dream – Saturday Paper
• With Covid comes the perfect opportunity to shift the economy away from fossil fuel – The Guardian
• Mathias Cormann defends ‘very effective’ aged care minister as nursing home deaths rise – The Guardian
• Top End voters deliver Labor virus victory – SBS
• Draining The Nation’s Energy: How Government Lags Industry On Green Power – The SMH
• JobKeeper plea for childcare workers locked out of work in lockdown – The Age
• Australian national cabinet exploits pandemic for economic restructuring – WSWS
• ‘No jab, no play’ the wrong approach to COVID-19 vaccine, doctors warn – The SMH
• Australian farmers, Chinese consumers and the political and trade tensions in between – ABC
• Chief Medical Officer says ‘mistakes happen’ as hotel security guard tests positive for COVID-19 – ABC
• STA Travel goes into administration with travellers still trying to get refunds – ABC