Perspective
Howmuch.net – The Richest Person in Every State 2017 – Raul 8/7
Worthy Insights / Opinion Pieces / Advice
Bloomberg – Gundlach, Wary of Pricey Market, Sets Cap on DoubleLine Size – Erik Schatzker 8/7
Real Estate
WSJ – Daily Shot: Goldman Sachs – Notable Announced Retail Store Closures 2017 8/8
China
FT – Beijing hails success in battle against capital flight – Gabriel Wildau 8/7
- “China’s capital flow turned positive in the first half of 2017, a reversal from unprecedented outflows during the previous two years that sparked worries over financial stability.”
- “Data released on Monday indicate that Beijing’s support for the renminbi and a crackdown on foreign deal making and other outflow channels have largely succeeded in curtailing capital flight.”
- “China ran a $16bn surplus over the first half of this year, excluding central bank intervention, compared with a $417bn deficit in 2016, balance of payments data showed. The figures also showed that China added to its foreign exchange reserves on a valuation-adjusted basis in the second quarter for the first time since early 2014.”
- “‘Hot money’ — short-term money movements viewed as a gauge of investor sentiment toward Chinese assets — continues to flow out of the country, albeit more slowly, according to FT estimates based on official data.”
- “Hot money outflow was $126bn in the first half on a net basis, well behind the $891bn full-year pace for 2016. The FT uses a broad definition of the term, treating all money flows not related to goods trade or foreign direct investment as hot money.”
- “That suggests investors are eager to take money out of China if they can skirt capital controls, despite recent tightening. Indeed, a Reuters poll of 60 forex analysts in late July showed that they expect the renminbi to erase most of this year’s gains over the next 12 months.”
- “In a sign that the government remains vigilant despite the improvements, regulators have imposed new measures in recent weeks to prevent capital flight.”
- “Last week, the foreign exchange regulator named and shamed nine banks for violating forex rules. The agency is also requiring lenders to issue daily reports on all foreign bank card purchases by customers worth more than Rmb1,000 ($149) beginning later this month.”
WSJ – China Gives Up Global Role for a Stronger Yuan – Nathaniel Taplin 8/7
- “The yuan, which as recently as 2015 had overtaken the Japanese yen as the fourth most popular currency for global payments, now clocks in at No. 6, according to international-transaction service provider Swift, below the Canadian dollar and barely above the Swiss franc. Only 1.98% of international payments tracked by Swift were yuan-denominated in June 2017, down from 2.09% two years ago.”
- “Given the scale of the bleeding in 2015 and 2016, China’s leaders likely had little choice but to close the drawbridge.”