Thoughts on the US Economy, Trade Data, Sequester and Deleveraging
The US trade figures for Q4 2012 came out this morning and they surprised analysts by showing a trade deficit that shrank 21% to $38.5 billion in December. According to Bloomberg News this was a lower deficit than any of 73 economists estimated prior to the release.
For me the significance of this report is that it means that the 0.1% contraction in GDP for Q4 2012 will likely be revised up to an increase in GDP when figures are revised next month. And while the trade figures were flattered in large part due to a surge in petroleum exports and a decline in petroleum imports, the eventual adjustment to GDP underlines the fact that the US economy, independent of wrangling over fiscal policy is in the midst of a sustainable cyclical recovery. There is no reason to believe this recovery would turn to recession at this juncture in the absence of federal budget cuts or tax increases.
The latest update on the federal budget sequester is that it still looks likely that the sequester will happen as I have been predicting for some time. The real question is whether the cuts in the budget will be enough to cause the economy to dip into recession. Of all of the items on the US federal fiscal agenda between the fiscal cliff and the sequester, the payroll tax increase will have the largest drag on GDP growth [Content protected for Gold members only]
About Edward Harrison
Edward Harrison is the founder of Credit Writedowns and a former career diplomat, investment banker and technology executive with over twenty years of business experience. He is also a regular economic and financial commentator on BBC World News, CNBC Television, Business News Network, CBC, Fox Television and RT Television. He speaks six languages and reads another five, skills he uses to provide a more global perspective. Edward holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia University and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College. Edward also writes a premium financial newsletter. Sign up here for a free trial.
