Subsidizing Higher Education Is Not Creating Widespread External Benefits

US Retail Sales Dropped In January As Weather, Weak Gas Prices Weigh This morning's retail sales data is for January (still lagging due to the govt shutdown) and is expected to be a decline (BofA's omniscient analysts see a worse than consensus drop MoM, due in large part to weather disruptions). The actual print was a decline but slightly better than expected at -0.2% MoM. Despite two months of no increase, sales rose 3.2% YoY in January (increased from December) Source: Bloomberg The decline was driven by a decline in sales at gas...

In a rare statement, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said that the future of the Middle East will be “bright” without the US. “A new chapter for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is unfolding,” Khamenei wrote in a multi-post statement on his X account. “The brilliant future of the Persian Gulf […]

'Open The F**kin' Strait': Trump Threatens To 'Blow Everything Up' If No Iran Deal By Tuesday Summary:  Trump offers Iranian negotiators amnesty, threatens to 'blow everything up' if no deal IEA Head warns Asia (implying Beijing) is panic hoarding fuel Trump warns Iran 'Open the Fuckin' Strait' or "you'll be living in hell' Trump Talks With Fox Reporter About US-Iran Negotiations  Shortly after President Trump wrote on Truth Social, "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," the president spoke with Fox News...