Core Producer Prices Cooler Than Expected In April, Goods Costs Jump Most On Record

The Case Against Federal Reserve Independence Authored by Alexander William Salter via AmericanMind.org, It’s illegal in theory and ineffective in practice. The independence of the Federal Reserve System has become a major source of public controversy. As political leaders signal dissatisfaction with monetary policy, officials and commentators rush to defend the central bank’s insulation from democratic pressure. We are told, as if it were self-evident, that central bank independence is a pillar of sound economic governance. But this confidence is misplaced. The economic case for central bank independence is far weaker than its defenders suggest. And the constitutional case is weaker still. Start...

EU Climbs Escalation Ladder With Beijing, Plans Wider Curbs On Chinese Imports Europe's political elite is belatedly confronting the electoral cost of deindustrialization, as right-wing gains in local elections expose surging voter anger over globalist policies that have crushed the industrial base. The push to curb cheap Chinese imports suggests Brussels is scrambling for political survival, as Nomura analysts recently said elections across the continent over the next year and a half are expected to shift right. Bloomberg reports that the EU is preparing restrictions on imports of chemicals, furniture,...

WTI Tops $101 As Strategic Petroleum Reserve Nears Record Low Following Brent's lead (which is following Shanghai's demand push), WTI topped $100 this morning for the first time since May, fueled by festering Middle East hostilities (with Saudi-Houthi attacks stealing the headlines) and the Saudis latest statement showing crude output at a 36-year low. That suggests the market is transitioning to a regime where $100 Brent is the new floor. "The economic dimension is crucial," said Andreas Krieg, a Gulf expert from King's College London. "Saudi Arabia is already contending with disruptions near...