The author has been described by News Ltd as an "iconoclast", "Svengali", a pollie's "economist muse", and "pungently accurate". Fairfax says he is a "Renaissance man" and "one of Australia’s most respected analysts." Stephen Koukoulas concludes that he is "85% right", and "would make a great Opposition leader." Terry McCrann claims the author thinks "‘nuance’ is a trendy village in the south of France", but can be "scintillating" when he thinks "clearly". The ACTU reckons he’s "an enigma wrapped in a Bloomberg terminal, wrapped in some apparently well-honed abs."

Friday, February 24, 2012

Positive German and US economic data overnight

From UBS:

* GE: Germany's Ifo business climate indicator rose to an above consensus 109.6 in Feb, from 108.3 in Jan (mkt: 108.5), with both current assessment and expectations picking up.

* US: Initial jobless claims were unchanged at 351k in the latest week at a 4-year low. The latest four-week average is down to 359k, from 380k in mid-Jan.

* US: The FHFA home price index rose 0.7% in Dec (mkt: +0.1%), the same rise as in Nov (was +1.0%). The index was flat in Q4, consistent with our view that home prices are stabilising.
at 7:22 AM