Pentagon slash spending / FED:on hold / Former chief of MI6 take / USD softer, #JPY carry #JGB in focus / NATO ..
- Stéphan
- Feb 20
- 5 min read

Trump/UKR/RU : don't know about you, I'm struggling to see through this crazy 5D chess game been played here...NATO may be coming to an end (as we knew it..) after many discussions with clients, many conclude that with what Trump is doing it is is likely to lead to some sort of anti MAGA products boycott (as often seen over the last 10years)..as he's being brutal and disorderly in his reactions (DOGE, NATO, sweeping defense cuts etc...)..IMHO he got pissed off because Vlodomir refused his deal and now Trump's lost his cool..Lots going on clearly : French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer will visit Washington next week, listen to former Chief of MI6 interview below (worth 7mins of your time..), EUROPE better adapt, and fast!
We support Ukraine and will take full responsibility for ensuring peace and security in Europe. This is a fundamental interest of France, and I am its guarantor,"-Macron and Turkey backs Ukraine’s FULL territorial integrity. Turkey isn't just some side player in this. They control the Black Sea. They control NATO’s southern flank. And now, Erdoğan is making it clear: Russia’s land grab is not up for negotiation
Markets : USD stays weak, JPY carry trade unwind #JGB's in play, GOOLD continues, and risk overall weakened a little yesterday, so watch out if momentum breaks, auto sector down hard, US defense (PLTR etc) down sharply too this month, fast moving markets
The New York Post denounces Trump's approach to Ukraine. "Whatever negotiating tactics Trump cares to use, turning the truth completely upside down ought to be beneath him."
Fed minutes: Not much news on rates—it's wait-and-see until there's something to see. But the Fed discussed possibly pausing or slowing balance sheet runoff pending resolution of the debt limit given the potential for big swings in reserve balances
FT - German trains are less punctual than Britain’s ! read that again
"It’s been 46 months since the annual pace of core-PCE has met the Fed’s 2.0% goal, the longest consecutive span that the measure has spent above 2.0% since the 1990s:" BMO Capital's Ian Lyngen
The EU is considering the possibility of redirecting unused funds in the amount of €93 billion, intended for recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, to defense, get on with it !
Elon Musk mulls $5,000 checks for taxpaying Americans using DOGE 'Savings' >>> there are some 150mio tax 'payers' in the U.S, so he will dish out a cool $750bn on 50bn worth of savings !!?
#MSFT unveiled its new Majorana 1 quantum chip Wednesday, intensifying the competition in quantum computing, quantum breakthrough after 10y pursuit!
Norinchukin CEO Plans to Resign After Massive Bond Losses - just wait till JGB's go to something like 2 or even 3%... >>> #JPY carry unwind a huge risk this year
KPMG removes diversity reports from US website after White House onslaught
Apple will need to raise prices for the iPhone, other products by 9% to fully offset Trump's coming tariffs, estimates Bank of America
Farrukh on X: "Former Chief of MI6, Sir Alex Younger speaking on Newsnight about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how we as Europeans should respond And all I can think about is why MI6 didn't protect us from Russian influence in the 2016 Brexit referendum https://t.co/yylrvSy9HC" / X thought this was very eloquently said.. worth a listen, adapt fast! or else, 7mins of your time. "International relations aren't going to be determined by rules... they're going to be determined by strong men." Former MI6 chief, Sir Alex Younger, says the world is entering a 'new era' of diplomacy and foreign relations.
CALL TO ACTIVISM on X: "Holy shit. Policy expert Mike Galsworthy thinks Zelensky baited Trump by challenging him - and Trump fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Now, because Trump blew up at Zelensky, he can’t say he’s an impartial negotiator, and Europe will likely step in: https://t.co/I7Qf6EL009" / X .. anything possible on the 5D chess board!
After Munich, It's Time for Europe to Do the Unthinkable just the view of one, but makes you think with what's going on these days..
The US wanted 50% of what is written in the document on rare earth metals. But there is not a single word about security guarantees. There is nothing clear there. I cannot sell the state-Zelensky.
Ukraine Talks Require New World Order Clarity Trump warned everyone, it is happening, but maybe not the way he thought about
So it starts, party splits.. ... President Trump is negotiating on behalf of the Russians, said Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton after Trump denounced Ukrainian President Zelenskiy as a "dictator" in a social media post Trump's approval rating slips as Americans worry about the economy | Reuters
Elon Musk Mulls $5,000 Checks For Taxpaying Americans Using DOGE 'Savings', But X Users Unsure | IBTimes really..?.pure propaganda
Michael Pettis on X: "1/7 According to China Banking News, "Xi wants to win the Sino-US trade war by splurging on consumption." It notes that "even prior to an imminent Trump presidency, Beijing had been working on policy designs to drive growth in domestic consumption." https://t.co/0KGuuDi3kX" / X
Norinchukin CEO Plans to Resign After Massive Bond Losses >>> JPY key focus for 2025
Nick Timiraos on X: "Fed minutes: Not much news on rates—it's wait-and-see until there's something to see. But the Fed discussed possibly pausing or slowing balance sheet runoff pending resolution of the debt limit given the potential for big swings in reserve balances. https://t.co/LzSZkqSMmQ" / X
German efficiency...? ... Holger Zschaepitz on X: "OUCH! German trains are less punctual than Britain’s ‘broken’ railways. Olaf Scholz mocked UK trains. FT analysis of 1.9bn data points shows they are more reliable than Germany’s network. https://t.co/oRPmuxFQCH https://t.co/uGnwDEugzu" / X as I keep saying, things ain't that bad in UK !
コメント