Andy Burnham promises the UK a national reboot. Critical to his success will be his choice of chancellor, and the relationship with the financial markets. Rachel Reeves is closely associated with the failed Starmer premiership – but she knows how to do the job and has credibility with the markets. With new leadership she could prove a much better choice than other contenders.

There is nothing like a Trump tweet to set the tone for the week. Feels like the markets are living on borrowed time re AI, US Treasuries and current valuations. All look strong, but what if the bottom falls out? Relax… the sun will come up tomorrow.

It’s time to focus back on the real stuff: economic growth and innovation. We need to move past the Trump noise, and get back to opportunities. Which companies offer realistic growth and innovation, and which are hype? The real issue may yet prove to be the US Treasury Market, where doubts are growing.

As the Dow pokes 40K, markets remain exuberantly frothy! Labour produces a list of 6 priorities designed to reassure voters they aren’t rampaging social-communist revolutionaries intent on overturning everything, (Keir Starmer? really?) demonstrating instead their intent to be better Tories than the Tories. Disappointing. They missed the critical issue, Housing, from their list.

Politics and Corporate Greed are close bedfellows. This week’s market will be driven by the US inflation number and what it means for rate cut timing, but the costs of inflation fall hardest upon the poor. Political populism is driven by inequality and corporate greed, and underlies market instability.

Very early start on the radio this morning, but Jamie Dimon and I are aligned; the global economy is at an inflection point as higher rates, stickflation, debt and climate costs hit the reset button. It doesn’t have to be a bear-reset and could present massive opportunities! Embrace change!

The G7 agreement is being hailed as a great step forward, but will it ever happen? Janet Yellen’s call for higher rates is a clear sign the problem of financial asset inflation will finally be addressed – the question is how painful the treatment and taper tantrum will be? Not addressing financial asset inflation is a far bigger risk than the debt crisis many monetary traditionalists perceive has grown from government pandemic spending.  

The successful mass pushback on the European Super League may seem a minor issue contained in the sports arena, but it highlights growing voter dissatisfaction with politics, wealth inequality, questions who will pay for funding recovery, and just how much longer the speculative bubbles can continue as the world changes.

Blain’s Morning Porridge – 5 Feb 2021: Till the pips [...]