The markets were expecting initial jobless claims to come in around 773,000 for the week ending 13 February. However, reality bites as the Department of Labor reported a figure of 861,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. To add insult to injury, last week’s figure was revised upward by 55,000 taking the total from 793,000 to 848,000. We are nearing the one year anniversary of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions and these figures remain well above the claims that were recorded during the depths of the GFC. This is a travesty. With respect to all unemployment insurance programs, some 18.3 million Americans continue to claim some form of benefit. This gives us a de facto unemployment rate near 13 percent. The official unemployment rate is at 6.3 percent. As we near the mid-point of Q1, we should be mindful that benefit and moratorium extensions are set to expire at the end of March. If Congress does not pass further measures, then serious ramifications will transpire. If further spending is passed, then serious ramifications will transpire. The Kapital News does not want Congress and/or the Federal Reserve to spend, borrow, or print more money and throw it into the system. There is no easy solution. But continuing with the same policies that brought us to this current environment is only asking for trouble.
The Federal Reserve’s balance sheet expanded by more than $100 billion week-over-week and now sits at an all-time high at $7.55 trillion. The Fed has stated on numerous occasions that they remain ready to continue to support the economy and markets for as long as necessary. The Fed remains committed to their quantitative easing (QE), program whereby they will expand their balance sheet by $120 billion per month. They will do so by purchasing US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. This alone will take the balance sheet to around $8.5 trillion. If Congress should pass more spending measures, then this figure could very well surpass $10 trillion by the end of 2021. For context, this will be about 50 percent of US GDP! Can you say banana republic? Stay diversified, stay vigilant, and stay with The Kapital News. #Economy #Inflation #Jobs #Gold #Silver #Commodities #USA #Liberty #Recession #Depression #Leadership #bananarepublic #EndTheFed #Revolution #Bailouts #Fraud #Pandemic #FireCongress