Inflation surprise (upside) Core inflation is steady, so the upside-surprise channel is quiet. It would fire on a core reading ≥0.2pp above the prior — watch it because that is what forces a central bank to stay restrictive and pressures the longest-duration assets first.
Inflation surprise (downside / disinflation) Core inflation isn't cooling fast enough to trigger the disinflation channel. A fall of ≥0.2pp would fire it — worth watching because it is the cleanest tailwind for long-duration growth and government bonds.
Monetary easing (rate cut) The policy rate is on hold, so the easing channel is dormant. A cut would fire it — it matters because the first cut of a cycle typically broadens a rally and pressures the currency.

China

No active mechanism this week — the standing read above carries the bloc.

What would change the read

Monetary easing (rate cut) The policy rate is on hold, so the easing channel is dormant. A cut would fire it — it matters because the first cut of a cycle typically broadens a rally and pressures the currency.
Monetary tightening (rate hike) The policy rate is steady, so the tightening channel is dormant. A hike would fire it — watch it because it hits long-duration growth, long bonds, and gold first.
Growth acceleration (expansionary PMI) Manufacturing isn't both expanding and accelerating, so the growth-acceleration channel is dormant. A rising PMI back above 50 would fire it — it matters because it's the signal to rotate from defensives toward cyclicals.

Euro area

M9Long-end yield spike / term-premium rise

Trigger: yield_10y: 1.03093 → 1.26966 (+0.238734)

⚠ Fired on a stale print: yield_10y as of 2018-02-01 (17d old). The change may predate current conditions — treat as provisional.

The 10-year yield jumps.
Why: The long yield sets the cost of long-term money for the whole economy and the discount ratediscount rate — The rate used to convert a future cash flow into today's value. A higher discount rate makes far-off cash flows worth less now. for the longest cash flows.
The discount rate on all long-dated cash flows rises.
Why: Equity valuations and long-bond prices are present values of distant cash flows; a higher long yield shrinks those present values.
Long-duration growth equities compress, long bonds fall, gold is pressured.
Why: The longest-duration assets are most exposed to the discount-rate move, and a higher real yieldreal yield — The yield after subtracting expected inflation — what a lender actually earns in purchasing power. Real yield ≈ nominal yield − expected inflation. raises the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold.

Helps
banks/insurers (reinvestment)cashvalue over growth

Hurts
long-duration growth equitieslong-dated bondsgoldrate-sensitive REITs/utilities

Caveat: Granularity is daily, so a single-session jump can be noise; a sustained multi-session move is the real signal. Distinguish a growth-driven rise (risk-on) from a supply/term-premium rise (risk-off).

House-view hook — empty (textbook default; Stephen's view bakes in here).

What would change the read

Monetary easing (rate cut) The policy rate is on hold, so the easing channel is dormant. A cut would fire it — it matters because the first cut of a cycle typically broadens a rally and pressures the currency.
Monetary tightening (rate hike) The policy rate is steady, so the tightening channel is dormant. A hike would fire it — watch it because it hits long-duration growth, long bonds, and gold first.
Growth acceleration (expansionary PMI) Manufacturing isn't both expanding and accelerating, so the growth-acceleration channel is dormant. A rising PMI back above 50 would fire it — it matters because it's the signal to rotate from defensives toward cyclicals.

Japan

No active mechanism this week — the standing read above carries the bloc.

What would change the read

Inflation surprise (upside) Core inflation is steady, so the upside-surprise channel is quiet. It would fire on a core reading ≥0.2pp above the prior — watch it because that is what forces a central bank to stay restrictive and pressures the longest-duration assets first.
Inflation surprise (downside / disinflation) Core inflation isn't cooling fast enough to trigger the disinflation channel. A fall of ≥0.2pp would fire it — worth watching because it is the cleanest tailwind for long-duration growth and government bonds.
Monetary easing (rate cut) The policy rate is on hold, so the easing channel is dormant. A cut would fire it — it matters because the first cut of a cycle typically broadens a rally and pressures the currency.

The dataL3

United States

Indicator	Current	Prior	Δ	As of
CPI (YoY)	2.10	2.26	-0.16 ▼	2018-02-14
Core CPI	0.30	0.20	+0.10 ▬	2018-02-14
Core PCE	1.64	1.50	+0.14 ▲	2018-02-01
Policy rate	1.50	1.50	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-18
GDP	2.60	3.30	-0.70 ▼	2018-01-26
PMI (mfg)	59.10	59.70	-0.60 ▼	2018-02-01
PMI (svc)	59.90	55.90	+4.00 ▲	2018-02-05
Unemployment	4.10	4.10	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-02
10Y yield	2.87	2.90	-0.03 ▬	2018-02-16
2Y yield	2.21	2.19	+0.02 ▬	2018-02-16
2s10s slope	0.66	0.71	-0.05 ▬	2018-02-16
FX vs USD	n/a

China

Indicator	Current	Prior	Δ	As of
CPI (YoY)	1.50	1.80	-0.30 ▼	2018-02-09
Policy rate	4.30	4.30	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-14
GDP	6.80	6.80	+0.00 ▬	2018-01-18
PMI (mfg)	50.30	51.30	-1.00 ▼	2018-02-01
PMI (svc)	55.30	55.00	+0.30 ▬	2018-01-31
Unemployment	5.00	5.00	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-01
10Y yield	3.87	3.87	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-14
2Y yield	3.51	3.53	-0.02 ▬	2018-02-14
2s10s slope	0.36	0.34	+0.02 ▬	2018-02-14
FX vs USD	n/a

Euro area

Indicator	Current	Prior	Δ	As of
CPI (YoY)	1.30	1.40	-0.10 ▬	2018-01-31
Policy rate	0.00	0.00	+0.00 ▬	2018-01-25
GDP	0.40	0.10	+0.30 ▲	2018-01-17
PMI (mfg)	59.60	59.60	+0.00 ▬	2018-02-01
PMI (svc)	58.00	57.60	+0.40 ▲	2018-02-05
Unemployment	8.70	8.70	+0.00 ▬	2018-01-31
10Y yield	1.27	1.03	+0.24 ▲	2018-02-01 ⚠⚠
FX vs USD	n/a

Japan

Indicator	Current	Prior	Δ	As of
CPI (YoY)	1.00	0.60	+0.40 ▲	2018-01-26
Core CPI	0.10	0.10	+0.00 ▬	2018-01-26
Policy rate	-0.10	-0.10	+0.00 ▬	2018-01-23
GDP	n/a
PMI (mfg)	n/a
Unemployment	2.80	2.70	+0.10 ▬	2018-01-30
10Y yield	0.04	0.08	-0.04 ▬	2018-02-01 ⚠⚠
FX vs USD	n/a

Concept libraryL3

Terms marked ✓ are linked inline above — click any dotted term in the text to expand it in place.

2s10s: The gap between the 10-year and 2-year government bond yields. Positive = normal upward-sloping curve; negative ('inverted') = a classic late-cycle/recession warning.
PMI: Purchasing Managers' Index. Above 50 = the sector is expanding vs last month; below 50 = contracting. A timely read on activity.
carry trade: Borrowing in a low-rate currency (long the yen's case) to buy higher-yielding assets elsewhere. It unwinds violently when the funding rate rises or the funding currency strengthens.
credit impulse: The change in the flow of new credit into an economy. A rising impulse front-runs stronger demand for commodities and cyclical goods, with a lag.
cyclicals: Sectors whose earnings rise and fall with the economic cycle — industrials, materials, energy, consumer discretionary.
defensives: Sectors whose demand is steady through the cycle — consumer staples, utilities, healthcare. They outperform when growth slows.
discount rate ✓: The rate used to convert a future cash flow into today's value. A higher discount rate makes far-off cash flows worth less now.
disinflation: Inflation that is still positive but falling (prices rising more slowly) — distinct from deflation, where prices actually fall.
duration: How sensitive an asset's price is to interest rates. 'Long-duration' assets (long bonds, fast-growing stocks whose profits are years away) move most when rates change.
net interest margin: The spread a bank earns between what it charges on loans and pays on deposits. Higher short rates / steeper curves tend to widen it.
nominal yield: The headline interest rate on a bond, before subtracting inflation.
policy rate: The interest rate a central bank sets directly (e.g. the Fed funds rate, the ECB deposit rate, China's LPR). It anchors all other rates.
rate path: The market's expectation of where the policy rate goes over the next year or two — not just today's level, but the whole expected trajectory.
real yield ✓: The yield after subtracting expected inflation — what a lender actually earns in purchasing power. Real yield ≈ nominal yield − expected inflation.
term premium: The extra yield investors demand to hold a long bond instead of rolling short ones — compensation for tying money up and for issuance/inflation risk.