Macro Intelligence · Monthly board

2020-05

Month-to-date · weeklies accrete · the monthly synthesis locks at close

PROVISIONAL · 5 of 5 weeks in

2020-05 — month-to-date

(thesis pending synthesis)

what moved this month → daily glance

Audit trail — detail tables
📊 Data verdicts · 5 week(s) in period · deterministic, no narration

Standing regime — start → end, per bloc

United States
deflation watch · held all period
China
overheating / late-cycle · held all period
Euro area
deflation watch · held all period
Japan
deflation watch · held all period

Mechanisms fired across the period

United States
  • M6 ×5 growth_slowdown
  • M2 ×3 inflation_surprise_down
China
  • M3 ×3 policy_easing
  • M11 ×3 china_credit_impulse
Euro area
  • M13 ×2 contraction_easing
  • M6 ×1 growth_slowdown
Japan
  • M2 ×2 inflation_surprise_down

Net indicator moves (first refreshed value → last)

United States
  • core_cpi: -0.13 → -0.40 -0.27 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-12)
  • core_pce: 1.00 → 1.00 0.00 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • cpi_yoy: 0.20 → 0.30 +0.10 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-12)
  • fx: 98.80 → 98.34 -0.46 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • gdp: -4.80 → -5.00 -0.20 (2020-04-29 → 2020-05-28)
  • pmi_svc: 52.50 → 41.80 -10.70 (2020-04-03 → 2020-05-05)
  • policy_rate: 0.25 → 0.25 0.00 (2020-05-03 → 2020-05-31)
  • slope_2s10s: 0.44 → 0.49 +0.05 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • unemployment: 13.20 → 14.70 +1.50 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-08)
  • yield_10y: 0.64 → 0.65 +0.01 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • yield_2y: 0.20 → 0.16 -0.04 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
China
  • cpi_yoy: 4.30 → 3.30 -1.00 (2020-04-10 → 2020-05-12)
  • fx: 7.06 → 7.15 +0.08 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • pmi_svc: 53.20 → 53.60 +0.40 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-31)
  • policy_rate: 3.85 → 3.85 0.00 (2020-04-20 → 2020-05-20)
  • slope_2s10s: 1.17 → 0.85 -0.31 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-29)
  • yield_10y: 2.54 → 2.71 +0.17 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-29)
  • yield_2y: 1.37 → 1.85 +0.48 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-29)
Euro area
  • cpi_yoy: 0.40 → 0.10 -0.30 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-29)
  • fx: 1.09 → 1.11 +0.01 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • gdp: 0.30 → -0.10 -0.40 (2020-04-30 → 2020-05-29)
  • pmi_mfg: 33.60 → 39.50 +5.90 (2020-04-23 → 2020-05-21)
  • pmi_svc: 11.70 → 28.70 +17.00 (2020-04-23 → 2020-05-21)
Japan
  • core_cpi: 0.30 → -0.10 -0.40 (2020-04-24 → 2020-05-22)
  • cpi_yoy: 0.40 → 0.10 -0.30 (2020-04-24 → 2020-05-22)
  • fx: 107.29 → 107.64 +0.36 (2020-05-01 → 2020-05-29)
  • policy_rate: -0.10 → -0.10 0.00 (2020-04-27 → 2020-05-22)
  • unemployment: 2.50 → 2.80 +0.30 (2020-04-28 → 2020-05-29)

Busiest week: 2020-W18 (4 active mechanisms) · Quietest: 2020-W19 (3 active)

Headline — where each bloc stands

Regime scatters — connected over time · connected scatter / Gapminder

Per bloc: the path over recent periods; filled dot = this period, arrow from the prior. First is the growth×inflation map with named, shaded quadrants.

Animated regime map — growth × inflation over time · Gapminder motion

Indicators — pick a metric, compare blocs · recession shading + crosshair

One pane; switch the metric, all blocs overlaid on a comparable basis (GDP shown YoY for every bloc). Grey bands = US GDP-contraction quarters. Hover for a readout.

Per-region breakdown — 2020-05 vs 2020-04, with trend

Change views — table-lens & slope · Datawrapper

A Table-lens — color = change · sparkline = trend · text = dated value
B Slope — prior → now per bloc, one panel per metric

Whole-board snapshot — parallel coordinates · parallel coordinates

Each bloc crosses all metric axes (min–max normalized across blocs for 2020-05).

The month's arc

(arc pending)

Month-ahead scenarios

(scenarios pending)

What to watch

(pending)

2020-W18

● 3 mechanism(s) firedOpen the full in-depth weekly →

Mechanisms fired: M11_china_credit_impulse, M3_policy_easing, M6_growth_slowdown

United States
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active
China
overheating / late-cycle
stall · above target · easing
Above-trend growth with above-target inflation. Late-cycle: cyclicals and inflation beneficiaries can still run, but the central bank is biased to tighten, so duration and high-multiple growth are exposed.
● 2 active
Euro area
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active
Japan
deflation watch
unknown · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
○ no change

2020-W19

● 3 mechanism(s) firedOpen the full in-depth weekly →

Mechanisms fired: M11_china_credit_impulse, M3_policy_easing, M6_growth_slowdown

United States
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active
China
overheating / late-cycle
stall · above target · easing
Above-trend growth with above-target inflation. Late-cycle: cyclicals and inflation beneficiaries can still run, but the central bank is biased to tighten, so duration and high-multiple growth are exposed.
● 2 active
Euro area ⚠ stale
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
○ no change
Japan ⚠ stale
deflation watch
unknown · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
○ no change

2020-W20

● 4 mechanism(s) firedOpen the full in-depth weekly →

Mechanisms fired: M11_china_credit_impulse, M2_inflation_surprise_down, M3_policy_easing, M6_growth_slowdown

United States
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 2 active
China
overheating / late-cycle
stall · above target · easing
Above-trend growth with above-target inflation. Late-cycle: cyclicals and inflation beneficiaries can still run, but the central bank is biased to tighten, so duration and high-multiple growth are exposed.
● 2 active
Euro area ⚠ stale
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
○ no change
Japan ⚠ stale
deflation watch
unknown · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
○ no change

2020-W21

● 3 mechanism(s) firedOpen the full in-depth weekly →

Mechanisms fired: M13_contraction_easing, M2_inflation_surprise_down, M6_growth_slowdown

United States
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 2 active
China
overheating / late-cycle
stall · above target · on hold
Above-trend growth with above-target inflation. Late-cycle: cyclicals and inflation beneficiaries can still run, but the central bank is biased to tighten, so duration and high-multiple growth are exposed.
○ no change
Euro area ⚠ stale
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active
Japan ⚠ stale
deflation watch
unknown · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active

2020-W22

● 3 mechanism(s) firedOpen the full in-depth weekly →

Mechanisms fired: M13_contraction_easing, M2_inflation_surprise_down, M6_growth_slowdown

United States
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 2 active
China
overheating / late-cycle
stall · above target · on hold
Above-trend growth with above-target inflation. Late-cycle: cyclicals and inflation beneficiaries can still run, but the central bank is biased to tighten, so duration and high-multiple growth are exposed.
○ no change
Euro area ⚠ stale
deflation watch
contraction · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active
Japan ⚠ stale
deflation watch
unknown · deflation risk · on hold
Activity is soft and inflation is at/below zero — the risk is entrenched deflation. Favors duration (long bonds) and quality; cyclicals struggle until policy eases decisively. The catalyst to watch is stimulus / a policy cut.
● 1 active