What I’m Reading
Dwindling Reserves: American balance sheets have been historically strong during the pandemic era, thanks largely to infusions of government cash. The infusions boosted consumer spending, helped pay off debts and reduced the urgency of employment. According to Moody’s Analytics, those excess savings are dwindling among many working and middle class households. The result could be reduced consumer spending and a shift in the balance of power between employers and employees. New York Times
Tough Sell: Transforming dying malls to other uses may look good on paper but the process is often complicated, politically fraught (lost sales tax base) and expensive. The resulting gap in buyer vs seller expectations means that few deals have been completed despite substantial operating distress. Wall Street Journal
Backlog: One of the simplest ways to expand the US workforce would be to clear the logjam of visa applications that has built up since the start of the pandemic. Many of the 460,000 backlogged applicants for immigrant visas are ready to move to the United States as soon as they have permission to do so. One way to help break the logjam is to streamline the interview process by doing virtual, remote interviewing for low-risk cases. Full Stack Economics
Flight to Safety: The office sector has generally languished in the post COVID world with buyers largely on the sidelines. One exception has been single tenant buildings with long term leases to credit tenants. Institutional appetite for such buildings is driving record-breaking deals in some situations. Globe Street
In the Crosshairs: The Biden administration is proposing a nationwide expansion of reporting requirements that currently apply to all-cash purchases of residential properties valued at $300,000 or more in 12 metropolitan areas as a way to target money laundering through shell companies. Financial Times
Chart of the Day
Public pension plans have spent the past 60 years rotating into equities and away from fixed income with their public market allocations.
Source: The Daily Shot
WTF
Under Fire: A man was arrested for shooting a flamethrower at a neighbor’s vehicle with their kids inside over a parking dispute because Florida. Tampa Free Press
Frowned Upon: A man was arrested after neighbors said they saw him walking around naked and masturbating in the driveway because Florida. NBC 2
Basis Points – A candid look at the economy, real estate, and other things sometimes related.
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