U.S. retail sales plunged in January, the biggest drop in nearly two years, suggesting a sharp drop in consumer spending after a consumption boom in late 2024.
# How to interpret?
A. It's okay! # Expected
The data survey period covers devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and severe winter weather in other parts of the United States, which may have dampened physical store shopping.
B. #The economy is turning bad
Consumer...

U.S. economic data was mixed and the U.S. job market remained solid, with first claims for unemployment benefits last week at 213,000, lower than expected and previous levels. Due to higher food and energy prices, the PPI rose to 3.5% year-on-year in January, the highest in February 2023, and higher than expected and previous values (both 3.3%). U.S. core PPI rose 3.6 percent year-on-year in January, up 3.3 percent from expectations and 3....

In the current market, both risk assets and safe-haven assets are showing significant upward trends. #StockMarket is gradually recovering previous losses, while #SafeHaven assets like gold continue to hit all-time highs. The market sentiment is contradictory—on one hand, there is fear of risks, yet on the other, the economy still seems solid, leading to a simultaneous rise in both risk and safe-haven assets.
From another perspective, Taiwan’s economic indicator light, along with the ...