There's Danger at Door When Markets Lose Fundamentals' Focus

The global financial crisis is so nine years ago, and still the central banks can't seem to find a way to “normalize” policy. Measures that had been introduced as emergency responses have morphed into permanent fixtures without which, we are told, growth would become impossible. And, so, not only do the balance sheets of the world's central banks continue their relentless expansion, the rate of expansion has actually accelerated to a rate of $2 trillion per year, i.e., more than the GDP of Italy (see following exhibit). Since the 2008 meltdown, the technocrats have “minted” a collective $10 trillion worth of new balance sheet in a failed attempt to achieve “escape velocity.” Yet, what these extraordinary measures have failed to achieve in terms of wages and incomes, they have more than “made up” for in terms of leverage and asset prices.