Macro Mike

Chinese PC maker Lenovo Q1 profit doubles, revenue up 22% China's Lenovo on Thursday reported a 108% rise in first-quarter profit despite challenges from U.S. tariff policies.

Chinese PC maker Lenovo Q1 profit doubles, revenue up 22% reut.rs/4loaQwj

(NBC News) - President Donald Trump's pick to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics was among the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with the White House saying he was a "bystander" who wandered over after seeing coverage on the news.

@ryanjreilly.com
www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...

from stop the count of votes to stop the count of jobs …

Headline from the "Where to Eat" column: The Triumphant Rise of the Steakbar. A photo shows a plate of sliced steak and French fries.

Think of these three New York City spots as steakhouses without all pomp. The steaks here aren’t just more affordable — most of the time, they’re more interesting. nyti.ms/4fztqk3

Trump’s Affinity for Putin Will Be Tested at High-Risk Summit in Alaska

Trump once called himself "a big fan" of Putin. But his longstanding affinity for the iron-fisted leader of the Kremlin will be tested in Alaska at a high-risk, high-profile summit where he will face Putin's unwillingness to make peace in Ukraine.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/u...

Canada Has Its Second-Worst Wildfire Season on Record Thousands have been evacuated as quick moving wildfires burn in Eastern Canada.

Thousands of people in Eastern Canada are under evacuation orders and thousands more have been warned to be on high alert as quick-moving wildfires burn out of control during what has become Canada’s second-worst wildfire season on record.

Air Canada to begin cancelling flights ahead of possible strike by flight attendants Air Canada says it will begin cancelling flights starting Thursday to allow an orderly shutdown of operations with a complete cessation of flights for the country’s largest airline by Saturday as it faces a potential work stoppage by its flight attendants.

Air Canada says it will begin cancelling flights starting Thursday to allow an orderly shutdown of operations with a complete cessation of flights for the country's largest airline by Saturday as it faces a potential work stoppage by its flight attendants.

Trump tells European leaders US could provide security guarantees for Ukraine Still, any guarantee Trump backs is likely to fall short of what Europe and Ukraine have sought from Washington.

Trump tells European leaders the US could provide security guarantees for Ukraine.

Still, any guarantee Trump backs is likely to fall short of what Europe and Ukraine have sought from Washington.

Analysis: Trump’s 7 most authoritarian moves so far | CNN Politics The story of President Donald Trump’s first seven months back in office is the consolidation of power.

The story of President Donald Trump’s first seven months back in office is the consolidation of power.

He has bulldozed the obstacles that often stood in his way in his first term and constantly tested boundaries, in an almost single-minded pursuit of more authority. | Analysis

South Park’s Trump Plot Gets the Show Its Best Ratings in 25 Years South Park’s beef with the Trump administration has resulted in a ratings bonanza. The show’s season 27 premiere saw its biggest share in 25 years.

South Park’s beef with the Trump administration has resulted in a ratings bonanza. The show’s season 27 premiere saw its biggest share in 25 years.

Chilean miner Codelco's El Teniente smelter to restart after collapse Chilean miner Codelco's smelter at its El Teniente mine is set to restart on Thursday, the firm said, after being paused for nearly two weeks due to a deadly collapse at the site.

Chilean miner Codelco's El Teniente smelter to restart after collapse reut.rs/4oPelPA

No Longer ‘Dead Brad Walking’: Georgia’s Election Chief Makes a Comeback Republican Brad Raffensperger, who refused to ‘find’ more votes in 2020, survived political exile by MAGA—and is now eyeing higher office.

Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has survived attacks from Donald Trump and a shunning by the GOP to re-emerge as a contender in Georgia politics.

No experts in the room: Donald Trump to meet Vladimir Putin after loss of Russia specialists Reduction in federal workforce has hollowed out the number of knowledgeable officials in Washington

“It’s safe to say that Trump does not have a single policymaking person who knows Russia and Ukraine advising him,” said Eric Rubin, a former career diplomat who served as US ambassador to Bulgaria during Trump’s first term.
www.ft.com/content/89f3...

🤡

@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/white-house-...

The White House is conducting a review of the museums and exhibits under the Smithsonian Institution to ensure alignment with a Trump directive.

Details: cnn.it/4oyq8S7

“.. The monthly budget deficit came in at $291 billion, or 10% more than the same month a year before ..”

@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Trump’s Pick to Lead Labor Data Agency Adds to Fears of Political Interference

Trump's firing of the BLS commissioner after a weak jobs report drew condemnation from economists across the political spectrum who were worried about the politicization of government data. His choice of replacement has only added to those concerns. #EconSky
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/b...

*EJ ANTONI SUGGESTS SUSPENDING MONTHLY JOBS REPORT: FOX BUSINESS

This is the new Trump BLS appointee
www.congress.gov/118/meeting/...

New BLS Chief EJ Antoni Suggests Suspending Monthly Jobs Report - Fox Biz

Canada’s Travel Boycott Grows: Car Travel To U.S. Drops 37% Steep year-over-year drop in car and air travel solidifies steep economic losses for U.S. tourism this year.

The volume of Canadians taking road trips into the U.S.—the way most Canadians visit—dropped by 37% last month compared to July 2024, according to new data from Statistics Canada, following a 33% drop in June.
There was also a 26% decline in air travelers from Canada year-over-year.

Ever since the summit was announced, Russian media has been replete with stories about special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Dmitriev sharing fried dumplings at a restaurant in the Russian capital, and about the site of a future Moscow hotel, described as a possible Trump Tower Moscow, that the two men visited last week.

The stuff that, 15 years ago, would have been a screaming 72-point all-caps headline — and now appears in the sixth paragraph, almost as an aside

www.wsj.com/world/russia...

China Creates World’s No. 1 Shipbuilder, Driven by Rivalry With U.S. In a $16 billion merger, Beijing is looking to counter President Trump’s moves to rebuild American shipyards.

A $16 billion merger of two state-controlled shipbuilders in China is set for completion, creating the world’s biggest shipbuilder while the U.S. searches for a path back into the business.

European second-quarter corporate profits expected to rise 4.8% The outlook for European corporate health has considerably improved, the latest earnings forecasts showed on Tuesday.

European second-quarter corporate profits expected to rise 4.8% reut.rs/4fxpfVP

Sasol expects profit rebound on higher chemical prices and lower impairments South African petrochemicals company Sasol expects a rebound in full-year profitability on the back of higher chemicals prices, tighter cost controls and lower asset writedowns, it said on Tuesday.

Sasol expects profit rebound on higher chemical prices and lower impairments reut.rs/4m9TLr7

China slaps temporary duties on Canadian canola China on Tuesday announced preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola imports, a fresh escalation in the year-long trade dispute that began with Ottawa's imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports last August.

China slaps temporary duties on Canadian canola reut.rs/3JdsBRW

Trump Pulls Military Into Another Political Issue

Trump’s decision to send 800 National Guard troops into the streets of Washington to fight crime is the latest example of how he has used the military to advance domestic his policy priorities
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/u...

EJ Antoni has never worked in statistics collection. He is 5 years out of his PhD. He's only ever written one economics paper. His explicit, only qualifications are that he works in ultra-conservative think tanks & believes Trump's conspiracies about the BLS. Grim stuff.

Trump taps conservative economist to lead statistics agency President Trump plans to tap an economist from the conservative Heritage Foundation to oversee the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He fired the previous leader after a disappointing jobs report.

President Trump plans to tap an economist from the conservative Heritage Foundation to oversee the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He fired the previous leader after a disappointing jobs report.

The Harvard-Trained Lawyer Behind Trump’s Fight Against Top Universities

It is genuinely shocking how little Trump's attack on universities relies on law and policy. Even this profile of May Mailman, a Harvard-trained lawyer, who is active in the Trump administration's plan to transform higher education, barely mentions legal predicates.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/u...

U.S. statistical funding has been falling—while it has stayed constant or increased in Australia, Canada and the UK.

(From Goldman Sachs)