Worried

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Worry Worry Worry
The chart to the left shows the GDP growth rate in Canada, the U.S. and Japan since before the 2009 Pit of Gloom to 3Q 2015

I was prompted to compare the three after reading Michael Sankowski's "Crazy Talk: Raising rates while Inflation is near 70 year lows." and Beowulf's comment "...Congress should go ahead and pass a law locking in rates..." (Monetary Realism July 2015)

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Japan has been at it for decades using the "stimulus" of low bank rates but inflation is at historic lows and globally it looks like more DE-flation according to the Baltic Dry Index downtrend and a new low set today. 

So will the U.S. Fed begin to raise rates at their next meeting, December 2015 with Canada following soon after? The Fed is not answering the question but is leaving room to wiggle: "The Committee currently anticipates that, even after employment and inflation are near mandate-consistent levels, economic conditions may, for some time, warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the Committee views as normal in the longer run." (FOMC Oct 28, 2015)

Hello Japanada. I think what has to happen before rates rise is that inflation has to show up in wages alongside of higher employment rates and then we will see the general CPI overtaking the target mandate (2%-ish). Look again at the top chart comparing Canada, the U.S. and Japan... the 3 plots are similar rising and falling in concert and the question is, will the U.S. GDP start going negative. There is a good chance of it because the USD continues to strengthen against other currencies and the net trade deficit year to date increased 3.9% Y/Y as exports decreased 3.8% and imports decreased 2.4%. (US BEA, Nov 4, 2015). 
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​Meanwhile in Canada average earnings are under pressure. (my Earnings & Employment page)... and credit creation is stalled.

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​Why do the hot Canadian real estate markets continue to outperform? Certainly low rates are an inducement to buy since they lower the qualification bar on the credit worthy at the margins, but qualifying for credit does not mitigate risk when the real estate object of desire is a negative yielding asset. It's all good in a rising price environment, but if prices correct for any reason the spotlight will turn to earnings and cash flow. ​

The chart above are the Canadian 90+ days delinquency rates. Trouble spots continue to be auto loans and credit cards. The average auto loan climbed 2.87 per cent from a year ago to $19,649 while the average credit card debt was up 3.04 per cent to $3,745.

I did a back of the napkin ownership cost on a mid range vehicle ($49,000 plus taxes, fees and documentation of $6,500) financed with 10% down and only 2% financing over 3 years. That $49,000 car ends up costing close to $60,000 by the end of the third year and has depreciated by 50% to be worth only $30,000. If the car is sold in month 37, the cost that the consumer has paid is approximately $833 per month to drive a new car for 3 years without even adding in maintenance ($100/mo?), insurance ($100/mo?), parking ($100/mo?) repairs ($?) or disposal cost ($?) of the vehicle.

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I belong to Vancouver's best and biggest car sharing non-profit society MODO and my cost for having access to over 400 vehicles as well as using taxi's and public transport is less than $150/month for two people.

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