Unusual Whales

The Dutch economy has entered a recession

Economic growth in the Netherlands is anticipated to be significantly slower than previously projected for the current year due to a recession in the first half of 2023, effectively concluding a robust post-COVID-19 recovery phase. This assessment comes from the Dutch government policy adviser CPB. The projected growth rate for

Total household debt in the US is at a record-high of $17.06 trillion

In the second quarter of 2023, total household debt in the United States witnessed an increase of $16 billion, climbing to a total of $17.06 trillion. This data comes from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Within this total, credit card balances, consumer loans, and auto loans have

Grocery prices rose in July by the most since early this year, and those costs are 23% higher than they were at the start of the pandemic

Navigating the grocery store aisles has become an increasingly daunting task for shoppers as prices soar for everyday items that were once tossed into carts without a second thought about cost. Staples like potato chips and peanut butter have experienced significant price hikes. The annual core inflation rate increased last

Canada's housing starting constructions are not keeping pace with record immigration

The urgency of the situation is becoming increasingly apparent: Canada's housing supply is failing to keep up with the rapid growth of its population. Multiple sources, including academics, commercial banks, and policy experts, have sounded the alarm, highlighting how the surge in population due to immigration is exacerbating

Home prices hit a new-all-time high across the US in June

During this summer, home prices have reached new record highs across a majority of the United States, a reflection of the severe shortage of housing inventory that has led to an increasingly unaffordable housing market. According to a report from Black Knight, the Home Prices Index hit an all-time high

The Biden admin is seeking nearly $40 billion It is providing $12 billion for ongoing disaster relief, and is requesting $24 billion for Ukraine

The White House has introduced a supplementary funding proposal amounting to around $40 billion, intended to offer further assistance to Ukraine, address natural disasters, including firefighting expenses, and manage border-related matters. Within this request, the White House is seeking $12 billion to provide ongoing disaster relief, allocating $60 million for

New credit card and auto loan delinquencies have now surpassed pre-Covid levels

Increasing numbers of Americans are encountering difficulties in meeting their credit card and auto loan payments, which serves as another indicator of growing financial strain on consumers. According to a report by Moody's Investors Service, new delinquencies for credit cards and auto loans have now exceeded the levels

A group of Harvard and Brown University-based economists found that attending an Ivy League college has a “statistically insignificant impact” on earnings in the long run

In the realm of elite college admissions, the recent Supreme Court ruling on the affirmative action admission policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina is widely expected to have an immediate impact on admission decisions and their rationales. This effect could potentially extend to significant consequences in

Biden to ban US firms from investing in Chinese tech companies

The Biden administration has unveiled new regulations aimed at constraining US investments in advanced technology sectors within China, a move intended to safeguard national security during a period of heightened tensions with Beijing. These fresh regulations would impose limitations on investments made by US private equity and venture capital firms,

Full-time UPS drivers will make around $170,000 in annual pay and benefits by the end of the five year contract

The CEO of UPS has revealed that under a five-year contract recently reached with the Teamsters Union, drivers are projected to earn an average of $170,000 in compensation, including benefits like healthcare and pensions. This agreement successfully prevented a potential strike. The agreement, which is currently tentative, applies to

The price of groceries rose 4.7% on the year in June. The annual rate of inflation was 3%.

During June, grocery prices demonstrated stability following a slight uptick in May, which could bring some relief to consumers. Meanwhile, menu prices experienced a 0.4% increase, maintaining a mild upward trajectory over recent months. Collectively, food prices encountered a 0.1% rise for the month, as per the latest

Nearly 1 in 5 workers are 'loud quitting' their jobs, a new Gallup poll has said

Employees who feel disconnected from their organizations are now escalating their disengagement to a new level, a phenomenon being referred to as "loud quitting," as outlined in a recent Gallup report. In a comprehensive global survey encompassing more than 122,000 participants, Gallup discovered that 18% of employees

S&P Global, one of the largest independent credit rating firms in the world, has dropped ESG scores from its debt ratings

S&P Global has opted to discontinue the practice of assigning numerical scores to corporate borrowers based on their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria. This decision reflects a growing sense of uncertainty regarding the usefulness and relevance of such ratings. Until now, the debt rating agency had been

Biden has said: We have the lowest rate of inflation among the G7, down two thirds from its peak. Note: this is actually not true. According to a report released on July 4, 2023, Japan had the lowest inflation rate among the G7 countries

Here is the full OECD breakdown: Year-on-year inflation in the OECD, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), dropped to 6.5% in May 2023, down from 7.4% in April 2023 toreach its lowest level since December 2021 (Figures 1 and 3). Between April and May 2023, inflation

A ticket sold in Florida has won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot

In Florida, luck smiled upon an individual who clinched a massive $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night, putting an end to a prolonged period of lottery disappointments that had persisted for almost four months. The winning combination drawn consisted of the numbers 13, 19, 20, 32, 33,

The average Philadelphian makes enough money to afford to spend a little over $1,300 on monthly rent. The average rent in Philadelphia is $1,995.

Tenants seeking relief from rising rents may have to wait longer as rent prices have been steadily increasing. According to a report from Rent.com, rent prices have been on the rise for the fourth consecutive month since hitting a low point in February. From May to June, rent prices

China is looking to limit children to two hours a day on their phones

In recent years, China has taken several measures to regulate various aspects of children's online activities. After initially cracking down on video games and limiting livestreaming by children, the country's internet regulator has now proposed new regulations aimed at reducing children's smartphone usage. Under

Foxconn founder Terry Gou said the US stock market would crash in 10 seconds if war were to break out over Taiwan

The founder of a crucial Apple supplier issued a warning about the potential catastrophic impact on Wall Street in the event of a war breaking out in Taiwan. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Taiwanese billionaire Terry Gou stated, as translated by Insider, that "If a war breaks out

JPMorgan, $JPM, does not expect a US recession this year anymore.

JPM's half year outlook looks like this, published in July 11th. They have now reverted their recession calls: Global inflation looks set to cool but will likely remain above comfort levels at 3%. * With persistently high inflation, further tightening is likely to occur. * A synchronized global recession may

Mark Zuck of $META is apparently eating 4,000 calories a day, including McDonald's Quarter Pounders, apple pies, and McFlurrys

The CEO of Meta has disclosed that he is consuming a substantial daily intake of 4,000 calories as part of his fitness regimen, which includes a diet featuring McDonald's offerings. This unconventional approach is an attempt to balance the heightened physical activity he is engaging in as

Taylor Swift is paying out $55 million in bonuses to her Eras Tour crew.

Taylor Swift's Eras concert tour continues to captivate and thrill her devoted fans all over the United States. As Swift graces the stage each night, entertaining thousands of enthusiastic admirers, it's important to recognize the vast ensemble of individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure

Pornhub has blocked all users in Arkansas from the site after the state’s new age verification law went into effect.

In response to a new law in Arkansas mandating age verification for users, the most popular pornographic website in the country has taken the step of blocking access to its content for IP addresses originating from Arkansas. Visitors from Arkansas attempting to access Pornhub are presented with a solitary webpage

Elon Musk has added "No work is being done on this to the best of my knowledge" regarding a stock trading app on X/Twitter

Despite Semafor articles claiming that stock trading was coming to Twitter/X, Elon Musk has denied the claim, stating No work is being done on this to the best of my knowledge. We will report more on the story when we learn more.

Two weeks ago, Goldman Sachs, $GS, reported its worst earnings in years, including a 58% drop in profit.

Goldman Sachs reported a significant decline in its profits on Wednesday, attributed to a downturn in dealmaking and trading activities, which are integral to the core operations of the mega bank. Additionally, the institution faced a considerable setback with an almost $1 billion devaluation of its consumer and real estate

The US bond market is on the verge of a major breakdown - and that will send mortgage rates to levels unseen since 2000 and fuel more banking trouble, Peter Schiff

A looming crisis in the US bond market, capable of triggering a cascade of consequences, is being highlighted by an expert. Peter Schiff, the CEO and chief economist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, has sounded an alarm about the potential meltdown of Treasuries. This comes in the wake of 10-year