Growth has been anemic. If it wasn't for overseas growth the stock market would have had to face the anemic US market growth and lowered PE ratios and all other metrics long ago. Needless to say, the weak economy is pushing the dollar to new highs and the market will have to face the fact that global growth is all but stalled sooner or later.

yes, earnings have been very weak as well. This is bad news, especially since small and mid caps aren't the reason for the weak growth in large companies. Basically there is weak growth everywhere and little left for big companies to feed off of by stealing share or buying up small companies. Fuel is running short in this pathetically weak cycle.

I would not be favorable on gambling in Asia given the tone of China which sees it as what it is, a vice. At least in Asia it is just a vice which tends to be one wealthy people succumb to making the communist party look like hypocrites. The US its much worse as it tends to prey on the less fortunate and acts much like a voluntary reverse taxation most strongly exemplified by State lotteries.

Although I'm against using the state to force behavior changes besides crime, once should be pleased to see gambling decrease.

The most telling sign of ailment is the drop in equipment to 0 and a negative number for fixed investment. The first graphic shows clearly our dropping economic plight despite lies as to the opposite direction of the economy. Be very cautious, investment buoyed by anything no matter what size can't last as long as it counters economic reality.

It is strange, the Fed's constant lying for multiple years and their constant playing games with the economic numbers using its balance sheet has made the entire economy untrustworthy of real growth, so much so investment in capital is pathetically low, companies have been and continue to buy back shares rather than invest in growth, and consumers are smart enough not to stretch their already leveraged balance sheet on rubbish. Sadly, we now have a bubble in housing caused by the very thing that caused the last crash and everyone now knows stock prices have been manipulated by fed calls for banks to gamble and overextend the market.

The inevitable end is utter failure of the economy to ever get growth up, a overextended government and Federal Reserve to fail to have traditional resources to counter an economic downturn, and a decreasing trust in US bonds as a International reserve currency leading to a call for some new realignment to weaken the US hold. This is all very bad for the US not because the US is a capital bastion, but because the US is forfeiting its right as a capitalist bastion and losing all the benefits of being just that. We must reject planned economies by the Federal reserve and growing socialist movement spearheaded by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Sallie Mae, and TBTF banks before we start to lose our democracy as well as our economic status. The dwindling of the middle class is the start.

"for the first time ever, US Retail Sales for Restaurants & Bars exceed that for Grocery Stores.", This quote says a lot. Given the weakness of recovery, the decimation of the middle class, and the vibrant free money fuel pumping out at the Federal Reserve to keep the bankers bets winning it is no wonder more people are going to the bars to drink themselves silly. 95% to wallow away their depression and 5% to party it up and continue to live in the delusion even they know is not sustainable.

Well should I speculate. Q1 is so low that Q2 will look a bit better and then there will be the renewed baloney about strong growth the rest of the year which even if it did occur would be shot down when the threat that banks will get their zirp rights revoked. Most likely we will hit a recession by the end of the year instead. This game has been played for the last 6 years. Lies usually don't last that long and the only reason this one did was all the fake stimulus the Federal reserve used which should only be used to pull us out of a steep downturn.

Watch out if the business cycle ends, there is nothing below besides lots more fake liquidity which at some point puts the credibility of the US at risk if it hasn't already. The world is talking about a new calculation for international trade. Considering the US debt is such that it requires all the foreign funds to finance its wallowing overspending, the US may be in trouble later on. Be wary.

Don't worry, the dollar will be falling for now until either the US economy grinds to an even slower halt than it has been for the last 5+ years or Europe or the Middle East erupt in disaster again.

Government regulatory meddling, high taxes, government financing and giving contracts out in favor of big business, a broken banking system headed by a socialist TBTF banking structure, and a economy that doesn't grow thanks to policies that prevent the reallocation of resources to a modern economy and sustains leechlike old businesses through political and banking connections are the biggest reasons for secular stagnation. these are all classic symptoms of a socialist economy in decline.

Don't blame the computer revolution or lack of rapid population growth. slower population growth should yield increasing standards of living, however we are seeing declining standards of living and less opportunity not more. Likewise computer technology should see increased advanced jobs and freeing people from mundane tasks yet we are seeing lower wages not higher wages. Blaming other things for the lack of growth rather than dealing with your failed socialist planned economy is a great way to slowly lead your country into a socialist economic collapse.

Dealing with the devil never ends well for you. Maybe Putin wants to cede a nice island from them for his summer vacations.