1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg pim L Podcast. I'm pim Fox. 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: Along with my co host Lisa Bramowitz. Each day we 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: bring you the most important, noteworthy, and useful interviews for 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: you and your money, whether you're at the grocery store 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: or the trading floor. Find the Bloomberg p m L 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: Podcast on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, and Bloomberg dot com. Elon 7 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: Musk is having a bad morning. This comes after video 8 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: emerges of him taking a puff of a marijuana laced 9 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: cigar on a comedy podcast that he was on. That's 10 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: not although also to senior executives both stepping down, including 11 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: the head of HR as well as the chief accounting officer. 12 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: Not great shares down more than six percent, They've been 13 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: down all ten percent or more than ten percent at 14 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: one point. Let's bring in Gordon Johnson, Managing director and 15 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: Alternative Energy Metals, Mining and Equipment Analystic Vertical Group in 16 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: New York. Gordon, is this the end or is this 17 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: just sort of another chapter in the ongoing saga of 18 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: a very non traditional chief executive officer? But yeah, I mean, 19 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: we don't know if it's the end um, but you know, 20 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: we have a very uh draconium view on Tesla's outwork 21 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: from a fundamental perspective, but we think lately it's more 22 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: important to a lot of the investors um and the 23 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: stock the perception of Elon Musk. And what's interesting is 24 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: the chief accounting officer who we know left is leaving 25 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: the company. They actually found this out on the fourth 26 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: um so that was released in the eight k. So 27 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: when Elon Musk went on the podcast yesterday, he knew 28 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: um that his chief accounting officer was leaving um um 29 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, decided to to as you as 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: you know, to take a puff um. So I think 31 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: that um, you know, as his credibility comes under more scrutinty, 32 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: we think that's actually more important. We think it's wrong, 33 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: but nonetheless we think that's actually more important UM to 34 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: the stock near term. Gorton Johnson. Is it possible to 35 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: imagine Tesla without Elon Musk? Uh? Yes, I think it's possible. 36 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: But I think if Elon Musk leaves, I think a 37 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: lot of the enthusiasm comes out of this stock. I mean, 38 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: think about this, Tim, you you know this well, you've 39 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: seen this, you know in your years of uh you know, coverage. 40 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: I mean, the chief accounting officer was there that lest 41 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: one month. He's seen the books, He's seen things we 42 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: haven't seen. Look, we highlighted on your show him that 43 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:49,679 Speaker 1: we questioned Tesla's accounting and specifically um you twenty seventeen 44 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: and their Services and other segment. The revenue was essentially 45 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 1: fat flat, but the cost of good soul um in 46 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: that segment was up two hundred and sixty six million 47 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: seventeen up only sixty six million. And the point is, 48 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: we believe Tesla maybe shifting cost a good soult out 49 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: of the automotive segment into the services another segment that's 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: artificially boosting their their automotive margins. But this guy seens 51 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: stuff we aren't seen, right, the stuff that's not disclosed, 52 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: and he leaves less than a month with a ten 53 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: million dollar grant package on the table that he walked 54 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: away from. Question did he see well? And to be clear, 55 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: he did point out that this was not because of 56 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: some major accounting problem that he was leaving, so he 57 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: was specific about that. But you do raise a good point, 58 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: which is he did see a lot of things that 59 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: we have not seen, and he chose to leave. Right now, 60 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: we're looking at shares that are about two hundred and 61 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: sixty two dollars, where do you think they ought to 62 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: be given this backdrop? Our price target at the end 63 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: of eighty eight dollars, and we think that's where the 64 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: shares are headed. Keep in mind, Elon Musk has roughly 65 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: thirteen point eight million shares treads against debt that Tesla has, 66 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: and we don't know the strike price of when he 67 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: has to effectively sell those shares, but when he does, 68 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: we will see those those corn fours and that'll be 69 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: yet another uh negative data point. Real quick though, I'd 70 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: love to get your sense of whether today's news lowers 71 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: that target further or it's just more noise confirming your thesis. 72 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: We can't. We can't lower our target on Bloomberg Radio. 73 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: But what I will say is, um, you know, you 74 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: look at the competition that's coming, right the Mercedes car 75 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: that was unveiled. I think it's the e q R 76 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: that's unveiled. We're going to the Audi unveil later this 77 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: month in September. And people keep asking the question, have 78 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: you driven the Model three, and no, we haven't. We've 79 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: driven a Model lesque um. But when you look at 80 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: the guys who have driven the Model three and then 81 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 1: they go and drive the Jaguar I pace are the 82 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: Audi tron Um. They're saying that the newer cars um 83 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: are much better. Um. And we're gonna we're gonna go 84 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,280 Speaker 1: drive a Model three this weekend. Uh. There's you can 85 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: drive a jag warre I taste. There's one in Manhattan 86 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: jag War where you can drive. We're going to do that. 87 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: So we're gonna we're gonna experience it ourselves. But I 88 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: think that this company has major problems, major issues. Uh, 89 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: and it's all out there in the open. And I 90 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: think that, you know, some of the things the CEO 91 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,239 Speaker 1: is doing um UM, you know, are certainly denting further 92 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: his credibility. And as we stated, I think that's more important. 93 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: We think that's more important to the stock than even 94 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: the fundamentals. We don't think that's right. We think people 95 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: should look at the fundamentals, but we think people are 96 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: investing this for Elon and Elon UM you know, is 97 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: doing some questionable things, and I think that's going to 98 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: weigh all the stock further. Just give you about the 99 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: twenty seconds here, Gordon. If you're a fund manager and 100 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: you are a long testleas stock. Do you think you're 101 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: exposing yourself to potential lawsuits by your investors? Absolutely. You 102 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: have a CEO who said funding secured, more importantly, said 103 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: all that we need now is a shareholder vote that 104 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: clearly was not true. You have a CEO who's smoking 105 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: marijuana on tv UM, where the company policy is if 106 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: the employee smoke marijuana, you're supposed to report them um. 107 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,160 Speaker 1: You have guys like me and others out there highlighting 108 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: clearly things in the public eye that you know. I 109 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: think people are just ignoring and just saying, hey, we 110 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 1: believe in Ellen. Uh if this stock collapses, I do 111 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: think that there's some risk to guys who are ignoring 112 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: all these red flags. I think that's a great question 113 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 1: and I agree with that. Pim many thanks. Gordon Johnson 114 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: is analyst and managing director at The Vertical Group. You're 115 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: speaking about Tesla, Well, takeing a look at the US 116 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: dollar right now, and while the emerging market currencies have 117 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: gained a little bit of strength, that's not the case 118 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: with the euro at one seventies seven, the pounds sterling 119 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: at sixty, the Japanese yen one eleven fourteen, and strength 120 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,679 Speaker 1: continues despite news from Canada that the Canadian Central Banking 121 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: considered raising interest rates Canadian dollar at one. Here to 122 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: tell us more is Dr win Thin, Global head of 123 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: Emerging Markets FX for Brown Brothers Harriman win Thin. The 124 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: relationship between the US dollar and emerging market currencies? What 125 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: are the links and how do they work? First are 126 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: thankfully thanks for having me. It's always a pleasure. Um. 127 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: The outside performance of the US dollars this year has 128 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: really been driven by two major factors. There's to be 129 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: the main one right now is still remains interest rate differentials. 130 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: That is, the Fed is hiking rates, everyone else is not. Basically, 131 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: of course, you have some outliers, as you mentioned Canada tightening, 132 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: but for the most part developed world is pretty much 133 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: in the steady state of near zero rates. Today's data 134 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: from the Commas Department was I'm sorry from BLS was 135 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: it was certainly eye opener. Um. The average alley earnings 136 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: is what people are keying on two point ye over 137 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: a year cycle high the HYA stins June two thousand nine, 138 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: So that to me tells I think tells the market 139 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: the Fed is going to remain comfortable hiking rates. Um. 140 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: Into next year. UM Septembers done deal December December is 141 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: gonna probably close getting close to be priced as a 142 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: done deal, and that's continuing to help fuel this dollar rally. 143 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: When you know, it's really interesting. We were speaking with 144 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: David and Sassa of Bloomberg Intelligence earlier and he said, 145 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: there is a misconception right now in the emerging markets 146 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: universe that the sell off stems from FED tightening, where 147 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: it really stems much more from a tightening and financial 148 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: conditions in China. Would you agree, Uh? No, I do. 149 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: I would disagree. You know, as big as the Chinese 150 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:54,439 Speaker 1: economy is, the World Central Bank is still the said UM. 151 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,599 Speaker 1: The dollar rates really are a center as US of 152 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: the benchmark for for all sorts of investments. That's out 153 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 1: to say China doesn't have an impact, but I think 154 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: the major impact is still coming from the US UM. 155 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: I think the other I mentioned there's several factors hurting 156 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: e M. To me, the other thing that's hurting emerging 157 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: markets is the continue heightened trade tensions. It looks like 158 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: the US is teeing up two more terraffs on Chinese goods. 159 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: I think has threatened China's retaliating. Um, you know, despite 160 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: some good news at the marginal NAFTA, which also still 161 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: seems up in the air with Canada. I think trade 162 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: the trade tension story is not going away anytime soon. 163 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: So the really we're seeing libering repounds to EM but 164 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: I remain negative into next year. Can you explain what 165 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: countries that we have not been talking about our next 166 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: on your list for per apps raising interest rates in 167 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: order to show up the value of their currency. Oh sure, 168 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: let's see. Well we in the emerging markets world, we 169 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: already have had several UM. Argentina is obviously the biggest example. Uh. 170 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: Turkey is hiking continue to hike. Brazil to me, Brazil 171 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: sound to Africa, Russia. Those the three, uh, sort of 172 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: in the next three in the fragile five that we're 173 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: seeing Russia, South African, Brazil, Turkey, Argentina. I would say, 174 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: a Russia's meeting next week. They're talking about a possible hike. UM. 175 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: Brazilian rail at the Central Bank. Um. Uh, it's been dubblished, 176 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 1: but I think to me, you know that with the 177 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: rail remains on the pressure, it's gonna have to consider 178 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: a rate hike to Analysts are saying no rate hikes 179 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: three year end, but the cd I market, that's the 180 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: fixed income market in Brazil is pricing in rate hike 181 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: as soon as this month. So the market split on that, 182 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: but I think Brazil will have to hike. South Africa, 183 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: to me, is the puzzled um they've they've rarely hiped 184 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: rates to defend the rand in past episodes, and we 185 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: had a shocker contraction gdp Q two earlier this week 186 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: make it more reluctant to high rates. So you know, 187 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: I think South Africa gonna it can be the outliers 188 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: as the one that's standing doublished even though the Rand 189 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: is under pressure. Do you think, just talking about this 190 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: from a liquidity standpoint, a technical standpoint, do you think 191 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: that we've seen the bulk of forced selling or has 192 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: the weakness that we've seen so far just been the 193 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 1: beginning and not really including that much in the way 194 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: of outflows. Oh well, I'll think I think the people 195 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: of economists answer and say, I think right in the middle. 196 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: I think, you know, very different. I think we've gone 197 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: through a lot of selling. I think you know, I 198 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: wouldn't say we're early on, but I don't think it's 199 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: we're by any means over So I think we're still 200 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: sort of navigating. I hear talk about how all evaluations 201 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: are great, but you know, facing you know, e M assets, 202 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: we're really inflated by the zero rate policy that we've 203 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: had after financial crisis, and we're still repricing um those assets. 204 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: As I mentioned that the ECB hasn't hiped yet, you know, 205 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: they're they're starting normalizing probably next year. UM, So there's 206 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: still a lot of sort of repricing and liquid is 207 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: gonna be taken away in the coming quarters. So I 208 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: would say let's let's remain cautious on em. Thank you 209 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: so much for being with us. Dr Winton. Dr Winton, 210 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: Global head of Emerging Markets f X four Brown Brothers Harriman. 211 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been very much in 212 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: the news as he speaks with senators in hearings on 213 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: Capitol Hell this week, talking about his past views, previous 214 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: letters he's written, and how he would view a president 215 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: in terms of potential criminal charges joining us now. Kimberly Robinson, 216 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg Law. Kimberly, let's just start 217 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: off with this idea that it seems very unlikely at 218 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: this point that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will be 219 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: derailed in his ascension to the court. Is that true? Well, 220 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: that is true, and that's because Democrats just don't have 221 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: the votes really to block his confirmation. Their best hope 222 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: seems to be to pro choice Republicans, but so far 223 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: they seem to be leaning towards supporting him, and it's 224 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: likely that they have to pick up a few more 225 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: Republicans because, uh, several Democrats are likely to vote for him, 226 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: given that they're facing really tough reelection battles, uh in 227 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: the midterm elections in states that went for Donald Trump 228 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: in the last presidential election. Well, Kimberly, so why are 229 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,719 Speaker 1: they doing this, because it's not as if, I mean, 230 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 1: based on what you just described, they're not convincing anybody 231 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: that was unconvinced. And are they basically preaching to their 232 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: own choir? And why do that? Because it certainly seems 233 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: to have ignited a lot of criticism from those areas 234 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: of the political spectrum that may not have been paying 235 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: attention to this in the first place. Well, we are 236 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: seeing really unprecedented levels of protests, not only from senators themselves, 237 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: but also from audience members. I suspect that Democrats are 238 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: doing this not in order to trip up this confirmation battle, 239 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: although I'm sure they'd like to do that, but to 240 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: fire up their base for midterm elections. You know, traditionally 241 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: Republicans has cared more about the Supreme Court, and this 242 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: is the way to highlight for Democratic voters that you 243 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: have to vote in these midterm elections if you want 244 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: to have to say, and who is going to be 245 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: the next Supreme Court justice. So let's talk about who 246 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: Brett Kavanaugh is. What are the views that people must 247 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: object to here? Well, I think people, uh we've seen 248 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: are really pressing on his views on abortion, on gay rights, 249 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: and on affirmative action. And these are all issues were 250 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: just as Kennedy, whom Kavanaugh would be replacing, actually crossed 251 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: over and voted with their liberals. And so people are 252 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: watching these because they suspect that when Kavanaugh is confirmed 253 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: to the Supreme Court that these areas will switch shift 254 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: quite a bit. Is there any information that you believe 255 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: that exists about Brett Kavanaugh, either his opinions or his 256 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: time in the Bush White House that our earth shaking 257 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: and that we have not been privy to in any way. Well, 258 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: there's probably not a lot of information that we don't know. 259 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: We've seen over the last couple of days a few 260 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: documents come out that have been sort of described as bombshells, 261 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: but they described views the Brett kavanol that many people 262 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: suspect that he has, although these these documents seem to 263 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: prove it um. So we're not learning anything new about 264 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: Brett Kavanaugh. There are really no new concerns. It's just 265 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 1: raising these concerns. The voters are aware of them, all right, 266 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: So Kimberally, let's take a step back and just talk 267 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: about conservative ideology versus liberal ideology within Supreme Court law. 268 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: For example, antonin Scalia, who is deceased but who is 269 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: a long time very traditional Supreme Court or conservative Supreme 270 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: Court justice, was very good friends with Ruth Ruth Betty Ginzberg, 271 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: who was a very liberal Supreme Court justice. They disagreed 272 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: in a lot of things. What are some of the 273 00:15:55,600 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: fundamental differences in their ideology And does Brett Kavanaugh fit 274 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: in just the conservative classification or does he depart from that? Well, 275 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: I think one of the major differences that impacts Americans 276 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: most significantly is how liberal versus conservative justices view constitutional 277 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: interpretation and the constitutional rights that Americans have. And we see, uh, 278 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: conservatives really home close to the text of the Constitution, 279 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: seeming to grant fewer constitutional rights to individuals, and on 280 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: the opposite side, liberals, uh, having a more expansive view 281 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: of the rights that individuals have. Brett Cavanan does fit 282 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: that bill. He's called himself an originalist, and that is 283 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: the kind of person who you know, looks at the 284 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: past and what the public meaning was of the rights 285 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: that we have when the Constitution was passed, not what 286 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: we might want them to be today. Kimberly, the American 287 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: Bar Association committee that takes a look at nominees for 288 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court says that Judge cab and A has 289 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: the highest rating and that he's well qualified. Is that 290 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: go ahead, I beg your pardon the American Bar Association. Uh, 291 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 1: they do this for every judicial nominee. Uh. They gave 292 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: him their highest qualification of well qualified. But when testifying today, 293 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: A B. A representatives wanted to emphasize that they don't 294 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: look at his political ideology. It's really just a peer 295 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 1: review of individuals who have worked with a judge and 296 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: who have argued before the judge. All right, so that 297 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: he is qualified. That's right, they said he was qualified. Um. 298 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: But it's important to note that you know, every Supreme 299 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: Court justice and modern history to come before the justices, um, 300 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: and who have gotten on the court have been marked 301 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: qualified by the A B. A. So it isn't a 302 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: signal of how they will vote once on the Supreme Court. Right, Okay, 303 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: very good. Thanks for clearing that up and being on 304 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: watch for us as always. Kimberly Robinson our Supreme Court 305 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: reporter for a Bloomberg Law. And you can of course, 306 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 1: uh follow Kimberly on Twitter at Kimberly Robinson that's without 307 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: the O at the end. And also you can follow 308 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Law on Twitter at a Bloomberg Law. Wages in 309 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: the United States increased two point nine percent. The economy 310 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: adds over two hundred thousand new jobs. Here to tell 311 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: us more about the economy is Chris Lowe, chief economist 312 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: at FTN Financial. Chris, always a pleasure to have you 313 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: with us. Uh, maybe you could just do something for me. 314 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:53,399 Speaker 1: Let's just pretend for a moment that you were born 315 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: after the financial crisis, of two thousand eight, and you 316 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: were to take a look at the state histics that 317 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: describe the current state of the US economy. If you 318 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: were to do that and then take a look at 319 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 1: the level of interest rates for US treasuries, would you 320 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: say that it makes sense or would you say that 321 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: there's something that doesn't that doesn't shibe. Well, it's certainly 322 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: if you think about it in terms of four percent 323 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: job four percent employment growth, four percent unemployment rate, historical norms. 324 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, interest rates at these levels are just remarkably low. 325 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: But if if you as you said, we're born after 326 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: oh eight and and that's the world you know, then 327 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: then they make perfect sense. And in fact, John Williams 328 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: just yesterday talking about no sign of of financial excesses, 329 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: credit growth actually is tame by historical standards, is extremely low, 330 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: and in that sense, I think interest rates are perfectly 331 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: reasonable at these levels. The differences that Americans are just 332 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: much more reluctant to borrow than they have been in 333 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: the past. So given that backdrop, John Williams also said 334 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: some other things, particularly about the yield curve, saying that 335 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: they're going to continue to hike rates as they see fit, 336 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: even if that means inverting the yield curve, because it 337 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to bother him. So do you expect more 338 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: rate hikes to go, especially after this pretty good jobs report? 339 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: I think so. I think September and December we're pretty 340 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: much in the cards anyway. That the issue was whether 341 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: they were going to pause in early. With faster wage growth, 342 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: the hawks are going to be emboldened. Even Williams who 343 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: had some doubts yesterday about the wage growth mystery, this 344 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: report should answer some of those doubts and and maybe 345 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,879 Speaker 1: settled the mystery for him. Uh. It wasn't just that 346 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: wages rose in August. They were revised up in June 347 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 1: and July as well. Job wage growth over the summer 348 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: was terrific. Average weekly earnings, which reflect both the the 349 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: hourly rate of wages but also the work week. We're 350 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: up at a three point to six pace over the summer, 351 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: which is the fastest in the cycle. Uh, you know, 352 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: wages are heating up. But a little perspective is probably 353 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 1: a good idea to given the age of the expansion, 354 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: wage growth at this point. Back in in the two 355 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: thousand's expansion was four In the late ninety it was 356 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: running at three and a half to four percent, and 357 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: actually UH was in that range for about five years 358 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: with no significant inflation. So, yeah, wages are picking up, 359 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: but that they're still tamed by historical standards. Nevertheless, we 360 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: better see some productivity gains in the next six months 361 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: or that the FED is going to have to continue 362 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 1: to tighten. Chris Lowe, do you believe that the Federal 363 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: Reserve will taken to account any of the havoc that 364 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: has been wrecked upon the emerging markets as a result 365 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: of the strength of the US dollar. Absolutely, I do, 366 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: but not until it spills over into the US. I 367 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: think they should give a bigger weight, frankly, to what's 368 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: happening in the emerging markets because it's it's pretty clearly 369 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: a result, at least partially of their dependence on US 370 00:22:55,119 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 1: dollar financing, on you know, the difficulty of raising cash 371 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: in dollars now that the FED is draining liquidity UH. 372 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: And really, if you think about inflation, it's a global phenomenon. 373 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: Um I. As the FED tightens, their goal is to 374 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: free up some capacity. I suspect it'll be pretty clear 375 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: by the end of the year they have freed up capacity. 376 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: It just isn't necessarily in the US. Uh, They'll there'll 377 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: be plenty of spare capacity around the world, and that 378 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: should keep inflation in check. Do you think that right now, 379 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: people including FED officials, are too sanguente about trade tensions 380 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: because right now it seems like we could get announced 381 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: any day an additional tariff on two d billion dollars 382 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: of additional goods from China heading into the US. President 383 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: Trump has said that he wants to do this. I 384 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: am struggling to understand what the implication is for the 385 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: market and whether everyone's just discounting this to their fault. 386 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: I think there's a couple of things there. First, the 387 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 1: FED is alert to this that they listed trade tensions 388 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 1: and tariffs particularly as one of the top four risks 389 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: to the US economy, so they're they're not at all 390 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: asleep at the switch. I think what makes this so 391 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: difficult is that predicting the outcome is extraordinarily tough. Uh. 392 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: You know, just days before we reached a trade agreement 393 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: with Mexico, for example, the papers were reporting that an 394 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: agreement was unlikely. Uh, things can change quickly. As for 395 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: the trade fight with China, I I do think that's 396 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: only going to get uglier, and UH I suspect it 397 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: to real threat to put some additional perspective on that. 398 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 1: Looking at the employment report this morning, the diffusion index 399 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: for manufacturing has declined sharply in the last three months. 400 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,920 Speaker 1: UH that they were broad based losses in manufacturing UM 401 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: industries in August and it's it's not clear, but it 402 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 1: likely has to do with a slowdown in car sales. 403 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: So manufacturing is looking a little more vulnerable now than 404 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: it was just a few months ago. And obviously if 405 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 1: we have big increases in tariffs here and in China, 406 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: that's going to further way on on their prospects. Chris 407 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: low thank you so much for being with us on 408 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 1: this Job's Friday. Chris Lowe, chief economist at f t 409 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: N Financial in New York. Thanks for listening to the 410 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: Bloomberg p m L podcast. You can subscribe and listen 411 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: to interviews at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or whatever podcast platform 412 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: you prefer. I'm pim Fox. I'm on Twitter at pim Fox. 413 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: I'm on Twitter at Lisa abramowits one before the podcast. 414 00:25:53,119 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: You can always catch us worldwide on Bloomberg Radio.