1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keane 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: Jai Ley. We bring you insight from the best in economics, finance, 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: investment and international relations. Find Bloomberg Surveillance on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, 4 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot Com, and of course on the Bloomberg. Yeah, 5 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: let's bring in Christian Schultz, City Group Global Director of 6 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: European Research. He joins us from London. Christian, thanks very 7 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: much for being with us. All right, let's honor Mr 8 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: Farrell here and begin with what's going on in Spain? 9 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: Is this, first of all unexpected and what do you 10 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: believe this no confidence vote will lead to? Well, we 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: had some good news out of Spain in the middle 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: of the week because the long delayed budget what was 13 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: passed because of the Catalonia issue is last year that 14 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: had been postponed and I had passed, so that was 15 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: actually good news. And now we get this corruption scandal 16 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: coming to head, not just the treasure apparently, but also 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: the party that the Conservative Party as a whole, being 18 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: in the dock and now what looks like a non 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: confidence vote um and perhaps new elections. Now this is 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: all sort of unfolding as we as we speak, I guess, 21 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: so we can't draw any firm conclusions yet, but I 22 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: think the general story about Spain is here's an economy 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: which has bounced back very nicely from to crises um 24 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: and the problems come down a lot. The economy is 25 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: growing fast. The economy the government so far has been 26 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: doing the right things, which is why people would be 27 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: worried if it's elected out of office. The good news 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: is that Spain, unlike other countries, especially Italy, doesn't really 29 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: have any Euroskeptic parties. So whatever combination of coalition we 30 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: get next in Spain, I think they're worried that it 31 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: would dramatically change the direction of the economy. UM. I 32 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: think is is quite low. We have to say that 33 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: with caution, but I think it's quite low. As someone 34 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: messaged me this morning, there's a big difference between pro 35 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: European populism and anti European populism within Spain and within Italy. UM. 36 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: Then we've got the price. What's in the price? There 37 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: is a one hundred basis points spread. It's coming in 38 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: a little bit now, about ninety seven basis points between 39 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: the Italian and Spanish ten year there's a one percent 40 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: difference a hundred basis point difference to be more precise, 41 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: between Italian and Spanish tenure debt makes sense to you 42 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: based on politics and economics, Christian, Well, I think you know, 43 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: Spanish debt ratios are much lower than than Italy's, potential 44 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: growth is much higher than in than in Italy, so 45 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: I think there's plenty of reasons. And politics are more 46 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: stable than in Italy, so I think there's plenty of 47 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: reasons to believe that Spain has become something like a 48 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: semi core euros own country. Yeah, much closer to say 49 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: Germany than than to the real periphery like Italy and increase, 50 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: and I think that's that's justified. But in the short term, 51 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: you know, uncertainty can rebound. We've seen it last year 52 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: with the Catalonia referendum. We may now see some uncertainty 53 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: around potential elections, but I think the general story is 54 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: still the same. I'm more confident in the Spanish outlook 55 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: than in Italian. Christian, I just wonder what it means 56 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: for markets, because the lesson of the last several years 57 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: in Europe since the European debt crisis is to fade 58 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: political risk that's how you made money. You faded the 59 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: Catalonia risk last year. You fade the risk in in 60 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: France last year. Why is the situation in Italy any different? Oh, 61 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: it may not be. I think there's plenty of scenarios 62 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: of where we can go from here with Italy. There 63 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: is the scenario that we've seen quite play out quite 64 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: a few times now recently, where um an event looks 65 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: like a big risk, but then people torn down the 66 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: reth rig don't take the most aggressive decision. They could 67 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: be taking some of the Italian context. That would mean 68 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: a relatively smooth summit EU summit at the end of June, perhaps, 69 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: you know, putting all these fiscal easing pledges a bit 70 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: on the back burner, and very quickly you'd be back 71 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: to a scenario where Italy isn't prized as much bigger 72 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: risk there was before this government would befall. But there's also, 73 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: of course, the risk of a very confrontational, judent summit 74 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: of the government very quickly moving to reverse the pension 75 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: reforms and do all these tax cuts, becoming fiscally unsustainable. 76 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: UM the e c B becoming involved in all of 77 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,559 Speaker 1: this UM. The Greece scenario if you like UM, which, 78 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: of course with Italy instead of Greece, would be a 79 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: much bigger risk than it was perhaps, But at the 80 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: same time, the e c B is cutting back on 81 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: its stimulus program. This has got to be count availing 82 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: to what's going on in Italy. Yes, but they're only 83 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: cutting back on the net purchases UM. So the thirty 84 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: billion per month that they're buying, they have of course 85 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: already bought about two point five trillions, So the monthly 86 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: extra purchases are becoming less and less important, and more 87 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: and more important is that the stock of bonds they 88 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: have already bought in which they're continuing to reinvest. So 89 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: I don't think that the ecb ending purchases at the 90 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: end of the year isn't necessarily such a big negative 91 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: for for these peripheral markets. Kristin Schell is always going 92 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: to Canty with the City Group, Global director of European Research, 93 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: joining US out of London. Well. North Korea said that 94 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: it was surprised by President Donald Trump's decision to cancel 95 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: the June twelfth summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong on, 96 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: and now North Korea says it remains willing to meet 97 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: with the United States at any time. Here to tell 98 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: us more about the situation is Thomas Byrne. He is 99 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: the president of the Korea Society, and he is an 100 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: adjunct professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University's 101 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: School of International and Public Affairs. And I should say 102 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 1: that the Mr. Burns education into the world of Korea 103 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: and the Korean Peninsula goes all the way back to 104 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: his time in the Peace Corps, in which he served 105 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: in South Korea. And I'm wondering, Professor Byrne, if you 106 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: can just give us a little bit of perspective as 107 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: to what do you believe is actually going on in 108 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: North Korea. Yeah, well, my my thinking about North Korea 109 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: is um. You know, Kim Jong l and the leader 110 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: of North Korea surprised everybody on January one, h saying 111 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: he's willing to engage South Korea, willing to UH prioritize 112 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: economic development over military prowess and UH and that's set 113 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: into motion. What we've seen play out with the summit 114 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: UH with Kim Jong Lun in China toward China is 115 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,039 Speaker 1: historic one with South Korea, Poma and German at the 116 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: end of April and almost one with President Trump would 117 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: have been the first time UH sitting president has met 118 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: a North Korean leader. I think what's going on in 119 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: that North Korea this is a very dramatic shift strategically. 120 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: It really hasn't baked in very well that to to 121 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: give up its military first policy and go to something 122 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: like economic development, and really of North Korea series about 123 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: economic development, it really does have to abandon its nuclear 124 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: weapons program and has to develop resources, um and not 125 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: just money but also institutional resources to developing an economy, 126 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: and it won't be able to do that under the 127 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: sanctions that exist. Do you believe that Kim Chong is 128 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: UH secure in his position in North Korea? Well, I get, 129 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: I mean who knows, right, I mean he has been 130 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: very uh very firm, if not ruthless and rooting out 131 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: opposition reports star there's been you know, more executions in 132 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: his short UH time and wet this about six years now, 133 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: I think, uh than under his father's And I think 134 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: if he was willing to go to Singapore, assuming that 135 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: was serious, I think he feels pretty pretty secure. He 136 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: didn't make two trips to China for the first time, 137 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: first time he left North Korea since coming to power 138 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: in the end of it's almost that the South Koreans 139 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: happening that the president has canceled the summit. What I 140 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: read is that they're they're they're disappointed. South Korean hopes 141 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,679 Speaker 1: were very high, and I you know, uh, the country 142 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: has been divided since since n UM, it's been in 143 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: a state of armistice and for sixty five years, three 144 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: years of a very very devastating war, and they were 145 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: hoping they could turn the corner and and see, you know, 146 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: peace and prosperity for the whole peninsula. I think those 147 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: hopes and aspirations were still in play. I don't think UM, 148 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 1: they've got out the window. I think we're in much 149 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: better position now we're in December last year. So putting 150 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 1: things into perspective, I think maybe events moved a bit 151 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: too quickly. UM. North Korea was not quite sure on 152 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: on how much it could, on what the how much 153 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: would have to give up to to have this meeting 154 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 1: with the President Trump and to really embark upon a 155 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: program of the new ecularization Thomas for Wall Street, there's 156 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: a big question in the last twenty four hours. UM. 157 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: For a while, over the last year the President has 158 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: been leaning on China to put the pressure on North Korea, 159 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 1: and in many ways he's tied that effort into the 160 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: trade policy story as well, willing to back away on 161 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: trade if the Chinese can put the pressure on the 162 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: North Koreans to come to the table. What has China's 163 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: role in all of this now? But China has a 164 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: big role, and it's really hard to figure it out. 165 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: I mean, first of all, I think it's I think 166 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: it's safe to say that China is in with the 167 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: ultimate objective that the US has an also staff koreative 168 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: Republic of Korea, that is a we dismantling of North 169 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: Korea's nuclear weapons program, and that's the so called Libyan model. 170 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 1: Um Oliba model happened to be on very rapidly. So 171 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: they're all in favor of that. China may have a 172 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: different timetable and want to see more concessions from the 173 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: US up front than the US is probably willing to give, 174 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: given the disappointing record of twenty years of that type 175 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: of diplomacy with North Korea and where North Korea is 176 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: today with nuclear bombs, with with the intercontinental ballistic missiles. 177 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: But I think they both agree on the fundamental strategic objective, 178 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: it's really on how to get there. Um so I 179 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: it's how they work that out. Now. One of the 180 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: one of the dynamics of this whole complicated process is 181 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: that if North Korea word who embark on a genuine 182 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: program of the nuclearization or path the nuclearization, who would 183 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: probably imply that they would move close to the South 184 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: Korea and would be some distance between more distance between 185 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: North Korea and China, And maybe it is uncomfortable about that. 186 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: Thomas Byrne. Previous to your role at the Korea Society, 187 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 1: you were with Moody's Investors Services, you were the director 188 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: of Analysis for the Sovereign Risk Group for Asia Pacific. 189 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: What can you tell us about the reaction perhaps in 190 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: Japan and other nations in the region. Well, everyone, I 191 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: think was very hopeful that this, uh, this this great 192 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: geopolitical risk would be contained and eliminated through a process 193 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: of the nuclearization. However, I don't think anyone has given 194 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: up hope that that outcome could still be achieved. Um 195 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: One of the one of the things to understand, the 196 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: biggest deterrent to geopolitical risks in Northeast Asia has been 197 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: the r O k US Alliance for UH since since 198 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty three, for sixty five years. UM this has 199 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: prevented UH an outbreak of the Second Korean War. It's 200 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 1: been defensive in nature, it hasn't been aggressive and that 201 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: Korea at all and UH and this has enabled South 202 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: Korea to developed into such a prosperous country that it 203 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: is today and also a democratic country. Can North Korea 204 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 1: achieve some kind of advance economically without striking a deal 205 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: with the United States? I don't think so. I think 206 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: it could well. First of all, the question is UH, 207 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: you know, UH, it's deprived of resources right now. A 208 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: deal with the US would really mean that North Korea 209 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: has the opportunity to open to the rest of the world. 210 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 1: They joined the i m F. Now, if North Korea 211 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: one is expecting to get help from the World Bank 212 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: or the Asian Development Bank or even the the Asian 213 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing, they have to join the 214 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: I m F. However, North Korea perhaps can get China 215 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: could ease or relax some of the sanctions that it 216 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: has been enforcing. How But China, because it will not 217 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: do that until North Korea and barracks on the nuclearization 218 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: Thomas justly, I just want to come through if I 219 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: possibly can, just to jump in up. Possibly can Thomas um. 220 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: The question I think, just to wrap things up, is 221 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 1: whether the North Korean regime is collapsing. A lot of 222 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: people have made a big deal about the destruction of 223 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: the nuclear test site. There are some reports that actually 224 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: it collapsed a long while ago, and that's why the 225 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: North Korean leader has come to the table. Just how 226 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: bad are things in North Korea right now? Well, North 227 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: Korea is a black box. I mean it probably no 228 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: one would have advanced noticed if the if the regime 229 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: is collapsing. But I think the economy is in trouble. 230 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: I think it's been in trouble for for some years. 231 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: If you look at the import figures, it's not importing. 232 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: The imports for going down even before the sanctions were introduced. 233 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:54,599 Speaker 1: The new comprehensive sanctions that if they're continued, would be 234 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: much have a much greater impact on North koreezy economy 235 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: than the Orian sanctions had on the ring An economy. 236 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: So it's hard to say, but you know, it's a 237 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:09,559 Speaker 1: very repressive government. It has keptain power since Niking forty 238 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: through war and through famine, so it's it has more 239 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 1: staying power than any probably any other government any anywhere 240 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: else in the world. Thomas Burn gret to catch up 241 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: with you, say thank you very much for giving your time, 242 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: the Korean Society president and Columbia University professor on North Korea, 243 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: the South and the relationship with the United States. I'm 244 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: really pleased to say that we can now cross over 245 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: to Bloomberg's Michael McKay, who's standing by with the Dallas 246 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: Federal Reserve. President. Well, thank you very much, and good 247 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: morning to everybody on Bloomberg television and radio worldwide. And 248 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: thank you, miss President for joint don't you like to 249 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: be able to call Mr President? Welcome to Texas, Mike. 250 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: We're glad to have you here. Thank you. Fundamentals, I 251 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: don't think anybody doesn't know your position, but just for 252 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: the record, you see growth picking up, unemployment going down, 253 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: and two more rate moves this year is and that 254 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: my base cases three for the year. Uh, we should 255 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: be gradually moving toward neutral. And the other caution that 256 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: I've repeated various times as while this year's growth will 257 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: be strong, next year will be somewhat weaker, and by 258 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: we're gonna head back down to potential, which is closer 259 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: to one and three quarters to two percent. The reason 260 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned it, that's on my mind when I think 261 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: about the shape of the Fed funds curve. What would 262 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: it take to get you to support a fourth move 263 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: this year? UH, continued strengthen the economy, But more than that, 264 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: I'd want to see some actions that suggested to me 265 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: at least that sustainable GDP growth was improved, and so 266 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: that would be things that improve growth in the workforce. UH, 267 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: it would it would show some policy moves that might 268 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: suggest we're going to improve skill levels of our workforce, 269 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: education levels, some of the fundamental drivers UH would need 270 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: to change for me to be more aggressive. The Open 271 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: Market Committee in its last statement put symmetrical higher up there. 272 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: With the choice of that word, What are you trying 273 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: to tell the markets that inflation may run a little 274 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: bit above two percent or that you are going to 275 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: tolerate it for a while running above two percent? I 276 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: think it's the probably the former. It's that inflation may 277 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: run a little bit above two percent, and our job 278 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: is is to try to keep inflation so that it 279 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: doesn't persistently run above two or persistently below and now 280 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: we've been running seven or eight years below two. But 281 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: in the future would I would tolerate some moves above too, 282 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: But if I thought it would be persistently staying above two, 283 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: I'd want to take more policy action. The forecast you 284 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: mentioned in June you have to make a new one 285 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: for the Open Market Committee, meaning tax cuts, trade, tariffs, 286 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: budget deficits, all the things that are going on in 287 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: the world right now. How confident are you in what 288 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: you think is gonna happen. Well, this is part of 289 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 1: the job. You've always got all these variables changing, which 290 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: makes this job interesting and also why it's not a 291 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: static thing. It's a dynamic thing. But the tax legislation, 292 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: as I mentioned it for this year is a positive, 293 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: but you mentioned debt on the flip side. While it's 294 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: a stimulus now, I think it may create a head 295 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: wind in the out years because we're gonna need to 296 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: moderate deck growth. We're already it's unsustainably high levels of 297 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: deck growth. On the trade tearor front, I've said consistently, 298 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: UH trade is an opportunity for the United States, particularly 299 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: in North America, and I would be concerned if we 300 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: don't ultimately get this trade agreement updated and agreed to 301 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: with Mexico and Canada because it's an intermediate good relationship. 302 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: It helps logistics supply chains, it adds jobs here, and 303 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: it makes us more potent in negotiating the chan which 304 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: it well in your mind, what's the biggest threat or 305 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: threats to the U s economy right now? Still the 306 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: big The biggest threat are the things that are staring 307 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: us in the face. UH. Our workforce growth is slowing 308 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: because we're aging, and we're not yet making policy decisions 309 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: to address that. Our skill levels in the United States 310 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: are lagging the rest of the world. We rank twenty 311 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: five out of OC countries, and our skill levels aren't 312 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: keeping up with disruption. And the last thing is we're 313 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 1: very highly leveraged, and we just leveraged up late in 314 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: the economic cycle, and I'm worried that that's going to 315 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: create a headwind for economic growth. It also means in 316 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: the next downturn we don't we may not have capacity 317 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: for fiscal policy. Those things are the things that ultimately 318 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: matter the most and worrying me the most. Well, non 319 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: financial corporate debt, is it a record Speaking of leverage. 320 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: There's a view that could be the trigger for the 321 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: next real financial crisis. How do you see it. I 322 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: probably don't see that. Uh So, Yes, corporate debt to 323 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: GDP is higher, but the financial sector is part of 324 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: that is as D level urged. And what I'm looking 325 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 1: for is systemic risk. If a company fails or defaults, 326 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: that's not a good thing, but it's not going to 327 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: pull down or shouldn't pull down the rest of the economy. 328 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: So corporate debt to GDP is something to watch, but 329 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: I don't think. I don't I don't see a red 330 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: flag on that at this point. Another thing you didn't 331 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: mention is oil. You're the guy in the oil patch 332 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: here for the fat. What do you see happening with 333 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: oil prices? And how much of a danger is it 334 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: to the economy. It's not a danger. You know. We're 335 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: in a We're in a fragile equilibrium right now. You've 336 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: heard me say before, And what do I mean by that? 337 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,399 Speaker 1: We're in relative supply demand balance globally, but part of 338 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: that balance is based on OPEC. Another oil producing countries 339 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: are green. They're gonna cut one point eight million barrels 340 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: a day and there's some talk that maybe they're going 341 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: to revisit that. Having said that, we think for the 342 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 1: next three to five years you're gonna see sort of 343 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: a volatile up and down in oil prices, with shale 344 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: being the incremental supplier to global demand. My concern is 345 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: not the next few years, it's in the out years. 346 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: We think, well, we may well likely get into a 347 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: global undersupply situation because we as prolific as shale is, 348 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: it's not going to be enough to keep up with 349 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: global demand, and we're not spending on long life projects, 350 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 1: so we we think there's spike risk to the upside. 351 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: That would worry me because if we're growing slowly in 352 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: these out years and then you get an oil increase 353 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: or a gasoline increase, it's like a tax on consumers. 354 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: But I think we're in a we're in a fragile equilibrium, 355 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: in pretty good shape for the next few years. There 356 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: is always the question of when people think recession might 357 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: be coming. Um. I assume you're of the view that recession, 358 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: as FED officials are, processions don't die of old age. 359 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: But there's a feeling in the mass right that that 360 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: maybe we uh, we're seeing the yield curves start to 361 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:56,719 Speaker 1: tell us something. Well, uh, there's always some not material, 362 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: not immaterial probability of recession. As you know. Uh, what 363 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: I'm worried about is sustainable economic growth. We're gonna have recessions. 364 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 1: My job is to make sure that an ups and 365 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: down cycles. You know, we've got maximum sustainable employment and 366 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: price stability. And what I'm worried about right now is 367 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: not the short term cyclical questions. But I'm worried we're not. 368 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: Are we doing the right things to grow to grow GDP? 369 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: GDP is made up of growth in the workforce and 370 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: growth in productivity, and I don't see us making policy 371 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: steps to address either. And I think both it look 372 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: like they're gonna be sluggish in the outyears. We just 373 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: don't notice it as much right now because we've got 374 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 1: a very large fiscal stimulus and up to now, the 375 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: FED has been accommodative. Are you getting less? So how 376 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: do we know when you get to the point that 377 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: we're starting to tighten policy. Well, we're obviously raising the 378 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 1: FED funds rate and moving toward neutral neutrals, the theoretical 379 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: FED funds rate where we're no longer accommodative. Uh, I 380 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: think that level is probably in the neighborhood of two 381 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: and a half two and three quarters, which basically a 382 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: half a percent to three quarters per cent of a 383 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: point real. Uh, we're at one fifty to one now, 384 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: so three or four moves we will be at neutral. 385 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: So you said you would not intentionally vote for a 386 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: policy that would invert the yield curve. But that's almost 387 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: a tautology. I mean, why would you do that? The 388 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: real question is can you avoid a policy accident by 389 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:29,880 Speaker 1: raising the federal funds rate too far but not realizing it? Uh? Yeah, 390 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: that that could happen because we don't control the curve. 391 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: As you know, we controlled just the Fed funds rate, 392 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: and right now two's to tens is roughly you know, 393 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: fifty basis points. So this is why I've said, and 394 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: others have said, every day I'm gonna be watching very 395 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: carefully the shape of the yield curve. And what the 396 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: shape of the yield curve tells me is prospects for 397 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: future growth out your growth are sluggish, and so I 398 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: think it's worth paying attention to that. But that will 399 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,399 Speaker 1: That's the reason why I'm saying, let's just keep the 400 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: base case for this year at three I'm not looking 401 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: to increase that because I've got the shape of the 402 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: yield curve and out your growth in the back of 403 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: my mind. Well, given that, what would your outlook for 404 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: rate moves in two thousand nineteen. Are we going to 405 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: see a pause from the FAM? No? I I still 406 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: think we should be gradually moving toward a neutral policy. 407 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 1: And again neutrals two and a half and two or 408 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: three quarters just a question of the pace. But but 409 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: that's still my overall view. Uh, we should be gradually 410 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: moving to two and a half two and three quarters, 411 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: but watching these other factors as we move along that curve. 412 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: We are talking with Robert Kaplan, the President of the 413 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: Dallas Federal Reserve, on Bloomberg Television and Radio worldwide. Uh, 414 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: have inflation dynamics changed when you look at what you 415 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: think you need to do? I think they have. And 416 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,120 Speaker 1: as you know, we're at a conference here that we're 417 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: hosting on technology enabled disruption. I think one of the 418 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: reasons is technology enable disruptions. It means technology replacing people, 419 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: but more importantly, consumers having at their disposal computing power 420 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: that literally most companies didn't have twenty five years ago. 421 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: The power of what consumers can now do has has shifted, 422 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: and so businesses have much less pricing power, and so 423 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: it relates to inflation. It means that if a business 424 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: wants to increase prices, they really aren't as able to 425 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: do it, and technology is grinding that down and globalization 426 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: is a part of it too. So yeah, I think 427 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: that's part of the reason, in my view, why the 428 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: Phillips curve is flattered or more muted. I think the 429 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 1: economy and the structure has changed. Well. We came out 430 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: of the Great Recession with companies managing the bottom line 431 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 1: rather than trying to grow the top line by investing. 432 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 1: Has that changed now that the economy has picked up 433 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 1: or are we still because of disruption or whatever, going 434 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: to see the emphasis be on cutting people and keeping 435 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: wages down. Well, companies would love to grow the top 436 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: line and obviously work with my companies my entire career 437 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 1: and that hasn't changed. They want to they want to grow, 438 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: but uh, I think it's not easy, and so what 439 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: you're seeing companies do is try to get more scale, 440 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 1: in part by merging. Uh. And that's why you see 441 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: so much merger activity. It's due to disruption and lack 442 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: of pricing power. And the other thing you're seeing them 443 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: do is continue to invest aggressively in technology. But I 444 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: think when you see all this merger activity people, you 445 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: should probably connect that with the fact lack of pricing power. 446 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,959 Speaker 1: Businesses are getting more scale and trying to to protect 447 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: their margins and so uh, that is having a pretty 448 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: profound effect on workers. If you've got a college education, 449 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 1: all the data showing you can probably adapt this' not 450 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: that it won't be traumatic, uh, but if you're a 451 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: high school educated person or less, which is forty six 452 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: million workers in this country, you're probably seeing your job 453 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: disrupted or eliminated. And unless you get retrained, which is 454 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 1: easier to say, harder to do, you're likely going to 455 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: see your productivity and income decline. And that's that's the 456 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: grinding and discomfort that we're seeing in the economy. All 457 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: these wonderful Texas businesses, the CEOs, are they going to 458 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 1: be increasing investment because of the tax cuts. Uh, From 459 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: what I can tell so far, there's greater capex investment 460 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: this year. That's the good news. The bad news is 461 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: a lot of it from my discussions with CEOs, is 462 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: just moving from next year in the year after two. Now, 463 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: businesses I don't think are going to fundamentally increase their 464 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:40,959 Speaker 1: cap X over the medium term unless they see greater demand, 465 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: and because of sluggish workforce growth, sluggish out your GDP growth, 466 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: I think they're still in a cautious stance right now. 467 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: They're focusing a lot more on costs and investing and 468 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: trying to maintain margins and still see solid demand, but 469 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 1: not breakaway demand. Let me ask you something for our 470 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: friends of the fixed income trading guests out there, what 471 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:04,360 Speaker 1: do you make of the drift upward in the effective 472 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: federal funds right over the last couple of months. Some 473 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: see a quantitative tightening at work here that will shorten 474 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: the time that balance sheet normalization goes well. I think 475 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: the market is paying attention to what the Fed is saying. 476 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,440 Speaker 1: We've got strong GDP growth, and so I think people 477 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,639 Speaker 1: are probably putting a little more weight on our forward 478 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: guidance and our dot plot as to what we say 479 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: we're gonna do. But that's on the short end, and 480 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: so you see that in the one year, in the 481 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: two year and six month libory. On the long end, 482 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: you're seeing a drift up but not very rapid, and 483 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: that's creating this flattening. So that's what I make of it. Well, 484 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: the minutes show that the Open Market Committee discussed maybe 485 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 1: raising ioe are the top end of your range by 486 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: only twenty basis points um to compensate. Is that necessary? 487 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: Would you support that? Is that something we could look 488 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: for and I would support it. And I think this 489 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: is a this is a little bit of a technical matter, 490 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: UH flow of funds at or UH and and for listeners, 491 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: this is about the mechanics of how we set the 492 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: FED funds right. And I think a little bit of 493 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: recalibration is not surprising and it probably appropriate. You think 494 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: that's likely for June? I mean, is it is there 495 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 1: a general feeling that you need to you need I'm 496 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: going to stay away from that and leave those discussions 497 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: for in the for for the within the f O 498 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: m C there and UH and you'll see what we 499 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: decide when it comes out in the minute. But we 500 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: shouldn't be surprised. In other words, it is obviously I 501 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 1: think we foreshadowed it. You've seen a little foreshadowing of it. Yeah, 502 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 1: you came to Texas from Massachusetts and you live for 503 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 1: a long time in New York too high tax, high 504 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: regulation states. You come here, anybody who comes here nose. 505 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: They talk about the success of the Texas e company 506 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: being based on low regulation, low taxes. Have you become 507 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: a convert? Do you think they're right? Uh? I think 508 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: there's a lot of advantages to Texas. And one of 509 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,479 Speaker 1: the things you and I've talked a lot about, one 510 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: of the things that's helped Texas over the last fifteen 511 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: years is migration of pete in firms. Ten years ago, 512 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: the population of Texas million Today it's nine. We think 513 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: in the next years it's gonna exceed forty million. And 514 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: the reason I mentioned this, we don't talk about it enough. 515 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: In the United States, population growth workforce growth is a 516 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: key engine of GDP growth. Texas has got that. Uh. 517 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: And this is a challenge for probably thirty to thirty 518 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: five states in the United States. Their population and workforce 519 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: growth is flat to down. And so uh, Texas has 520 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: got more latitude than to collect property taxes. It's got 521 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: a value added tax. We have some taxes here that 522 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: other states don't, but we don't have an income tax, 523 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: either at the corporate or the individual level. Uh. And 524 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 1: you've got a very business friendly, can do environment and 525 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: UH and so, and it's been a virtuous cycle. The 526 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: more people that move here in businesses, the more other 527 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: businesses want to come. So uh, Texas prospects are very bright. 528 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: I think other dates can do it in a different way. 529 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: But but every state I talked to, and every governor 530 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: I talked to, has got the same challenge. How do 531 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: we attract workers and people and grow the workforce that 532 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: affects their investment in education underfund attention funds. And that's 533 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: why I talk about demographics so much. We are letting 534 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: the population growth in this country UH slide. We've had 535 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: it before in our history. Immigration UH in improving immigration, 536 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: it could be skills based, much more employer based. But 537 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: to think we're gonna cut immigration and grow GDP, I 538 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: think it's going to create a challenge for many states 539 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: in the country. Robert Capelan President of the Dallas FAT 540 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: thank you for joining us from live from deep in 541 00:30:42,760 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: the heart of Texas. Well. It is time now to 542 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: get a preview of Face the Nation. Margaret Brennan, of course, 543 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: the host this weekend on Bloomberg Radio. Listen to Face 544 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: the Nation Sunday, two pm. New York, Washington, d C. 545 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: And now on Bloomberg one oh six one Boston, Newburyport. 546 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: That's Face the Nation. It's on this Sunday at two 547 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: pm on Bloomberg Radio Market. Always a pleasure. I have 548 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: a feeling it's quote a sort of a pick your 549 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: Hotspot program. You get to choose which part of the 550 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: world is more unstable, what what is the sort of 551 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: focus for you. This week, we will be honing in 552 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: on Asia, not just because of this North Korean summit 553 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: being pushed off, the June twelve summit in Singapore not 554 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: happening at land Um, but also asking the question of 555 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: what China's rolling as the President has been public in 556 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: his suspicion that China maybe the reason using their influence 557 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: to slow down progress with the US on the North 558 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: Korean issue. We'll talk about that um as well as 559 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: some of these trade bears with Marco Rubio, the Republican 560 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 1: senator from Florida, who has been a critic of the 561 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: administration in terms of what they're offering or at least 562 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: rhetorically offering to do to help out that Chinese telecom 563 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: firm z t e UM. We also have Jim Clapper who, 564 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: as you know, was a Director of National Intelligence under 565 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: the Obama administration. He's been a critic of the President, 566 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: particularly when it comes to Russia, but on the issue 567 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: of North Korea, he thinks it was the right idea 568 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: to meet face to face with Kim Jong un, and 569 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: he's going to talk to us about where we go next. 570 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: You know, Margaret, it's interesting. The guest lineup is fascinating 571 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: to me because it raises a question of how important 572 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: is it for there to be some degree of consensus, 573 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: some united front that the United States is putting out 574 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: there when it negotiates trade with China and with the 575 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 1: European Union. I mean, what are you expecting to hear 576 00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: from them on that score, given the fact that they've 577 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: expressed their descent vocally amid a pretty fractured policy of 578 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: the White Houses. Well, the way House says they've got 579 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: Wilbur Ross, the Commerce Secretary, going to Beijing to have 580 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: some of these talks and the issues z t either 581 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: trying to claim it separate and apart from the broader 582 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: carraffs and trade dispute. Of course, for Beijing, they don't 583 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: often see these things as siloed as US officials would 584 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 1: like to present them ass um and that's why the 585 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: President has made clear his suspicion that all of its 586 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: bleeding together and influence perhaps progress on the North Korea front. 587 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: Marco Rubio and a number of Republicans have had issues 588 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: with the President's approach on trade. So it's very popular 589 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: with some Democrats in this country who like to see 590 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 1: the kind of protectionist measures the presence and threatening. So 591 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: there is no unified message either within the Republican party 592 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 1: or within the Democratic one at the moment. It's kind 593 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: of a state by state, industry by industry difference of 594 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: opinions here. We're also going to have an ally of 595 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: the President, Mark Vetta to Republican congressions in North Carolina 596 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 1: is going to be on the show to talk to us, uh, 597 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: not just about this but the immigration debate right now 598 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: and what he's hearing from the President. Margaret, just a 599 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,280 Speaker 1: little bit more on Senator Marco Rubio, because on Tuesday, 600 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: remember he said that he wanted to push for what 601 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: he described as a veto proved congressional action to check 602 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:23,760 Speaker 1: the Trump administration's deal to save the Chinese telco company 603 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:28,759 Speaker 1: a ZTE. Then the Senate Banking Committee approved an amendment 604 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: from Senator Chris Van Hollend of Maryland, the Democrat, to 605 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: limit the president's ability to remove sanctions from the Chinese telco. 606 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:44,000 Speaker 1: Is this demonstrating that the president's actions are going to 607 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 1: be limited, perhaps not just on China trade. Well, certainly, um, 608 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,279 Speaker 1: there are those in Congress who would like to try 609 00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: to limit the president's actions on this. Yes. Uh. Margaret Warner, 610 00:34:55,719 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: the former telecom ceo who's the current Democratic Senate from Virginia, 611 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 1: was really passionate about it when I spoke to him 612 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: last week, that this is a national security issue and 613 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: Congress is very concerned about what the president might even 614 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: be considering doing here. Of course, the question is with 615 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,760 Speaker 1: the president if if the public posture is actually reflected 616 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 1: in what they're considering doing policy wise, and that's not clear. 617 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: And just finally, h James Clapper of course has been 618 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,800 Speaker 1: back and forth with his comments about the president, but 619 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: he says he did not say that Donald Trump keeps 620 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: saying what he said, What is this about? This is 621 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: like a rhetorical whiplash. Yes. Well, James Clapper, of course 622 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: was the Director of National Intelligence UH during the election 623 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,520 Speaker 1: and saw first hand he's written in this new book 624 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 1: details about what they were seeing behind the scenes. Would 625 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 1: Russian election meddling. What he has said was trying and 626 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,920 Speaker 1: that he got criticized by the President for was his 627 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: uh assessment here in terms of how to refer to 628 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 1: what the President is calling a spy within his campaign, 629 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:09,320 Speaker 1: but which others would just simply call someone who was 630 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,320 Speaker 1: an informant to the FBI, um someone who's been in 631 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:16,880 Speaker 1: contact both with FBI officials and the Trump campaign on 632 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: the issue of election medaling. The President says you that 633 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: that Clapper defended his point of view in some ways 634 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 1: by admitting there by Clapper said, no, no, I was 635 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: talking about trying to spy on the Russians and what 636 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,360 Speaker 1: the Russians were doing. This is a war of words, 637 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 1: but it's really just being put in the context partisan politics. Alright, Well, 638 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:39,440 Speaker 1: we're gonna be listening. Thank you very much, Margaret Brennan. 639 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,759 Speaker 1: You can hear Margaret Brennan this weekend on Bloomberg Radio. 640 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: Listen to Face the Nation Sunday two pm in New York, Washington, 641 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:48,920 Speaker 1: d C. And now Bloomberg one oh six one Boston, 642 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: New Gradport. That's Face the Nation. This Sunday at two 643 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:56,680 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio. Thanks for listening to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. 644 00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: Subscribe and listen to interviews on Apple podcast, SoundCloud, or 645 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:06,439 Speaker 1: whichever podcast platform you prefer. I'm on Twitter at Tom 646 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 1: Keane before the podcast. You can always catch us worldwide. 647 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:11,959 Speaker 1: I'm Bloomberg Radio