1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: This is the Bloomberg Daybreak Aisia podcast. I'm Doug Krisner. 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: You can join Brian Curtis and myself for the stories, 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 2: making news and moving markets in the APAC region. You 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 2: can subscribe to the show anywhere you get your podcast 6 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 2: and always on Bloomberg Radio, the Bloomberg Terminal, and the 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 2: Bloomberg Business App. 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 3: Joining us now in our studios in Hong Kong for 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 3: a little bit more on US China relations is John Leu, 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 3: Bloomberg Executive Editor in Beijing. John, thanks very much for 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 3: coming into the studios with us. So just as an 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 3: overview here for the audience, how would you actually how 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 3: would you characterize US genre relations at the moment, waxing 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 3: or waning. 15 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 4: I think they I would call them stable. But I 16 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 4: think the given how much how much tension there is, 17 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 4: how many issues that exist between the two countries, I 18 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 4: I would say there's always the danger things will get worse, 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 4: and I would say that the opportunity to improve ties 20 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 4: is a very very narrow window, and with the election 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 4: in the US coming up, I would say pretty difficult 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 4: to see a massive improvement anytime soon. 23 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: John you and I have talked about the issue of 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: overcapacity in the past. This is not only an issue 25 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: that the US has raised, but the European Union has 26 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 2: been very vocal about this as well. Is this being 27 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: taken seriously on the part of Beijing or do authorities 28 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 2: in China basically feel the only way that they can 29 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: recover from this economic malaise, this slump is to export, 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 2: you know, the country's way out of this through cheaper goods. 31 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: Is that really the line that the government in China 32 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: is taking. 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 4: I think that the I think the government in China 34 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 4: sees how important exports, you know, how important a role 35 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 4: exports have to play if the country wants the economy 36 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 4: to revive and for growth to go back to some 37 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 4: more in the you know, to be in the five 38 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 4: percent range, which they've made their target for twenty twenty four. 39 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 4: You know, Beijing is not going to agree about the 40 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 4: description about overcapacity, but I think there is you know, 41 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 4: I think there's a growing recognition that exports may not 42 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 4: be the way to go about it, and that trying 43 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 4: to put too much emphasis on exports is actually going 44 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 4: to cause more trouble than it's worth. 45 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 3: I think what you said right off the bat that 46 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 3: you know, things are sort of moving sideways almost in 47 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 3: US relations, not particularly good or bad. It makes a 48 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 3: lot of sense. It seems like the vitriol has dropped 49 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 3: out of the language. You haven't seen a lot of 50 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 3: hyperbole here. And also the Taiwan story, I mean, it's 51 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: still there, there's no question about it, but it seems 52 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 3: like the temperature has been turned down a little. 53 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 5: Do you agree? 54 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 4: I think the sideways description is at in terms of Taiwan. 55 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 4: I think you know, with the inauguration of light To 56 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 4: as president earlier last month, that reaction was relatively strong, 57 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 4: and I think you will see Beijing take a pretty 58 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 4: hard stance when it comes to anything they feel like 59 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 4: is an attempt to move the island towards independence. So 60 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 4: there is still a lot of risk there. I would say, 61 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 4: I don't think that that situation has calmed substantially. 62 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 3: But the past ten days has been sort of without 63 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 3: a lot of a lot of serious job owning. 64 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 5: Don't you think. 65 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 4: There was There was something really interesting happened yesterday, which 66 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 4: was Prime Minister Modi in India received on x a 67 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 4: congratulatory message from Latching, the President of Taiwan, and he 68 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 4: Mister Mody responded by saying he wanted, he hoped that 69 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 4: there could be an increased relationship between Taiwan and India 70 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 4: when it comes to trade and technology, and and Beijing 71 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 4: acted very quickly to condemn those comments with mister Modi, 72 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 4: we have to wait and see if that becomes bigger 73 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 4: or smaller or goes away. But I think the sensitivity 74 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 4: remains remains. 75 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: So you described the situation between China and the US 76 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 2: is kind of moving sideways right now. Let's call it 77 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: just a drift. I'm curious is some of that do 78 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 2: or a large part of it due to the fact 79 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 2: that we've got an election in November and it's unclear 80 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: at this point who Beijing will have to do business 81 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 2: with in early twenty twenty five. 82 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 4: I think the main motivation for Beijing right now is economics, 83 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 4: and Beijing Beijing one needs to keep its access to 84 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 4: markets in the US and Europe, just because what we 85 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 4: talked about before the importance of exports for economic recovery. Domestically, 86 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 4: the other issue is China needs foreign direct investment. They're 87 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 4: hoping that multinationals, be it Tesla or Apple or you know, 88 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 4: the various American companies who do lots of business. China 89 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 4: needs them not only to maintain their level of participation 90 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 4: in the Chinese economy, hopefully to put even more money 91 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 4: into China, and so trying to keep a lid on 92 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 4: US China tensions helps them do that. 93 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 2: I'm imagining that would be pretty difficult under a Trump 94 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: administration to hope for more foreign direct investment from the US. 95 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 2: AM I wrong on that. 96 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 4: I think most people in Beijing would agree with you 97 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 4: on that, especially given the rhetoric from mister Trump and 98 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 4: the campaign talking about sixty percent tariffs across the board 99 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 4: and tariffying Chinese companies who're manufacturing in Mexico. I think 100 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 4: that is a real concern for the Chinese government, and 101 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 4: I think if there was a Trump administration that came 102 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 4: into power in January of next year, that the relationship 103 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 4: would get pretty rocky, at least at the start. 104 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 3: In some other areas of our coverage, we mentioned that 105 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 3: the South Johna Morning Post has a story today saying 106 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 3: that for emigrants in China, there's a real fear of 107 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 3: missing out. There's kind of a rush to move overseas. 108 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 3: Now it's either an how or never, saying that the 109 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 3: middle class with the means to move abroad see the 110 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: window kind of closing as countries titan immigration policies. I 111 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 3: wouldn't imagine that these are massive numbers, but it is. 112 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 3: It's kind of an interesting side area of coverage. 113 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 4: I think the economic the disparity between economic performance that 114 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 4: we've seen in the United States especially and what we've 115 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,559 Speaker 4: seen in China has has been motivational for people thinking 116 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 4: about immigrating to the US and overseas. 117 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: So more of this slowing economy than politically. 118 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 4: I think it's a combination of everything, right. I think 119 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 4: if the economics, if the economy is growing at some 120 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 4: tremendous rate, I think people would be more overlooking. The 121 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 4: political situation might be more appetizing or you know, amendable 122 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 4: for people. And but the fact that the economy is bad, 123 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 4: there's less opportunity and the political situation is difficult. I 124 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 4: think that's a double whammy. 125 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: Is the government feeling greater urgency now given the kind 126 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 2: of the stagnation that we're seeing economically to really kind 127 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: of put some of the policies that have been debated 128 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 2: that have been talked about put much more of that 129 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: to work. 130 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 4: So I think there is a real recognition in Beijing 131 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 4: that the economy needs support. There's no doubt about that. 132 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 4: You've seen that with the money the Central Bank is 133 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 4: providing for local governments to buy empty apartments, all of 134 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 4: the fiscal measures that China's taken. But at the same time, 135 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 4: I think China, the Chinese leadership also prioritizes national security, 136 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 4: and there is a real concern that the United States 137 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 4: is trying to contain China, taking actions to undermine China's development, 138 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 4: and so there's a real worry in Beijing about you know, 139 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 4: how secure Beijing is and its ability to project power, 140 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 4: especially when it comes to Taiwan, and so these things 141 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 4: are sometimes in conflict with one another, and I think 142 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 4: that's what you see, both trying to achieve economic growth 143 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 4: but also trying to achieve these national security aims, and 144 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 4: those two running into each other at times. 145 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 3: In terms of the stimulus and trying to rescue the economy. 146 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 3: Do you still see not very much likelihood of one 147 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 3: fell swoop is sort of shock and awe moved. Do 148 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 3: you think it'll continue to be incremental? 149 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 4: I think incremental is by default the way the Chinese 150 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 4: government goes about almost everything. I think you have seen 151 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 4: the magnitude of the response being ratcheted up very steadily 152 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 4: and continuously. I think this what Beijing is doing in 153 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 4: terms of real estate, taking central bank money to effectively 154 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 4: provide demand for empty apartments. That is something I think 155 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 4: would have been unthinkable a few years ago. I think 156 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 4: if the economy needs more support, you will, We will 157 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 4: get more support from Beijing. It will just come very slowly. 158 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, John, thanks very much on Liu joining us. 159 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: Bloomberg executive editor in Beijing. China's exports will probably jump 160 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 3: in May, posting some pretty broad gains. I'm Brian Curtis 161 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 3: Long with Doug Christin. We bring in James Mager, Bloomberg 162 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,599 Speaker 3: senior China reporter who eats this stuff for breakfast. James, 163 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 3: It's very seldom that we see such a big gap 164 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 3: between what the consensus estimates are on a Bloomberg survey 165 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 3: and what Bloomberg Economics is estimating. But they've got double 166 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 3: digits here, gains at twelve point one percent the consensus 167 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: five point seven percent. What sort of accounts for the discrepancy. 168 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:48,719 Speaker 6: I think the BlueBag economics folks are expecting part of that. 169 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 6: The difference there is to be sort of bait effects, 170 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 6: and there was a drump last year in May, and 171 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 6: so they're expecting a real pullback from that, you know, 172 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 6: for a real expansion from that. They're also of really 173 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:05,319 Speaker 6: focusing on the strength we've seen recently and other exports 174 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 6: in Asia, South Korean exports, Taiwanese exports. There's been real 175 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 6: really strong demand for chip exports from those two places 176 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 6: and they got back. I expect that that's also going 177 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 6: to pull up or pull along exports from China. One 178 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 6: other thing that we'll be looking at also is how 179 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 6: much how much sort of exports you know from China 180 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 6: of steel and excavators and other things which are not 181 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 6: being used in the housing sector, which is still struggling domestically. 182 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 5: And that's you know what, that sort of weakness in 183 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 5: China is underpinning. 184 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 6: That strength and the strength and exports because Chinese companies 185 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 6: are basically having to sell overseas instead of being al 186 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 6: sell domestically. 187 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 5: So I think those are the kind of. 188 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 6: Factors that everyone's expecting to really drive a good number 189 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 6: in May. 190 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 2: Is this a type of industrial policy? Do you think 191 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: that Beijing is favoring to be more reliant even in 192 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 2: the current environment, on the export equation or the export 193 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 2: side of the equation, rather than trying to fortify domestic demand. 194 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 7: I think the way I look at it is China 195 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 7: is trying to drive its dominance of specific sectors, and 196 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 7: that is the domestic market is not caught up with 197 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 7: the amount they're. 198 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 6: Able to produce of those things now, so especially on 199 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 6: things like batteries and evs. You know, the government has 200 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:26,439 Speaker 6: put a lot of money, in a lot of effort, 201 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 6: and a lot of protectionism into making sure that China 202 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 6: is able to Chinese companies are able to dominate the 203 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 6: Chinese market, and now that is because Chinese isn't able 204 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 6: to the Chinese consumers aren't able to take all of 205 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 6: those cars. 206 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 5: Some of that is going overseas. 207 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 6: I think also part of this is, as I said, 208 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 6: is just caused by the housing slump. This is not 209 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:49,719 Speaker 6: like a policy that you know, the government did try 210 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 6: and pop the housing or did pop the housing bubble. 211 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 5: They didn't, I think, minute to become this bad. 212 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 6: But this slump has meant that the existing sort of 213 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 6: production capacity is now having to flow as as well. 214 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 6: So it's probably this is an industrial policy the government 215 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 6: is driving partly it's just the domestic weakness, and as 216 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 6: you say, you know, the government is not looking to 217 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 6: really stimulate domestic demands to sort of take all of 218 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 6: these goods. 219 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 3: Well, if we look at some other data, the Japan 220 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 3: manufacturing PMI was was pretty positive in the month of May, 221 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 3: or at least it was positive, and South Korean exports 222 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 3: rose nine percent in May. So it does raise this 223 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 3: question about external demand. That's that's probably what most people 224 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,719 Speaker 3: outside of China really care about. Do we see that 225 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 3: external demands as pretty solid or have to wait and see. 226 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 6: I think both Japan and Career benefiting at least someone 227 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 6: from their weak currencies. So you know, the the yuan 228 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 6: and sorry, the yen and the want are pretty weak 229 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 6: against the dollar right now. And as as I said, 230 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 6: you know, there is a massive there's been a massive 231 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 6: spike in demand for high end chips, so that's benefiting 232 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 6: South Korea as well. 233 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 5: So you know, companies like Navidiar and know the AI 234 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 5: boom in. 235 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 6: The US is really driving record exports from Korea and 236 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,719 Speaker 6: also record exports from Taiwan. There is a broader sort 237 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 6: of industrial strength for a broader sort of recovery and 238 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 6: trade happening especially across Asia, and I think that's going 239 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 6: to help benefit China as well. 240 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 2: So, James, when you look broadly at the entire country 241 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 2: of China, how is economic activity being distributed right now? 242 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 5: I think it's pretty patchy. 243 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 6: There are certain places that are that are doing better, 244 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 6: and there is and there are lots of places that 245 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 6: are not doing well. It's the places that we're more 246 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 6: reliant on housing demand and housing construction demand, especially you know, 247 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 6: in the years leading up to twenty twenty one, that 248 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 6: are now. 249 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 5: Not doing as well. 250 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 6: Obviously, if you especially if you look at places like 251 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 6: the northeast of China, where you have you know, real 252 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 6: like quite quite deep population of falls, plus you have 253 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 6: you know, it was already pretty weak economic environment environment 254 00:13:57,840 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 6: up there, and then you add into that this housing 255 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 6: slow and housing construction slub. I think there are those 256 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 6: kinds of places are really struggling. You know, the places 257 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 6: on the eastern seaboard that are more export focused, that 258 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 6: have a better stronger account of me and they're not 259 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 6: seeing those kind of deep population declines. 260 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 5: I think those places still continue to do better. 261 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 3: You mentioned the base effects will play into this. What 262 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 3: about seasonal patterns. 263 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 6: May is generally a good time, Like the middle of 264 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 6: the year is generally a good time for trade. It's 265 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 6: really weak in the first quarter because of the lunar year, 266 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 6: and obviously and there's a lot. 267 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 5: Of sort of people export a lot more towards the end. 268 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 6: Of the year to get into the Christmas season overseas, 269 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 6: and then the first quarter of the year is usually 270 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 6: pretty weak. So there should be some kind of rebound 271 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 6: that we will see you May, June, July, August, that 272 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 6: sort of period. And you know our reporting with the 273 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 6: Canton Fair earlier this year, which is the biggest export 274 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 6: trade fair in the world, so you know, Chinese companies 275 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 6: were saying that they were seeing a better so we 276 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 6: were seeing more demand, we're seeing more orders, so there 277 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 6: is being an increase in that. 278 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 5: I think the thing to be aware of to be. 279 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 6: Aware of though, is that these numbers are probably being 280 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 6: driven by a real slump in Chinese prices. So Chinese 281 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 6: export prices are folding, you know, the country's in inflation. 282 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 6: This is driving down the value of these exports. So 283 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 6: even yeah, yeah, so that's and that's probably the reason 284 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 6: why it strong. 285 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 3: James, thank you, James Maker, Bloomberg Senior China reporter Lauren Sidel, 286 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 3: Banker economist at it R Economics. Lauren, it feels like 287 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 3: we might be close to an inflection point here on jobs. 288 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 3: So we have the jobs report coming. City Group's house 289 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 3: view is for just one hundred and forty thousand. That's 290 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 3: a long way from the two hundred and twenty nine 291 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 3: thousand average that we've seen over the past eleven months, 292 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 3: and it's it's also a long way away from the 293 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 3: consensus expectation of one hundred and eighty thousand new jobs. 294 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 3: I'm guessing, see what you're thoughts are on this, I'm 295 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 3: guessing that any number from about one hundred and twenty 296 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 3: five thousand to two hundred thousand would be reasonably comfortable 297 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 3: for both the Fed and the markets. 298 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 5: What say you? 299 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: Yes, thank you so much? I agree. 300 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 8: It would take a big surprise, either to the upside 301 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 8: or to the downside, to materially. 302 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: Sway the path that the FED is on. 303 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 8: The Labor market has been incredibly tight but cooling. Unless 304 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 8: we see a real aberration in this report tomorrow, I 305 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 8: do expect that cooling trend to persist. We got a 306 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 8: signal earlier this week from the JOLT survey that the 307 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 8: number of new job openings has decreased. 308 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: So while the. 309 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 8: Labor market is still tight showing some signs of pullback, 310 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 8: that's giving the FED confidence that wage inflation will take 311 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 8: us down to that well toward that target two percent 312 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 8: inflation range. I don't expect we need to reach two 313 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 8: percent inflation before the Fed makes their rate cuts. 314 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 2: And today's data, when you look at the labor market, 315 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: was a little on the weak side, jobless claims up 316 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 2: above estimates, and labor cost increased by less than previously reported. 317 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 2: So is your expectation here that we're going to get 318 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 2: to two quarter point rate cuts between now and the 319 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 2: end of the year. 320 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 1: Yes, all of the. 321 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 8: Data that we've seen to this point is certainly moving 322 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 8: in that direction. Again, the ECB, no surprise, they moved 323 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 8: sooner than the Fed. 324 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: I think September is still a. 325 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 8: Very likely outcome for the first cut from the Federal Reserve. 326 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 8: So fifty basis points this year seems to be a 327 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 8: pretty mainstream expectation. 328 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 3: Do you think that what happened to the ECB will 329 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 3: sort of put the Fed on warning a little bit? 330 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 3: This is a little embarrassing because the ECB had all 331 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 3: but told markets. You know it was going to cut 332 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 3: by twenty five basis points. Then all of a sudden 333 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 3: it gets some inflation data that's pretty onerous in a sense, 334 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 3: and it even has to raise its inflation targets while 335 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 3: it's cutting rates. I mean, that's a little embarrassing, isn't it. 336 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 3: The Fed does not want to be put in that position. 337 00:17:57,920 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: No, they do not. 338 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 8: I agree completely, But there's also something of an acceptance 339 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 8: from these central banks that, again, we don't have to 340 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 8: be at two percent inflation. The fact that we've come 341 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 8: down so much from our peak inflation levels is showing 342 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 8: that easing. And in Europe, especially where they've seen a 343 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 8: pullback in real economic outcomes, the ECB didn't want to 344 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,120 Speaker 8: be waiting for that two percent right before they gave 345 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,919 Speaker 8: a little bit of stimulative effect to hopefully pull that 346 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 8: economy out of recession sooner than later. 347 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: And I'm wondering, I do, yeah, whether when you raise 348 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 2: an inflation forecast like that, that there is a little 349 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 2: bit of jawboning of the market that you don't want 350 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 2: the market to get too far over at skis in 351 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: a situation like that, when you're in entering a cycle 352 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 2: of easing absolutely, and. 353 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: I think that that has been very careful about that. 354 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 8: Chair Powell has been very intentional time after time and 355 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 8: saying they will be data dependent, that nothing is set 356 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 8: in stone. So that's why we do think September is 357 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 8: still on the table, but there is a lot of 358 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 8: data to come out between now and then. 359 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 3: So we talked about the wide range of expectation and 360 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 3: also that markets send the FED would probably be comfortable 361 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 3: with a fairly broad band there. But if I had 362 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 3: to guess between the two on whether or not you 363 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 3: know good news is good news or you know good 364 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 3: news is bad news, would I would say that the 365 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 3: market would prefer to see a well supported economy here, 366 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 3: so maybe a little airing on the upside would be 367 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 3: would be good for the markets. Is that your view 368 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 3: as well? 369 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 8: You know, the wrinkle with that analysis at this juncture 370 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 8: in the business cycle is that interest rates were so 371 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 8: low for so long. The fact that we do have 372 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 8: rates persistently higher, as we still do and will very 373 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:44,439 Speaker 8: likely over this summer. It's just causing the decision points 374 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 8: in a lot of companies investment mindsets. 375 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: To be different. 376 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 8: Now, again, my base case is for fifty basis points 377 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 8: of cut this year. 378 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: That is not going to materially move the needle. 379 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 8: If you are a first time home buyer looking at 380 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 8: your mortgage rate, fifty basis points is not make or break. 381 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 8: But I do think sentiment wise, perhaps emotionally, there is 382 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 8: something to getting those first rate cuts. But I agree 383 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 8: with you, it's a topsy turvy world where bad news 384 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 8: is good news. 385 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 2: Does it surprise you that the yield curve is still 386 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 2: inverted the degree to which it still is. I mean, 387 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 2: we've got what fifty basis points and spread between the 388 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 2: two and the ten. 389 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 1: Yes, that is a bit surprising. 390 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 8: We have done the analysis and typically the inversion in 391 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 8: the yield curve does portend a GDP recession, but that 392 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 8: likelihood in our analysis was only in the eighty I 393 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 8: believe its about eighty eight percent range, so. 394 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: Not a foregone conclusion. 395 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 8: I do think the consumer, with these higher wages, with 396 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 8: this tight labor market, is propping up GDP. About two 397 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,560 Speaker 8: thirds of GDP is accounted for by consumer spending, so 398 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 8: that's why we're seeing a little bit of an abnormal 399 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 8: but not unprecedented outcome in that regard. 400 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,159 Speaker 3: We've had some fears of late that growth could be 401 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 3: falling off pretty rapidly. But it seems like with the 402 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 3: tenure yield at you know, right around four thirty like that, 403 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 3: that's kind of telling you that the bond market, at 404 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 3: least at the moment, is not seeing, you know, a 405 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 3: lot of weakness. Where would we I mean, would it 406 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 3: take something like three handle maybe three seventy five or 407 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 3: so for people to start really seriously worrying about a 408 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 3: fall off in growth. 409 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 8: Sure, a lot of the leading indicators that I'm following 410 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 8: are showing signs of life, showing green shoots. Again, I 411 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 8: do think it's a twenty twenty five event, so I 412 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 8: don't want to be too dogmatic about the timing, but 413 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,159 Speaker 8: leading indicators showing us that there is rise around the corner. 414 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: Again. 415 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 8: The consumer is the floor to this point of the cycle. 416 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 8: That's supporting much more so the manufacturing sector, the industrial sector. 417 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 8: So that broad based support, even if our sentiment doesn't 418 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 8: reflect it, even if we don't always really feel it. 419 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 8: Our wages are still outpacing inflation. We are still in 420 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 8: generally a good position. This is no two thousand and 421 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 8: six where we're overlevered. We have that bad debt and 422 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 8: too much of it, So I think our consumer is 423 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 8: the thing that's giving these analyst confidence and to some 424 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 8: degree the bond market. That broad based strength will be 425 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 8: felt throughout most industries. 426 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: So, Lauren, let's do a little bit of walk about 427 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 2: economics here in Manchester, New Hampshire, right, Can you give 428 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 2: me a sense of how well the economy is performing 429 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 2: there anecdotally? What do things look like? 430 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 8: Yes, that's correct, Southern New Hampshire for context, about an 431 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 8: hour north of Boston. Everyone always asked me, is New 432 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 8: Hampshire just a province of Vermont. So the economy here 433 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 8: it's a little bit more diversified. We're not just in 434 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 8: Maples Syrup, but we are seeing those signs of stalling. 435 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 8: The housing market especially is very tight up here. We 436 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 8: nationwide have a lot of shortage right of underbuilding, so 437 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 8: some vacancy and supply issues. We feel that pretty acutely 438 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 8: here in New Hampshire, with a shortage of a afordable housing. 439 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: But the economy is humming along. 440 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 8: People still go out to restaurants as much as we 441 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 8: Burtanical New Englanders do like to turn in early. 442 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 3: Yeah. The craft beer is pretty good up in that 443 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:18,479 Speaker 3: part of the world too. Yeah, yeah, thinking about that 444 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 3: here pardon me, it's morning time, but still, Lauren, thank 445 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 3: you so much for joining us. Lauren sidel Baker economists 446 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 3: at ITR Economics. 447 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 2: This has been the Bloomberg Daybreak Asia podcast, bringing you 448 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 2: the stories making news and moving markets in the Asia Pacific. 449 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 2: Visit the Bloomberg Podcast channel on YouTube to get more 450 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,439 Speaker 2: episodes of this and other shows from Bloomberg. Subscribe to 451 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 2: the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen, 452 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 2: and always on Bloomberg Radio, the Bloomberg Terminal, and the 453 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 2: Bloomberg Business app.