Author Archives: Yves Smith

Nathan Tankus: What the Hell is Going On With CARES Act “Funds”?

Trying to make sense of CARES Act gimmickry.

Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Is Cheaper than Pfizer’s and Moderna’s and Doesn’t Require Supercold Temperature

Some promising news about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

Thanksgiving Schedule and Comments Holiday

We are taking a Thanksgiving mini-break. Hope you get one too.

What Would a State-Owned Amazon Look Like? Ask Argentina

Amazon hasn’t done well in Latin America. Now Argentina will challenge private platforms to benefit workers, consumers and sellers.

Saudi Aramco’s Landmark IPO Is Costing The Kingdom Billions

How the Saudi Aramco IPO has become a financial millstone.

Links 11/24/2020

To Save the Economy, Biden Must First Save Lives

More discussion of an analysis that concluded that the only way to “fix the economy” was to tackle Covid…and not hope for a vaccine bailout

Brexit: Decisions

The Brexit trade talks illustrate that not deciding amounts to a decision.

Yemen: More Damage To World Peace And Security Due To Trump Wrecking Everything As He Exits

Trump kicks Yemen.

The Mnuchin-Powell Affair Over the Fed’s “Special Purpose Vehicles” in Dollars & Effects

The Treasury and Fed set up junk-buying SPV programs The unwind is oddly controversial given that they never should have been created.

Links 11/21/2020

Reply from Authors of “To Save the Economy, Save People First” Regarding “Lockdowns Work”

More on lockdowns as a core response to community spread of Covid-19.

Don’t Depend on Wall Street for Renewable Energy Investment

Why Big Finance is part of the energy problem, not the solution.