Professor of Applied Economics @JohnsHopkins | Distinguished Senior Scholar @mises | @Fortune | FX & Commodity Trader | Reagan White House | Views are my own
#VNZWatch🇻🇪: Venezuela's inflation rate is the WORLD'S HIGHEST. Today, I measure it at a CRUSHING 585.1%/yr.
YOU WON’T FIND THIS IMPORTANT STORY IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA SPIN.
Today, THOUSANDS of students from Esa Unggul University took to the streets of Jakarta, Indonesia.
The students demanded an END to Pres. Prabowo’s wasteful state spending.
INDONESIA'S RUPIAH REMAINS UNDER PRESSURE.
Col. Doug Macgregor on Israel’s recent military misadventures:
“They’ve unbalanced the region against them. The Israelis have no friends left in the region."
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, President Trump stated:
“Those ships are flowing out of the Hormuz Strait like nobody’s ever seen before.”
REALITY CHECK: At present, only a trickle of ships is passing through the Strait.
Malaysia’s inflation comes in at 2.01%/yr in May.
That's BELOW Malaysia’s 3%/yr target.
Malaysia’s inflation rate has been BELOW its target for over THREE consecutive years.
The US-Iran MOE is a pause that gives temporary relief.
Oil prices slumped. They will rise again. It will take time to restore shipping logistics, repair energy infrastructure and rebuild depleted oil inventories.
THESE 3 FACTORS = TIGHT OIL MARKETS.
Before the US-Israeli war on Iran, passage through the Strait of Hormuz was open and free. After the US-Israeli WAR OF CHOICE, the Iranians will hold the Sword of Damocles over passage.
TRUMP & NETANYAHU = LOSERS.
Japan’s inflation comes in at 1.40%/yr in May.
That's BELOW Japan’s 2%/yr target.
Japan’s inflation rate has been BELOW its target for over five consecutive months.
#IranWatch🇮🇷: Today, the Iranian rial gave back some ground, DEPRECIATING 2.08% against the USD.
BUT DON’T MISS THE BIG PICTURE.
Over the past week, the rial has APPRECIATED 10.27% against the USD.
Trump on his recent polling: “I have great poll numbers. I would beat any candidate they have by 25 points.”
REALLY? Trump's disapproval rating remains around 58%.
TRUMP = A SPINMEISTER.
TRUMP'S RHETORIC RARELY MATCHES REALITY.
#IranWatch🇮🇷: Despite coming down from a week ago, today, I measure Iran’s inflation at a PUNISHING 74%/yr.
That's the WORLD’S 4TH HIGHEST rate, behind Venezuela, North Korea, and Cuba.
I REMAIN THE ONLY ACCURATE SOURCE FOR INFLATION MEASUREMENTS IN IRAN
A journalist on the ground in Harouf, Lebanon reports an ENTIRE FAMILY was massacred in an Israeli airstrike this morning. The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirms 47 people killed in violent attacks across southern Lebanon today.
ISRAEL = THE SPOILER.
Today, UNICEF announced that 265 Palestinian CHILDREN have been killed by Israeli forces since the October ceasefire 2025.
ISRAEL = BREAKS CEASEFIRES AGAIN & AGAIN = INVITES WAR CRIMES COMPLAINTS.
Today, a MASSIVE fire erupted at the Viva Dominicus Beach, a popular vacation spot in the Dominican Republic.
Just more confirmation of Hanke’s Schoolboy Theory of History: It’s just one damn thing after another.
Commodity guru Jeff Currie on the commodity SUPER CYCLE:
"In fact, I like to say copper is the new oil. It's the strategically most important commodity."
Lebanon reports that Israeli strikes have killed THIRTY-SEVEN Lebanese in the past 24 hrs despite the US-Iran deal, which calls for a “complete ceasefire on all fronts.”
ISRAEL = THE SPOILER.
Tornadoes have TRASHED Effingham County, Illinois.
Just more confirmation of Hanke’s Schoolboy Theory of History: It’s just one damn thing after another.
Israeli strikes killed at least three people in Lebanon despite the US-Iran deal, which calls for a “complete ceasefire on all fronts.”
ISRAEL = THE SPOILER.