What I'm Reading - Aug. 2014

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12844318/1/walmarts-dreary-outlook-should-be-of-grave-concern.html
Where were sales not the strongest? U.S. supercenters. Walmart U.S. President and CEO, Greg Foran, who officially began his new position on Aug. 9, stated: "In Q2, our supercenter fleet had a comp decline of approximately 30 basis points. We recognize the need to improve the performance and standards of this format to meet customers’ expectations. We plan to open, relocate, or expand about 115 supercenters for the fiscal year." 

http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/744830

Shale gas production in Europe could be possible in Europe not earlier than in 2016-2018, Gazprom said in a quarterly report released on Wednesday.

Had a colleague tell me one of the benefits an economist saw for N. America was the demographic profile--this means more young people vs retirees (as compared to other parts of the world).

If wages are competitive (low compared to other countries) i guess more labor is good. In Mexico, low wages are part of their existing structure but in the US it creates huge issues for citizens that are similarly low-skilled workers. Perhaps the wages paid for unskilled labor were unsustainable and the work would be offshored but can the US handle a class that is paid less than anything, in inflation adjusted terms, than what we've seen in the past 100 years? i don't think it will work and this is a prime reason why: http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/IllegImmig_10-14-10_430pm.pdf

Failing Repo transactions in US Treasury market ?

Job market tilting toward workers

http://www.crossville-chronicle.com/community-news-network/x864265646/Job-market-tilting-toward-workers

The vacancies data for June are scheduled for release Tuesday. Average hourly earnings, in contrast, increased just 2 percent in July from a year earlier, barely keeping up with the rise in inflation. Employers in general have been "pretty stubborn" about increasing wages, said Jeffrey Joerres, executive chairman of ManpowerGroup, a Milwaukee-based staffing company with $20.3 billion in revenue last year. That may be about to change as the pool of available candidates shrinks. "You can see a little anxiety among employers," he said. "I can feel the inflection point is coming."

What inflation? Where?

About a year early but may be starting Wage Inflation in the US?