U.S. Trade Deficit Data Belies Economic Recovery

By: Michael_Pento

Wall Street is extolling the virtues of our rising U.S. trade deficit as a sure sign the economy is well on the road to a full and viable recovery. It was reported last week that our level of trade imbalance jumped to a six-month high in December to $48.8 billion (up 3.7%), from $47.1 billion in the prior month. For all of 2011, the shortfall grew 12% to $558 billion, the most since 2008.

For the uniformed on Wall Street and in Washington, the growing tide of red ink is a signal that America is returning to normalcy. The only problem with that is our so called "normalcy" is leading us rapidly into insolvency. The sad truth is that our desire to consume foreign made goods with money that is borrowed is evidence that our country is growing weaker by the day.

A U.S. economy that is indeed strengthening would mean that we are producing more goods and services available for foreign purchase. That would serve to LOWER the trade gap, not increase it. What is occurring instead is an increase in consumer credit, which has enabled the American consumer to purchase yet more foreign made goods. To prove that we are returning to our borrowing and consuming ways, the Consumer Credit report showed that credit rose at an annual rate of 7.6% in the fourth quarter and was up 9.3% for the month of December. Our rising trade gap only proves that U.S. banks and consumers haven't learned much from the credit crisis and Great Recession. Taking on debt to consumer foreign made goods can never be a signal of economic health.

The consistent and growing flow of dollars out of the country leads to a weakening currency and the transfer of an ever increasing amount of U.S. debt into foreign control. But, it just so happens that the U.S. is happy to offer foreign investors an unlimited supply of debt for them to purchase--lucky for them. If the Congressional Budget Office has is correct, this year's budget deficit will be $1.1 trillion...and it would mark the fourth year in a row with deficits north of $1 trillion!

Foreign central banks now hold more than 50% of all U.S. debt. But their willingness to continue recycling our trade deficit and to hold dollar-denominated assets should soon start to wane. Our own bond bubble will pop just like it has already burst in Southern Europe. Only when the U.S. debt market collapses, trillions of dollars will be thrown on to the foreign exchange market, as foreigners repatriate dollars back into their domestic currencies. The destruction of our dollar and our debt will be very pernicious for the U.S. and we should be doing everything in our power to ensure the continuation of the dollar as the world's store of wealth. Unfortunately for us, our government and central bank are working very hard to expedite its destruction.

Michael Pento
President
Pento Portfolio Strategies
www.pentoport.com
mpento@pentoport.com
(O) 732-203-1333
(M) 732- 213-1295

Mr. Michael Pento is the President of Pento Portfolio Strategies and serves as Senior Market Analyst for Baltimore-based research firm Agora Financial.

Pento Portfolio Strategies provides strategic advice and research for institutional clients. Agora Financial publishes award-winning newsletters, critically acclaimed feature documentaries and international best-selling books.

Mr. Pento is a well-established specialist in the Austrian School of economics and a regular guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, FOX Business News and other national media outlets. His market analysis can also be read in most major financial publications, including the Wall Street Journal. He also acts as a Financial Columnist for Forbes, Contributor to thestreet.com and is a blogger at the Huffington Post.

Prior to starting Pento Portfolio Strategies and joining Agora Financial, Mr. Pento served as a senior economist and vice president of the managed products division of another financial firm. There, he also led an external sales division that marketed their managed products to outside broker-dealers and registered investment advisors.

Additionally, Mr. Pento has worked for an investment advisory firm where he helped create ETFs and UITs that were sold throughout Wall Street. Earlier in his career Mr. Pento spent two years on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. He has carried series 7, 63, 65, 55 and Life and Health Insurance Licenses. Mr. Pento graduated from Rowan University in 1991.

© 2012 Copyright Michael Pento - All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

© 2005-2022 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.