Gregor Stuart Hunter
@gregorhunter.bsky.social
Asia markets and finance breaking news at Reuters. Previous work in The Guardian, Fortune, Daily Telegraph, Nikkei Asia, WSJ, Bloomberg and The Wire China. Views my own, and all that.
This is certainly useful in explaining why nothing bad has happened to Japan (so far), but isn't the problem with neglecting gross positions that one fails to account for all sorts of asset bubbles in other countries that unwind in uncomfortable ways? (e.g. gross vs net derivative positions pre-GFC)
February 9, 2026 at 8:44 AM
This is certainly useful in explaining why nothing bad has happened to Japan (so far), but isn't the problem with neglecting gross positions that one fails to account for all sorts of asset bubbles in other countries that unwind in uncomfortable ways? (e.g. gross vs net derivative positions pre-GFC)
It's been wild to watch bitcoin's evolution from "digital gold" to "goldy Nasdaq" and back again
February 6, 2026 at 5:30 AM
It's been wild to watch bitcoin's evolution from "digital gold" to "goldy Nasdaq" and back again
Cryptos this morning
two knights are standing in the woods and one of them is saying i 've had worse .
ALT: two knights are standing in the woods and one of them is saying i 've had worse .
media.tenor.com
February 6, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Cryptos this morning
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell
Somewhat devastating news today from the CIA: One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. There's not even a hint as to why they …
simonwillison.net
February 5, 2026 at 12:25 AM
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
No one:
Nobody:
Not a soul:
Me: Hong Kong's base money is HK$2.06tn, equal to US$263.7bn, and HKMA's foreign currency reserves are US$429.4bn, indicating a coverage ratio of 1.628 in constant currency terms. So long as it's above 1:1 there's no reason to worry about the HKD peg.
Nobody:
Not a soul:
Me: Hong Kong's base money is HK$2.06tn, equal to US$263.7bn, and HKMA's foreign currency reserves are US$429.4bn, indicating a coverage ratio of 1.628 in constant currency terms. So long as it's above 1:1 there's no reason to worry about the HKD peg.
February 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM
No one:
Nobody:
Not a soul:
Me: Hong Kong's base money is HK$2.06tn, equal to US$263.7bn, and HKMA's foreign currency reserves are US$429.4bn, indicating a coverage ratio of 1.628 in constant currency terms. So long as it's above 1:1 there's no reason to worry about the HKD peg.
Nobody:
Not a soul:
Me: Hong Kong's base money is HK$2.06tn, equal to US$263.7bn, and HKMA's foreign currency reserves are US$429.4bn, indicating a coverage ratio of 1.628 in constant currency terms. So long as it's above 1:1 there's no reason to worry about the HKD peg.
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
A staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."
February 4, 2026 at 2:34 PM
A staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
DOCTOR: I told him he needed to get out to a show, that was how he would cure his depression.
CHOTINER: So you learned this technique in school?
DR: No, not— listen it was good advice. Pagliacci was in town.
C: Right. Is it standard to give advice before learning a patient’s name?
DR: Now look
CHOTINER: So you learned this technique in school?
DR: No, not— listen it was good advice. Pagliacci was in town.
C: Right. Is it standard to give advice before learning a patient’s name?
DR: Now look
February 2, 2026 at 3:58 AM
DOCTOR: I told him he needed to get out to a show, that was how he would cure his depression.
CHOTINER: So you learned this technique in school?
DR: No, not— listen it was good advice. Pagliacci was in town.
C: Right. Is it standard to give advice before learning a patient’s name?
DR: Now look
CHOTINER: So you learned this technique in school?
DR: No, not— listen it was good advice. Pagliacci was in town.
C: Right. Is it standard to give advice before learning a patient’s name?
DR: Now look
So disappointing to see JPYKRW in the Epstein files
Amazingly, seems that Epstein traded sovereign CDS from his gmail account.
January 31, 2026 at 3:33 PM
So disappointing to see JPYKRW in the Epstein files
You know what's great about this movie? 98 minutes. They don't make 'em like they used to!
January 31, 2026 at 3:19 PM
You know what's great about this movie? 98 minutes. They don't make 'em like they used to!
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
More sensible choice here to head up the Bureau of Labour Statistics -
Matsumoto has spent almost a decade as a research economist there. Been a 6 month gap
www.ft.com/content/3acd...
Matsumoto has spent almost a decade as a research economist there. Been a 6 month gap
www.ft.com/content/3acd...
Donald Trump set to nominate economist Brett Matsumoto to head statistics agency
US president picks BLS veteran after withdrawing earlier pick viewed as more controversial
www.ft.com
January 31, 2026 at 12:47 AM
More sensible choice here to head up the Bureau of Labour Statistics -
Matsumoto has spent almost a decade as a research economist there. Been a 6 month gap
www.ft.com/content/3acd...
Matsumoto has spent almost a decade as a research economist there. Been a 6 month gap
www.ft.com/content/3acd...
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
A new study from Anthropic finds that gains in coding efficiency when relying on AI assistance did did not meet statistical significance; AI use noticeably degraded programmers’ understanding of what they were doing. Incredible.
The latest from Anthropic: using Anthropic's products makes you worse at your job
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
January 30, 2026 at 11:47 PM
A new study from Anthropic finds that gains in coding efficiency when relying on AI assistance did did not meet statistical significance; AI use noticeably degraded programmers’ understanding of what they were doing. Incredible.
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
A Bad Heir Day at the Fed
No, Kevin Warsh isn’t qualified
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
".. His service was a disaster. He was tasked with keeping tabs on Wall Street but instead preached about the wonders of financial innovation right up until it exploded the economy."
It’s a phenomenal time for everyone to revisit this piece from Sam Bell on Kevin Warsh from the last time this was about to happen medium.com/@sam_a_bell/...
Jared Kushner for Fed Chair?
A powerful, no-holds-barred New York scion paves the way for his smooth operating, ill-equipped son-in-law to wield the kind of awesome…
medium.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:59 PM
".. His service was a disaster. He was tasked with keeping tabs on Wall Street but instead preached about the wonders of financial innovation right up until it exploded the economy."
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Don was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles.
January 30, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Don was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles.
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Waller dissent statement dropped
Statement by Governor Christopher J. Waller
I dissented at the most recent meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) after concluding that cutting the policy rate by 25 basis points was the app
www.federalreserve.gov
January 30, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Waller dissent statement dropped
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Much hotter-than-expected US PPI inflation:
Monthly PPI inflation for December jumped to 0.5%, significantly above the consensus forecast of 0.2%.
Core PPI was even more startling, coming in at 0.7% monthly and pushing the annual core measure to 3.3% (well above the anticipated 2.9%).
#Inflation
Monthly PPI inflation for December jumped to 0.5%, significantly above the consensus forecast of 0.2%.
Core PPI was even more startling, coming in at 0.7% monthly and pushing the annual core measure to 3.3% (well above the anticipated 2.9%).
#Inflation
January 30, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Much hotter-than-expected US PPI inflation:
Monthly PPI inflation for December jumped to 0.5%, significantly above the consensus forecast of 0.2%.
Core PPI was even more startling, coming in at 0.7% monthly and pushing the annual core measure to 3.3% (well above the anticipated 2.9%).
#Inflation
Monthly PPI inflation for December jumped to 0.5%, significantly above the consensus forecast of 0.2%.
Core PPI was even more startling, coming in at 0.7% monthly and pushing the annual core measure to 3.3% (well above the anticipated 2.9%).
#Inflation
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Well this is going to be fun
January 30, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Well this is going to be fun
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
PPI for final demand advances 0.5% in December; services rise 0.7%, goods unchanged www.bls.gov/news.release... #PPI #BLSdata
January 30, 2026 at 1:32 PM
PPI for final demand advances 0.5% in December; services rise 0.7%, goods unchanged www.bls.gov/news.release... #PPI #BLSdata
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
Full story: China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, Starmer says
Starmer confirms immediate removal, but it is unclear if sanctions remain on former MP, academic and barrister
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Full story: China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
It was the best of times
It was the Warsh of times
It was the Warsh of times
January 30, 2026 at 6:00 AM
It was the best of times
It was the Warsh of times
It was the Warsh of times
What is MSCI anyway, and what has it done to Indonesia’s stock market? www.reuters.com/world/asia-p... by me
Explainer: What is MSCI and what has it done to Indonesia's stock market?
MSCI is a powerhouse within the $139 trillion asset management industry and its decisions are hugely consequential for countries around the world - as Indonesian investors learned this week to their c...
www.reuters.com
January 30, 2026 at 1:18 AM
What is MSCI anyway, and what has it done to Indonesia’s stock market? www.reuters.com/world/asia-p... by me
Reposted by Gregor Stuart Hunter
