Latest China Data Is Yet Another Reminder Of Global Economic Precarity

The market's gaze has temporarily shifted to the Gulf where a pair of oil tankers were set ablaze on Thursday, the latest incident to suggest that Iran is some semblance of serious when it comes to making life difficult for anyone traversing waters near the world's key oil chokepoint. So far, surging US stockpiles and a highly uncertain demand backdrop have helped keep a lid on crude prices despite mounting tensions. The murky outlook for demand is, of course, tied to the trade war and the read