Why Investors No Longer Want a Tariff Deal

When we read in theWall Street Journalthat shares have risen because traders supposedly were optimistic on a given day about the tariff talks, we understand that this is poppycock that is not even remotely true. Even so, the hair-trigger reflex of institutional investors is to buy stocks whenever there is the faintest bullish buzz, and to dump them the instant China responds with incredulity. Wednesday’s earth-shaking story was that a meeting to enact phase one of the deal has been pushed out to December. Stocks greeted this discouraging mid-day tidbit with spasms that lasted for all of ten minutes; then they settled back into their wonted, bullish groove. At this rate, the talks will drag on indefinitely without producing any tangible results. Although it has been clear for some time that this is what both sides want, it was not until this afternoon’s gratuitous spasms that investors revealed it is what they want as well.

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