RETAIL CRE - Financial Crisis II Coming

The US just released US Retail Sales and the details warn of an alarming problem. 2008 may have been a crisis brought on by US Residential Real Estate but 2014-2015 may be another round brought on by US Retail Commercial Real Estate. The Fed, Banks, Insurance companies, REITS and most importantly, the Shadow Banking sector are well aware of this.

JOBS versus SALES - More than Hiring for Christmas Sales

This graphic is based on just published US Retail Sales numbers:

The chart above — from Neil Dutta, head of U.S. economics at Renaissance Macro — does an excellent job of illustrating that recent retail sales data just don't square with recent jobs data.

"Something has to give. There is a widening disconnect. Either retailers stick with it and stay confident on the expectations that sales will improve, or they will be forced to cut employment dramatically."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Then I read that Bill Ackrman is dumping all his Commercial Real Estate Holding: What Does Bill Ackman Know About The Future Of Commercial Real Estate? A man that knows JP Penney and the Malls!

But .... ITS MORE THAN JUST A "MALL" PROBLEM

MACRO ON:

THE RETAIL CRE DOMINO

the looming domino they see in the US Retail CRE (Commercial Real Estate) space due to the advancement of online and robotic technologies. The rapidly advancing ramifications are both startling and alarming.

EXAMPLES OF EXPLODING RETAIL SERVICE AUTOMATION - Will reduce Employment and Square Footage

1. Store Replacements: Redbox Model
2. Instore Kiosks
3. Applebee's "Waiter Terminator"
4. Smoothies "Automated Dispensers"
5. McDonalds's "Smart Restaurant"
6. The "Brown Truck" Store

AN 'OVER-STORED' AMERICA

The Retail building boom in America has created yet another bubble - The Stealth Retail CRE Bubble.

SHADOW BANK FINANCING

The Shadow Banking system has 'morphed' since the 2008 financial crisis. Gordon T Long in the video below explains why Commercial Real Estate financing is presently seriously exposed to a crisis in short term funding disruptions, in a similar fashion to Residential Real Estate prior to the 2008 crisis. He shows the new instruments that are now being used and why they will be the new acronyms of the next financial crisis.

MACRO ON:

LOOMING US RETAIL IMPLOSION: An Urgent Re-Think Required  

There is a looming US Retail implosion on the horizon and a complete re-think of the foundation of a 70% US Consumption Economy is urgently required. For thirty years analysts have predicted the demise of the US consumer. They were so consistently wrong that the mantra "Don't Bet Against the US Consumer" became a staple of investor wisdom, similar in reliability to "Don't Fight the Fed!".

The US Consumer as the engine of global growth has powering global credit creation and expansion as a result of the corresponding growth in US deficits . Now at 70% of the US economy, as compared to 50-55% for other developed economies and less than 35% for emerging economies, the question is no longer a matter of is it sustainable, but rather what will be the fallout now the inevitable has finally arrived?

It is clear the US consumer is tapped out a result of the US middle class being 'gutted' with job lose, low salaries, exploding healthcare & educations costs and pensions now an endangered species. However, our Monetary, Fiscal and Public Policies are only making matters worse.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A US Recession threat could briong the whole US Retail CRE House of Cards down