I’ve been anxiously awaiting the Fed’s Q4 2018 Z.1 “flow of funds” report. It provided the first comprehensive look at how the period’s market instability affected various sectors within the financial system. From ballooning Broker/Dealer balance sheets to surging “repo” lending to record Bank loan growth – it’s chock-full of intriguing data. All in all, and despite a Q4 slowdown, 2018 posted the strongest Credit growth since before the crisis – led, of course, by our spendthrift federal government.
