Senate votes to punish Saudis for Khashoggi death: LA Times
Ukraine minister: Russia blocking Ukrainian Azov Sea ports: Reuters
Democrats nominate Pelosi as Speaker of the House: NY Times
Brazil backs out of hosting next year’s UN climate summit: The Hill
Morgan Stanley’s chief US economist: Trump can’t fire Fed chair: CNBC
US life expectancy fell in 2017: Bloomberg
Fed Chair Powell calls for gradual rate hikes: MNI
New US home sales fell to 2-1/2 yr low in Oct: CNBC
US trade deficit widened in October: MW
Fed’s 5th district mfg activity grew at moderate pace in Nov: Richmond Fed
Revised GDP data: US economy expanded at 3.5% in Q3: MW

University of Michigan professor Scott Page reminds us that more is better for using models in the art/science of forecasting. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, he advises that “with an ensemble of models, you can make up for the gaps in any one of the models.”
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Russia says it will deploy new missiles to Crimea as Ukraine tensions rise: Reuters
Kudlow: US and China have re-engaged in trade talks ahead of G20 meeting: CNBC
Trump may cancel meeting with Putin at G20 after Russia-Ukraine clash: The Hill
Trump threatens to end GM’s electric car subsidies over factory closures: CNN
US gov’t shutdown risk rising over battle to fund border wall: Politico
Federal Housing Finance Agency: US house prices rose slowly in Q3: Housing Wire
US Consumer Confidence Index eased in Oct, but remains elevated: MW
US home price gains decelerate to slowest pace since Jan 2017: CNBC

Economic activity for the US appears headed for a second quarterly slowdown in the final three months of this year. The projection is based on a set of nowcasts compiled by The Capital Spectator. The current median estimate: a 2.7% increase in real growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate), which is slightly below the previous outlook published in early November.
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Will Russia-Ukraine fight over sea passage trigger wider war? NY Times
US-China trade deal prospects dim after Trump’s comments: CNN
Early signs suggest China’s economy slowed for 6th month in Nov: Bloomberg
Trump dismisses climate-based econ warning in his administration’s report: BBC
Trump: UK-EU Brexit agreement could threaten US-UK trade deal: CNBC
House GOP rolls out huge tax bill for lame-duck Congress: Politico
GM announces hefty worker cuts and plant closures: CNN
Strong job market lifts Chicago Fed Nat’l Activity Index in Nov: MW

US investment-grade bonds were the exception, courtesy of a flat performance. Otherwise, the rest of the major asset classes fell last week during a wave of selling, based on a set of exchange-traded products.
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Russia seizes Ukraine naval ships off Crimean Peninsula: BBC
Russia reopens Kerch Strait to shipping after seizing Ukrainian naval ships: Reuters
EU approves UK’s Brexit deal: BBC
US shuts major crossing with Mexico as migrants rush border: WaPo
Global markets rebound on Monday: MW
Businesses consider Democratic proposals to raise corporate tax rate: The Hill
Eurozone growth slips to four-year low in Nov, according to PMI data: IHS Markit
US Composite PMI signals points to moderate growth in November: IHS Markit
US Treasury inflation forecast via 5yr Notes tumbled to 1.77%–lowest this year:

Recession risk for the US remains low at the moment, but the signs are piling up that economic growth is slowing. The nine-year-old expansion will remain intact through the end of the year and persist into the early months of 2019, but next year’s second quarter-plus looks wobbly.
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Trump and China President Xi prepared for trade talks next week: Bloomberg
Hillary Clinton tells Europe to curb migration for political reasons: Politico
Tensions rise as migrants mass at US-Mexico border: Reuters
Oil prices fall to 2018 low despite OPEC plans for ouput cut: Reuters
Trump’s feud with Chief Justice Roberts spills over to Thanksgiving: The Hill
Eurozone business activity in Nov grows at slowest rate in four years: IHS Markit
US jobless claims rose to 4-month high last week: CNBC
Existing home sales in US posted largest annual slide in four years in Oct: WSJ
Decline in US durable goods orders for Oct point to softer growth in Q4: WSJ
Leading economic index predicts US expansion will moderate: MW
US consumer sentiment remains elevated after second monthly dip: MW