Mike Bird
@birdyword.bsky.social
Wall Street editor at The Economist, co-host of our Money Talks podcast.
Pinned
Mike Bird
@birdyword.bsky.social
· Aug 15
BIG NEWS: My book, The Land Trap, is coming out on Nov 4! I've been fascinated by this topic for years. The book tells the story of why land still occupies such a huge role in finance, economics and politics globally, and why that's a source of huge risk. You can preorder NOW!
Today's the day: the Land Trap is now OUT in the US! Just two days to wait until the UK release. Pre-orders landing imminently.
If you're interested in why land is so vital in finance everywhere, the rise and fall of Georgism, and how land shaped Japan, China and Singapore, this is the book for you
If you're interested in why land is so vital in finance everywhere, the rise and fall of Georgism, and how land shaped Japan, China and Singapore, this is the book for you
November 4, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Today's the day: the Land Trap is now OUT in the US! Just two days to wait until the UK release. Pre-orders landing imminently.
If you're interested in why land is so vital in finance everywhere, the rise and fall of Georgism, and how land shaped Japan, China and Singapore, this is the book for you
If you're interested in why land is so vital in finance everywhere, the rise and fall of Georgism, and how land shaped Japan, China and Singapore, this is the book for you
Very excited to see the first major review of my book, which now comes out in less than three weeks, by @martinsandbu.ft.com in the Financial Times! www.ft.com/content/cb90...
October 16, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Very excited to see the first major review of my book, which now comes out in less than three weeks, by @martinsandbu.ft.com in the Financial Times! www.ft.com/content/cb90...
PS, if you would like to review the book, if you'd like me to talk about it for an event, if you'd like me to come on a podcast or anything else, now is very much the time to get in touch and ask!
October 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
PS, if you would like to review the book, if you'd like me to talk about it for an event, if you'd like me to come on a podcast or anything else, now is very much the time to get in touch and ask!
Just finished the final touches on the audiobook.Less than three weeks to go now, getting very exciting!
If you're interested, the best thing you can possibly do now is pre-order! Available all over the place - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Guardian Bookshop and many other bookshops.
If you're interested, the best thing you can possibly do now is pre-order! Available all over the place - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Guardian Bookshop and many other bookshops.
Worked on the audio of the upcoming book from @birdyword.bsky.social the section on Japan was fascinating, I'm sure the rest is too. Finance bsky alert @peark.es @weisenthal.bsky.social www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset
The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset [Bird, Mike] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset
www.amazon.com
October 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Just finished the final touches on the audiobook.Less than three weeks to go now, getting very exciting!
If you're interested, the best thing you can possibly do now is pre-order! Available all over the place - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Guardian Bookshop and many other bookshops.
If you're interested, the best thing you can possibly do now is pre-order! Available all over the place - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Guardian Bookshop and many other bookshops.
Reposted by Mike Bird
Worked on the audio of the upcoming book from @birdyword.bsky.social the section on Japan was fascinating, I'm sure the rest is too. Finance bsky alert @peark.es @weisenthal.bsky.social www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset
The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset [Bird, Mike] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset
www.amazon.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Worked on the audio of the upcoming book from @birdyword.bsky.social the section on Japan was fascinating, I'm sure the rest is too. Finance bsky alert @peark.es @weisenthal.bsky.social www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
Thank you! That's great to hear
October 8, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Thank you! That's great to hear
Audiobook recording is WRAPPED!
You can preorder here, or get yourself a print copy! Or ideally, both! Available at a bunch of other places too.
www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
You can preorder here, or get yourself a print copy! Or ideally, both! Available at a bunch of other places too.
www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
September 27, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Audiobook recording is WRAPPED!
You can preorder here, or get yourself a print copy! Or ideally, both! Available at a bunch of other places too.
www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
You can preorder here, or get yourself a print copy! Or ideally, both! Available at a bunch of other places too.
www.amazon.com/Land-Trap-Hi...
BIG NEWS: My book, The Land Trap, is coming out on Nov 4! I've been fascinated by this topic for years. The book tells the story of why land still occupies such a huge role in finance, economics and politics globally, and why that's a source of huge risk. You can preorder NOW!
August 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
BIG NEWS: My book, The Land Trap, is coming out on Nov 4! I've been fascinated by this topic for years. The book tells the story of why land still occupies such a huge role in finance, economics and politics globally, and why that's a source of huge risk. You can preorder NOW!
JP Morgan now accounts for about 30% of the market cap of large American banks, from 12% when Dimon started. Mike Mayo, the Wells Fargo banks analyst, thinks itsm's heading to $1tn. It already had a lead over competitors on efficiency pre-pandemic, but the gap is huge now.
May 22, 2025 at 12:11 PM
JP Morgan now accounts for about 30% of the market cap of large American banks, from 12% when Dimon started. Mike Mayo, the Wells Fargo banks analyst, thinks itsm's heading to $1tn. It already had a lead over competitors on efficiency pre-pandemic, but the gap is huge now.
Fun story this week. I interviewed Jamie Dimon and the each of the heads of the bank's major businesses (his potential successors) about JP Morgan's astonishing expansion, what could threaten the biggest bank in American history, and what's coming next.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Will Jamie Dimon build the first trillion-dollar bank?
We interview JPMorgan Chase’s boss, and his lieutenants
www.economist.com
May 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Fun story this week. I interviewed Jamie Dimon and the each of the heads of the bank's major businesses (his potential successors) about JP Morgan's astonishing expansion, what could threaten the biggest bank in American history, and what's coming next.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
My piece this week: for a long time, private markets firms have dreamed of "democratising" their asset class. They're not dreaming anymore - the moment of truth has arrived www.economist.com/finance-and-....
www.economist.com
May 1, 2025 at 1:04 PM
My piece this week: for a long time, private markets firms have dreamed of "democratising" their asset class. They're not dreaming anymore - the moment of truth has arrived www.economist.com/finance-and-....
Transpacific trade is already seizing up because of the tariffs.
Three weeks ago, about 60,000 TEU (a measure of container volume) were scheduled to be "blanked" from April 16-May 10 (cancelled voyages/stops at a port). Now the figure is *367,800*
www.sea-intelligence.com/press-room/3...
Three weeks ago, about 60,000 TEU (a measure of container volume) were scheduled to be "blanked" from April 16-May 10 (cancelled voyages/stops at a port). Now the figure is *367,800*
www.sea-intelligence.com/press-room/3...
April 18, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Transpacific trade is already seizing up because of the tariffs.
Three weeks ago, about 60,000 TEU (a measure of container volume) were scheduled to be "blanked" from April 16-May 10 (cancelled voyages/stops at a port). Now the figure is *367,800*
www.sea-intelligence.com/press-room/3...
Three weeks ago, about 60,000 TEU (a measure of container volume) were scheduled to be "blanked" from April 16-May 10 (cancelled voyages/stops at a port). Now the figure is *367,800*
www.sea-intelligence.com/press-room/3...
The media monoculture breaking down is so fun. This guy is visiting China, I had never previously heard of him, but as far as I can tell it's perhaps the third biggest global news story happening in the last week.
April 5, 2025 at 10:57 PM
The media monoculture breaking down is so fun. This guy is visiting China, I had never previously heard of him, but as far as I can tell it's perhaps the third biggest global news story happening in the last week.
Reposted by Mike Bird
Actually can take it back further: only 3 occasions since 1964 with larger 2-day sellouts in S&P 500
April 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Actually can take it back further: only 3 occasions since 1964 with larger 2-day sellouts in S&P 500
It's important to remember that for younger investors, a selloff can represent a great entry opportunity! Unless it represents a change in the value of discounted future cash flows.
April 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
It's important to remember that for younger investors, a selloff can represent a great entry opportunity! Unless it represents a change in the value of discounted future cash flows.
Fact check true
Why are we surprised? The Economist made @birdyword.bsky.social Wall Street Editor in January. Wherever he goes disaster follows.
April 4, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Fact check true
What was that all priced in, guilders? Spanish dollars?
April 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
What was that all priced in, guilders? Spanish dollars?
There are now only two occasions in recent financial history where the S&P 500 sold off more sharply in two days than it has since the US tariff announcements - the peak of Covid panic in March 2020, and a cluster of occasions during the very worst moments of the global financial crisis in 2008
April 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
There are now only two occasions in recent financial history where the S&P 500 sold off more sharply in two days than it has since the US tariff announcements - the peak of Covid panic in March 2020, and a cluster of occasions during the very worst moments of the global financial crisis in 2008
My piece today: Trump's tariff bazooka is the biggest threat yet to 15yrs of US equity exceptionalism.
It's not just the mindless economic hit. Amateurish execution undermines the widespread belief in pro-market US governance
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
It's not just the mindless economic hit. Amateurish execution undermines the widespread belief in pro-market US governance
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
What America’s stockmarket plunge means
Farewell to 15 years of exceptionalism?
www.economist.com
April 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
My piece today: Trump's tariff bazooka is the biggest threat yet to 15yrs of US equity exceptionalism.
It's not just the mindless economic hit. Amateurish execution undermines the widespread belief in pro-market US governance
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
It's not just the mindless economic hit. Amateurish execution undermines the widespread belief in pro-market US governance
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Some of the US stocks with the biggest international trade/production exposures have just been absolutely battered since mid-February. Best Buy, Dell and Nike down between 26% and 36%.
April 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Some of the US stocks with the biggest international trade/production exposures have just been absolutely battered since mid-February. Best Buy, Dell and Nike down between 26% and 36%.
Capital Economics: if today's announcements are implemented, the effective US tariff rate will shoot straight past the Smoot-Hawley levels of the 1930s.
"The effective tariff rate on all imports will rise from 2.3% last year to around 26%, leaving it at a 131-year high"
"The effective tariff rate on all imports will rise from 2.3% last year to around 26%, leaving it at a 131-year high"
April 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Capital Economics: if today's announcements are implemented, the effective US tariff rate will shoot straight past the Smoot-Hawley levels of the 1930s.
"The effective tariff rate on all imports will rise from 2.3% last year to around 26%, leaving it at a 131-year high"
"The effective tariff rate on all imports will rise from 2.3% last year to around 26%, leaving it at a 131-year high"
I dunno, because there was quite a drumbeat for that which didn't come from Churchill. Was it also more binary than this? I don't know if there was any discussion about the precise level to peg at
April 1, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I dunno, because there was quite a drumbeat for that which didn't come from Churchill. Was it also more binary than this? I don't know if there was any discussion about the precise level to peg at
Yeah it may be that - although at least the US was at that time perceptibly in crisis
April 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Yeah it may be that - although at least the US was at that time perceptibly in crisis
I'm trying to think of something as clearly discretionary as this, where there's no immediate or meaningful consequence to just not doing it.
April 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM
I'm trying to think of something as clearly discretionary as this, where there's no immediate or meaningful consequence to just not doing it.
What's a historical example of an economic policy as significant as the tariffs being discussed, where we knew similarly little about the scale of the announcement right beforehand? The Covid + 2008 crisis responses seem different because they were triggered by exogenous events.
April 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
What's a historical example of an economic policy as significant as the tariffs being discussed, where we knew similarly little about the scale of the announcement right beforehand? The Covid + 2008 crisis responses seem different because they were triggered by exogenous events.