A Trump-Xi dinner is happening. We don't know who's attending from the Chinese business side. This information is being protected like nuclear codes instead of what it actually is: a seating chart.
The headline says "very little is known" about Chinese executives. That's journalist speak for "we called around and nobody picked up." Companies are guarding the names of dinner attendees with more secrecy than their quarterly earnings. Which makes sense because God forbid anyone find out that the CEO of some rare earth mineral company is eating shrimp cocktail with a former president.
Retail traders are currently scanning this headline for alpha. They're building spreadsheets. Cross-referencing LinkedIn profiles. Checking which corporate jets landed where. One guy in Wisconsin just bought call options on every company with "China" in the description field. He's down 40% since this morning.
The guest list will eventually leak. Someone's assistant will post an Instagram story from the bathroom. We'll learn that twelve people ate dinner together. The market will move zero percent on this information. CNBC will dedicate four hours to panel discussions about what the seating arrangement means for semiconductor tariffs.
Here's what matters about this dinner: nothing. Two men will eat food. Other people will also be there eating food. Photographers will take pictures of all of them not eating food because you can't look dignified with a fork in your mouth. Business will be discussed in the same vague terms that business is always discussed at these things. Everyone will leave. The Sun will rise the next day.
But sure, let's all wait with bated breath to find out if the VP of some logistics conglomerate gets a seat at the table.
Leave a Comment