Archive - Mar 2014

When Abe, Kuroda, and their merry men unveiled their latest idea - Abenomics - the world's macro tourists piled in and spent every waking second convincing the rest of the world's suckers that this time was different for Japan. We, along with Kyle Bass and a short list of other realists, warned "be careful what you wish for." It seems tonight's data is the best example yet of the print-and-grow rock and inflate-and-die hard place that Abe finds himself between. Multi-year highs in inflation (pressing on to the BoJ's target) combined with a total collapse in household spending (lowest in 27 months). Abe is cornered; and JPY and the Nikkei are confounded for now.

$20 billion yesterday for a "virtual" reality corporation... but it gets better, as Property Guru reports, Singapore-based game developer Planet Arkadia is offering investments in what is believed to be the world’s first million dollar virtual property. It offers the 'investor' a chance to participate (by spending real money) in the "vibrantly growing economy of Planet Arkadia" - which we note is entirely virtual. Top, much?

If you are not Professor Paul Krugman you probably agree that Washington has left no stone unturned on the Keynesian stimulus front since the crisis of September 2008. By the time the “taper” is over later this year (?) the Fed’s balance sheet will exceed $4.7 trillion - $4 trillion in new central bank liabilities in six years. All conjured out of thin air.  Professor Krugman proposing to “do something”... In short, Krugman wants to double-down on the lunacy we have already accomplished. Unfortunately, we are presently nigh onto “peak debt”; there is no “escape velocity” because the Fed’s credit channel is broken and done. Going forward, the American people will once again be required to live within their means, spending no more than they produce. By contrast, Professor Krugman’s destructive recipes are entirely the product of a countrafactual economic universe that does not actually exist. He wants us to borrow and print even more because our macro-economic bathtub is not yet full. And that part is true. It doesn’t even exist.

The last few years have seen the high-tech darlings spending their freshly printed funny-money currency (shares) on all sorts of money-making (but mostly losing) ideas...

It has happened over and over again throughout history.  Nations, empires, and dynasties have made bad economic decisions which lead to their own destruction.  The scenario usually goes something like this--one generation sacrifices and works hard to overcome global challenges and creates an economic powerhouse, which in turn allows it to project military power.  Follow on generations take their elders work for granted and ignore and even denigrate the fruits of hard labor, they just want the benefits and start giving away the spoils for free.  The next generation indulges itself in sloth and corruption and is overrun by the barbarians.

This week, markets have been driven by position squaring and P&L management.  There have been extraordinary price movements in various commodities and currencies due to extreme weather, the decline in the Chinese Renminbi, capital flight, Fed taper, and geo-politics.  Such P&L volatility is causing decisions to be made in other, seemingly uncorrelated markets, due to the need to manage P&L risk. These movements are of elevated concern because the investment climate of recent years has created a herd mentality.  Now that global stimulus is being withdrawn, those trades are under attack and a mini-contagion is unfolding. "The apt analogy is a playground see-saw where investors (and Fed) have a seat firmly on the ground and risk assets dangling in the air... The Fed would like to balance the see-saw, but history suggests the chances are infinitesimal.”

In our previous article we explained why buying a house is often a very silly financial decision, especially for people who are young, or those that have a low net worth. In this article we're going to explain why we think people are so infatuated with the idea of buying and owning a house, even though, if you look a the facts, it goes against many of the investment principles they believe in and hold dear.

Britain's former chairman of the  Financial Services Authority (FSA), Lord Adair Turner, warned that the UK could be repeating the 2008 financial crisis by fueling the property market ... When money is debased by monetary authorities on an industrial scale, the results can be catastrophic ...

The economic growth expectations for the world in 2014 just plunged to fresh lows at a mere 2.78% - that is 15% "less" growth than was expected a year ago. The world's equity markets are up 25% "more" than at the start of 2013. Thus, our dysfunctional dystopian world where 'less' economic growth is 'more' wealth-creating. Long live the central bank utopia...

The major US equity indices all pushed into negative YTD territory today in yet another pump-dump-and-small-ramp deja vu day. Early strength gave way quicker today as Biotechs bounced off an early dump (but closed back below their 100DMA for 2nd day - first time in 18 months), momo names were crushed (down 10-14% post-FOMC), Citi was banged over 5% (on extremely heavy volume post CCAR), and the NASDAQ tested down (and bounced off) its 100DMA. Treasuries were mixed once again with bear-flattening the dominant theme. The USD ended the day unch on the week with EUR weakness offset by CAD and GBP strength. AUDJPY was in chgarge of stocks most of the day-session. Copper and oil improved as gold and silver slipped more (though bounced at the close). Late-day JPY pump, VIX dump rescued the S&P back to +0.03% return for 2014.

Shortly after suspending Russia’s membership in the exclusive coalition of industrialized nations, the United States and the six other wealthy nations that compose the newly renamed Group of Seven reportedly found themselves unable to get their deposit back on a set of “2014 G8 Summer Getaway” T-shirts they had ordered for the body’s scheduled summit in June...

The New Cold War: "We cannot take our freedoms for granted."

While we are sure the governments and their IMF handlers will find a way around such annoyances as the rule of law, the Greek Supreme Court just ruled that the seizure of bank deposits due to debts to the state without previous notice was against the Constitution. We humbly suggest the Ukrainian courts be rapidly brought to a decision on the same ruling, before IMF hands start dipping into pockets.

Well that didn't take long.. the "nationalists" who freed the country from Yanukovych's apparent corrupt government in favor of a well-chosen US leadership, are now turning on the replacements:

• *UKRAINE NATIONALIST PRAVYI SEKTOR PROTESTS AT PARLIAMENT: TV5
• *UKRAINIAN PROTESTERS DEMAND INTERIOR MINISTER'S RESIGNATION
• *UKRAINE LAWMAKERS EVACUATED FROM PARLIAMENT BUILDING: TV5

Of course, this is a day after the party's leader was allegedly killed by Police, and following lawmakers demands that citizens return any illegally held guns. It seems reveolution is addictive...

As the cost of living increases around the globe, wage protests and strikes have become commonplace, particularly in the emerging market space: