Archive - Mar 3, 2011 - Story

Markets positive this morning as the rise in oil simmered and emerging markets posted gains. World food prices met a new high in the latest U.N. report as it seems that the U.S. continues to export inflation. The Fed’s Beige Book released yesterday was optimistic and similar to January’s, with nearly all of the reporting regional banks citing growth in retail and manufacturing despite evidence of rising pressure on prices. Initial jobless claims data today 395K Expected and given last week’s large drop and fairly consistent weather, the release should be on par with last week’s 391K. Fed Chairman Bernanke spoke to House of Representatives yesterday in day two of his Humphrey Hawkins speech, again expressing dissatisfaction with the labor market, confidence in the battle against inflation and concern for America’s fiscal policy. Bernanke’s two days of speeches to Congress showed a conviction to keep short term interest rates low until unemployment levels recovered. Although recent releases show a modest rebound in labor, it may not be enough to push interest rates up as current estimates for 2012 unemployment reach 7.5 to 8.0%.

• Why the Dollar's Reign Is Near an End (WSJ)
• Take a bow Hatzius: John Taylor takes apart Goldman's economic "achemists and quacks" (Bloomberg) - This is what happens when you sellout to the propaganda machine
• William Cohan joins the tinfoil hat brigade - A Conspiracy With a Silver Lining (NYT)
• Gaddafi strikes oil areas, Arabs weigh peace plan (Reuters)
• No criminal charges ever: Officials Disagree on Penalties for Mortgage Mess (NYT)
• Bernanke Sees 200,000 Hit to Jobs from Budget Cuts (Reuters)
• It's Taps For the Still Weakening Dollar (RCM)
• Asia Moves to Shore Up Strategic Oil Reserves (FT)
• Beijing home sales slump in February (China Daily)

When two months ago, in the first week of January, we observed that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation's Food Price Index had hit a record we said: "The last time food prices hit ridiculous levels, the immediate outcome
was global food riots in places such as Haiti and Bangladesh. Which is
why distributors of riot equipment in the world's poorest countries may
be in for a bumper crop as the Food and Agriculture Organization has
just announced that world food prices have just surpassed the previous
record last seen in 2007-2008." Little did we know just how prophetic this statement would turn out to be. Well, the FAO has just released its latest food price update and as expected, it is a new all time high. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation's Food Price Index hit its second straight record last month, further passing peaks seen in 2008 when prices sparked riots in several countries, driven by rising grain costs and tighter supply." And with oil now joining food, which means that the inflationary vicious spiral is now on, it is only a matter of time before ever more hungry countries join the wave of revolutions, now that Tunisia and Egypt have shown it can be done. On the other hand, our expectation is that the IMF will promptly seek to put out any fires before they become infernos, with the US taxpayer reeling from the double whammy of Bernanke's inflationary policy consequences: once at home, and once by subsidizing foreigners.

The main story overnight, which has cut gains in precious metals and oil, and set futures surging is a bizarre rumor that Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez has proposed a Libyan peace plan which is being considered by the Arab League. "Oil prices were lower on Thursday as speculation a peace deal may be brokered for Libya prompted some investors to cash in gains, but the market remained elevated on concerns over ongoing unrest in the region. A report the Arab League was considering a peace plan for Libya proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez led some players who had bet on rising prices to close their positions overnight." In terms of credibility and actual practicality, this story has about the same weight as the false rumor spread last week that Gaddafi was shot. But the desperate market will take any myth that sends it surging and run with it. "As for the proposed peace plan, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa told Reuters, "We have been informed of President Chavez's plan, but it is still under consideration." Analysts were sceptical the plan would lead to peace. "It is doubtful that the protesters in Libya will agree to enter negotiations with Gaddafi as the plan of Venezuelan President Chavez suggests," Commerzbank said in a note." So while a US aircraft carrier is happily swimming toward Libya (fact), stocks once again bury their head in the sand on the smallest amount of misinformation with the hope that central planning has once again regained control.

RANsquawk European Morning Briefing - Stocks, Bonds, FX etc. – 03/03/11