Archive - Oct 5, 2012 - Story

Spot the one difference.

Today's quote of the day comes from Carole Laulhere of SocGen's Forex and rates corporate reserarch.

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

Comparisons of October 2012 with 2009, 2010 and 2011 may not prove terribly relevant for a variety of reasons but just like in L.M. Montgomery’s novel, despite the dire situation in the euro periphery, optimism and imagination have helped markets to see the best in things.

And to think it was only 3 years ago that we said to ignore corporate 10-K and Qs, and instead only focus on such central bank flow reports as the H.4.1. and H.3. We have reached the singularity point where nothing else matters but who pumps what, when and where. That and "optimism" and "imagination" of course.

• Draghi Says Next Move Not His as Spain Resists Bailout (Bloomberg)
• EU Doubts on Deficit Cutting May Hinder Spain’s Path to Bailout (Bloomberg)
• Merkel to Visit Greece for First Time Since Crisis Outbreak (Bloomberg)
• Fed's Bullard warns inflation won't ease U.S. debt burden (Reuters)
• Walmart Workers Stage a Walkout in California (NYT)
• Natural Gas Glut Pushes Exports (WSJ)
• BOJ Refrains From More Stimulus as Political Pressure Mounts (Bloomberg)
• Big funds seek to rein in pay at Wall Street banks (Reuters)
• Hong Kong Luxury Sales Fall as Chinese Curb Spending (Bloomberg)
• Dave and Busters Pulls IPO due to "Market Conditions" (Reuters) - so market at anything but all time highs now is market conditions?
• Weak U.S. labor market looms ahead of elections (Reuters)
• Glut of Solar Panels Poses a New Threat to China (NYT)

Precious metals have all run up with the recent loose money policies enacted by various governments.  Clearly the market darling of late is silver which is now gaining favour in Asia for its value appeal.  Spot silver traded in New York has risen by 27% since the end of June, while the price of spot gold has increased by a meek 12%. Analysts say future Indian demand is key for silver’s price to climb. Futures contracts for silver at India's largest commodity exchange, the Multi Commodity Exchange, rocketed 30% in September compared with July, while volumes fell by 10% for gold futures contracts over the same period. Indian rupee weakness sent gold prices in rupees to an all time high this year, while silver never exceeded the record it hit last April. Rupee-denominated silver is currently being quoted around 20% below the record. Indian investors have ceased purchasing because the 2 weeks ending Oct. 15th is regarded as inauspicious.  The buying will commence and peak during the week ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali on November 13th. In China, on the Shanghai Futures Exchange silver futures were up 29% at the end of September verses the end of June, while gold climbed 13%, according to data from the exchange's website.

The market is so focused on this morning's BLS number it has completely ignored the latest round of Reuters "news" (after their last two market-testing, unsourced "exclusives" about European developments were roundly refuted nobody can blame it) on how the OMT will proceed once operational (assuming of course Spain ever requests an activation of the mechanism that has allowed it to consider not requesting it). So, on to the thing of importance via BBG: expectations is for a NFP print of 115,000 and an unemployment rate of 8.2%. Any major surprises to either side will likely be risk negative. The unemployment rate has held above 8% level for 43 consecutive months; U.S. labor force participation rate last month declined to 63.5%, lowest since Sept. 1981. Back to Europe, a possible bailout for Spain is not imminent, a European Union official said, as concerns grow over the country’s ability to reach its deficit-reduction targets. The German recession accelerates as factory orders fell 1.3% in August, more than forecast. Switzerland’s foreign-currency reserves rose to a record 429.3 billion francs at the end of September from 420.8 billion francs at the end of August.Around the world: the Bank of Japan held off from more easing after adding to stimulus last month; shoppers from China’s mainland curbed spending at Hong Kong luxury stores during the Golden Week holiday.

While we have grown accustomed to the daily gyrations on mega-volume in the US equity markets, it seems the HFT-virus has spread as far afield as India this evening. India's National Stock Exchange was halted - with no price dissemination - as State Bank of India plunged over 14% in seconds on massive relative volume (and HDFC and Infosys also fell), dragging the Nifty Index down 3%. Of course, the 'error' is being investigated and SBIN has recovered its losses...

• *STATE BANK OF INDIA SHARES FALL 14% ON NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE
• *INDIA'S NIFTY INDEX EXTENDS DECLINE TO 2.8%
• *NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE SAYS VERIFYING SOURCE OF PRICE ERROR
• *NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE SAYS NIFTY INDEX LEVELS NOT UPDATING
• *INDIA'S NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE RESUMES TRADING
• *INDIA'S SENSEX INDEX ERASES LOSS; GAINS 0.3% IN MUMBAI
• *INDIA'S NSE SAYS `LOOKING INTO' THE FREAK TRADE