Archive - Jan 18, 2015 - Story

There are more important factors than merely looking at the total size of the QE program that is apparently coming next week from the ECB. the greatest probability in my opinion, and the only way we believe Draghi can retain enough votes, is for the Council to reject risk sharing (as suggested in the Der Spiegel article). This means QE will be implemented by the National Central Banks who would be responsible for the purchasing of their own debt. We believe this structure is of critical importance, because unlike other ‘bail-out’ structures, such an action is anti-integration. It would be a step back-ward; a step away from being a union.

Practically presented with no comment, we could not quite believe the words coming out of Venezuela's President Maduro last night as he addressed the nation's concerns over mile-long lines for toothpaste, toilet-paper, bread, and soap:

*VENEZUELA MUST DEEPEN SOCIALISM TO IMPROVE ECONOMY: MADURO

Having apparently failed on his mission to Asia to garner enough support to drag oil prices up to the $100 level he "believes is fair," Maduro went on to explain how he will "change the food supply system, not the economic model," to solve the nation's crisis, since "most of the private sector are parasitic bums."

America: Land of the Thief, Home of the Slave.

"Why stand on formalities? Let's get the ball rolling right now," Mr. Obama said at a recent stop in Tennessee. In previous years, As Dow Jones reports, the content of the speech was a closely guarded secret, leaving reporters, politicians, lobbyists and interest groups scrambling for tidbits and gossip in the days and weeks leading up to the event. But this year, much of Mr. Obama's policy wish list and broad themes will be well-known when he walks onto the House floor next week. Here is what the president is widely expected to focus on in his address next week...