Archive - Dec 15, 2015 - Story

Following an increase of $17.4 billion in September, foreign net sales of Treasuries hit an all time high of $55.2 billion, surpassing the previous record of $55.0 billion set in January. In absolute terms, October's total foreign holdings by major holders declined to $6,046.3 trillion the lowest since the summer of 2014.

Danish border guards may confiscate gold, jewelry, diamonds, and other valuables from refugees as they enter the country (though wedding rings are now off limits). The Danish government’s excuse is that they need to confiscate assets from refugees in order to pay for the services they’re providing to those same refugees. Having armed men indiscriminately seize refugees’ personal belongings doesn’t strike me as the best representation of a free society. Not that this matters anymore.

Following last week's huge draw, total crude inventories were expected to drop 1 million barrels this week driven by expectations that refinery utilization rose last week. When API reported a hugely surprising 2.3 million barrel build, crude prices, which had drifted off highs after NYMEX close, dropped further as disappointment set in, back under $37.

Has the GOP establishment learned nothing from history? What the elites have to realize is that it is they and the policies they produced that are the reason Trump, Carson and Cruz currently hold an overwhelming majority of Republican votes.

“Strengthening Frontex, creating a kind of border guard would by all means be needed, beneficial,” he said on his way into a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “But the way the commission proposed it—for it to be a structure independent from nation states—is astounding.” He added: “There’d be an undemocratic structure reporting to no one knows who.”

With economic growth currently running at THE LOWEST average growth rate in American history, the time frame between the first rate and next recession will not be long. For investors, there is little “reward” in the current environment for taking on excess exposure to risk assets. The deteriorating junk bond market, declining profitability and weak economic underpinnings suggest that the clock has already begun ticking. The only question is how much time is left.

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The sell-off in credit over the past week has led many investors to ask what it means for equities. Credit spread widening usually has negative implications for equity but as Goldman notes,  it is critical to estimate the degree to which the equity market has already priced the weakness to determine the potential risks to equity going forward. Interestingly, Goldman finds the weakness in high yield credit was foreshadowed by weakness in the equities of high yield companies (like for like), but the weakness in Investment Grade credit spreads relative to their corresponding equities represents a new divergence suggesting meaningful downside for S&P 500 investors.

One word... "glut"

There is a Category 5 deflationary hurricane forming off the Chinese coast as Beijing accelerates the devaluation of the yuan against the dollar under the guise of “reform”. I say forming … the truth is that this deflationary storm has already laid waste to the global commodity complex, doing trillions of dollars in damage. I say forming … the truth is that this deflationary storm has driven inflation expectations down to levels last seen when the world was coming to an end in the Lehman aftermath. And now the Fed is going to tighten? Are you kidding me?

Update: NYC GOT SAME THREAT THAT CLOSED LA SCHOOLS, DETERMINED HOAX: AP

Los Angeles police confirmed that all Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools are closed Tuesday as police investigate what The LA Times reports as a bomb threat was called into a LAUSD board member. LAUSD is the nation's 2nd largest district. The LAUSD superintendent said  "I am not going to take a chance when it comes to the lives of students," stating that the threat was made to many schools, involved packages and backpacks, and says he wants every school is system searched. L.A. police chief says threat still being analyzed, FBI has been notified.

Since that transition in mid-year, oil prices have again persisted rather than rebounded and of late have turned to new “cycle” lows. Yet, neither transportation nor retailers have traded as if further benefits were accruing in terms of that “stimulus.” This is not to say that stock investors have boarded the recession view, only that there is a clear shift in risk perception that has undoubtedly rebalanced and reprioritized risk parameters. If the left side of the chart below was risks being viewed very favorable in terms of the economic fallout of low oil prices, the right is undoubtedly (much) less certain.

Today's stock market brought to you the number '25' and the word 'algo'...