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Upcoming Auctions: Bills Bonanza - Over $150 Billion Gross To Be Auctioned Off Within A Week, $53 Billion Today

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 11:21

There is a real Bill issuance fest coming in the next week, as the US Treasury does everything but what it promised in regard to extending average Treasury maturities. After all, someone must let banks repo newly auctioned assets at zero rates so they can keep pushing the market ever higher into dot.com levels and far, far beyond.

Here is the listing of upcoming Bill auctions over the next week:
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EUR: Not Necessarily A Straightforward Buy

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 11:05

The news out of Europe had a lot of overnight commentaries pointing towards increased risk appetite, but the fervor has already dissipated it seems. Most people had been expecting guaranties to be the form adopted for the bailout. Guaranties present the advantage of not requiring any disbursement of money up front and are the easiest way to provide assistance. In the case of Greece where market access could have been a problem the fact the weekend's resolution came in the form of loans provides a bit more certitude. However beyond this technical convenience there are major hurdles associated. - Nic Lenoir
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Speculative Mania Is Now At May 2000 Bubble Levels

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 10:43

As SentimenTrader points out, we are now approaching uncharted territory when it comes to speculative activity, and are back to 2000 bubble levels. "The heavy concentration on bullish strategies, among all classes of traders, pushed the Options Speculation Index to another recent high, beyond anything we saw at the January peak or in recent weeks. The only comparison in the history that we have are the weeks around the peak in the spring of 2000. It seems we've entered a whole new realm from anything we've seen over the past nine years, so who knows how much longer - or more extreme - this can go." The last time we were here, the tech bubble was about to pop and result in 50%+ losses for the Nasdaq virtually overnight. This time around, this is not a tech-isolated bubble. This is a global bubble fueled by the endless money printing insanity of the Central Bankers. When it pops it will take down every asset class with it. But for the smart and dumb money, one must stay invested to have a job on January 1, 2011, not to mention bonus - look for the peaks from 2000 to be soon taken out as now everyone jumps on the same side of the boat.
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Rosenberg Summarizes The Arguments Of The Great Treasury Bond-Bear Debate, Remains A Staunch Deflationist

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 10:24

A great overview of the arguments on either side of the great Treasury bull-bear debate, courtesy of David Rosenberg. Rosie juxtaposes the perspectives of two of the most respect yields strategists currently: MS' Jim Caron, and Goldman's Jan Hatzius. A dose of Jim Grant is also thrown in for good measure. Must read summary for bond bulls and bears alike.
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Irrational Exuberance Is Here: VIX Lowest Since July 2007 As Options Speculation Highest Since Dot Com Days

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 09:58

The VIX has just hit the lowest level since July of 2007 as Sentiment Trader reports that "speculation in the options market has spiked to its highest levels since the spring of 2000." The government's endorsed moral hazard policy has now lead to the worst of both the dot.com and the housing bubbles. There is nothing that can ever again default or lose money: Uncle Sam is there with your money to guarantee it. Ben Bernanke sees no bubble anywhere.
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Morning Musings From Art Cashin

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 09:34

While the press and pundits hype the 11,000 level, the real resistance levels are up around 11,100. That’s where lots of Fibonacci targets and moving averages converge. Friday, the napkins suggested S&P resistance at 1194/1197. Friday’s high was 1194.66. Today’s numbers look like: resistance 1199/1202 and support 1182/1185. - Art Cashin
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Erik Nielsen's Morning Greek Update, More Vivid Imagery As Loaded Gun Becomes Full Fire Extinguisher

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 09:10

As we claimed yesterday, Greek bailout #4 is nothing but more hot air and mirages that more debt will fix excess debt. Just as the bond traders who are now starting to take the entire Greek curve wider once again. Goldman agrees too.



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Frontrunning: April 12

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 08:58
  • Recession not over - National Bureau of Economic Research not ready to say when recession ended (Bloomberg, Economic Populist)
  • Profits for banks dimmed by home-equity loss seen at $30 billion, CreditSights (Bloomberg)
  • And now attention turns to... Spain's toughest job, 20% unemployment (WSJ)
  • Interest rates have nowhere to go but up (NYT)
  • Palm hires Goldman, Quattrone to find buyers (Bloomberg)
  • Dubai's $330 billion deferred buildings impose fees (Bloomberg)
  • What do we do if the rich start to leave? (RCM)
  • 47% of Americans pay no taxes (Fundmastery)
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Greek Spreads Tighten By Less Than 100 Bps, Vigilantes Refuse To Uncall ECB's Bluff

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 08:28

As the chart demonstrates, even after bailout #4, 10 year spreads are just wider than where they were when this latest risk-flaring episode commenced, and are now in the 6.6% range, a spread to bunds of about 350 bps. As the so-called rescue mechanism is supposed to come in at 5% for the 3 year and presumably cheaper down the curve the bond market is once again not convinced that this weekend's videoconference festivities are anything but hot air. That the kneejerk reaction on Monday was unable to tighten spreads more is very concerning, and likely indicative that Greece will activate the rescue plan within the week. Next catalyst: tomorrow's 6 and 12 month auctions.
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Daily Highlights: 4.12.10

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 08:13
  • Asian stocks rise as Greece rescue, US data boost risk appeal.
  • Bank of Korea raises growth forecast to 5.2%, fastest pace in four years.
  • Brazil's real poised to rise as rate increase spurs carry trade.
  • Chicago to sell $1.2B O'Hare bonds as issuance recovers.
  • China import surge triggers trade deficit, adds pressure to scrap Yuan peg.
  • Chinese watchdog eyes local loan books; state cos borrow heavily for pet projects.
  • Euro strengthens as stocks, commodities gain on Greek rescue; Bonds fall.
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RANsquawk 12th April Morning Briefing - Stocks, Bonds, FX etc.

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/12/2010 - 08:06

RANsquawk 12th April Morning Briefing - Stocks, Bonds, FX etc.
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LBMA Gold Manipulation Story Hits The Mainstream

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/11/2010 - 23:42

First, the gold manipulation story that Zero Hedge and select others have been beating a drum over for months, had finally made inroads into the broader public, first via the Huffington Post, and earlier today via the NY Post. It has also gone global thanks to the Melbourne Herald Sun, the largest newspaper in Australia, whose column by John Beveridge "More bull than bullion" is reproduced below, courtesy of the GATA. Most importantly, Zero Hedge will soon disclose some very stirring details on the manipulated gold market courtesy of yet another whistleblower, and add a new twist in the greatest precious meals fraud saga of all time. Stay tuned.



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More BOJ Policy Members Join Hoenig's ZIRP Vigilantism; Japan's Central Bank Realizes It Is A Media Manipulated Puppet

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/11/2010 - 23:12

The just released minutes from the March 16-17 policy-setting meeting by the Bank Of Japan indicate that dissension to global ZIRP, and its mutant step brother, Galactic Moral Hazard (we can't wait for Goldman to LBO Uranus, with $1 of taxpayer equity and a 0.001% perpetual PIK loan from the Federal Reserve), is growing: the vote to double the BOJ's 0.1% interest lending facility to Y20 trillion saw a final tally of 5 to 2, with two opposing. It is no surprise that as time goes by, ever more rational people will emerge at most central banks, and join such vigilantes as Tom Hoenig in expressing that extremely rare CB quality - unbribed common sense. Yet what is more notable in the last sentence is that Japan just increased the amount of funds to be injected to cover 3 month cash needs among commercial banks, and not only that but that the BOJ will also double the frequency of the new operation from once to twice per week. In summary: the fiscal tragedy discussed earlier by Koo is starting to once demonstrate the powerlessness of monetary policy when you are dealing with a defunct state. Yes America, this is coming here too. Here's why - the reason for all of this newfound excess monetary flooding: "To encourage a decline in longer-term interest rates." Because that is just what Japan need - more deflation.



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Goldman's Take On The Greek Bailout: The Lawsuits Are A-coming

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/11/2010 - 21:22

Goldman's take on the bailout: "Sure it is concessional, so we’ll probably see some interesting court cases if the loan gets disbursed." Look for the lawsuits in Germany to start flying at 9 am. We expect these to derail any prompt disbursement of capital especially once Greece throws in the towel and recognizes what everyone knows is the sad reality of its default condition. We expect this to make Tuesday's Bill issuance problematic and has resolved very little for any future Bond issuance at acceptable rates.



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And The Proverbial Moral Hazard Foot-Shooting Ensues: With Ink Not Dry On First Bail Out, Greece Already Demands Another €50 Billion

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 04/11/2010 - 13:09

Here is what happens when you green light Moral Hazard - in less than two hours after the videoconference in which the EMU announced €30 billion in aid for Greece, a Greek senior official has already come up and said that they were only kidding about needing just €40 or so billion (with the IMF's 10). The full amount will actually be double that, or €80 billion, for the three year period. Look for Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, and Lithuania to come knocking in the next 45 minutes.
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