Bear Market

As the great EM unwind continues unabated, we’ve noted that in some hard-hit countries, the terrible trio of falling commodity prices, decelerating Chinese demand, and looming Fed hike has been exacerbated by political turmoil. Now, we turn to Malaysia where an already tenuous situation just got worse as PM Najib Razak is now facing calls for a no-confidence vote amid allegations he embezzled some $700 million from the country's development fund.

Shockwaves from China’s devaluation have conspired with sluggish global demand and an attendant commodities slump to wreak havoc on developing market currencies the world over. On the heels of Kazakhstan's dramatic move to float the tenge, here's which currencies are next in line to tumble.

Following the biggest 4-day decline in AAPL stock since Jan 2014, the "no brainer" once-darling of the investing world has just officially entered a bear market, down 20% from its April record highs.

BULLARD SAYS FED DOESN'T REACT DIRECTLY TO EQUITY MARKETS

Somewhere Janet Yellen is smiling a "told you so" grin as she watches the "stretched valuations" of the Biotech index get slashed. Biotechs are now down 22% from the highs  - officially a bear market - and just broke the crucial 200-day moving average for the first time in 10 months...

"SPOT GOLD: Runnin “Smack” Into Long Term Resistance: We turned supportive of gold several weeks ago rather publically [ZH: sic], but now gold in US dollar terms is running into what we fear shall be formidable resistance… with the margin clerks around the world looking to sell gold to raise liquidity as stocks come under very real pressure." - Dennis Gartman

What began in early June with a surprisingly strong showing at the ballot box for the pro-Kurdish HDP has now ended precisely where many knew it would: with new elections.

• No End in Sight for Oil Glut (WSJ)
• Dozens of Clinton emails were classified from the start, U.S. rules suggest (Reuters)
• China August Manufacturing Activity Hits Lowest Level Since 2009 (WSJ)
• German Manufacturing Strengthens as Economy Shifts Up a Gear (BBG)
• Israel responds to rocket attack with protest and air strikes (FT)
• ASX carnage: 2015 fast becoming a year to forget  (Canberra Times)
• Hong Kong Stocks Enter Bear Market After Falling From April Peak (BBG)

So why are so many prominent voices now warning that a global financial crisis is imminent? The answer is actually very simple: A global financial crisis is imminent.

It is unclear what precipitated it (some blamed China concerns, fears of rate hikes, commodity weakness, technical picture deterioration although  it's all just goalseeking guesswork) but overnight S&P futures followed yesterday's unexpected slide following what were explicitly dovish Fed minutes, and took another sharp leg lower down by almost 20 points, set to open below the 200 DMA again, as the dazed and confused investing world reacts to what both the Treasury and Oil market signal is a deflationary deluge. Indeed, oil is about to trade under $40 while the 10Y Treasury was last seen trading at 2.07%. Incidentally, the last time oil was here in March of 2009, the Fed was about to unleash QE 1. This time, so called experts are debating if the Fed will hike rates in one month or three.

Take a step back from the media, and Wall Street commentary, for a moment and make an honest assessment of the financial markets today. If our job is to "bet" when the "odds" of winning are in our favor, then exactly how "strong" is the fundamental hand you are currently betting on? This "time IS different" only from the standpoint that the variables are not exactly the same as they have been previously. Of course, they never are, and the result will be "...the same as it ever was."

“Over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs. Our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999.” - President Obama

Despite those feel-good headlines, the average American is far, far from solid financial footing.

“The way to wealth in a bull market is debt. The way to oblivion in a bear market is also debt, and nobody rings a bell.” – James Grant

While making its devaluation announcement, Beijing said that it wanted its currency "to reflect fundamentals" and to no longer simply mirror the movement of the dollar. It acknowledged the fact that its peg to the dollar was problematic and that it wanted a better, more natural mechanism. This is the key to understanding the announcement: The Chinese are preparing for a time in which the financial world does not spin in orbit around the dollar. Such a reality must make us think about the future.

There is an economic and financial trainwreck rumbling through the world economy. Namely, the Great China Ponzi. In all of economic history there has never been anything like it. It is only a matter of time before it ends in a spectacular collapse, leaving the global financial bubble of the last two decades in shambles. The resulting deflationary spiral will suck the global economy into its vortex. And Wall Street will go down for the count because this time the Fed will be utterly powerless to reverse the tide.