Comcast

• Russian markets hit as Putin tightens grip on Crimea (Reuters)
• Ukraine Sees More Russian Incursions as Standoff Worsens (BBG)
• Ukraine Crisis Roils Global Markets (WSJ)
• Cold War Ghosts Haunt East Europe in Moves for Crimea (BBG)
• How Moscow Orchestrated Events in Crimea (WSJ)
• Russia Gas Threat Shows Putin Using Pipes to Press Ukraine (BBG)
• Euro-zone PMI slowed less sharply than estimated (MW)
• Two top Microsoft execs to leave in reshuffle (Reuters)
• Soaring Luxury-Goods Prices Test Wealthy's Will to Pay (WSJ)
• IQ-Boosting Drugs Aim to Help Down Syndrome Kids Learn (BBG)

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of..." - 1928

As a society we have fallen asleep at the wheel. We’ve allowed ourselves to be lulled into complacency, distracted by minutia, mesmerized by technology, turned into consumers by corporations, pacified by financial gurus and Ivy League economists, and fearful of our own shadows. Surveillance, censorship and propaganda are the tools of the oppressive state. Free speech and truthful revelations about the Deep State are a danger in the eyes of our oppressors.

• Ukraine Seeks $35 Billion as Yanukovych Warrant Is Issued (BBG)
• Ukraine's fugitive president wanted for mass murder (Reuters)
• Polar Vortex to Bring More Snow on Return to U.S. This Week (BBG)
• China property prices continue to rise (FT)
• Microsoft Said to Cut Windows Price 70% to Counter Rivals (BBG)
• Pentagon to propose shrinking Army, scrapping some jets (Reuters)
• Hedge Funds Turn Bearish on S&P 500 as VIX Advances (BBG)
• Draghi’s Data Jigsaw Takes Shape as ECB Readies Showdown (BBG)
• China, eyeing Japan, seeks WW2 focus for Xi during Germany visit (Reuters)

There go the margins... For months, Netflix and Comcast have been 'negotiating' over whether the video streaming service should pay for the apparently excessive load it places on Comcast's network, but now, as the WSJ reports, Netflix has agreed to pay to stop the network provider slowing its stream and impacting customers. According to Netflix data published in January, the average speeds of Netflix's prime-time streams to Comcast subscribers had dropped 27% since October. With Netflix accounting for almost 30% of web traffic at peak times, it is no surprise that Comcast's squeeze finally paid off. There are no details yet on the multi-year "mutually beneficial" deal but it is clear that broadband providers are gaining leverage over content providers.

• Facebook CEO Raises Dealmaker Profile With $19 Billion Takeover (BBG)
• WhatsApp’s Founder Goes From Food Stamps to Billionaire (BBG)
• U.S. Feels Putin's Sharp Elbows in Ukraine (WSJ)
• PBOC Drains Cash as Overnight Rate Slides to Lowest in 10 Months (BBG)
• Fed Puts Rate Increase on the Radar (Hilsenrath)
• Banks Flouting Bonus Rules in Denmark Set to Be Named by FSA (BBG)
• Work Set to Resume on Upgrading Panama Canal (WSJ)
• Euro-Area Recovery Loses Pace as Manufacturing Weakens (BBG) - uh, what recovery?
• Ukraine Exposes EU Policy Disarray (WSJ)

For years, the Netflix streaming business has been growing like a parasite, happy to piggyback on established broadband infrastructures, where the broadband companies themselves have becomes competitors to Netflix for both distribution and content. Until now. Emboldened by the recent Net Neutrality ruling, which has put bandwidth hogs like Netflix which at last check was responsible for over 30% of all downstream US internet traffic broadband providers are finally making their move, and in a preliminary salvo whose ultimate compromise will be NFLX paying lots of money, have started to throttle Netflix traffic. The WSJ reports that the war between the broadband-ers and the video streaming company has finally emerged from the "cold" phase and is fully hot.

• Ukraine leader denounces coup bid, West weighs sanctions (Reuters)
• Time to buy Imodium calls: Kuroda Easing Doomed as Yen Seen Missing 120 Level (BBG)
• Teens Disappear From U.S. Workforce (BBG)
• Fed Sets Rules for Foreign Banks (WSJ)
• Quant Funds Feel Investor Bite After Underperforming (BBG)
• China Probes Qualcomm, InterDigital Over Monopoly Concerns (WSJ)
• Capital One says it can show up at cardholders' homes, workplaces  (LATimes)
• SEC Gains Power to Take Profit Made From Insider Trading (BBG)

• Carl Icahn wins again: Actavis to Buy Forest Labs for $25 Billion (WSJ)
• ECB governing council member attacks German court ruling on OMT (FT)
• China Tackles $1 Trillion Data Gap as Xi Changes Metrics (BBG)
• FX Traders Facing Extinction as Computers Replace Humans (BBG)
• BOJ Boost to Loan Programs Signals Room for More Easing (BBG) - actually no it doesn't as it was "factored in"
• Four killed in Thai clashes; PM to face charges over rice scheme (Reuters)
• Goodbye unsterilized SMP: Bundesbank Backs Measure to Boost Funds in Banking System  (WSJ)
• Iranian Hacking to Test NSA Nominee Michael Rogers (WSJ)
• Ukraine Clashes Leave Dozens Wounded as Putin Resumes Bailout (BBG)

• Euro-Area Growth Eases Pressure on Draghi for Stimulus (BBG)
• Germany Beats Growth Estimates With France Amid Recovery (BBG)
• Argentina revises ‘bogus’ inflation figures (FT)
• Wells Fargo edges back into subprime as U.S. mortgage market thaws (Reuters)
• China Banks’ Bad Loans Reach Highest Since Financial Crisis (BBG)
• Time Warner Cable Deal to Test Comcast CEO's Washington Clout (WSJ)
• Risky Loans in Europe Banks’ Dark Corners to Be Exposed  (BBG) - yeah, right... sure
• Gold Extends Climb Above $1,300 as Investors Boost SPDR Holdings (BBG)
• SEC Takes Steps to Stem Courtroom Defeats (WSJ)

So far the overnight session has been a replica of yesterday, with the all important carry trade once again fizzling overnight during Japan trading hours, and dipping as low at 101.60 before staging a modest rebound to the 101.8 level. We expect the "invisible" 102.000 USDJPY tractor beam to be again engaged shortly and provide market support and/or levitate stocks higher as the now standard selling in Japan, buying in the US trade pattern repeats. On the other hand, US equity futures appear to have decoupled from the pure carry trade, and instead latched on to USD weakness and EUR strength following European Q4 GDP data, which came at 0.3% on expectations of 0.2%, up from 0.1%. Considering the constant adjustments to the European definition of GDP, at this point Mongolia would have been able to demonstrate growth if it was in Europe (but apparently not Greece which once again missed GDP expectations with Q4 GDP of -2.6% vs Exp. -2.0%). Expect ES and USDJPY to recouple shortly, as they always do - the only question if the recoupling will take place lower or higher.

• Comcast Agrees to Buy Time Warner Cable for $45.2 Billion (BBG)
• Italian leadership squabble weighs as shares halt hot run (Reuters)
• Russia says Syria aid draft could open door to military action (Reuters)
• China trust assets rise 46% in 2013  (WSJ), China Trust Assets Surge to $1.8 Trillion Amid Default Risks  (BBG)
• Australian Unemployment Jumps to 10-Year High (BBG)
• Tea Party Scorns Republicans as House Lifts Debt Ceiling (BBG)
• Peso plunge forces Argentine soya hoarding (FT)
• BNP Paribas Net Falls After $1.1 Billion U.S. Legal Charge (BBG)
• Hacking Joins Curriculum as Businesses Seek Cyber Skills (BBG)
• Android's 'Open' System Has Limits (WSJ)
• Blackstone-Fueled Single-Family Home Boom Lifts Chicago (BBG)

#Timestamp

While the world may be reeling in the aftermath of a horrible week for markets, which following today's largely expected $10 billion additional taper announcement, is only set to get worse (because, oops, the global economy turned out to not be in escape velocity mode as everyone simply confused the artificial level of the S&P 500 with economic output, as usual), one entity is delighted by the recent surge in volatility and market uncertainty: CNBC.

• Obama warns divided Congress that he will act alone (Reuters)
• Fed Decision Day Guide From Emerging Markets to FOMC Voter Shift (BBG)
• Fed poised for $10 billion taper as Bernanke bids adieu (Reuters)
• Bernanke’s Unprecedented Rescue Unlikely to Be Repeated (BBG)
• Argentina Spends $115 Million to Steady Peso (WSJ)
• Billionaires Fuming Over Market Selloff That Sinks Magnit (BBG)
• SAC’s Counsel Testifies at Insider Trading Trial in Unexpected Move by the Defense (NYT)
• Automakers Fuel Japan’s Longest Profit Growth Streak Since 2007 (BBG)
• Turkey Crisis Puts Jailed Millionaire at Heart of Gold Trail (BBG)
• Ukraine expects $2 billion tranche of Russian aid soon (Reuters)

• Emerging sell-off hits European shares, lifts yen (Reuters) - but not really if you hit refresh since the latest central bank bailout announcement
• Apple’s Holiday Results to Show Whether Growth Is Back (BBG)
• Israel attacked Syrian base in Latakia, Lebanese media reports (Haaretz)
• Abenomics FTW: Japan Posts Record Annual Trade Deficit as Import Bill Soars (BBG)
• When all else fails, Spain's hope lie in a 16th century saint: Saint “might help Spain out of crisis,” says interior minister (El Pais)
• Global Woes Fail to Send Cash Into U.S. Stocks (WSJ)
• IMF's Lagarde sees eurozone inflation "way below target" (Reuters)
• Minimum wage bills pushed in at least 30 states (AP)
• AT&T Gives Up Right to Offer to Buy Vodafone Within 6 Months (BBG)