Creditors

The economic hitmen have honed their skills among the poor and relatively defenseless, and have been coming closer to home in search of new hunting grounds and fatter spoils. There is nothing 'new' or 'modern' about this. The only difference is that it is not happening in the past or in a book, it is happening here and now. "Economic powers continue to justify the current global system where priority tends to be given to speculation and the pursuit of financial gain. As a result, whatever is fragile is defenseless before the interests of the deified market, which becomes the only rule."

"I ... welcome the government's continued efforts to reach a collaborative agreement with all creditors," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. "This is important since this means that the Fund will be able to continue to support Ukraine through its Lending-into-Arrears Policy even in the event that a negotiated agreement with creditors in line with the program cannot be reached in a timely manner."

“Clients want to feel secure that if something happens, they’ll have funds. They’re coming with more cash.”

The troika of Greek creditors has gone into full-frontal morals-be-damned attack mode. This has turned into the kind of economic warfare one would expect to see between sworn and lethal enemies, that the US would gladly use against Russia for instance, but not between partners in a union founded on principles based entirely and exclusively on being mutually beneficial to everyone involved. And all EU nations should understand by now that this is not about Greece anymore, it’s about all of them.

As so often, Mr. Tsipras makes a number of fair points. However, it seems to us that everybody is skirting the main issues. Greece cannot become a “socialist Utopia”, unless its citizens are happy with being condemned to a hand-to-mouth existence for a long, long time indeed. Whether or not Greece defaults, the one thing the government will be unable to fund is the very socialism that is its basic ideology.

A glance at a chart of 5Y Greek Govvies shows the last trade at a 16% yield, well below the worst 20% yields - suggesting yet another storm in a teacup as "markets know best." However, this is entirely wrong! Greek government bond trading has stopped... 5Y bonds have not traded since April 24th. In fact given current equity levels, 5Y yields would be closer to 22% - as bad they have been ever. The entire fixed income market in Greece has died with CDS liquidity having collapsed and only sporadic longer-dated bonds trading.

Gold aided by a softer dollar, the Greek debt debacle and the U.S. Federal Reserve chairperson, Janet Yellen’s dovish comments from this week’s monetary policy statement.

The Troika - whose intention from the very beginning was to cripple Greek banks so badly and terminally that Tsipras and Varoufakis are forced to accept any terms hoisted on them as we predicted in January - has succeeded. The only question is how long until the Syriza government admits defeat.

Believe it or not: GREECE AID TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL YR-END W/O IMF: DIE ZEIT

... NOT! GERMAN NEWSPAPER ZEIT REPORT ABOUT CONCESSIONS MADE TO GREECE BY CREDITORS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REALITY, SUCH A PROPOSAL WOULD DEFINITELY NOT FLY - EU DIPLOMATS

"Both the US and China have a vital interest in reaching an understanding because the alternative is so unpalatable," Soros wrote in an article for the New York Review of Books, with the danger imminent if Chinese economic reforms fail forcing President Xi Jinping to "foster some external conflicts to keep the country united and maintain himself in power." These "conflicts" would present themselves in the form of a Sino-Russo alliance which could draw the entire world into war.

“We have both accumulated buffers and gold currency reserves, and we have introduced a floating currency exchange rate in order to absorb various shocks,” Nabiullina said.

European creditors will reportedly consider writing down their Greek debt in order to get the IMF back to the table and make the country's long-term prospects more sustainable. Meanwhile, Greeks are taking to the streets and one portfolio manager warns of anarchy. 

All those saying the Fed will never be able to raise rate are looking particularly smug this morning, because if the market needed a green light that despite all the constant posturing, pomp and rhetoric, the US economy is simply (never) ready for a rate hike, it got it late last night when Goldman is pushing back its forecast for the first Fed rate hike from  September to December 2015 saying that "in large part this reflects the fact that seven FOMC participants are now projecting zero or one rate hike this year, a group that we believe includes Fed Chair Janet Yellen. We had viewed a clear signal for a September hike at the June meeting as close to a necessary condition for the FOMC to actually hike in September, but the committee did not lay that groundwork today."

"Greece not only does not have the ability to pay this debt, but also should not pay this debt first and foremost because the debt emerging from the Troika’s arrangements is a direct infringement on the fundamental human rights of the residents of Greece. Hence, we came to the conclusion that Greece should not pay this debt because it is illegal, illegitimate, and odious."

“They are going to turn us into murderers. If they come to seize my house I’m ready to take the head of whoever is standing there—and I’m not the only one thinking this way.”

"They can take our money, but they cannot take our hearts and souls. We live for our dignity."