General Motors

Well, who knew it was gonna actually get close to fisty-cuffs? According to CNN Polls, 65% believe Obama won (with 50% saying by a lot) and 19% that Romney won by a lot. Obama dominated speaking time 44:05 to a mere 40:50 for Romney (almost the same margin as in the last debate); but Romney (somewhat ironically) crushed Obama in the drinking game 44:23. Obama Intrade Odds wavered during the debate ending marginally higher but S&P 500 futures are tracking lower. Twitter interest fell 30% from the first debate. Full Bloomberg Headlines and Top Ten Debate Lines below. Obama uttered a brisk 7651 words for a 173 word/min pace (172 last debate) while Romney's 8006 words  were spoken at a 196 word/min pace (slower than his 217 pace of the last debate) but still the winner. So, time: Obama, drinking-game: Romney, word-count: Romney - the winner of tonight's debate is Mitt Romney.

With 'private equity' discussions sliding for one moment off the front pages, NYTimes' DealBook notes that it appears these 'honorable' job-creating entities were allegedly colluding to drive down the prices of more than two dozen takeovers. During the last decade's buyout boom, according to newly released e-mails in a civil lawsuit accusing them of collusion, the two firms appeared to be on much cozier terms.

"Henry Kravis just called to say congratulations and that they were standing down because he had told me before they would not jump a signed deal of ours,"

 

"We would much rather work with you guys than against you, together we can be unstoppable but in opposition we can cost each other a lot of money."... "Agreed."

Several weeks ago, the platinum producing company that started it all (after police killed 34 of its striking workers at its Marikana South African mine) Lonmin, conceded and agreed to a 22% wage hike. In doing so it once again proved that in game theory he who defects first, defects best. Shortly thereafter the strike spread to all other South African mining industries, and has even spilled over into the trucking industry, whose ongoing strike has crippled the country and threatens to paralyze all commerce. The only reason for the continued worker boldness: Lonmin folding to worker demands, in the process empowering all other workers in the African country to demand equitable treatment. Which is why today's news that that "other" platinum miner in South Africa has decided to go the opposite route, and instead of yielding to worker demands for a raise, has gone and fired 12,000 workers taking part in a three-week strike. How this dramatic shift in the balance of power affects the already struggling country, and its mining sector remains to be seen. However, if recent events are any indication, he doubt local workers will just put down their banners and go back to work as per the old status quo. In the meantime, look for ever less platinum,and gold, to be produced by this mining powerhouse.

Traditionally, when it comes to reading behind the manipulated media's tea leaf rhetoric and timing major inflection points in the economy, the most accurate predictor are financial firms, whose sense of true economic upside (or downside) while never infallible, is still better than most. Yet unlike employment, which is usually a lagging, or at best concurrent indicator, one aspect that has always been a tried and true leading indicator, has been real estate demand, in this case rental contracts. Due to the long-term lock up nature of commercial real estate contracts, firms are far less eager to engage in rental transactions (and bidding wars) when they expect a worsening macroeconomic environment. Which is why news that office vacancy in Manhattan's Plaza district, the area between Sixth Avenue and the East River from 47th to 65th streets, anchored by the landmark Plaza Hotel at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South which is home to some of the nation’s most expensive and prestigious office towers, and where America's largest hedge funds and PE firms have their headquarters, has just risen to 12.3%, or a two year high, is probably the most troubling news for the economy and a real indicator of what to expect of the immediate future.

• Madrid Protesters March Again as Spain Braces for Cuts (Bloomberg)
• Euro Can Bear Fewer Members as Czech Leader Calls Greeks Victims (Bloomberg)
• Chinese Industrial Profits Fall 6.2% in Fifth Straight Drop (Bloomberg)
• China pours $58bn into money markets (FT)
• Beijing vows more measures on Diaoyu Islands (China Daily)
• Noda vows no compromise as Japan, China dig in on islands row (Reuters)
• Politico’s Paul Ryan Satire: The Joke’s on Them (Bloomberg)
• Electoral Drama Shifts to Ohio (WSJ)
• German opposition party targets banks (FT)
• Fed action triggers fear of new currency wars (FT)
• Ex-Credit Suisse CDO Boss Serageldin Is Arrested in U.K. (Bloomberg)
• Romney ‘I Dig It’ Trust Gives Heirs Triple Benefit (Bloomberg)

• China To Maintain Prudent Monetary Policy (China Daily)
• Why Exit Is An Option For Germany (FT)
• China-Japan Ministers Hold 'Severe' Talks As Spat Damages Trade (Bloomberg)
• Eurozone Deal Over Bank Bailout In Doubt (FT)
• UBS Co-Workers Knew of Fake Trades, Adoboli Told Lawyer (Bloomberg)
• Banks Seek Changes To Research Settlement (FT)
• Secession Crisis Heaps Pain On Spain (FT)
• SEC: NY Firm Allowed HFT Manipulation (Bloomberg) - busted 'providing liquidity'?
• Germany To Tap Brakes ON High-Speed Trading (WSJ)
• Rajoy Outlines Fresh Overhauls (WSJ)
• BBC Apologizes To Queen Over Radical Cleric Leak (Reuters)
• British Banks Step Back From Libor Role (WSJ)
• Obama Seeks To Recast Ties With Arab World (FT)

• China carrier a show of force as Japan tension festers (Reuters)
• Draghi Rally Lets Skeptics Dump Spain for Bunds (Bloomberg)
• China’s Central Bank Injects Record Funds to Ease Cash Crunch (Bloomberg)
• Obama warns Iran on nuclear bid, containment 'no option' (Reuters)
• When Would Bernanke’s Successor Raise Rates? (WSJ) that's easy - never
• Italy's Monti Downplays Sovereignty Risk (WSJ)
• Portugal swaps pay cuts for tax rises (FT)
• Madrid faces regional funding backlash (FT)
• Berlin Seeks to Push Back New Euro-Crisis Aid Requests (WSJ)
• Race Focuses on Foreign Policy (WSJ)
• China Speeds Up Approvals of Foreigners’ Stock Investment (Bloomberg)

• Europe’s crisis will be followed by a more devastating one, likely beginning in Japan. (Simon Johnson)
• Porsche, Daimler Indicate Europe’s Car Crisis Spreading (Bloomberg)
• No progress in Catalonia-Madrid talks (FT)
• Hilsenrath speaks: Fed's Kocherlakota Shifts on Unemployment (WSJ) - luckily QEternity made both obsolete
• Lenders Reportedly Consider New Greek Haircut (Spiegel)
• Fed Officials Highlight Benefits of Bond-Buying (WSJ)
• ESM to Launch without Leverage Vehicle Options (WSJ)
• Japanese companies report China delays (FT)
• Borg Says Swedish Taxes Can’t Go Into Ill-Managed European Banks (Bloomberg)
• Greek Leaders Struggle With Spending Reductions (Bloomberg)
• Asian Stocks Rise as iPhone 5 Debut Boosts Tech Shares (Bloomberg)
• China government's hand seen in anti-Japan protests (LA Times)

• Deposit Flight From Europe Banks Eroding Common Currency (Bloomberg)
• BOJ eases monetary policy as global slowdown bites (Reuters)
• Stalled Rally Puts Pressure on Spain (WSJ)
• Missed Chances Stoke Skepticism Over EU’s Crisis Fight (Bloomberg)
• Germany's big worry: China, not Greece (Reuters)
• Goldman names new CFO, heralding end of an era (Reuters)
• Russia Demands U.S. Agency Halt Work (WSJ)
• Fed’s Dudley Says Easing Vital to Spur Too-Slow Growth (Bloomberg)
• Romney under fire from all sides (FT)
• Poland cuts red tape to spur growth (FT)
• IMF to Put Argentina on Path to Censure Over Inflation Data (Bloomberg)

• Nothing has changed and things have just gotten worse: Europe Banks Fail to Cut as Draghi Loans Defer Deleverage (Bloomberg)
• Mitt Romney secret video reveals views on Obama voters (BBC)
• Romney Stands by Government-Dependent ‘Victims’ Remark (Bloomberg)
• Video shows Libyans helping rescue U.S. ambassador after attack (Reuters)
• Fannie Mae paid BofA premium to transfer soured loans-regulator (Reuters)
• Northrop to shed nearly 600 jobs (LA Times)
• LOLmarkets: Retail Currency Traders Turn to Algorithms (WSJ)
• U.K. Royal Family Wins French Ruling on Kate Photos (Bloomberg)
• Nevada recluse dies with $200 in bank, $7 million in gold at home (LA Times)
• Gap Between Rich and Poor Grows in Germany (Spiegel)
• Chicago teachers meet Tuesday to decide whether to end strike (Reuters)
• Australia's Fortescue wins debt breather, shares soar (Reuters) ... a deal which ultimately will prime equity and unsecureds by $4.5 billion in secured debt
• Ford car sales fall 29% in Europe (FT)

• Anti-Japan demonstrators protest in New York City (China Daily) ...and the propaganda: Younger generation feels wave of emotions (CD)
• And the retaliation: Obama to launch auto trade case against China (Reuters)
• Spanish Banks Bleeding Cash Cloud Bailout Debate (Bloomberg)
• Chicago teachers extend strike (Reuters); Emanuel Promises He’ll Sue to End Chicago Teacher Strike (Bloomberg)
• China hurts own credibility with Xi's vanishing act (Reuters)
• European Squabbling on Euro Crisis Solution May Test Rally (Bloomberg)
• Two South Africa mines reopen, most don't (Reuters)
• Finance Industry Warns of ‘Cliff Effect’ in ECB’s Bond Plan (Bloomberg)
• China struggles to cure the violent ills of health system (Reuters)
• QE3 is for Main Street, except... it isn't: QE3 hit by mortgage processing delays (FT)
• Probe focuses on JPMorgan's monitoring of suspect transactions (Reuters)
• As explained here before: Spanish Bonds Decline as EU Policy Makers Clash on Bank Plan (Bloomberg)

Watching Phil LeBlow providing Ford with a reacharound this morning reminded us of the total farce that is both the forest and the trees of the US auto industry. We have discussed the FUBAR channel-stuffing and the subprime-lending SNAFU but now, as Reuters reports, we see the ugly truth about GM's little baby "the Volt is over-engineered and over-priced". Nearly two years after the introduction of the path-breaking plug-in hybrid, GM is still losing as much as $49,000 on each Volt it builds. Furthermore, there are some Americans paying just $5,050 to drive around for two years in a vehicle that cost as much as $89,000 to produce. Of course, with seemingly unlimited Government backing the hope can continue, funded by the US taxpayer, as GM's Volt development chief admits "It's true, we're not making money yet," but the Volt will "eventually will make money. As the volume comes up and we get into the Gen 2 car, we're going to turn (the losses) around." Estimates on the cost to build a Volt range from $76,000 to $88,000, according to four industry consultants contacted by Reuters with one concluding: "I don't see how General Motors will ever get its money back on that vehicle."

Have you heard the news? Auto sales are booming. Total sales for the month of August were 1,285,202 vehicles, according to Autodata Corp, the highest monthly sales figure for any August since 2007, when 1.47 million autos were sold in the United States. Year to date auto sales have totaled 9.7 million and are on track to reach 14.5 million. Between 2006 and 2007, auto sales ranged between 16 million and 18 million. They crashed below 10 million in 2009. The Keynesians running our government have pulled out all the stops to restart this engine of consumer spending. First they wasted $3 billion of taxpayer funds on the Cash for Clunkers debacle. Almost 700,000 perfectly good cars were destroyed in order to keep union workers happy.  This Keynesian brain fart distorted the used car market for two years, raising prices for cars needed by the working poor. After that miserable failure, they realized the true secret to selling vehicles is to give them away to anyone that can scratch an X on a loan document, with 0% interest for 60 months, financed by Federal government controlled banking interests. Add in some massive channel stuffing and presto!!! – You’ve got an auto sales boom.... This is America, land of the delusional and home of the vain. The appearance of success is more important than actual success.

• The ESM Violates the Law And EU Treaties (Welt)
• Fears Rising, Spaniards Pull Out Their Cash and Get Out of Spain (NYT)
• RBA stays put for third straight month (SMH)
• Why PBOC will not cut rates: China’s Repo Rate Drops Most in Six Months as PBOC Injects Cash (Bloomberg)
• Manufacturing Downturn Spreads Gloom Across Asia, Europe (WSJ)
• "Sources" tell Dutch Dagblad that Weidmann is isolated in his objection to ECB monetization (Reuters, FD)
• Europe Bank Chief Hints at Bond Purchases (WSJ)
• Australia's Fortescue slashes capex as iron ore mkt drops (Reuters)
• Loan rates point to eurozone fractures (FT)
• U.S. nears deal for $1 billion in Egypt debt relief (Reuters)
• Majority of New Jobs Pay Low Wages, Study Finds (NYT)

• So Draghi was bluffing after all: ECB Said To Await German ESM Ruling Before Settling Plan (Bloomberg)
• German finance ministry studying "Grexit" costs (Reuters) - it would be bigger news if it wasn't
• Money Funds Test Geithner, Bernanke Resolve as Schapiro Defeated (Bloomberg)
• Top Merkel MP says Greek deal can't be renegotiated (Reuters)
• China Eyes Ways to Broaden Yuan's Use (WSJ)
• Armstrong ends fight against doping charges, to lose titles (Reuters) - Dopestrong?
• Need more socialism: Public confidence in France's Hollande slips (Reuters)
• Seoul court rules Samsung didn't violate Apple design (Reuters)
• France, Germany Unify Approach to Greek Talks (WSJ)
• Stevens Sees Mining Boom Peaking, RBA Ready to Act (Bloomberg)