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China: "I wish that I could be like the cool kids. 'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in."

We would like to believe that a period of peace and prosperity lies ahead of us. Unfortunately, the facts do not support this panglossian assertion. If history  repeats it is more likely that we see hyperinflation and the sharp devaluation of paper and digital currencies in the coming years, given that no experiment with money printing has ever had a positive outcome.

With the non-farm payroll report due in just 30 minutes, here is your last-stop summary of what Wall Street is expecting from today's most important data release.

17 Entered... Despite the onslaught of attacks from the other 16 GOP Presidential nominee candidates, Donald Trump came out the 'winner' in his usual brash manner threatening to run as an independent and able to dominate the conversation, pitbull back at any jibes, and shrug off cozy Clintonite comments. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul appeared to have a strong showing but "had a tough night" in Trump's words. Rick Perry blew up again, calling the former President Ronald 'Raven' - which his team vehemently denied the entire FOX watching audience heard. Carly Fiorina easily won the undercard against a field of has-beens and wannabes and surely deserves some more top-billing in the next Republican death-match. In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, we hope a few of the 17-strong gaggle now "know when to fold 'em," and can we suggest Rick Perry's corner "throws in the damn towel."

In case you’ve been living under a geopolitical rock for the last couple of years, you’d know that despite a brief period of time during which Egypt appeared headed toward a democratic form of government, it went from one brutal dictator to another. As was the case during Hosni Mubarak’s decades of rule, this is precisely how the U.S. government likes it. So much so, that U.S. officials are not only selling arms to the latest despot, General Abdelfattah al-Sisi, but they are actively bragging about it on Twitter.

"We have armed investigators on the property, we're setting up covert cameras, we're documenting all license plates," the head of Global Investigative Group told NBC, referring to the "investigation" taking place in South Florida, where vandals, furious at Walter Palmer who killed a protected lion, placed marinated pigs' feet on the dentist's vacation home driveway.

The Dow is now down for the 6th day in a row (and 11 of last 13 days) as it tests 17,400 - its lowest level since January. With The S&P and Small Caps tumbling towards red year-to-date, Nasdaq remains 2015's big winner but is falling precipitously today...

The three men shown left, who are not from Texas but in fact reside some 1,400 miles away from the “front lines” in North Carolina, allegedly "had a deadly plot to lure government forces into a trap," in retaliation for the Pentagon’s supposed plan to “use the armed forces to impose martial law in the United States."

Together, “Chindia” imported 296.55 tonnes of gold in May. This surpasses current monthly mine supply globally by 14%. Clearly there is an imbalance in the gold market when demand from two countries alone exceeds total mine supply, which must then be supplemented by existing stocks. Yet prices remain in a downward trend as speculative short selling continues to depress prices. 

• Trump at center stage as Republicans square off in first debate (Reuters)
• Cleveland Debate Offers GOP Hopefuls a Chance to Break Away from the Pack (WSJ)
• Bank of England Keeps Key Interest Rate at 0.5% in 8-1 Vote (BBG)
• Emerging stocks submerged, UK gears up for 'Super Thursday' (Reuters)
• No IMF decision on Greek bailout until autumn, Swedish rep tells paper (Reuters)
• Japan Heads Toward Nuclear Unknown With Post-Fukushima Restarts (BBG)
• Activist Ackman Takes $5.5 Billion Stake in Snacks Giant Mondelez (WSJ)

A sample of charts currently on our radar

Just two days after a jury agreed that Colorado theater shooter James Holmes could still face the death penalty for the tragic July 2012 mass shooting which killed 12 and injured 70, and a month after another shooter killed two and injured 8 before killing himself, moments ago WSMV reported that another active shooter situation had emerged in Nashville with the Nashville Fire Department confirming that shots were being fired at the Carmike 8 Cinemas on Bell Road at 1:55 p.m.

Things not adding up with the current pricing structure...