In the next week, a potential ballot measure, submitted to the Office of the Attorney General in October, is expected to receive title and summary for the 2016 election, meaning its advocates will be able to collect signatures in order to secure its official place on the ballot. The proposed law would require legislators and candidates to sport the emblems of groups that donate money to their campaigns.

Following last week's huge 5.9mm draw (as entirely expected this time of year given window-dressing) expectations were for a 2.5mm barrel draw this week from DOE. However, API reported a major surprise 2.9mm barrel build, bring December's total to just 1.7mm drawdown (against a 5.5mm average draw in December). This is massively worse than expected given the seasonals (along with a 923k build at Cushing) and while WTI has oscillated up and down around $38 since the API/DOE build 2 weeks ago, it is fading on this data.

Another hedge fund has decided to call it quits, this time chess-afficionado Doug Hirsch's event-driven $500 million Seneca Capital, which according to Bloomberg is returning outside capital today.

“I think 10-year USTs are quite attractive because of my outlook for the weakening economy. Actually I believe we’re already entering a recessionin the US. Given the weakness in the global economy and the deceleration of growth in the U.S., I would imagine that by next year the Fed will cut rates once again and launch QE4."

It appears $38 is the new strange attractor for WTI Crude oil as it coincides with the last two weeks' "opposites" inventory data releases. Brent and WTI continue to hug each other for the 3rd day in a row. We await tonight's API inventory data (expected to see a 2.5mm draw) for the next move in crude (and therefore US equities).

The $1.15 trillion spending bill passed by Congress last Friday and quickly signed by President Obama is just the latest triumph in the plutocratic management of politics that has accelerated since 9/11...proof that Washington can work. Mainstream media didn’t stop to ask: “Yes, but work for whom?” Instead, the anchors acted as amplifiers for official spin - repeating the mantra-of-the-hour that while this is not “a perfect bill,” it does a lot of good things. “But for whom? At what price?” went unasked. Secrecy today. Secrecy tomorrow. Secrecy forever. They are determined that we not know who owns them.