The recent ISM print of 56.3, which was so ridiculous, not one economist had predicted a number as high, and was therefore sufficient to validate that the US government is now actively managing the Department of Truth, managed to send stocks surging, and disconnect completely form all other correlations, as yet more stat arb desks imploded. Yet what goes up, must come down, especially in an economy gripped by the greatest Depression in history. Which is why, here is Goldman's Andrew Tilton, member of what has now become the world's most bearish economic team, explaining why the very next ISM, and certainly as soon as within a few months, will be sub-50, which will be the catalyst to plunge stocks even as all hedge funds have gone all in chasing last minute September beta with the Fed's blessing.

Diana Olick was right - the home price double dip is not only here, it is getting worse. RealtyTrac reported overnight that general foreclosure activity (i.e., default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions) — were reported on 338,836 properties in August, a 4 percent increase from the previous month. One in every 381 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month. The spin is that this was a modest decline (5%) from August 2009, but represents another inflection point in a trend which up to now had been declining. “The trend lines of decreasing default notices and increasing bank repossessions converged in August, with virtually the same number of new default notices and bank repossessions for the month — a clear indication that the clogged foreclosure pipeline is being carefully managed on both ends by lenders and servicers,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “On the front end, seriously delinquent loans are rolling into foreclosure at an unusually slow rate, while on the back end the dammed-up inventory of properties already in foreclosure is moving to REO in steady stream rather than a flood — presumably to prevent further erosion of home prices.” Of course, banks are doing all in their power to prevent the realization by the consumer class of just how much lower home prices have still to go. Most notably, the bulk of the foreclosure action in August occurred in bank repossessions, which came at 95,364 U.S. properties in August, the highest monthly total in the history of the report and about 2 percent higher than the previous peak of 93,777 bank repossessions (REOs) in May 2010. August REO activity increased 3 percent from the previous month and was up 25 percent from August 2009 — the ninth straight month where REOs have increased on a year-over-year basis. In other news, we expect Jim Cramer to come out with another call, like his wrong summer 2009 pronouncement that the bottom of housing is here.

Despite UBS' expectation of a 25 bps hike, the SNB kept its rates flat at 0.25%. Yet applying some parallel universe principles, the bank announced that it is lowering its inflation expectations even as it boosted its GDP growth estimate to 2.5% from 2%. This in itself was sufficient to weaken the CHF, although the dramatic move in the currency crosses have led many to believe that Phillip Hildebrand just couldn't take the pressure and decided to sell a few billion of the currency now that FX intervention is the norm. We are waiting to hear if the SNB confirms or denies any intervention this morning.

• BOJ becomes 'wild card' as Kan may demand stimulus after Yen intervention.
• EU new car registrations fall 13% YoY in August.
• Geithner says US examining ways to pressure China into faster Yuan rise.
• Greece rules out possibility of default; FM says restructuring would ‘break’ Eurozone.
• India hikes rates to contain inflation; move signals end of loose monetary policy.
• Most Asian stocks fall, led by mining shares; Japanese exporters advance.
• Naked-short sellers, derivatives traders face European Union restrictions.

RANsquawk European Morning Briefing - 16/09/10

It is beyond a joke now: ICI's latest data discloses that in the week ended September 8, domestic funds saw outflows of $2.2 billion, following last week's massive $7.7 billion. And yes, ETFs experienced outflows as well. So far September has experienced nearly $10 billion in outflows, even as the market has ramped by over 6%. Who is buying this shit? Just ask The New York Fed and Citadel: they may have a few pointers (wink wink). This is the 19th sequential outflow from US stocks, and amounts to $65 billion in redemptions for the year. With the market pretty much unchanged YTD, it means that mutual funds can not resort to capital appreciation as a substitute to outflows, and most are on their last breath (Janus: blink twice if you are still alive please). The kicker: the S&P is at the level it was when the outflows began back during the flash crash. If that doesn't restore all your confidence that Uncle Sam will be so good at managing the market (just like he has done with everything else), nothing else will. Throw in a little HFT, a little subpennying, a little Flash trading, a little DMA trading, a little quote stuffing, a little hedge fund clubbing, a little specialist front running, a little daily flash crash in big caps like Nucor Steel, and you can see why next week we will most certainly have our first inflow in 20 weeks. Or not. It doesn't matter. Nobody that is made of carbon, or who doesn't already have direct access to the Fed for zero cost funding, is trading stocks anymore.

Just last week, it was reported that the turnout for the Democratic primary was the lowest in 80 years. While the Republicans are clearly energized by their concerns about the direction the Democrats are taking the country in, the Democrats themselves seem to have decided to forgo the voting process, perhaps in favor of a refreshing nap. No question about it, the president is in the hot seat. While I am sure that back in 2008 Barack Obama was one happy camper about having taken the presidential prize, today one has to wonder if that victory has led him to certain bitter regrets.
His problem, the problem bedeviling the government at its highest level, is that there is actually no palatable solution to the persistent debt crisis now gripping the U.S. economy by the throat. In fact, the only tangible solution might be best termed the “Smoking Ruin Solution.” Allow me to elucidate.