If history is any guide - the mysterious flash crash "signal" that we have seen yet again in VIX suggests stocks rally and VIX tumbles into the close today...

"Though the decision to raise rates was unanimous, some officials expressed concern about lingering low inflation and the stifling effects on the U.S. economy of a strong U.S. dollar and slow growth overseas."

Since The December 16th FOMC decision to hike rates, Gold is up over 2%, Bonds up 1%, and stocks down 3% suggesting the word "error" with regard Fed policy. As The FOMC Minutes are released, traders anticipate confident-hawkishness and a focus on ignoring current data in favor of preferring their own confident outlook:

• *ALMOST ALL FED OFFICIALS AGREED LIFTOFF CONDITIONS MET IN DEC.
  
• *FED: LINGERING RISKS TO OUTLOOK INCLUDED FURTHER USD STRENGTH
  
• *A FEW FED OFFICIALS SAID FINANCIAL RISKS COULD ALTER RATE PATH

January's meeting has negligible probabilities for a rate move but March has 45% chance of a hike and 3% chance of a cut. The apparent unanimity of December's decision appears questionable given the Minutes suggestions of some dissent.

Pre-FOMC Minutes: S&P Futs 1983.25, 10Y 2.19%, Gold $1094, EUR 1.0755, WTI $34.05

Gold has has been one of the best months for gold in terms of monthly performance in the last 10 years. Bloomberg confirms that today.

"With the macro backdrop more vulnerable today than at any time since the financial crisis, and the S&P 500 and NASDAQ still near all-time highs, we anticipate a downside move to 1900 on the S&P within the first two months of the year. We reiterate our view that Crude and Energy remain structurally broken and possess significant downside from current levels which will only agitate and exacerbate the ongoing collaps."

The debt valuation adjustment, or DVA, will no longer be included in net income, according to revisions to the fair-value measurement standard published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board Tuesday.  The DVA rule increased net income when a bank’s bonds tanked, on the theory that the firm could buy back its bonds at a lower price and benefit from the decline in value.

As Wall Street axioms (Santa rally, January effect, as goes January etc.) are rapidly falling by the wayside at the start of 2016, following a chaotic but return-less 2015, the UBS analysts who correctly forecast last year's volatility are out with their forecast for 2016. It's simple - Sell Stocks, Buy Gold... expect a Fed u-turn.

The relative strength of the consumer discretionary sector versus consumer staples had been a positive for stocks – not anymore.

"We had a hard landing in the stock market already. We had a hard landing in commodities. [So yes], we could have a hard landing in the economy. China has a colossal credit bubble and no one knows how it's going to unwind."

Energy investors got clobbered in 2015, and are hoping for things to turn positive as we head into the New Year. What can we expect in 2016? Here is a rundown of some key trends to watch for...

Many of us are wishing to be bold, and maybe even revolutionary.  But we are far too comfortable, and also too afraid. 

Just when you thought it was safe to go short: "We are, for the first time in years suggesting… indeed, we are stating it rather clearly… our belief that the global bull market that began in the spring of ’09 ended, in retrospect, in the very first days of summer of last year. We shall, henceforth, look to err bearishly of equities, holding long positions in some equities, but erring on balance to the short side of the global equity market."

Intrigues within the Kremlin reignited Monday after the chief of Russia's military intelligence service, Igor Sergun, died unexpectedly. Sergun was a relatively unknown figure who kept a very low profile over his 30-year career, despite the fact that his position at the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff of the Armed Forces made him one of the most powerful figures in Russian security.