Succinctly summarizing the positive and negative news, data, and market events of the week...
Positives
- Hans & Franz Winklevoss own a lot of Bitcoins [9], this can only end well
- Yen continues to surge, along with the Nikkei -- Is the bottom in? [10]
- Consensus is 3% YOY earnings growth in Q1 as we enter earnings season - Will financials lead the way? [11]
- Goldman sees S&P at 1,900 … in 2015 [12]
- Obama releases 2014 budget [13] -- Moar taxes, Moar Housing 'Recovery'
- S&P 500 hits new all-time nominal high
- Bernanke and Kuroda Capital LLC: Overweight Call on the S&P [14]
- Weekly jobless claims fall [15]
- Short squeeze [16] carries RUT higher
- Good news: IMF model shows there is no risk [17] anywhere in the marketplace
- JPMorgan beats earnings expectations (on huge loan loss release [18])
- Risk appetite return as ‘Safe-haven’ gold at 21-month low, even as volatility rises [19]
Negatives
- Mark it zero dude: NFIB shows 0% of their members planning to hire [20]
- JCP left in turmoil as CEO Ron Johnson is out [21]
- Next up for the fairness doctrine: Australia now taxing retirement accounts [22]
- European financials drop to 7 month lows [23], recouple with credit
- Fitch cut China's local government debt rating [24]
- Slovenia may test template/non-template jawboning [25]…
- Meet Brian Gross, the Fed Employee who leaked the FOMC minutes -- "the one you go to when you need solid information, and fast" [26]
- EU considers going after money market accounts to help fund their insolvency [27]
- Japanese bond market volatility explodes [28]
- Shipments of PC's worldwide collapse [29]
- Spanish home prices plunge [30]
- 28% of 401(k)s [31] have loans against them
- Retail Sales drop most since June [32]
- Consumer Confidence plunges [33]
- Cyprus Central Bank implodes [34]
- US drops a late tape-bomb - asking "Japan to refrain from competitive devaluation" [35] - bad for FX carry trade and risk
Additional
- Former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has passed away [36] – Rest In Peace
- Don't forget to petition for inclusion in the Fed's early distribution newsletter [37]
(h/t @ZH_Crown)