Merrill

• Fed Decision-Day Guide: QE Tapering to Inflation Debate (BBG)
• Obama says strains over Ukraine not leading to new Cold War with Russia (Reuters)
• Siemens to BP Prepare for Downward Russia Business Spiral (BBG)
• Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror (NYT)
• Argentina Banks Preparing Bid to Help Argentina Avoid Default (WSJ)
• Obama Weighs Fewer Deportations of Illegal Immigrants Living in U.S. (WSJ)
• India Warships Off Japan Show Rising Lure as China Counterweight (BBG)
• Hong Kong Popping Housing Bubbles London Can’t Handle (BBG)
• Carnage at U.N. school as Israel pounds Gaza refugee camp (Reuters)

• EU finalises Russian sanctions as BP warns of impact on business (FT)
• Geopolitical Risk Rises for Global Investors (BBG)
• Jaded Argentines brace for looming debt default (Reuters)
• In Argentina, Mix of Money and Politics Stirs Intrigue Around Kirchner (WSJ)
• Mom ‘Trusting God’ for Ebola-Infected U.S. Doctor’s Life (BBG)
• Thanks NSA: Tech Companies Reel as NSA's Spying Tarnishes Reputations (BBG)
• Goldman unit eyes foray into China amid metals financing scandal (Reuters)
• Cash out time: London’s Gherkin Tower Offered for Sale by Its Lenders (BBG)
• Apenomics strikes again: McDonald’s Japan axes profit guidance amid food safety scandal (FT)
• Do you see what happens Larry when you are the only USDJPY bid? Nomura Profit Falls More Than Estimated on Broking Slump (BBG)

The attached Barron’s article appeared in December 2007 as an outlook for the year ahead, and Wall Street strategists were waxing bullish. Notwithstanding the advanced state of disarray in the housing and mortgage markets, soaring global oil prices and a domestic economic expansion cycle that was faltering and getting long in the tooth, Wall Street strategists were still hitting the “buy” key. In fact, the Great Recession had already started but they didn’t have a clue: "Against this troubling backdrop, it’s no wonder investors are worried that the bull market might end in 2008. But Wall Street’s top equity strategists are quick to dismiss such fears."

Let's take a look at the amount of settlements/fines from various banks and financial institutions around the world since the crisis.

• Argentine holdout NML says government "choosing" to default (Reuters)
• Crunch time for Gaza truce talks as death toll passes 800 (Reuters)
• Don’t Tell Anybody About This Story on HFT Power Jump Trading (BBG)
• U.S. Accuses Russia of Shelling Eastern Ukraine (BBG)
• France’s Wheat Exports in Question as Rain Spoils Quality (BBG)
• Tapering in action: Lower printer sales hurt Xerox's revenue (Reuters)
• No liquidity? No Problem, there's an ETF for that: Bond ETFs Swelling in Europe as Trading Debt Gets Tougher (BBG)
• Herbalife hires ex-Biden chief to fend off regulators (NYPost)
• GM recalls far from calamity for some dealers who find new customers, business (Reuters)
• Bad weather likely cause of fatal Air Algerie crash: French officials (Reuters)

• EU to weigh extensive sanctions on Russia (FT)
• U.S. lifts flight ban to Israel (Reuters)
• Russia says will cooperate with MH17 probe led by Netherlands (Reuters)
• Norway faces ‘concrete and credible’ terrorist threat (FT)
• Don’t Tell Anybody About This Story on HFT Power Jump Trading (BBG)
• But... but... PMI: Unilever Sales Growth Misses Estimates on Asian Slowdown (BBG)
• World’s Biggest Wealth Fund Reviews $8 Billion Russian Stake (BBG)
• Qualcomm latest US tech company to reverse in China (FT)
• Hamptons Home Sales Rise as Buyers Find More Inventory (BBG)

• Here come the gates which we predicted in 2010: SEC Is Set to Approve Money-Fund Rules (WSJ)
• Dick's cuts 400 jobs as golf now less popular (MW)
• Kerry arrives in Israel, pushes for peace (Reuters)
• Pay Penalty Haunts Recession Grads as U.S. Economy Mends (BBG)
• Appeals Courts Issue Conflicting Rulings on Health-Law Subsidies (WSJ)
• Rebel Stronghold Donetsk Holds Breath as Shellfire Mounts (BBG)
• Business executive wins Georgia Republican runoff in U.S. Senate race (Reuters)
• Five held in China food scandal probe, including head of Shanghai Husi Food (Reuters)
• Jobs Hold Sway Over Yellen-Carney as Central Banks Splinter (BBG)

• EU Works to Punish Russia as MH17 Bodies Leave Rebel Area (BBG)
• Bodies From Malaysia Airlines Flight Begin Long Trip to Netherlands (WSJ)
• Israel pounds Gaza as Kerry arrives (Reuters)
• U.S. judge dismisses Republican lawsuit over Obamacare subsidy for Congress (Reuters)
• Israel Soldier Missing Amid Assault on Hamas in Gaza (WSJ)
• Detroit Retirees Vote in Favor of Pension Cuts (WSJ)
• Russia Axes 1st Bond Sale in 3 Months as Ukraine Drives Up Yield  (BBG)
• Wall Street Cut From Guest List for Jackson Hole Fed Meeting (BBG)
• Credit Suisse to Exit Commodities, Posts Big Quarter Loss (BBG)
• Draghi Cedes Euro Control to Yellen on Fed Rate Wagers (BBG)

Despite a full court press of PR to confirm HFT firms are friends of retail investors and do no wrong; the SEC, it appears, sees it differently. While Mary White has confidently explained the market is not rigged, her agency is now actively seeking tips, complaints, or referrals that show, as The Chicago Tribune reports, evidence of abuse of order types, as well as traditional forms of abusive trading like "layering" or "spoofing" and other issues relating to high-frequency trading that might be violations of the law. Here are the 10 firms (including poster child holy-grail trader Virtu Financial) that the SEC is probing... can you spot the oddly missing one...

• Ukraine Says Malaysian Airliner Shot Down Near Russian Border (BBG)
• Downing of airliner seen as pivotal moment in Ukraine crisis (Reuters)
• Malaysian Air Flight Took Route Avoided by Qantas, Asiana (BBG)
• Russian-Made Missile Hit Malaysia Jet, U.S. Officials Say (BBG)
• Netanyahu Orders Military to Ready Wider Gaza Incursion (BBG)
• Silvio Berlusconi Underage Sex Conviction Overturned (WSJ)
• But... but... "economic patriotism" - AbbVie to Buy Shire for $54.8 Billion as Drug Deals Surge (BBG)
• SEC targets 10 firms in high frequency trading probe - SEC document (Reuters)
• Art bubble pop: Sotheby's to Lay Off 'Modest' Number of Employees (WSJ)
• Moar Abenomics: Hermes Sales Trail Estimates as Japanese Revenue Declines (BBG)

• Bubble Paranoia Setting in as S&P 500 Surge Stirs Angst (BBG)
• But how will math PhDs determine "fair value" - Wall Street Techs Take Secrets to Next Job at Their Peril (BBG)
• U.S., EU Escalate Russia Sanctions as Putin Holds Firm (Bloomberg)
• Australia Becomes First Developed Nation to Repeal Carbon Tax (WSJ)
• Gaza humanitarian truce goes into force, hours after tunnel clash (Reuters)
• Barclays, Deutsche Bank Said to Face U.S. Senate Hearing (BBG)
• ECB Asset Buying Far Off and May Not Come, Hansson Says (BBG)
• Time Warner win would make Murdoch U.S. media king (Reuters)
• Costly Vertex Drug Is Denied, and Medicaid Patients Sue (WSJ)
• China Rallying for All Wrong Reasons to Top-Rated Analyst (BBG)
• GM recalls some cars with problematic switches; judges others safe (Reuters)

• Secret Path Revealed for Chinese Billions Overseas (BBG)
• Traders Flood U.S. With $3.4 Trillion of Bond-Auction Demand (BBG)
• Just in time to cover bad earnings in a massive $3.8 billion "one-time charge": Citi says to pay $7 billion to settle securities investigation (Reuters)
• Troubled Epirito Santo family loosens grip on Portugal's BES (Reuters)
• BES puts in place new executives after central bank push (Reuters)
• Bank of China-CCTV drama may reveal power struggle in Beijing (SCMP)
• Portugal speeds up Banco Espírito Santo management changes (FT)
• Dark pool probe builds pressure on Barclays boss (Reuters)
• Russia Vows to Respond After Shelling From Ukraine (BBG)
• Ukraine forces end rebel airport blockade (Reuters)
• Obama Contends With Arc of Instability Unseen Since '70s (WSJ)

• Espirito Santo Financial Suspends Shares, Bonds on ESI Exposure (BBG)
• Europe Stocks Drop for Fifth Day as Espirito Santo Sinks (BBG)
• Espirito Santo Creditors Doubt Containment on Missed Payment (BBG)
• French Stocks Seen Extending Losses on Economy Concern (BBG)
• Stocks Slide With Portugal Bonds as Yen Gains; Oil Drops (BBG)
• U.S. Probes Hacking of Government Computers at Personnel Agency (WSJ)... finds terabytes of porn 
• It's Congress' fault: Obama rejects criticism over border crisis (Reuters)
• Israel Mobilizes 20,000 Troops for Possible Gaza Invasion (BBG)
• Chinese hackers pursue key data on U.S. workers (NYT)
• Donetsk Primed for Siege as Ukraine Army Hems In Rebels (BBG)

• Xi Says China Conflict With U.S. Would Be Disaster (BBG)
• Short selling drops to lowest level since Lehman (FT)
• Scoping the new subprime as watchdogs cry 'bubble' (Reuters)
• Carlos Slim to break up América Móvil empire (FT)
• Jury Acquits Rengan Rajaratnam in Insider-Trading Case (WSJ)
• Hamas rockets land deep in Israel as it bombards Gaza Strip (Reuters)
• Hong Kong Buyers Queue for New Homes After Prices Plunge (BBG)
• Rebel Stronghold in Ukraine Braces for Its Showdown (WSJ)
• Tiny Houses Big With U.S. Owners Seeking Economic Freedom (BBG)
• Chinese Cash-Bearing Buyers Drive U.S. Foreign Sales Jump (BBG)