Prudential

With everyone focused on China as the source of next systemic risk, most forgot or simply chose to ignore Europe, which through Draghi's verbal  magic was said to be "fixed." Or at least everyone hoped that the rigged European bond market would preserve the "recovery" illusion a little longer giving the world some more time to reform pretend it is doing something to fix it. Turns out that was a mistake, confirmed earlier not only by the plunge in German Factory Orders which cratered -4.3%, down from 7.7% and below the 1.1% revised, and UK Industrial production which missed expectations of a 0.6% boost, rising only 0.3%, but most importantly Italy's Q2 GDP shocker, which as we reported earlier, dropped for the second consecutive quarter sending the country officially into recession. As a result, European stock markets, Stoxx600, has joined the DJIA in the red for the year while Germany's 2 Year Bund just went negative on aggressive risk aversion, the first time since 2012.

• 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)

?Economics is like a Monet painting. Stand too close and all you see is a bunch of seemingly random paint strokes. Back up a few steps and an image emerges. The painting of bubblenomics started with the Plaza Accord, September 1985, where five nations agreed to manipulate the dominant currencies at the time. Japan enjoyed a 50% devaluation of the US$ vs the yen, artificially enriching its citizens so they could travel the world in busloads with eighty pounds of cameras around their necks. The consequences of that bubble have yet to be corrected. Based on healthy guidelines, the price of real estate is far too expensive today, or, more precisely, the cost of housing is too high but we may need another crisis before the market will wake up to the needed changes. In the meantime, money printing and hype will continue.

This is not "different times", the system's low volatility will be replaced by higher volatility, the zero bound leads to bubbles by definition unless you of course believe in eternity and most importantly, mean-reversion and compounding remains the two most powerful tools in finance. It feels like an eternity since the market last traded like a real market, but make no mistake, exactly when you think more of the same is destined to be your strategy, things do change despite the feeling of infinity.

• Headline of the day: Complacency Breeds $2 Trillion of Junk as Sewage Funded (BBG)
• Israel intensifies Gaza offensive after surge in rocket fire (Reuters)
• Profits plunge at Vatican bank (FT)
• Investors Are Buying Troubled Golf Courses and Giving Them Makeovers (NYT)
• Pimco Dissidents Challenge Bill Gross in ‘Happy Kingdom (BBG)
• That's a new one: Marks and Spencer blames new website for sales drop  (Reuters)
• Iran's Supreme Leader calls for more enrichment capacity (Reuters)
• Boeing Faces Long-Term Credit Risk if Ex-Im Bank Closed, S&P Says (WSJ) not to mention the collapse risk to US durable goods orders
• U.K. Manufacturing Unexpectedly Slumps Most in 16 Months (BBG)
• Some Still Lack Coverage Under Health Law (WSJ)

"... it is hard to avoid the sense of a puzzling disconnect between the markets’ buoyancy and underlying economic developments globally....  Never before have central banks tried to push so hard... Few are ready to curb financial booms that make everyone feel illusively richer.  Or to hold back on quick fixes for output slowdowns, even if such measures threaten to add fuel to unsustainable financial booms.... The temptation to go for shortcuts is simply too strong, even if these shortcuts lead nowhere in the end."

Investors and speculators face some profound challenges today: How to deal with politicized markets, continuously “guided” by central bankers and regulators? In this environment it may ultimately pay to be a speculator rather than an investor. Speculators wait for opportunities to make money on price moves. They do not look for “income” or “yield” but for changes in prices, and some of the more interesting price swings may soon potentially come on the downside. They should know that their capital cannot be employed profitably at all times. They are happy (or should be happy) to sit on cash for a long while, and maybe let even some of the suckers’ rally pass them by. As Sir Michael at CQS said: "Maybe they [the central bankers] can keep control, but if people stop believing in them, all hell will break loose." We couldn't agree more.

Pensions throughout the western world are in peril due to the pension Ponzi scheme. Powerful forces of both the inflation caused by 100 years of the Federal Reserve debasing the dollar and a possible deflationary crisis due to massive levels of debt globally will be a double whammy which will hit traditional investments such as stocks, property and bonds. Without an allocation to gold, you are not going to have a comfortable retirement ?

It's official - everyone's involved! According to the 21st Century Business Herald, at least 17 financial institutions involved in copper, aluminum and other nonferrous metals financing business face losses of almost 15 billion Yuan (not including the contagious rehypothecated collateral chains involved) due to the over-invoicing of the Qingdao port. Crucially, it appears that the evaporation of collateral (i.e. multiple loans secured by the same collateral) has been confirmed officially and banks such as Standard Chartered have already ceased any new business via this supposedly secured channel.

A quick thumbnail sketch of the Scottish referendum on independence

Nope, no bubble here... The FT reports that issuance of payment-in-kind (PIK) notes have doubled this to reach $4.2bn. "We call it the yield-hunger games," jokes one bond manager as even the most modest pick-up in yield is in great demand - no matter what the risk. As another manager warns, "I have no doubt that the resurgence of PIKs and other risky debt deals is a sign that we are setting the stage for the next down cycle."

• Yellen Concerned by Housing Slowdown She Has Scant Power to Cure (BBG)
• Because snow in Q1? Citigroup’s CFO Says Trading Revenue Could Slide 25% (BBG)
• Banks Raise Caution Flag on Trading (WSJ)
• The answer is yes: Hilsenrath asks if BOJ’s Kuroda Awakening to His Limits? (WSJ)
• Google Develops Prototype Cars for Fully Autonomous Driving (WSJ)
• Amazon Expects Lengthy Hachette Dispute (WSJ)
• Tencent $1 Billion Game Shows Global Hunt for Mobile Hits (BBG)

• Bank of England sees 'no housing bubble' (Independent)
• ‘If the euro falls, Europe falls’ (FT)
• India's pro-business Modi storms to historic election win (Reuters)
• Global Growth Worries Climb (WSJ)
• Bitcoin Foundation hit by resignations over new director (Reuters)
• Blackstone Goes All In After the Flop (WSJ)
• SAC's Steinberg loses bid for insider trading acquittal (Reuters)
• Beats Satan: Republicans Paint Reid as Bogeyman in 2014 Senate Races (BBG)
• Tech Firms, Small Startups Object to Paying for Internet 'Fast Lanes' (WSJ) - but they just provide liquidity
• U.S. Warns Russia of Sanctions as Ukraine Troops Advance (BBG)
• Major U.S. hedge funds sold 'momentum' Internet names in first-quarter (Reuters)

• China’s Trade Unexpectedly Rises (BBG)
• 'We're already not in Ukraine' - rebel east readies secession vote (Reuters)
• Pro-Russian Separatists in Ukraine Reject Putin's Call to Delay Vote (WSJ)
• Vietnam’s Stocks Post Biggest Loss in Decade on China Tensions (BBG)
• Hedge Funds Extend Their Slide (WSJ)
• Carney Looks to Untested Tools as House Prices Boom (BBG)
• New Draghi Era Seen on Hold at ECB as Euro Area Recovers (BBG)
• Woman With Printer Shows the Digital Ease of Bogus Cash (BBG)
• Regulators See Growing Financial Risks Outside Traditional Banks (WSJ)

An explanation of how fractional reserve banking infringes on everyone’s freedom.