Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Why Cryptocurrencies Will Never Be Safe Havens / Currencies / BlockChain
By: Submissions
by Mark Spitznagel : Every further new high in the price of Bitcoin brings ever more claims that it is destined to become the preeminent safe haven investment of the modern age — the new gold.
But there’s no getting around the fact that Bitcoin is essentially a speculative investment in a new technology, specifically the blockchain. Think of the blockchain, very basically, as layers of independent electronic security that encapsulate a cryptocurrency and keep it frozen in time and space — like layers of amber around a fly. This is what makes a cryptocurrency “crypto.”
Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Trump’s Path to Trade Wars / Politics / Protectionism
By: Dan_Steinbock
As the White House is about to escalate trade frictions along with nuclear risks, global economic prospects will turn more clouded and markets more volatile.Last Friday, President Trump spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and told him that he is preparing to order an investigation into Chinese trade practices.
On Monday, he called for an investigation into China over U.S. intellectual property (IP) practices and technology transfers. As a result, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a veteran Reagan administration trade hawk, opened an investigation against China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The ordering of the investigation will not immediately impose sanctions but it could lead to steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
The Stock Market Guns of August, Trade Set-Up & Removing your Rose Tinted Glasses / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: Plunger
Today I am going to lay out the case of a major market top and how it fits into the geopolitical backdrop of today. We then profile the trade set-up to look for and finally I will forcefully remove your Rose Colored Glasses you have been wearing since January 2017.
In Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August” she argues that August 1914 was when the Gilded Age died and the modern era actually began. The book opens with the famous depiction of Edward VII’s funeral in 1910 attended peacefully by all the kings of Europe. Never again would the body of world leaders be unified and cut from a similar cloth. The war ushered in a new world, not recognizable from the past. Not since that time have we witnessed such diplomatic folly as in the month of August 1914. Today we wonder are we witnessing a similar conflict between a super power and the client state of China which is an emerging super power? Could it unfold in a similar fashion?
Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Stocks, Bonds, Interest Rates, and Serbia, Camp Kotok 2017 / Stock-Markets / Financial Markets 2017
By: John_Mauldin
I went to Camp Kotok, an invitation-only gathering of economists, market analysts, fund managers, and a few journalists. I go every year, and I always learn more than I can manage to remember.
It’s a three-day economic thought-fest (and more rich food and wine than is good for me or anyone else at the camp). For me, that’s about as good as life gets.
Come along with me as I share some of my main takeaways and consensus forecasts from this year’s camp.
Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
U.S. Stock Market: Sunrise ... Sunset / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: EWI
See what happens when speculative fever cools down
The market itself provides its own clues about its future price action. One such clue is found in higher-beta small cap stocks vs. lower-beta blue chips. Get our take.
[Editor's Note: The text version of the story is below.]
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
UK Savings Market Recovery Weakened by Bank of England Lending Schemes / Personal_Finance / Saving Bonds
By: MoneyFacts
The latest data from moneyfacts.co.uk reveals that the savings market has now had seven consecutive months wherein rate rises have outweighed cuts, with July seeing 151 rises versus 45 cuts.
Fixed rate bonds are continuing to play a huge part in the recovery of the market, with 60% of the recorded rate rises last month being for fixed rate bonds. In fact, the average two-year fixed bond has grown from 1.04% to 1.32% since the start of the year, and a similar picture can be seen for longer-term bonds. The average three-year fixed bond has grown from 1.21% to 1.56%, while the average five-year fixed bond is up to 1.92% from 1.67% in January 2017.
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Stock Market Intermission / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: Ed_Carlson
Last week’s Market Update – Showtime! – announced that the time had come for a sell-off in equities and we were not disappointed as the Dow lost over 234 points (worst week since March). Internal indicators now point to a pause in the decline. It’s now time for a short Intermission.
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
The Next Tech Crash Could Delay Your Retirement by a Decade / Stock-Markets / Tech Stocks
By: HAA
The S&P 500 Information Technology Index recently surpassed its previous peak of 988.49 set in March 2000. It took a whopping 17 years to recoup the massive losses from the implosion of the dot-com bubble.
Not even the Federal Reserve chairman at the time, Alan Greenspan, could rein in the enthusiasm of the tech disciples with his oft-quoted 1998 “Irrational Exuberance” speech about market valuation. Valuations stretched to epic proportions as companies with little revenue and no chance to make a profit rushed to join the IPO party.
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Gold Set To Rise While Debt-Based Assets Collapse / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017
By: Hubert_Moolman
In a previous article, I have shown how economic conditions, today, appear very similar to that of the early 80s (circa 1983). These similar conditions show up on the long-term gold and Dow charts, as shown in that article.
Now, if those similarities continue, then the Dow will continue much higher from this point on, while gold will go into a long-term bear market. However, I have also pointed out that there are just too many fundamental obstacles, that would make such a scenario almost impossible.
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Will North Korea Situation Create a Nifty Stock Market Correction? / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: ElliottWave-Forecast
The situation in North Korea went to another level last week when President Trump made some “Fire and Fury” comment. His response to the provocation by North Korea resulted in risk off with sell off across the market, higher VIX, Yen strength. Precious metals such as Gold and Silver also saw bids and started to rally in the back of the news. But did Indices really sell off because of President’s Trump remark as the business news and social media make it to be?
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
UK Remortgage Customers Beware of Interest Rate Rises / Housing-Market / Mortgages
By: MoneyFacts
Remortgage customers have been able to benefit from some of the lowest rates ever seen, yet recent research from moneyfacts.co.uk shows that time may be up for these competitive deals. The table below highlights how the rates available to those remortgaging have creeped up in the past six months, with the average two-year fixed rate for those remortgaging now even higher than a year ago.
Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Gold and Silver Precious Metals Nearing Breakout / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017
By: Jordan_Roy_Byrne
The outlook for precious metals has changed quite a bit over the last month. In early July, Gold and gold stocks were weak and threatening severe breakdowns below key levels such as $1200 Gold and $21 GDX. Those moves reversed course and now Gold and gold stocks are threatening resistance. The prognosis has turned bullish and with the help of a correcting stock market precious metals could build on their recent rebound.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
North Korea Showdown: Pivotal Market Turning Point / Stock-Markets / Financial Markets 2017
By: The_Gold_Report
The next two weeks could be a make-or-break period for President Trump, says Lior Gantz, founder of Wealth Research Group.
We're witnessing a classic political attention diverting operation.
Like many before him, President Trump is provoking a foreign affair crisis in order to take our minds off of the problematic U.S. domestic economic and political tensions and focus on matters the government can blame on others instead of themselves.
Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, August 14, 2017
Gold Price Is Facing 1300 Resistance Again / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017
By: Franco_Shao
After a minor consolidation, XAUUSD moved above 1274.08 resistance and extended its upside movement from 1204.77 to as high as 1292.05, facing the important psychological level at 1300 once again.
Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, August 14, 2017
Tech Stocks DOT COM Bubble Do-Over? / Stock-Markets / Tech Stocks
By: Chris_Vermeulen
Our recent analysis suggests we may be setting up to repeat history in an odd and dangerous manner. As market technicians, part of our job is to work with numbers, find patterns and attempt to predict future price moves in US and Global markets. As you can imagine, it is not always easy to accurately predict the future. Still, we take on the challenge and truly enjoy being able to find and share trading strategy concepts with our ActiveTradingPartners newsletter. As such, we are sharing this recent technical research data with your today.
Monday, August 14, 2017
Deep State Conspiracy or Chaos / Politics / Deep State
By: James_Quinn
“The main thing that I learned about conspiracy theory is that conspiracy theorists believe in a conspiracy because that is more comforting. The truth of the world is that it is actually chaotic. The truth is that it is not The Iluminati, or The Jewish Banking Conspiracy, or the Gray Alien Theory. The truth is far more frightening – Nobody is in control. The world is rudderless.” – Alan Moore
Alan Moore, the renowned graphic novel writer, and author of the dystopian classic V for Vendetta, politically identifies as an anarchist. His view that all political states are an outgrowth of anarchy, with the biggest gang taking control and dictating how things will be run, is manifested in V for Vendetta. As an anarchist, you can understand why he is doubtful of conspiracy theories and an all-powerful entity controlling the world. He believes in a chaotic world competing gangs position themselves to gain power and control.
Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, August 14, 2017
From the Trans-Atlantic Axis and the Trans-Asian Axis / Politics / Asian Economies
By: Andre_Gratian
The ASEAN faces old and new challenges, and a huge long-term opportunity. The next three decades could witness the shift of global economic momentum from the Trans-Atlantic axis to the Trans-Asian axis.Recently, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) marked its 50th anniversary in Manila with President Duterte hosting the celebrations. Despite its importance, the Summit’s international coverage remains unacceptably marginal. But times are changing.
Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, August 14, 2017
Stock Market Intermediate Correction Underway / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: Andre_Gratian
Current Position of the Market
SPX Long-term trend: The uptrend should continue after pausing for a correction.
SPX Intermediate trend: “An ending pattern appears to be in its last stages of completion. This should be followed by an intermediate term correction into October.” The correction has started.
Analysis of the short-term trend is done on a daily-basis with the help of hourly charts. It is an important adjunct to the analysis of daily and weekly charts which discuss longer market trends.
Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, August 13, 2017
The Islamic State Jihadi Pivot to Asia / Politics / ISIS Islamic State
By: Dan_Steinbock
As the Islamic State is collapsing in the Middle East, it needs wins elsewhere. Southeast Asia is Jihadi terror’s new battlefront. In order to contain the terror and sustain the Asian Century, new kind of cooperation is needed between the ASEAN, the US, China, and other major powers in the region and the Middle East.
A systematic terror escalation has begun in Asia. In May, an armed conflict started in Marawi in Mindanao, where government forces were surprised by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), and homegrown Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadists.
After a foiled plot by an ISIL-linked group last year to launch a rocket at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, several radicalized Indonesian workers have been sent back home and Bangladeshis arrested, along with a few Singaporeans.
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Potential Pivots Upcoming for Stocks and Gold / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017
By: Gary_Tanashian
Prologue: This is a bearish article written by someone who covered his short (bearish) positions today (except for the euro) and has only long positions now, in precious metals and stocks, along with a heaping helping of cash. In other words, per yesterday’s snapshot, the market had dropped to levels that could see a bounce, especially since the spark to this week’s reaction was not legitimate as a substantial market input. This article is not concerned with short-term ups and downs; it is concerned with what comes in September or in Q4, after da boyz is back from da Hampins and settled in.
The war of words between the TiC (Tweeter-in-Chief) and the LiC (Lunatic-in-Chief) has little to do with the financial market’s intermediate-term fate. In the very short-term? Sure, man, machine, casino patron and Mom & Pop will fly in and out of stocks as the wind (and sentiment backdrop) blows. But before this standoff of the belligerent, the markets had set a course for changes come September or Q4 2017.
Read full article... Read full article...