Thursday, February 09, 2017

Here’s Why We Won’t See An Energy Rally—and How to Profit / Commodities / Energy Resources

By: John_Mauldin

BY PATRICK WATSON : Energy stocks jumped after the November election because investors thought new management in Washington would be their ticket to wealth. But what if it’s not?

On the surface, the stars seem lined up for Big Oil & Gas. President Trump promised to reduce the industry’s regulatory burden and open more federal land and offshore areas to drilling.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

The Leading Power In East Asia Will Be Japan—Not China / Politics / GeoPolitics

By: John_Mauldin

BY GEORGE FRIEDMAN AND JACOB L. SHAPIRO : By 2040, Japan will rise as East Asia’s leading power. This is one of our most controversial forecasts at Geopolitical Futures.

Our readers know that GPF is bearish on China. And while some may disagree on that point, they usually see that the reasoning is sound. China will face serious problems in coming years… problems that will strain the Communist Party’s rule. (I write about this topic extensively in This Week in Geopolitics—subscribe here for free.)

Japan, though, seems a bridge too far. Its population is less than a tenth of China’s size (and it’s not just aging… it’s shrinking). Japan also has a debt-to-GDP ratio over 229%.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Bullish Case for GBP/JPY / Currencies / Forex Trading

By: MarketsToday

Looking back we see that the GBPJPY moved into a 16-month downtrend following the 195.87 peak reached in June 2015. Support was eventually found at 124.59 four months ago. It was promptly followed by a sharp nine-week rally up into 148.45 resistance (most recent peak). That price area is where both support and resistance were seen back in 2013, at resistance of the 55-week exponential moving average (ema), and at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the internal downtrend (coming off the 168.08 lower swing high).

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Retroeconomics – Global Challenge for Economic Development / Economics / Economic Theory

By: Submissions

Vladimer Papava writes: In many and mostly poor countries, their economies have been using obsolete technologies.  As a result, all of these countries do not have a real chance to be successful in any long-term economic growth.  The usage of obsolete technologies by any company can create the illusion that this or that business is prosperous.  At the level of international competition, however, it is obvious that these types of companies do not have any chance for success.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Give Gift of Real Gold This Valentines Day / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: GoldCore

For the love of gold
(Don’t) put a ring on it
Is gold jewellery going out of fashion?
You’ll never get what you paid for it
Devaluation: Synthetic diamonds, 3D Printing and Rise of the machines
Buy gold – No one has cracked alchemy
Give the gift of real gold – They will thank you for it  

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Stock Market Positive Expectations As Investors' Sentiment Improves - New Record Highs Ahead? / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Paul_Rejczak

Briefly: In our opinion, speculative short positions are favored (with stop-loss at 2,330, and profit target at 2,150, S&P 500 index).

Our intraday outlook remains bearish, and our short-term outlook is bearish. Our medium-term outlook remains neutral, following S&P 500 index breakout above last year's all-time high:

Intraday outlook (next 24 hours): bearish
Short-term outlook (next 1-2 weeks): bearish
Medium-term outlook (next 1-3 months): neutral
Long-term outlook (next year): neutral

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Major Money Managers Have A Grim Outlook For The US Stock Market / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Jeff_Berwick

Several months ago we were following closely as billionaire after billionaire warned of financial calamity to come.

Whether they were warning of a downturn, debt jubilee, or taking large positions in precious metals stocks, guys like Stanley Druckenmiller, Crispin Odey, Paul Singer and even the trillionaire himself, Jacob Rothschild, were outspoken in their stark view of the markets.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

According to “Unmassaged Data” the US Economy is Rolling Over / Economics / Recession 2017

By: Graham_Summers

Yet another “unmassaged” data point has shown that the US economy is rolling over.

If you’ve been reading me for a while you know that one of my biggest pet peeves is the fact that headline US economic data (GDP growth, unemployment, inflation, etc.) is massaged to the point of being fiction.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Germany Blasts Israel’s Illegal Land Grab / Politics / Israel

By: Stephen_Lendman

A previous article discussed Israel’s Resolution Law, retroactively approving around 4,000 illegally built settler outpost homes on privately owned Palestinian land - confiscating it for exclusive Jewish occupation and use, legislation its attorney general opposed and won’t defend.

Anything about Israel is sensitive in Germany, given its Nazi era mass extermination of Jews.

Last December, its Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed great concern about the pending legislation, saying it “violates international law,” along with “undermin(ing)” any chance for a two-state solution.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Trump Plays Cat and Mouse with Iran / Politics / US Politics

By: Mike_Whitney

Why is the Trump administration threatening Iran?

On February 1, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn announced that the administration was “putting Iran on notice” after it tested a ballistic missile which the US sees as a violation of Iran’s treaty obligations. Flynn’s frigid tone made it clear that the administration is considering the use of military force. But why?

Under current UN resolutions (Resolution 2231), Iran is forbidden “to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.” Read that over again. Iran is not forbidden from testing ‘all ballistic missiles’ just missiles that are ‘capable of delivering nuclear weapons.’ The resolution could not be clearer. There’s no gray area here, none at all. Flynn is just fudging the resolution’s meaning, so he can rattle a saber. But, why?  And why are other members of the administration, including the president himself,  making equally belligerent remarks? In a tweet last week, Trump  said, “I won’t be as ‘kind’ to Iran as Obama” which was followed by a speech by US Defense Secretary James Mattis who called Iran “the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.”

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Stock Market Solid Session with Mixed Technicals / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Harry_Boxer

The stock market indices had a good session, although they started the day out with a drop to the downside, held support, came on strong in the morning, consolidated midsession, and ran back up in the afternoon, only to pull back n the last ten minutes to pare back the gains and put the Dow back in the negative column.

Net on the day, the Dow was down 35.95 at 20,054.34. The S&P 500 was up 1.59 at 2294.67, a point off the high. The Nasdaq 100 was up 10.70 at 5196.58, 5 points off the high.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Morrisons Own Brand Cheap Batteries that Leak! / ConsumerWatch / Shopping

By: HGR

Are you tempted to buy cheap store brand batteries such as those sold by the likes of Morrisons, Tesco and others, rather than pay more for brands such as Duracell? We'll there is more to consider than just whether they are likely to have a lot less charge than the branded batteries as this video illustrates that there is also a higher risk of leakage, even after just a months use.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Sheffield Housing Crisis, First New Council Houses Built for Rent in 30 Years! / Housing-Market / Sheffield

By: N_Walayat

Britain continues to experience a worsening housing crisis as annual demand for 400,000 new builds far out strips supply of barely 140,000, which keeps ratcheting up the crisis each year. Sheffield as is the case for most UK cities has seen its safety net of council properties for rent evaporate from a housing stock of over 80,000 30 years ago, most of which have been sold off at deep discounts under the right to buy scheme to now stand at under 40,000 council properties for rent.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

USD Rolling Over, SPX Weakening / Currencies / US Dollar

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

Good Morning!

USD futures are fading this morning as a smaller overnight retracement failed to exceed yesterday’s high at 100.69.

ZeroHedge reports, “We're going to need another Fed speaker...

Harker comments overnight on March being live spiked the Dollar...

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

What an America First Trade Policy Could Mean for the US Dollar / Currencies / US Dollar

By: John_Mauldin

John Grandits : A key pillar of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and now policy formation, is an “America First” approach. So far, this has entailed much discussion around negotiating more favorable trade deals, withdrawing from possible participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, citing potential currency manipulators, and construction of a wall along the Mexican border, to name a few.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

U.S. Dollar Exorbitant Privilege At Risk?! / Currencies / US Dollar

By: Axel_Merk

If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, American's exorbitant privilege might be at risk with broad implications for the U.S. dollar and investors' portfolios. Let me explain.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Trumpin' and Thumpin' Back to the 1930s / Politics / US Politics

By: Dan_Steinbock

With the Trump White House, America and a global economy will enter a highly divisive period – as evidenced by the debate about his economic, trade and infrastructure plans.

As long as Republicans sustain some unity in and between the White House, the Senate and the House of the Representatives, Trump will benefit from an unprecedented execution power.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Stock Market Positive Session with Poor Technicals / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Harry_Boxer

The stock market indices were up marginally today, but the technicals were not good. The day started out with a gap up, bounced around early morning, stair-stepped its way down, rallied back up, pulled back, retested, an moved sideways the rest of the day to close in the positive column.

Net on the day, the Dow was up 37.87 at 20,090.29. The S&P 500 was up .52 at 2293.08. The Nasdaq 100 was up 17.91 at 5178.85, but reaching a new high at 5196.27.

Wednesday, February 08, 2017

US Dollar Breaks below USD100 with Rising Yields, is Wholesale US Treasury Dump Coming? / Currencies / US Dollar

By: John_Lee

The US Dollar Index has fallen below the psychological 100 level, while 2-year and 10-year US Treasury yields remain above multi-year support levels. This is despite the Federal Open Market Committee keeping the Federal Funds rate steady at 0.75% on Feb 1, 2017.

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Bad News For Stock Bulls.. the US is Sliding Into Recession / Economics / Recession 2017

By: Graham_Summers

While the financial media was applauding last week’s jobs number, those of us who actually look into the details can tell you that the report was complete fiction.

The headline number of 227,000 was largely crafted through seasonal adjustments, NOT actual job creation. At a minimum 170,000 of those jobs were created in an excel spreadsheet by bean counters, NOT by businesses hiring.