Top News Headline Stocks end down after wild 700 point range trading. US ends oil export ban. Crickets chirp. Republicans debate, Democrats debate, the nation shudders. Star Wars: The Force Awakens shatters box office records. I visit the mall to Christmas shop, discover the obesity epidemic is not solved, mirrors in short supply. Economic News Fed hikes rates by 25 [...]
Oil prices plunged, junk bonds hit a 2 ½ year low, stocks took a nearly 4% hit, a junk bond fund halted withdrawals, the country’s biggest pipeline operator cut its dividend by 75% and two of the biggest mining companies in the world suspended theirs completely. It was not a good week for financial markets. And the Fed meets to hike [...]
Top News Headlines Kinder Morgan, Freeport McMoran, Anglo-American cut dividends Climate deal reached in Paris. Not legally enforceable, all voluntary, no one cares. Dow, Dupont agree to merge, divest and keep Wall Street employed. Junk bond fund halts redemptions. Economic News China loosens Yuan peg to the dollar. Oil hits new lows. Jobless claims hit 5 month high. Retail sales [...]
Top News Headlines 1. Terrorist attack in San Bernardino; 14 dead, 21 wounded. Husband and wife terrorist team killed in shootout. President Obama to address nation. 2. ISIS claims terrorists were supporters. 3. OPEC meets, no agreement on output. 4. Wild ride as US data and ECB roil markets. Economic News 1. ECB cuts rates, extends QE, markets demand more. [...]
Chinese stocks “unexpectedly” plunged last week in a fit of stormed selling that reminded of August rather than the placidity that has been claimed of China since. By mainstream account, China has fixed its bout of “selling UST” and “outflows” while also providing two double doses of “stimulus.” The PBOC had even taken to a higher fix in the middle [...]
Top News Headlines Turkey and Russia spar over airspace. Russian promises retaliation for fighter shoot down. Brussels shuts down for days in terrorist hunt. Chicago policeman charged with murder. Stocks little changed on the week, no follow through from last week's rally. Pfizer, Allergan agree to merge for tax benefits, politicians posture, threaten. Economic News Japan unveils new stimulus measures. [...]
Top News Headlines Paris terrorists dispatched; hostage crisis in Mali ends with 27 dead. Stocks have a big week, up over 3%. Fed minutes are dovishly hawk-like. United Health says losing millions on Obamacare, may pull out of exchanges next year. Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard released from US prison. Square prices IPO at half off last private funding round giving [...]
Top News Headlines 129 Dead, Over 500 injured in Paris Attacks Retail stocks bludgeoned after earnings reports Republicans and Democrats Debate, America Appalled At Choices Stocks fall, bonds rally, oil craters Selfish brats protest adulthood, demand to be coddled in University demonstrations Economic News Neil Kashkar named head of Minneapolis Fed Eurozone growth slows, industrial output down again, exports weaken [...]
The risk budget this month is unchanged. For the moderate risk investor, the allocation between risk assets and bonds remains at a defensive 40/60 versus the benchmark of 60/40. Credit spreads narrowed on the month but the widening trend is intact and has recently resumed. Valuations are still excessive and 3rd quarter earnings have been generally downbeat. A divergence is [...]
Last week's employment report raised the odds of a December rate hike considerably and the consensus at this point seems to be that it is a done deal. The employment report was pretty good with the unemployment rate down to 5%, 271,000 jobs added and a pay hike to boot. Year over year average hourly earnings are now up 2.4%, [...]
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