Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Derivatives Crisis Of Banks…Worldwide / Companies / Credit Crisis 2016

By: I_M_Vronsky

Derivatives are weapons of mass destruction” – Warren Buffett

The WHAT AND WHY Of Derivatives

"Megabanks trade risk via derivatives contracts to another firm while keeping the underlying asset on their books. This way they can bypass capital requirements and take on more debt. This, in turn, allows them to make more trades, but it also means that if a sudden downturn surfaces in the markets, the firm which borrowed way beyond their means may quickly go bankrupt. Lehman Brothers experienced this after they’d borrowed 30 times more money than they had in reserve. In that case, a relatively small loss of a mere 3% meant that Lehman no longer had reserves (i.e. capital), and they therefore collapsed…i.e. totally wiped out. The leverage that derivatives allow is incomprehensible. They are betting 30 TIMES MORE MONEY THAN THEY HAVE. This is financially insane." (Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/nick-fillmore/banks-derivatives_b_4408856.html )

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Just Look to the Middle-Class for Proof of Trickle-Down Economics / Economics / Economic Theory

By: Harry_Dent

Politicians and economists get many things wrong, but right now, the one thing that really gets up my… let’s keep this clean and just say, nose… is how clueless they are about “trickle-down economics.”

Republicans believe it. (They just don’t realize how long it takes and that it isn’t happening yet from the information revolution.)

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

What is the Real Value of Gold Today? / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: Rodney_Johnson

Gold is on a tear this year. The precious metal is up 19%. That’s great! Those holding gold should be happy with their gains. If they take their coins to the grocery store they can buy, well, absolutely nothing. But they can sell their gold to someone else for some printed pieces of cotton (our noble currency) before making their way to the local Whole Foods.

To be fair, some gold coins were actual money many years ago, like the $20 gold piece. In some states it is legal to use these coins today as money, but only for face value, which would be stupid. For all intents and purposes, gold is not money today.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Bank of North Dakota Soars Despite Oil Bust: A Blueprint for California? / Companies / Banking Stocks

By: Ellen_Brown

Despite North Dakota’s collapsing oil market, its state-owned bank continues to report record profits. This article looks at what California, with fifty times North Dakota’s population, could do following that state’s lead.

In November 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Bank of North Dakota (BND), the nation’s only state-owned depository bank, was more profitable even than J.P. Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. The author attributed this remarkable performance to the state’s oil boom; but the boom has now become an oil bust, yet the BND’s profits continue to climb. Its 2015 Annual Report, published on April 20th, boasted its most profitable year ever.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Stock Market Technical Analysis / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Christopher_Quigley

Technical Summary:
Short Term Trend:                            Neutral With A Bearish Configuration Possibly Developing.
Medium Term Trend:                      Bullish.
Long Term Trend:                            Neutral:Both The 100 DMA and the 200 DMA Are Flat.
Slow Stochastics:                             Overbought: Market Risk Is High.
Fast Stochastics:                              Neutral But Trending To Oversold.
VIX:                                                   Very Low: Market  Risk Is High.
McClennan Oscillator:                    Low But Trending Down. Not Ideal For Shorting The Market.
A/D Line:                                           Bullish.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Is Craig Wright The Creator Of Bitcoin? Frisby and Matonis On ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ / Currencies / Bitcoin

By: GoldCore

Craig Steven Wright, an Australian computer scientist, self-declared cyber security expert and entrepreneur, has claimed to be the creator of Bitcoin, the elusive ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Long-term Fixed Savings Interest Rates Fall / Personal_Finance / Savings Accounts

By: MoneyFacts

Savers looking to boost their savings pots will no doubt look for accounts that pay the highest rates of interest, which typically come from long-term fixed rate savings bonds. However, savers may be disappointed by the deals on offer for rates in this sector have recently hit new lows thanks to an onslaught of rate cuts.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

US Dollar Index on the Brink as Dollar Meltdown Continues - Video / Currencies / US Dollar

By: Mario_Innecco

Transcript Excerpt: Tuesday May 3rd 2016 yes around 8:40 a.m. London time or 340 New York
time I'm gonna be talking currencies this morning as the dollar continues to
to drop you know quite quite sharply I had been covering the yen and how that's
been appreciating quite strongly against the dollar despite the fact that the BOJ
stepped up especially knowing the end of February stepped up their cue we and a
negative interest rates but this morning I will be talking a little bit the
dollar index dollar index is basically weights and measures the dollar against
a basket of currencies and this basket is composed of the following 57.6% euro
30.6% Japanese yen 11.9% British Pound 9.1% Canadian dollar four point to.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Gold Stocks in the Danger Zone / Commodities / Gold and Silver Stocks 2016

By: Bob_Kirtley

The bears have been in charge for the last 4 years or so taking both gold and silver into the depths of despair. The associated mining companies also felt the cold with many having to postpone projects, slash dividends and implement a series of cost cutting measures.

As with most bear markets there were a number of rallies which turned out to be head fakes or bear traps as gold lost its momentum. We can all recall just how well 2015 started as gold bolted in January to higher ground bringing much joy to the perma gold bulls. Alas gold couldn’t maintain it strength and spent the remainder of the year drifting to its lowest level for some time. Fast forward to this year and we can see once again gold has started like an Olympic sprinter taking the price of gold to within touching distance of $1300.00/oz. Silver was a tad slow to start but has now joined the fun by breaching previous resistance levels and confirming golds strength.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Central Banks Need a Higher Gold Price : Hello GATA / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: Dan_Norcini

A friend sent me some comments from Chris Powell over at GATA (headquarters for the gold manipulation crowd) writing about the possibility of a change in the thinking of the Central Banks in regards to the gold price.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Stock Market Bad News Bought Again...It's All About Rates....Nothing Else... / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Jack_Steiman

After seven straight down days on the Nasdaq, the market was ready for a bit of a bounce. The Nasdaq has been underperforming, mostly due to Apple Inc. (AAPL), which has been sinking like a stone since they had their earnings report and Carl Ichan sold all of his shares. Many other Nasdaq stocks have participated in the bad earnings world as well, which has clearly contributed to the down turn in the Nasdaq versus the rest of the stock market. The S&P 500 is holding up far better than the Nasdaq as the big money continues to rotate into safety and away from froth, and higher P/E and beta stocks. Risk is not what they're after at this moment in time. Safety is the name of their game.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Stock Market Retracement May be Complete / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

The retracement rally hit 61.8% of ita recent decline and appears complete. This is a good aggressive short entry here, as well.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Have Gold Mining Shares Topped? / Commodities / Gold and Silver Stocks 2016

By: Brad_Gudgeon

Gold should drop about $150 from here into May 18th or about 12-13%. Gold mining shares should drop about 35-38% from here into May 18th. Mercury turned stationary/retrograde on April 28th suggesting a major top 2 trading days from that date. The Gann cycles suggest a likelihood of Monday, May 2nd being that top. The vertical white lines are TLC or trend line convergence lows which look for May 18th and May 20th as being important lows.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Low Prices for Oil Cure Low Prices for Oil / Commodities / Crude Oil

By: The_Energy_Report

Veteran investor Bob Moriarty discusses one company that is poised to benefit from the volatililty in the oil markets.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

A Currency War Battle That Europe and Japan Can’t Afford To Lose / Currencies / Currency War

By: John_Rubino

The dollar is tanking lately. From a high of around 100 in December, the dollar index — which measures USD against a basket of foreign currencies — is down about 8%, and the decline is steepening. In counterintuitive currency war terms, that means the US is winning the latest battle.

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

In Exclusive Interview GATA Chairman Bill Murphy Says Gold Cartel Getting Desperate - Video / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: Mario_Innecco

Transcript excerpt: ok this afternoon May May 2nd 2016 Monday I'm interviewing bill Murphy he's
the chairman of gala which means gold anti-trust action committee their
website has got a dog or and yeah bill used to work in the financial markets
back in the seventies and commodities but I'll let him introduced himself and
talk a little bit about gaps and what they do you have some background and
commodity in that phone firm once in New York City and small one and there was a
limited edition trailer one time they traded futures markets have that
background and it's helped me understand the market movements cause I watch them
on a daily basis so it it you know that's the one thing I'm good we all

Monday, May 02, 2016

When the Truth is Found to be Lies, Confidence in Currency Dies / Currencies / Fiat Currency

By: DeviantInvestor

In 1967 the Jefferson Airplane sang:

“When the truth is found to be lies,

And all the joy within you dies…”

Monday, May 02, 2016

How Brexit Could Help All of Europe / ElectionOracle / EU_Referendum

By: MISES

Ferghane Azihari writes: The United Kingdom (UK) is about to hold a referendum on June 23rd on whether it should leave or remain within the European Union (EU). Once unthinkable, the "Brexit" is becoming more and more plausible. It is seen by the mainstream media as a factor of uncertainty in Europe. For its critics, Brexit would lead to increasing nationalism and protectionism. Nevertheless, those same critics forget the European Union is not a free-trade area.

Monday, May 02, 2016

US House Prices Outpacing Official Inflation Rate, Household Income / Housing-Market / US Housing

By: MISES

Ryan McMaken writes: This week, the latest numbers from the S&P/Case-Shiller index showed continued significant home price growth in most of the 20 cities within the survey. The cities with the most growth were found in the Western US and, to a lesser extent, the South:

Monday, May 02, 2016

USD Still Declining... / Currencies / US Dollar

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

USD is plummeting lower today. This is keeping USD/JPY suppressed, even though the Yen is not rallying at the moment.

Bloomberg reports, “After falling for three months, the dollar is set to rebound, if this historical seasonal chart is any guide.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the greenback versus 10 peers, has appreciated in May in every year but one since 2007, according to a Bloomberg Seasonality Chart. That’s the best record among the 12 months.