The European financial markets in the six weeks since the last EU Summit, have had a complete, unofficial and unreported implosion in the bond and credit markets .
Wholesale Lending is now completely frozen,
Sovereign yields have reached unfundable levels as even sovereign yield curves have inverted,
Collateral Contagion is running rampant,
Banks runs are quietly occurring,
Shadow Banking Dis-intermediation is under distress,
The Euro-Yen Carry trade unwinding is rapidly accelerating,
The Shadow banking system is seizing up,
European banks have nearly stopped lending, sopped interbank lending, have been repatriating funds globally and are now increasingly depositing funds at central banks for safe keeping.
The Credit rating have placed 15 EU sovereign countries on negative credit watch includes EU Core countries.
The EFSF yields have soared and foreign funding sources dried up
The current agenda of the upcoming EU Summit does nothing to fundamentally address the underlying causes. MORE>>
The World Economic Forum's 2012 Risks Report, the IMF's Global Financial Stability Report and our proprietary Aggregated Global Risk Level Index (AGRLI) all suggest global macroeconomic risks are increasing. The consensus findings are that the center of gravity of Global Macro issues are a combination of Chronic Fiscal Imbalances and a Global Governance Failure. MORE>> EXPANDED COVERAGE INCLUDING AUDIO & MONTHLY UPDATE SUMMARY
MARKET ANALYTICS & TECHNO-FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS
DECEMBER 2011: MARKET ANALYTICS & TECHNICAL ANALYSIS - (Subscription Plan IV - 165 Pages) The market action since March 2009 is a bear market counter rally that has completed a classic ending diagonal pattern. The Bear Market which started in 2000 will resume in full force when the current "ROUNDED TOP" is completed. We presently are in the midst of of a "ROLLING TOP" across all Global Markets. We are seeing broad based weakening analytics and cascading warning signals. This behavior is typically seen during major tops. This is all part of a final topping formation and a long term right shoulder technical construction pattern.
MORE>> EXPANDED COVERAGE INCLUDING AUDIO & EXECUTIVE BRIEF
TRIGGER$ publications combine both Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis together offering unique perspectives on the Global Markets. Every month “Gordon T Long Market Research & Analytics” publishes three reports totalling more then 380 pages of detailed Technical Analysis and in depth Fundamentals. If you find our publications TOO detailed, we recommend you consider TRIGGER$ which edited by GoldenPhi offers a ‘distilled’ version in a readable format for use in your daily due diligence. Read and understand what the professionals are reading without having to be a Professional Analyst or Technician.
TRIGGER$ ALERTS (2 WEEK TRIAL AVAILABLE - TRIAL - 2 PER WEEK)
2 WEEK FREE TRIAL Our Inter-Issue Updates and Alerts are Included with a Monthly Subscription to Triggers. Between issue publication receive updates on Technical Analysis, Economic Analysis and anything note worthy for your trading and investing.
Technical Analysis Alerts would include hitting potential Trigger Points, Pivots orsome progression that requires you immediate attention.
Economic Analysis Updates alert of any fundamental economic events that may have impact on the markets and what to expect.
Inter-Issue Updates and Alerts allow us to keep current with the markets and provide a more fluid and stable ongoing market evaluation.
Technical Updates occur twice a week, Alerts as the markets dictate. Sign-up now
Latest Public Research ARTICLES & AUDIO PRESENTATIONS
EURO EXPERIMENT : ECB's LTRO Won't Stop Collateral Contagion! Released December 27th, 2011
I would argue that the problem short term is a shortage of real collateral and that US dollar cash, versus 'encumbered' cash flow, is now king. It is clear that the rampant advancing Collateral Contagion will quickly eat the futile LTRO attempt like ravenous wolves. A well circulated Tweet from PIMCO bond king Bill Gross said it all: " What does LTRO stand for? 1- A shell game; 2-Cash for trash; 3 Three-card Monti; or 4. All of the above." Here is the stark reality of what forced the ECB to offer unprecedented three year loans at absurd rates and most alarmingly, the acceptance of collateral that no other financial institutions will accept. The ECB has sacrificed its balance sheet in yet another EU "kick at the can". MORE>>
CURRENCY WARS: EU: A FLAWED FOUNDATION, BUT A BRILLIANT STRATEGY Released May 31st, 2011
It was the perception of getting something of value without any meaningful sacrifice that initially fostered the EU Monetary Union. Though the countries of Europe were fiercely nationalistic they were willing to surrender minor sovereign powers only if it was going to prove advantageous to them. They were certainly unwilling to relinquish sufficient sovereignty to create the requisite political union required for its success. After a decade long trial period it is now time to pay the price for Monetary Union. I suspect that the EU membership is unwilling to do so. Though they likely will see the price as too high to do so, the price to not do so has become even greater. They have unwittingly been trapped by a well crafted strategy. MORE>>
CURRENCY WARS: The Economic Death Spiral Has Been Triggered Released May 27th, 2011
For nearly 30 years we have had two Global Strategies working in a symbiotic fashion that has created a virtuous economic growth spiral. Unfortunately, the economic underpinnings were flawed and as a consequence, the virtuous cycle has ended. It is now in the process of reversing and becoming a vicious downward economic spiral. One of the strategies is the Asian Mercantile Strategy. The other is the US Dollar Reserve Currency Strategy. These two strategies have worked in harmony because they fed off each other, each reinforcing the other. However, today the realities of debt saturation have brought the virtuous spiral to an end. MORE>>
CURRENCY WARS: Debt Saturation & Money Illusion Released April 27th, 2011
Most of the clearly evident financial problems that surround us today stem from one cause - Debt Saturation. Most, intuitively, sense this to be a correct assessment but few can either prove it or articulate it to the less sophisticated. Let me arm you to be the "Nostradamus" amongst your friends and colleagues in explaining the problem and what the future therefore foretells. However, let me make it very clear, this will not make you popular. Smart maybe, but highly likely to make you unwanted at the social gatherings of the genteel. MORE>>
Last update:
02/03/2021 3:11 AM
Postings begin at 5:30am EST
and updated throughout the day
“This is reaching the danger point. It is already one and a half times the total budget of the German government. If any of the crisis countries exits the euro or if there is an EMU break-up, the Bundesbank bears extreme risks.”
Germany Faces Tough Decisions in Europe's Debt Crisis George Friedman, MercatorNet
Japan’s top megabank braces for government bond crash
Huge losses put Japan’s top brokerage in survival mode 02/02/12 Asahi
02/02/12
Asahi
2
2- Sovereign Debt Crisis
GLOBAL GOVERNANCE FAILURE
Plan to Help Homeowners and Heal the Housing Market
Key Aspects of the President’s Plan as Presented
Broad Based Refinancing to Help Responsible Borrowers Save an Average of $3,000 per Year: The President’s plan will provide borrowers who are current on their payments with an opportunity to refinance and take advantage of historically low interest rates, cutting through the red tape that prevents these borrowers from saving hundreds of dollars a month and thousands of dollars a year. This plan, which is paid for by a financial fee so that it does not add a dime to the deficit, will:
Provide access to refinancing for all non-GSE borrowers who are current on their payments and meet a set of simple criteria.
Streamline the refinancing process for all GSE borrowers who are current on their loans.
Give borrowers the chance to rebuild equity through refinancing.
Homeowner Bill of Rights: The President is putting forward a single set of standards to make sure borrowers and lenders play by the same rules
Moving the Market to Provide a Full Year of Forbearance for Borrowers Looking for Work: Following the Administration’s lead, major banks and the GSEs are now providing up to 12 months of forbearance to unemployed borrowers.
Pursuing a Joint Investigation into Mortgage Origination and Servicing Abuses: This effort marshals new resources to investigate misconduct that contributed to the financial crisis under the leadership of federal and state co-chairs.
Rehabilitating Neighborhoods and Reducing Foreclosures: In addition to the steps outlined above, the Administration is expanding eligibility for HAMP to reduce additional foreclosures, increasing incentives for modifications that help borrowers rebuild equity, and is proposing to put people back to work rehabilitating neighborhoods through Project Rebuild.
Japan Hardens Currency Rhetoric 02/02/12 WSJ The dollar fell to ¥76.02 Wednesday, the lowest since Oct. 31, when Japan carried out a widely publicized currency-market intervention that sold an estimated daily record of around ¥7.5 trillion. There is speculation that without official actions to bolster the dollar, it may soon drop below a record low of ¥75.31, also marked on Oct. 31, on expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will continue its loose monetary policy for longer and keep the U.S. currency weak.
Life – and Death Proposition 02/02/12 PIMCO Bill Gross zero-bound interest rates do not always and necessarily force investors to take more risk by purchasing stocks or real estate, to cite the classic central bank thesis
Amazon Slides After Missing Revenues Expectations, Guides Much Lower 02/01/12 Zero Hedge Amazon slides 10% after hours as it reports much weaker revenues of $17.43 billion on expectations of $18.26 billion. EPS are not really comparable but seems to beat EPS of $0.16 on Exp. of $0.38. This may not be apples to apples. More importantly, the company guides Q1 to Operating Loss of $200MM to Income of income of $100MM, on Wall Street Consensus of $268MM, and guides to Q1 revenue of just $120-$13.4 billion on Estimates of $13.4 billion: pretty wide range there
Amazon's Spending Hurts Profit 02/01/12 WSJ Amazon is struggling to make money as quickly as it spends it, putting the squeeze on the online retailer's latest financial results and crimping its outlook
HONDA: 01/31/12 Honda announced net profitfell 41 percent to ¥47.66 billion, or $624.3 million, as a strong yen eroded international margins and Thai suppliers only started coming back on line. The company forecast full year net profit of ¥215 billion, well below analyst expectations for ¥250.5 billion.
MOST CRITICAL TIPPING POINT ARTICLES THIS WEEK - JAN. 30 - FEB. 4th, 2012
EU BANKING CRISIS
1
ECB
Banks set to double crisis loans from ECB Emergency funding take-up could reach €1tn European banks are preparing to tap the European Central Bank’s emergency funding scheme for up to twice as much as the ECB supplied in its debut €489bn auction last month, providing further evidence of the sector’s liquidity squeeze. Several of the eurozone’s biggest banks have told the Financial Times that they could well double or triple their request for funds in the ECB’s three-year money auction on February 29. “Banks are not going to be as shy second time round,” said the head of one eurozone bank at last week’s World Economic Forum in Davos. “We should have done more first time.” Three bank chief executives, all of whom asked to remain anonymous, said they were planning to increase their participation twofold or threefold.
You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet; Another Trillion (or Two) Euro LTRO Coming Next Month 01/30/12 Mish Last month, European banks tapped the ECB for €489bn in a long-term refinance operation dubbed LTRO. On February 29, another round of LTRO is coming up and expect banks to go for the gusto. Banks like cheap money to speculate and that is exactly what they will do. The money is supposed to go for bank lending but it won't. Why should banks lend? They have a guaranteed profit by speculating in Spanish or Italian bonds, assuming of course Spain and Italy do not need bailouts coupled with a writedown on government debt
Mario Draghi, the Latin Bloc’s monetarist avengerOne dreads to think what would have happened to Europe’s banking system and to the solvency of Italy and Spain if Mario Draghi had not come to the rescue before Christmas...
U.S. Banks Tally Their Exposure to Europe's Debt Maelstrom
01/30/12
Dealbook
1- EU Banking Crisis
Santander Profit Tumbles 98% Banco Santander said its fourth-quarter net profit plummeted 98% after it took a $2.38 billion charge on its Spanish real estate holdings, and as the bank set aside more funds to cover bad property loans.
Euro area manufacturing declined for the sixth-consecutive month, data from Markit's Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index showed. The index improved to 48.8 from a 46.9 reading in December, but remained below 50. Germany and Austrian PMI's topped 51, while French PMI was down slightly to 48.5
Euro zone manufacturing shrinks again in Jan: PMI 02/01/12 Reuters
Interesting calculations posted by Spiegel from the Kiel Institute on the sovereign haircuts which would make the debt of the listed countries sustainable.
European Bailout Infographic: Presenting The Truckloads Of Cash Needed To Rescue The Insolvent PIIGS 01/30/12 Zero Hedge one would need a 13 lane highway, filled with trucks bumper to bumper, stretching for about 3 kilometers to represent the €2.91 trillion in total amounts owed by the PIIGS and their citizens (whether voluntarily or not... actually make that involuntarily) to Europe's largest banks. What is most frightening is what is not shown: just how it is that the world's central banks are keeping all of these banks propped up. Because sooner or later all this money will be discovered to have been fatally misallocated. Then the real bailout cost will become all too evident, and just like in the US, it will be in the double digit trillions. Which means the metaphorical highway of trucks full of cash will stretch on for kilometers and kilometers and so on (or miles, for the naive US-based truckers). But since that day is in the future, there is no reason to worry about it.
01/31/12
BI
2
2- Sovereign Debt Crisis
EU SUMMIT
Europe Tightens Fiscal Ties European leaders agreed on a pact to move to closer fiscal union and signed off on details of a permanent bailout fund for the euro zone—yet Greece's debt restructuring threw a shadow over the summit
The European Union headed closer to fiscal unity when leaders of 25 member countries agreed to sign a treaty ('FISCAL COMPACT') designed to stop overspending and move forward with the establishment of a permanent E.U. rescue fund. The compact includes rules that limit debt allowances and makes it harder for countries to avoid sanctions if running debt above certain metrics. Britain and the Czech Republic said they were against the new ties.
Eurozone ministers push toward tighter budget rules 01/29/12 Washington Post
Overall, 23 million people are jobless across the EU, 10 percent of the active population. In Spain, unemployment has soared to nearly 23 percent and closed in on 50 percent for those under age 25, leaving more than 5 million people out of work as the country slides toward recession.
Portugal has a tiny economy, but the one country that's overwhelmingly exposed to it is Spain. And yet, here's the Spanish 2-year. It's pretty much making the exact opposite move of late.
Goldilocks Is Back - China PMI Rises To 50.5, Modest Beat Of Expectations, Shy Of Whisper Number 02/01/12 Zero Hedge China's goal-seeked economy performed admirably in January, and its Manufacturing PMI came absolutely golidlocks at 50.5, an increase from 50.3, previously, just modestly beating Wall Street expectations of a slight contraction of 40.6, yet a less than earlier whisper numbers which put it at 52. As such, thereis absolutely no indication if the PBoC will further tighten or ease in the next month, just as the PBoC likes it, because while many have been demanding easing in the last several weeks, and especially the housing market, the reality is that hot pockets of inflation still remain. Furthermore, the last thing China needs is to proceed with full on easing just as Bernanke goes ahead and launches QE x which will export more hot money, and thus inflation, to China than anywhere else, with the possible exception of gold.
And here are some observations from Bloomberg's Michael McDonough:
Headline PMI remained above 50 for two consecutive months; another 50-plus reading in Feb. would be very positive sign,
Underlying data still weak with new export orders falling to 46.9 from 48.6, while new orders rose to 50.4 Typically if this were true bottom, all forward-looking sub-components would rise above 50 in a month prior or the same month as headline index
Building domestic pressure coupled with foreign risks should continue to weigh on the Chinese economy, including the PMI going forward, forcing policy makers to cut RRR and eventually policy rates once they are convinced threat of inflation has been squelched
As Nomura notes, there seems to have been an unusual seasonal adjustment.
China’s official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) unexpectedly rebounded to 50.5 in January from 50.3 in December, much better than expected (Consensus: 49.6; Nomura: 49.0). The uptick may be partly due to an unusual seasonal adjustment. Since 2005 the PMI has shown a strong seasonal decline of 1.1 points on average in January (except for 2009). The accompanying press release indicates that the PMI this month was seasonally adjusted; an unusual move that may have contributed to the rebound.
What's also worrisome is that several key subcomponents showed strain.
...the export outlook appears to be under increasing strain, as the new export orders component fell sharply to 46.9 from 49.8 in December. Moreover, the overstock order component fell to 43.2 from 46.6 and the import component to 46.9 from 49.1, both now at their lowest levels since early 2009, when the economy was seriously affected by the global financial crisis. The employment component fell sharply to 47.1 from 48.7, the lowest in 35 months. Besides the impact from the new year, we believe the employment component reading may also reflect the strain facing the labour-intensive export sectors.
Occupy Protesters in Oakland Clash With Police Violence between authorities and Occupy protesters in Oakland flared over the weekend in a showdown demonstrators planned and police expected. Oakland police said they arrested more than 400 people
India says it won’t cut back on Iran oil imports, in defiance of stiffer US and EU sanctions 01/31/12 AP
01/30/12
FT
6
6 - Geo-Political Event
Obama Plans Refinance Aid to Lift Housing Obama is expected to announce a fresh bid to revive the housing market—despite likely congressional opposition—by letting millions of homeowners refinance their mortgages.
02/01/12
WSJ
10 - Residential Real Estate - Phase II
12
12 - Chronic Unemployment
Weaning Off 'Alternative' Investments Just five years ago, it was illegal for South Carolina's public pension plan to invest in hedge funds and other complicated bets. Now, nearly half its assets are in such investments. That is way too much for the state treasurer.
01/30/12
WSJ
21 - Pension - Entitlement Crisis
Rising Income Is Saved, Not Spent Incomes ticked up in December but consumers chose to save instead of spend, suggesting a still-cautious outlook that likely has carried into 2012.
U.S. consumers fizzle out even as incomes rise 01/30/12 Reuters
01/31/12
WSJ
31
31 - Slowing Retail & Consumer Sales
TO TOP
Gold & Silver Backed, Absolute-Return
Alternative Investments Q&A -- Hit PLAY to hear all or click on a specific title below
past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Other News Items of Importance
GLOBAL MACRO REPORTS & ANALYSIS
CENTRAL BANKING MONETARY POLICIES, ACTIONS & ACTIVITIES
TECHNICALS & MARKET ANALYTICS
MARKET ANALYTICS
Yields Plunge Most In 3 Months As Equity-Debt Divergence Remains The Treasury complex is seeing yields (and curves) compress dramatically today. With 5Y at all-time low yields and 30Y rallying the most in three months, the divergence between stocks and bonds appears ever more glaring. 30Y (which just went positive YTD in price) has traded around the 3% yield mark for much of the last 4 months (around 120bps lower than its average in Q2 2011 - pre-US downgrade) and most notably curve movements (as the short-end becomes more and more anchored to zero) have been dramatic. 2s10s30s is now at almost four-year lows and the last four times we saw equities diverge (up) from bonds' sense of reality, it has been stocks that have awoken. Back of the envelope, 2s10s30s suggests that the S&P should trade around 1100 (as we test 1300 in cash today).
SOCIETE GENERALE: The spread between high and low beta equities has also been very wide. When measured using deciles, we find a spread of around 15% in the US, and a remarkable 20% gap in Europe. Over the last 22 years we have only recorded such a wide spread in Europe on two other occasions – in October 2002 and in March/April 2009. This isn't necessarily bullish, however. While the strong performance of high beta names may indicate a potential bottoming out of equity markets, we have seen numerous occasions in the US where the spread has been wider than the current 15% and where the equity market continued to trend lower. Notably almost all these bear market beta rallies coincided with an interest rate cut from the Fed.
NOMURA: The decline in implied volatility (red line) vs. the a basket of "high-risk" stocks (grey line, inverted). As you can see, the grey line hasn't caught up to the red line, suggesting more strong performance for the risk basket.
01/30/12
BI
MARKET ANALYTICS
MARKET WARNING
Hussman Warns : Goat Rodeo: "Conditions like today's have generally been followed by a 25% crash within 6 months"
Dead Market Exhibit A: January Volume Presented with little comment except to say that the total lack of volume (and massive concentration of what volume there is at the close) is hardly reflective of a market that is anything other than broken and dying. Last January (2011) the average number of stocks traded on the NYSE per day was 891mm shares vs 661mm for this January (a 26% drop YoY!) and this is down an incredible 59% from January 2008.
02/01/12
Zero Hedge
MARKET ANALYTICS
FINANCIAL REPRESSION
CORPORATOCRACY -CRONY CAPITALSIM
STANDARD OF LIVING
GENERAL INTEREST
TO TOP
Learn more about Gold & Silver-Backed, Absolute Return Alternative Investments
with these complimentary educational materials
Tipping Points Life Cycle - Explained Click on image to enlarge
FAIR USE NOTICEThis site contains
copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically
authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in
our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human
rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes.
If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond
'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
DISCLOSURE Gordon T Long is not a registered advisor and does not give investment advice. His comments are an expression of opinion only and should not be construed in any manner whatsoever as recommendations to buy or sell a stock, option, future, bond, commodity or any other financial instrument at any time. While he believes his statements to be true, they always depend on the reliability of his own credible sources. Of course, he recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction, before making any investment decisions, and barring that, we encourage you confirm the facts on your own before making important investment commitments.