Infinite Unknown

- Dow Dumps 270 Points Intraday To Biggest 2-Week Drop In Six Months (ZeroHedge, June 1, 2013)

Tags: Dow Jones, Economy, Global News, Stock Market, U.S.

- Dow Jones At New All Time Highs – Here’s Why (ZeroHedge, April 9, 2013):

Curious why the Dow Jones Industrial Average just hit new all time highs? Here’s a partial list of recent economic events:

• Markit US PMI    Miss
• ISM Manufacturing    Miss
• ISM New York    Miss
• Vehicle Sales    Miss
• ADP Employment    Miss
• ISM Services    Miss
• Challenger Job Cuts     Miss
• Initial Claims    Miss
• Trade Balance    Beat
• Non-Farm Payrolls    Miss
• Hourly Earnings    Miss
• NFIB Small Business    Miss
• Wholesale Inventories    Miss

And that’s ignoring the absolute economic collapse in Europe, the Chinese slowdown, and the Japanese economic basketcase.

What is there to even say anymore: Stalingrad 4 Eva! Remember: central planning works.

and if pictures are better than words…

Tags: Dow Jones, S&P 500, Stock Market

- So Much For The Stability Of The Centrally-Banked “Fiat” Era (ZeroHedge, April 1, 2013):

According to some economist PhDs, the end of the gold standard era marked by the arrival of the Federal Reserve one century ago ushered in the era of stability, prosperity and virtually unlimited growth (just ignore the two world wars and millions of casualties immediately following). While that is an amusing way of describing a financial system that is now daily on the brink of a financial apocalypse courtesy of a few good central banks propping up a $1 quadrillion house of derivatives cards, whose collapse would mean an immediate “game over”, and where (rapidly evaporating) confidence in a failing status quo, must be preserved at all costs, the question of post-Fed induced stability is an interesting one, especially when measured in terms of intangible value (in this case the most basic of indicators – the Dow Jones), compared to thousands of years of a real tangible, store of wealth: gold. In the chart below, courtesy of Cambridge House, we ask readers: in which period was there a more stable relationship between tangible and intangible values, and a less exuberant irrationality vis-a-vis that which is purely based on confidence, if not so much reality.

A second logical follow up question is: where is this ratio of intangible to tangible value going next? The chart below attempts to provide some log-based perspective on precisely this.

Tags: Dollar, Dow Jones, Fed, Federal Reserve, Global News, Gold, Gold Standard, Government, Politics, U.S.

- 1936 Redux – It’s Really Never Different This Time (ZeroHedge, March 14, 2013):

While chart analogs provide optically pleasing (and often far too shockingly correct) indications of the human herd tendencies towards fear and greed, a glance through the headlines and reporting of prior periods can provide just as much of a concerning ‘analog’ as any chart. In this case, while a picture can paint a thousand words; a thousand words may also paint the biggest picture of all. It seems, socially and empirically, it is never different this time as these 1936 Wall Street Journal archives read only too well… from devaluations lifting stocks to inflationary side-effects of money flow and from short-covering, money-on-the-sidelines, Jobs, Europe, low-volume ramps, BTFD, and profit-taking, to brokers advising stocks for the long-run before a 40% decline.Things look eerily similar eh?

But when we look at the headlines in the Wall Street Journal from mid 1936 to mid 1937 as the market topped out (orange oval), dipped, was bought back, then collapsed 40% in 3 months, nothing ever changes…

Government Bailouts Repaid – Bullish Implications…

N.Y. Central Has Repaid All Government Loans
The Wall Street Journal, 978 words
Dec 1, 1936
WASHINGTON Numerous railroad developments here yesterday were climaxed by the announcement of RFC Chairman Jesse H. Jones that New York Central had repaid all of its government loans, totaling $16,858,950, most of which was not due until 1941. Continue reading »

Tags: Collapse, Dow Jones, Economy, Global News, Government, Politics, S&P 500, U.S., Wall Street

- Foodstamp Recipients Hit Record, Alongside Record Dow Jones And Record Debt: 20% Of Eligible Americans On EBT (ZeroHedge, March 11, 2013):

Record Dow Jones, record US debt ($16,701,846,937,879.74), and now, once more, record number of Americans on foodstamps. According to the USDA, an all time high of 47,791,966 Americans closed 2012 in possession of the highly desired Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, managed by who else but JPMorgan. And with a civilian non-institutional population of 244.4 million in December, this means that a record 19.56% of eligible Americans are on Foodstamps. In December an additional 109,924 Americans became reliant on foodstamps for their poverty-level needs, bringing the total to 47.8 million.

Number of US households on foodstamps: also a record of 23.1 million, with the average monthly benefit of $277.09. Continue reading »

Tags: Barack Obama, Collapse, Debt, Dow Jones, Economy, Food stamps, Global News, Government, Obama administration, Politics, Society, Stock Market, U.S.

- Reality Check: The Dow Jones Industrial Average vs. Bananas (Sovereign Man, March 8, 2013):

Reporting from Santiago, Chile

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, one of the key benchmarks of the US stock market, has soundly surpassed its all-time high. And most of the investing world is toasting their collective success and celebrating the recovery.

It’s a funny thing, really. Most investors only think in terms of ‘nominal’ numbers, i.e. Dow 14,000+ is 40% higher than Dow 10,000 (back in November 2009). But few think in terms of ‘real’ numbers… inflation-adjusted averages.

Everyone knows that inflation exists. We can all look back on prices from the past and realize instantly how much more expensive things have become. Conversely, though, most people don’t think about the stock market like this.

The reality is, though, that when you adjust for inflation, the Dow is well below its highs from over a decade ago. Continue reading »

Tags: Bananas, Beef, Dow Jones, Economy, Food, Food Prices, Global News, Inflation, Stock Market

- The Last Time The Dow Was Here… (ZeroHedge, March 5, 2013):

“Mission Accomplished” - With CNBC now lost for countdown-able targets (though 20,000 is so close), we leave it to none other than Jim Cramer to sum up where we stand (oh and the following list of remarkable then-and-now macro, micro, and market variables):  “we all know it’s going to end badly, but in the meantime we can make some money” – ZH translation: “just make sure to sell ahead of everyone else.”

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Then 14164.5; Now 14164.5
• GDP Growth: Then +2.5%; Now +1.6%
• Americans Unemployed (in Labor Force): Then 6.7 million; Now 13.2 million
• Labor Force Particpation Rate: Then 65.8%; Now 63.6%
• Americans On Food Stamps: Then 26.9 million; Now 47.69 million
• Size of Fed’s Balance Sheet: Then $0.89 trillion; Now $3.01 trillion
• US Debt as a Percentage of GDP: Then ~38%; Now 74.2%
• US Deficit (LTM): Then $97 billion; Now $975.6 billion
• Total US Debt Oustanding: Then $9.008 trillion; Now $16.43 trillion
• US Household Debt: Then $13.5 trillion; Now 12.87 trillion
• Consumer Confidence: Then 99.5; Now 69.6
• S&P Rating: Then AAA; Now AA+
• VIX: Then 17.5%; Now 14%
• 10 Year Treasury Yield: Then 4.64%; Now 1.89%
• EURUSD: Then 1.4145; Now 1.3050
• Gold: Then $748; Now $1583
• NYSE Average LTM Volume (per day): Then 1.3 billion shares; Now 545 million shares

Tags: Barack Obama, Bonds, Debt, Dow Jones, Economy, Fed, Federal Reserve, GDP, Global News, Government, Obama administration, Politics, Stock Market, U.S., Unemployment, Wall Street

- JPM’s Tom Lee Announces His Dow Jones Industrial Average Price Target: 20,000 (ZeroHedge, Jan 28, 2013):

Back in July 2008, just before all hell broke loose and the S&P was trading in the upper 1,200s, everyone’s favorite permabull, JPM strategist famously reiterated his S&P 500 price target for the end of 2012: 1450. Two months later Lehman filed for bankruptcy, and 4 months later the S&P closed 2008 some 40% lower than said price target. Another two months later and anyone who had listened to Tom Lee lost 50% of their investment.

Today, as the Fed’s balance sheet crosses $3 trillion, and the global central banks have pumped a total of some $15 trillion into the markets, Tom Lee ws back on CNBC with what is his most permabullish prediction ever: he now expects the S&P to generate some 150 in earnings to which he applies a 17x multiple. His conclusion “If you put a 17 multiple on $150, the S&P really sort of peaks around 2,400 or 2,500.” In Dow terms, this means a Dow Jones Industrial Average of, drumroll, 20000. He does, caveat it, however: “that’s obviously 4 years away.” And if Tom Lee was off by 40% in 4 months, we can’t help but wonder what the hit rate on his 4 year prediction will be, and if, by using the same ruler extrapolation mechanism he applies to corporate earnings nand multiples one extrapolates the Fed’s balance sheet at some $7 trillion in 4 years, what a loaf of bread will cost just as the DJIA crosses 20,000. For future humor purposes, it may be useful to bookmark this post.

Tags: Banking, Dow Jones, Economy, Global News, JPMorgan, Stock Market, Wall Street

- Dow Jones Industrial Average Celebrates “Four More Years” With Biggest Drop In A Year (ZeroHedge, Nov 7, 2012):

It seems like only last night everyone was celebrating more hope, if not much change. Now comes the hangover. The Dow Jones intraday drop is now 2.23% (and rising), greater than the biggest drop so far in 2012 record on June 1. The last time the market plunged as much: literally one year ago, or November 9, 2011. Sadly, it appears that one can’t have their Dow Jones Industrial Average and redistribute it too.

And if the surge in vol the last time we had moves of this magnitude is any indication, we can solmenly say that the world’s most overrated job for the next 2 months (and 4 years) will be the Chief Redemption Officer, at any hedge fund.

and the S&P futures are at a critical level…below Draghi’s Elbow… Continue reading »

Tags: Barack Obama, Dow Jones, Obama administration, Politics, Stock Market, U.S., Wall Street

- Mike Krieger Topples The Last Domino (ZeroHedge, Oct 12, 2012):

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
- Mark Twain

I think we’re being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I’m liable to be put away as insane for expressing that.
- John Lennon (watch the video of Lennon actually saying it here)

We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
- Abraham Lincoln

The Last Domino
With the U.S. Presidential election less than one month away, I think it’s a good time to take stock on what has occurred in 2012 so far and look forward to the period ahead, which I think will be one of increasing social and economic chaos in the United States. Continue reading »

Tags: Barack Obama, China, Dow Jones, Economy, EU, Europe, Fed, Federal Reserve, Global News, Gold, Government, Mike Krieger, Obama administration, Politics, Stock Market, Wall Street