We did a double take when we read the following lead sentence from a just released Bloomberg report on what is about to take place in China: “China’s stocks regulator will “actively” push pension and housing funds to begin investing in capital markets, and encourage long-term investors such as insurers and corporate pension plans to buy more shares.” To paraphrase Lewis Black – we will repeat this, because it bears repeating – “China’s stocks regulator will “actively” push pension and housing funds to begin investing in capital markets, and encourage long-term investors such as insurers and corporate pension plans to buy more shares.” And that is the last ditch effort one does when one has no choice but to push “long-term investors” into the last giant ponzi. Of course, this being China, “long-term investors” means anyone at all, and “pushing” ultimately involves either 9MM or a 0.44 caliber. And what was said earlier about mocking mainstream media spin – well, the first opportunity presents itself a few short hours later – when Bloomberg, the same agency that wrote the above report, tells us that “Asian Shares Rise Amid Global Economic Optimism.” Odd – no mention of the fact that China is now pushing habitual gamblers, which over there is another name for “investors” into what is openly an invitation (at gunpoint nonetheless) into the latest and greatest bubble. That said, we give this latest artificial attempt to boost stocks a half life of several days max before the SHCOMP plunges to new lows for the year.
More on this hilarious attempt at reponzification:
The China Securities Regulatory Commission will also allow the creation of sovereign debt futures and explore other new products such as high-yield corporate bonds and municipal debt, the regulator said in a statement on its website yesterday, citing Chairman Guo Shuqing’s comments during a national work conference in Beijing.
The NIA has produced a very professional anti-Mitt Romeny video called “The Romney Con” that the NIA hopes will go viral. DO NOT held make that happen. The NIA is the real con! It is nothing more than a front for penny stock pump and dump scams. The NIA does not really support Ron Paul, they merely pretend to support him so they can steal money from those who do. Spread the truth. Circulated this video to warn Ron Paul supporters and prevent them from being ripped off.
As we pop the corks of our proverbial champagne this weekend with an eye to a better year ahead, perhaps it is worth thinking about these 11 incredible trends that have evolved in a rather disturbing manner over the last 11 years. As John Lohman points out, the 21st century has not been pretty for ongoing centrally planned attempts to defer the 30 year overdue mean reversion.
Just tweeted from the bond titan who is getting more and more concerned about those asset management fees in a world in which fixed income is increasingly becoming risk free, courtesy of central planning, until Gresham’s law unwind destroys everyone.
On Friday, following the announcement from Goldman that the firm’s had just turned more bullish on European financials raising banks from Underweight to Neutral, we said: “Goldman has just started selling European bank stocks to its clients, whom it is telling to buy European bank stocks. Said otherwise, the Stolpering of clients gullible enough to do what Goldman says and not does, has recommenced. Our advice, as always, do what Goldman’s flow desk is doing as it begins to unload inventory of bank stocks. Translation: run from European bank exposure.” Sure enough: European banks (as per BEBANKS) are now down 3.84% today alone, or -1.5% from the Thursday close, while the general MSCI Euro Fin sector, EUFN, is down 6% today. While not quite a slam dunk trade as a Stolper FX anti-reco, nobody has ever filed for bankruptcy by making money. Thank you Goldman.
As if we needed another confirmation that the sad joke of a market has now succeeded in driving virtually everyone out courtesy of precisely the kind of bullshit we saw in the last 30 minutes of trading today, here comes ICI with the latest weekly fund flow data. It will not surprise anyone that in the week in which the S&P rose by a whopping 8 points on absolutely nothing but more lies, rumors and innuendo, US retail investors pulled a whopping $6.7 billion from domestic equity funds: the most since the week after US downgrade when a near record $23 billion was withdrawn. Only unlike then when the market bombed, this time it simply kept rising, and rising, and rising. In other words, every ES point higher serves no other purpose than to provide an even more attractive point for the bulk of that now extinct class known as investors to call it a day, and pull their cash out of this unprecedented shitshow that central planning has converted the market into. And for those keeping score, a total of $123 billion has now been pulled from stocks in 2011, well over the $98 billion withdrawn in 2010.
… how many of the top 50 holders presented below, will be forced to sell once we get a 4 handle? We are certain of one thing, however: Paulson’s LP are simply delighted that he added to his loser position in BAC. Delighted.