As expected the ECB expanded stimulus to combat slowing growth and the threat of deflation. Draghi, the ECB President, announced plans to buy up to 60 billion euros of government bonds ($69 billion) a month. The buying will continue through September 2016, amounting to a...
Markets were relatively flat yesterday even as a large technology firm posted disappointing fourth quarter results. The decline was muted because the ECB said it will propose 50 billion euros of asset purchases a month through 2016 and from a rebound in oil prices....
It is generally accepted the SOTU can be seen as a an opportunity to pull the country and Congress towards policies that the President believes will help the nation or be seen as a divisive, partisan and small in its scope to inspire action and...
Four months ago many were commenting about the lack of volatility, pontificating the current conditions could last for a long time given massive cash balances. Fast forward to today. The consistency in the comments from the large financials’ earning releases is the “volatile volatility” which...
The financial world was totally and utterly stunned by the Swiss National Bank’s surprise decision to abolish its three year old policy of capping the Swiss franc against the euro. Bloomberg reports it was only three days ago the SNB would not abandon this policy...
Equities fell again yesterday as December’s retail sales disappointed, casting doubt on the thesis plunging gas prices will boost spending. Some have argued the disappointment is the result of rising health care premiums, low labor participation rates, and increasing rent amplified by lack of wage...
A few nights ago I was reading a report stating the current decline in oil was inevitable given the advancements in technology and the increase in American production. Unfortunately this report was dated December 2014 and was entirely backward looking. Other than a few that...
Can the negative energy narrative become even more intense and myopic, a myopicy fueled by a 16% drop in crude in just six trading days? Yesterday Goldman commented oil can fall to $40/barrel or another approximate 18% -20% from Friday’s close. Will this forecast become...
Stocks sold off. The “accepted” reason is concern that central bank stimulus might not be able to boost inflation as crude continued to fall and American wages fell. What is missing in this narrative is the strong advance leading into Friday. What I will also...
Oil continues to drop. Some have commented the five month decimation in the oil sector is now “an opportunity of a lifetime” as everything has been thrown out with the proverbial bathwater....