Alex Filonov

Currencies: Dead Cats and Yapping Dogs

Great article! Thanks for UUP suggestion. I'm not sure peso and real are good ideas though, but they at least worth good research. My hunch, dollar is going up against almost everything. But I just might be wrong...

Russia's Too Risky - Barron's

Why so much noise? Russian bubble popped even before invasion in Georgia. Make no mistake, it's not "peacekeeping action": one of the sides can't be peacekeeper. It's blunt and shameless attempt to restore old USSR using military power.
Investment in Russia is as good as lost. Russian budget goes into red if oil below $110, Russia claims currency reserves of 600 billion dollars, but Russian government companies owe Western banks close to 400 billion. Investors started running away more than a month ago. Russia is between sell and sell short right now. If government continues current policy, it will nationalize most of industries in couple of years (oil and gas are already nationalized for all practical purposes). If you think that investors are going to be compensated, read about Yukos.
Read more in my blog, starting Nov last year.

What's Behind the Slide in Oil and Commodities?

Too much unrelated information. Commodities were in unsustainable bubble. Now bubble popped. There is nothing more to it.