Metzenbaum Scissors

Things Aren't as Bad as They Seem - Barron's

<< $80 crude produces an 'energy dividend' of about $170B >>

No, it doesn't. The $170B spent somewhere else. How is that a benefit?

It isn't.

Will the Market Break Its October 10th Lows?

With all respect, not a fact, just an opinion, gold is being sold to raise dollars which are funnelled into US Treasuries... .

LIBOR Shows Worst Is Yet to Come for Credit Markets

Great primer for those not familiar with OIS and LIBOR. Recall when no one knew what CDO meant? Watch for LIBOR and OIS on the Christmas cocktail parties. In Peoria.

As for your first choice of investment, Treasuries. Sure, they appear safe, with a negative return. Personally, I have loaded up on Canadian Gov't bonds. I don't feel much comfort in the long term trend of the US$.

Think of These as Short-Term Troubles

IThinkBig--- yes, yes, yes.
Nanny is Washington won't be there to give you back 80% of the largesse you send to them. No longer are you too stupid and greedy to decide where your money will go.

Adios, politicos. Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out.

And turn out the lights, parasites.

Wall Street Bailout: Making a Deal With the Devil

Sigh.

You are correct. The economy won't collapse. The horrid financial architecture on Manhattan Island will collapse, and 300 million American ought to say bye-bye, not buy-buy.

The government aided in the creation of this wealth generating machine and now they want another transfer of wealth.

Poor, poor America.

U.S. Records Another Huge Current Account Deficit

Rabble,
China is a polluted prison filled with illiterate peasants trading their miserable agrarian subsistence for a slightly less miserable (but still Dickensian) 'life' on an assembly line on the coast.
PJ O'Rourke paraphrase on Purchasing Power Parity: saying the Chinese quality of life is in any way gaining on ours is like saying you can have a better house in a crime-ridden, crack district. Yes, it's a better house, but most folks would not choose it.

I think you over-estimate internal Chinese demand for 99% of their population. The rich 1% want to buy anything but tainted food, counterfeit brake pads, soy sauce made from hair, etc,

U.S. Records Another Huge Current Account Deficit

If your dumb-a** leaders insisted the Chinese buy a dollar of US goods for every dollar they sell here, and all their containers were inspected, it would accomplish two things: balanced trade deficit and a whole lot less drugs on US streets.
China needs America; America can get on without China... so why the kowtowing?

The Plunge Protection Team Goes to Work

Backed by the full faith and trust of junk bonds and equities... wha?!?

Main Street Sacrificed to the Gods of Wall Street

That gas sales number... was it based on volume, or dollar sales? (A 1% decrease on rapidly inflating dollar sales makes for an even bigger drop.)
My American friends, look at the major commodities in something besides US$ over the last year... they are much less hyperbolic. US is importing commodity inflation b/c of your ever-more-worthless dollar.
Aside: now that yen carry trade has gone pfft, why not borrow US$ to buy Eurobonds? Positive yield in an appreciating currency... just asking.

CNBC's Gasparino Joining the Plunge Protection Team?

CG didn't cost me anything on Friday. Yesterday, I put on my stops at 3PM after some healthy profits, and came home to find a months salary converted from paper profits to cash.
Don't blame his 15 minutes of fame on your lack of attention!

Bulls Twist Inflation into Being a Good Thing

Check out some stockcharts over the past three years where the commodity (or equity markets) is divided by different currencies. Yes, there is inflaton around the world. But, it's roaring in the US.

Trader Mark, as usual, has it right.