Is Powell “Gone?”

Breaking Data Headlines Matter.   When the Drudge Report ran this headline today, it meant to us that the Biden Administration has run out of patience with “the bankers.” This, in turn, leads to some well-placed speculation:  The U.S. Federal Reserve seems likely to undergo a “house-cleaning” and in most big organizations, that often means “the boss” … Read More

Scapegoat of the Week: Let’s Pretend

Just the easy stuff today.  Because sometime between now and Wednesday, one of two things is likely to happen: Either  a) we will see markets turn down in a vicious Wave (v) of a likely larger I down  OR b) the bankster class will pull out all the stops and try to turn this pig … Read More

ShopTalkSunday: US Dept. of Hacks

(US – As in UrbanSurvival, of course.  Not the “jab-and slab” gang  So’s we’re clear.) Shop Inflation Although it’s speaking heresy to the ‘stupid woke’ that fact is many don’t have the brains God gave cats.  Yes, inflation IS real. An STS reader sent us photographic proof of how the “inflation game” is being played … Read More

Dueling Nonlinearities

Some hardcore economic reality leaked this week from one of the regional Fed chiefs.  But it’s not making headlines.  Maybe because it’s not a furtherance of monetizing Americans.  A refreshingly candid view of things ahead. Moral hazard abounds in America these days.  Particularly in economics. Would you walk into a crooked Casino if they had … Read More

How Covid Killed the Flu; Markets Due Lower?

A longish – but I figure quite important – ramble to begin with… It’s a discussion of how you look at piles of data.  And how sometimes, when you look, it’s what’s not there that matters. Background We will frequently cite something called our Aggregate Market Index when addressing things like long wave economic cyclicity in … Read More

Hear the Ice Cracking?

Our Aggregate Index just hit:  39,793.92 See the highlighted box here: Now things will get interesting! Everyone to the high board?  Or can them pump this puppy up even more!!!??? Hype,, shuck, or dive? It’ll be the close that matters… Debrief in the morning. g

About That Rally

Our Aggregate just hit 39615.86 before the top of the hour.  May keep going, on momentum/overshoot, but we have now hit the Wave IV green zone target of 39,609.50. Whee!  (Bank of England is still printing, too!) (Widows and orphans to the lifeboats?)

Fed-Fueled Rally then Lower? Woo-Woo Webnosis

How far will this likely Wave 1’s wave iv take us into rally land before we fall back to Monday lows (next week?)? Our Aggregate Index closed Thursday at 39,230.21…which (at 7 points) is a “close enough” for us: OK, the rally looks like it will continue on up this morning.  39472.6 on the early … Read More

Forget Taper? Anti-Taper? Sense of Panic? Print Baby, Print!!!

Implementation note with the Fed (no change in happy-talk) report:  (fine print the financial press glosses over…) “Effective September 23, 2021, the Federal Open Market Committee directs the Desk to: Undertake open market operations as necessary to maintain the federal funds rate in a target range of 0 to 1/4 percent. Increase the System Open … Read More

Dimensioning Collapse

Yes, the anti-fragile crowd could be wrong. Complexity might actually speed up – not retard – financial collapse.  It is entirely possible that while Nasim Taleb followers have been spouting off about how complexity will “save us” the exact opposite is likely true for reasons we will explore today. This is not to diss Taleb’s book … Read More

Future Jitters, Turn-around Tuesday, First Do No Harm?

My consigliere and I are both very worried about the future.  So before we get into the blood and guts of current markets and “news” a few items that are beginning to pop up for next year. First, there are independent reports that in September 2022 there will be a major earthquake in Japan.  Something well … Read More

Markets Bad – But Worse Likely In October

Rumbling First, keep an eye on Florida and East Coast real estate:  La Palma volcano eruption today: evacuation, possible tsunami and live updates.  The decades long fear is a massive tsunami from a caldera blow-out there (ocean of water onto steam-generating lava) could be a worry.  Read the Ward and Day analysis of how ugly … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Patch School, New Tool, Antenna on the Rocks

Ton to go over this morning. First, though, a useful think, or two, about the fall’s economic calamity to come. Even if you’re not subscribing to our Peoplenomics newsletter, do be aware that even though a “hard down” is likely in the US economy this fall and into early spring, there’s a case (in the charts) … Read More