Thursday Pre-Holiday Blues

Yep… markets will be closed in the U.S. tomorrow and we have a boatload of reasons NOT to want to hold stocks over three days when you’d be “locked in” to holding for the longer term.

As we explained to Peoplenomics readers some months back, people have three ways they can “play the market” – even it said “play” is something like positioning of your retirement account money.

There is Long – expecting things to go up.  Short, expecting things to go down.  And then there is cash.  Which is where we sit at the moment and have since about 10:45 EDT Monday.  Right around the high for the week.

The “Plan of the Day” around here calls for me to subject you to a short column, mow the lawn and edge it – about three hours work there – and then see if the market is low enough to make going long at today’s lows worthwhile.

The problem is we have three “hot spots” to consider:  Our military affairs advisor “warhammer” sized up two out of three:

In a classic case of strategic posturing, the U.S. Navy is sending a carrier battle group (CVBG) to ‘exercise with Japan off of the Korean Peninsula.

<http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/04/11/north-korea-calls-us-aircraft-carrier-dispatch-outrageous.html>

The move sends a message, and nations being much like barnyard animals during rutting season, Korea and their primary sugar daddy – China – are posturing right back. The Chinese have moved their land forces directly next to the N. Korean border, while Kim Jung Un threatens to nuke the planet into a cinder if he ends up losing face. Somebody please give the fat boy a jelly donut!

Speaking of strategic posturing, Russia’s naval forces are nearing Syria. Normally not a big deal, commanders on both sides must insure they tightly control their hotshot sailors and pilots so as to avoid inadvertent provocation and escalation. A standoff with lots of maneuvering is all that ‘should’ result from this Med encounter, but boys will be boys from time to time . . . that’s when things can spiral quickly out of control.

Two hot spots separated by thousands of miles. American military forces will surely be stretched. Trump will use these deployments to request more military operational funding. An Interesting series of concurrent chess matches are being played out domestically and abroad. It all bears close watching.

And here’s the point:  While watching, do you want to hold a long position?  Or, is sitting in green paper a more reasonable tack?

The third  situation to watch is in the (overstuffed) folder we call “ATT: All Things Trump.”

Today we have NPR worried about revisions to the financial disaster called Obamacare.

Then there’s the Trump talking down the dollar problem which has set global markets jittering.

Futures, an hour and a half ahead of the open, were down about 40 on the Dow.  So you and I are not the only ones trying to figure out how to play this.

There is “one other ugly” which no one talks about.  That is – in our long wave economic work – the possibility (however small) that the Long Wave Top is actually already in.

If it is, we could mush along for a couple of months.  Then somewhere around the end of May, some technical analyst somewhere might wake up and declare “There’s been a fifth wave failure!  To the Lifeboats!  Women and children first!”

Of course they will be trampled because the last time anyone did something chivalrous in America was the spring of 2000.  (I opened Elaine’s care door.)

Of course this is neither a prediction nor financial advice.  We simply notice that the all time high for the Dow was March 1st (21,115.55)_ and we haven’t been that high since.

If the Dow ere to close down 50’ish today, perhaps 20,550, then we would have given up about 2.7% since the high.

Our Peoplenomics.com subscribers have access to a little tool I built (top of the Master Index page) called the “OpenBrain.xls.”

It’s a spreadsheet that does the Elliott Wave calculations and considers possible futures.

IF THE TOP IS IN: (Or if this is a larger five wav e version of Wave IV before the larger V completes):

We might look at the move from 21,114.55 down to around 20,550 today as the first leg down in a new Bear Market.

You can do these calculations by hand, of course, but it’s a beast so that’s why the spreadsheet.  It allows us to play this “What If…” game to our heart’s content.

As you can see, the prospect of a Dow under the 20,000 mark might be there.

BUT THERE IS A BULLISH CASE

Again, using the same tool (I like to do math once and then manipulate data sources) there is a case that March 1 was the top of a Wave III and we are finishing IV now and we will shortly do Wave V up to finish the run from 2009’s low.

If that’s the case, here’s where the Dow could go: 23,370. 

It’s not certain it will go that high and in fact, the minimum in Elliott terms has already been met.  Which is why we use an Aggregate Index because it’s total market performance that interests us, not an easy to move pile of 30 stocks.

Point is, we could go MUCH high from there, but not until we first get past the old high of 21,115.55 and close the week over that.

Then we’ll be True Bulls again.  But for now – in an increasingly uncertain world, trading and being quick to run to cash (or money markets that invest in treasuries) seems a not entirely nutty way to play things.

Let me repeat THIS IS NOT TRADING ADVICE.

Still, it’s easy to play the what-if games and I can’t think of a more profitable pastime, other than bank robbery. 

The risks are not dissimilar.

“Kill With Borrowed Knife” II

We read in the South Korean press how “Trump attempts ‘deal’ with China on North Korea” which fits our outlook we laid out here.

Directly related now is the story in the Washington Post this morning claiming “Kim Jong Un’s rockets are getting an important boost — from China.”

Fortunately, the UN report on the NK dependent on China for machine and electronic parts is nothing new.  If it were, the war would have already started.

Still, the backgrounder UN report here is worth some study if you’re short of things to worry about.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is flouting sanctions through trade in prohibited goods, with evasion techniques that are increasing in scale, scope and sophistication. The Panel investigated new interdictions, one of which highlighted the country’s ability to manufacture and trade in sophisticated and lucrative military technologies using overseas networks. Another interdiction, of the vessel Jie Shun, was the largest seizure of ammunition in the history of sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and showed the country’s use of concealment techniques, as well as an emerging nexus between entities trading in arms and minerals. The Panel’s investigations further revealed previous arms trading by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and cooperation in Africa, including hitherto unreported types of cooperation on a large scale. “

Just freakin dandy, huh?

Producer Prices

Oh my, lookie here:  Press release of the day from the Labor Department:

“The Producer Price Index for final demand declined 0.1 percent in March, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

Final demand prices advanced 0.3 percent in February and 0.6 percent in January. (See table A.)

On an unadjusted basis, the final demand index rose 2.3 percent for the 12 months ended March 2017, the largest increase since moving up 2.4 percent for the 12 months ended March 2012.

In March 2017, three-fourths of the decrease in the final demand index is attributable to prices for final demand services, which fell 0.1 percent.

The index for final demand goods also inched down 0.1 percent. Prices for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services edged up 0.1 percent in March, the tenth straight advance.

For the 12 months ended in March, the index for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services climbed 1.7 percent.

Final Demand Final demand services: The index for final demand services inched down 0.1 percent in March following a 0.4-percent increase in February. Over half of the broad-based decline can be traced to prices for final demand services less trade, transportation, and warehousing, which decreased 0.1 percent.

Margins for final demand trade services also edged down 0.1 percent. (Trade indexes measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) The index for final demand transportation and warehousing services fell 0.2 percent.”

This is something of a “bitter pill” for the Trump administration.  There had been lots of hope that the prices would keep firming and the job of policymakers would be easy:  Just move up rates as prices advanced and life would work out OK.

Unfortunately, this isn’t happening and in case you missed it, we asked rhetorically in a Peoplenomics piece April 1: “Are Federal Reserve Rate Hikes Over?”

This morning’s data doesn’t me we were right – time will tell on that score – but we are sniffing around the right fire hydrant.

The New Economy of Trump-Bashing

How many times have I told you that in America, Everything is a Business Model?

Well, turns out that the Trump-Bashing Industry is now global and doing films as “Cannes takes on Trump with highly politicised lineup for 2017 film festival.”

I have been admittedly remiss in pointing out that Anti-Trump is a huge employer.  Other than the democrats and the (still absent) Obama who’s off learning to write (a book) in Tahiti, or some such, we are beset daily with dozens of emails from People for the American Whatacallit and others who are really turning Trump-noia into a huge payday.

Again, and as always, when you see someone attacking the Trumpster, see if you can hear where the cash register is ringing.

19 thoughts on “Thursday Pre-Holiday Blues”

  1. Lets face it George much if not most of the worlds problems we face are of our own making N.K. Yemen Libya Syria Africa to name a few.
    Now Rex just went to Russia for a meeting with the Russian leadership, and he may as well as stayed home, for its the same old B.S. that Obama put out on the Ukraine Syria Yemen N.K. and other points of interest now it looks like Trump is reading from Bush’s playbook, only rather than Cheney perched on his shoulder he’s got his daughter and in-law calling the shots, and I rather doubt if those beautiful babies bothered him at all for it reminds of another false flag, Kuwait and the dumping out of incubators of beautiful babies which they used for Desert Storm..

  2. It seems to me that there are too many moving parts to foreign policy to predict anything. That makes predictions about market movements even more risky than usual. Just my two cents.

  3. The good word for today is, DON’T GIVE UP, it’s all about you ,,,, May all beings be lovingly fulfilled ,so be it, if you don’t believe me ,ask your kitty cat, you’ll know and your spouse or your girlfriend or your relatives,come on I am talking to you,don’t sell your soul,be like my big furry white dog (GLOWY) ,she always jumping for joy ,even IF all odds are against her, she just jumps sky high in excitement to see YA ,YEP SHE’S MY GRASSHOPPER, down girl down ,OK, yep she’s a keeper, Now where is that fishing rod ,let’s go fishing,DON’T GIVE UP,you will catch something. LOL

  4. George, in your world, is it Trump bashing to even mention that in less than 100 days your guy has now flip-flopped on not one, not two, but on EVERY major position.

    Question to you: Is the World safer now than it was 100 days ago?

    BTW. Simple solution to Trump’s media problem: Stop constantly lying and saying ridiculous stuff, like a free press is the enemy of the people.

    And, gee, now that we not like Russia again, I guess we can call off all those pesky FBI investigations into potential treason. Best, Mike.

  5. Dear George,
    Haven’t you noticed how it seems Trumps speech has totally changed. He now sounds just like the ‘hidden government’ rulers with nothing but lies and misinformation. Can’t you see a false flag operation like the ones this government has always used to create every war for over 200 years! What a country — and what great liars we have. Stop your very wrong love affair with that blonde goof that was placed into office by who?? I think that perhaps the most dangerous things in this world are RELIGIOUS, RED NECKS AND ANYONE WHO CALLS THEMSELF EITHER CONSERVATIVE — OR LIBERAL – FOOLS ONE AND ALL!

    • George, even you seem different lately in your view of Trump. As though you agree with his flip flops with your lack of criticism (or did I miss them), whereas before you were watching his actions with a squinted eye. Did some men in black visit you? LOL… but seriously, Trump has become the very person Hillary would have been, had she been elected. He’s saying he didn’t change, the facts did and he’s just reacting.

  6. Rumbling Rubles Batman, Trump and Manaforte received lots of $$ from Ukraine:

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/records-match-ukraine-ledger-payments-trump-aide-46744708

    BTW, George, since you are too cheap to subscribe to Elliot Wave Financial Forecast (and it would be nice to hear some tidbits from the Crawford Perspective – which I guess you and your readers are also too cheap to subscribe to…a typical Texan trait):

    “DJIA is progressing in Intermediate wave (5) from 15,503 low on 2/11/2016. Completion of this Intermediate degree wave will also mark the end of Primary wave 5, Cycle wave V and Supercycle wave (V), which will mark a stock market peak of extraordinary importance. Within wave (5) Minor wave 3 is tracing out its final subdivisions. Minor wave 4 will be a multi-week market setback that will correspond to Minor wave2, a Dow decline of 6% that lasted just over two months, from april 20 to June 27, 201. Minor wave 5 will then carry the Dow to a new high to complete all of the waves listed above. The EWave model indicates that a bear market of historic magnitude will then start.”

    EW Fin Forecast, March 3, 2017

    • Take a surly and rude pill today, did we?
      Unlike some publications, my methods don’t call false tops and I don’t subscribe much to the astroecon although we will likely hook up with Arch who is a delightful person on our next trip out to the VotS this fall.
      Meantime, I don’t see you as a subscriber…but if you were, you would have been long since nov 11 and gone to cash Monday.
      Who else called it that good and close?
      When you start attacking a man’s (Adopted) state you’re exposing the air between your ears.
      Tisk, tisk…professional trolling application noted.

      • Arch is (and was) cited by MANY respected business journals and/or newspapers:

        http://www.crawfordperspectives.com/

        Your site made Forbes’ ‘Best of the Web’ ONCE,many years ago. Since then, I am not aware of any other business journal, peer reviewed or other non-alt right publication that bothers to link to your site. Prove me wrong if you can.

        • 1. While Arch is very good as astro econ algos have changed the world.
          2. Who cares about other business journal reviews?
          Sounding more like a troll & bait discussion by the minute

  7. I agree that WWIII may be on the horizon. I think the real reason the MOAB was used to target those Afghani tunnels was a veiled warning to Lil’ Kim who reportedly has hundreds of miles of them ready to protect his pudgy ass: that we CAN collapse his bunkers and won’t hesitate to do so. But -beyond that- the Easter holiday is when I get my most nervous regarding an attack upon U.S. soil. What better time for radical Islamic terrorists to symbolically punish Christian infidels? With what has occurred in just the past week I have a very bad feeling about the next 72 hours. It just feels like we are on the brink and in Trump [whom I support fully as POTUS] we have a leader who clearly won’t hesitate to use our miltary to the fullest extent, and they -just as he- are eager to prove what they can do. As for myself, I’m picking up all the physical Silver I can afford.

  8. Right now there is a large Navy vessel with lots of radar dishes and antennas right off the coast of Washington near Ocean Shores. Low flying patrol planes going up the coast. We’re gonna lock and load in case of beach invasion.

  9. Jon, I think that story about dropping that MOAB in Afghanistan is fake news intended to intimidate Kim Jung un and send a message to him, implying that kind of bomb will be used on his nuclear labs and maybe even on him. The test will be if Kim goes ahead and attempts to ignite the nuclear bomb he claims is going to happen this weekend. PS – Im surprised that not many people have even followed the whole MOAB story today.

  10. “…it’s easy to play the what-if games and I can’t think of a more profitable pastime.”
    I have great respect for what you’re doing, and I think you should start a hedge fund based on your ideas while speculating with index funds only. Time to think it over, perhaps?! You already have a base of potential customers.

    • I like my cutting board of directors:
      Elaine: Can we afford to buy a …. (“Sure honey!”)
      Zeus the cat: Seconds on wet food, pops?
      Me: “Hey dear for only $225 plus shipping I can get a new custom wound 4-16 uH swinging choke I need for the restoration of the HT-45 Loudenboomer amplifier to complete my H-Line collection…

      More people = more paperwork and bullshit.
      Oh, and let’s not forget REGULATORS and ANNUAL FILING and….and…
      No, sometimes it is better to make less and have more.

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