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  • Finance 0

    Is Productivity Really That Bad?

    “Davidson” submits: “U.S. Worker Productivity Hasn’t Been This Bad Since 1993” May 4, 2016 — 12:01 AM EDT http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-04/u-s-worker-productivity-hasn-t-been-this-bad-since-1993-chart I encourage you to view the link to this Bloomberg article. This point of view is typical of the pessimism we have experienced since 2009 as markets crawl higher. I often look at the headline of the moment and find that consensus headlines are well off the mark. The major issue is people do not use Real GDP and they do not correct it for government spending. Inflation has been much higher in the past and this makes ...
    On May 17, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    Treasury Department Finally Discloses Saudi Treasury Holdings – Incorrectly?

    Under a freedom of information request, the Treasury department disclosed Saudi Arabia’s treasury holdings as $116.8 billion. Last month, Saudi Arabia threatened to dump $750 billion in treasury holdings if Congress passed a bill allowing US citizens to file 911 claims against the Saudis. Clearly the numbers don’t mesh. Who is telling the truth? Please consider U.S. Discloses Saudi Arabia’s Treasuries Holdings for First Time. The Treasury Department has released a breakdown of Saudi Arabia’s holdings of U.S. debt, after keeping the figures secret for more than four decades. The stockpile of the world’s biggest oil exporter stood a...
    On May 17, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    This Retail Stock Is Down Ahead Of Earnings This Week

    Photo Credit: Mike Mozart The TJX Companies (TJX) Consumer Discretionary – Specialty Retail | Reports May 17, Before Market Opens Key Takeaways The Estimize consensus is calling for earnings per share of 71 cents on $7.3 billion in revenue, 1 cent higher than Wall Street on the bottom line and $20 million on the top Changing customer trends have benefited TJX which saw overall comparables sales rise 5% in fiscal 2016 Strong marketing and promotional efforts have driven store traffic and thereby sales What are you expecting for TJX? Get your estimate in here! The leading off-price retailer, The TJX Companies, is scheduled to report f...
    On May 17, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    3 Investing Lessons I Learned From Peter Lynch

    Peter Lynch, the former manager of Fidelity’s Magellan Fund, is perhaps less well-known than Warren Buffett by everyday investors. Lynch is one of the best fund managers of all-time, however, and his investment tenets are in the same light as Buffett’s. Lynch’s investment style at its core was no-nonsense, rooted in value, and characterized by finding a match between the quality of the underlying company and the quality of its stock. In essence, great companies do not always translate into great stocks as value can deviate from price. With that in mind, let’s take a look at 3 lessons that all investors can learn from one of the greate...
    On May 17, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    EURUSD Faces Downside Pressure On Bear Pressure

    EURUSD: With EURUSD continuing to maintain its downside pressure, further downside pressure is likely. Support lies at the 1.1250 level. Further down, support comes in at the 1.1200 level where a violation will aim at the 1.1150 level. A break of here will target the 1.1100 level. Its daily RSI is bearish and pointing lower suggesting further weakness. Conversely, on the upside, resistance comes in at 1.1350 level with a cut through here opening the door for more upside towards the 1.1400 level. Further up, resistance lies at the 1.1450 level where a break will expose the 1.1500 level. All in all, EURUSD faces a move lower on bear pressure....
    On May 17, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    Is The Bank Of Canada Setting The Table For A Rate Cut?

    In its April 2016 Monetary Policy Review, the Bank of Canada (BoC) highlighted a number of areas in which the Canadian economy continues to underperform. Collectively, these weak conditions raises the question: is there a bank rate cut in the wings? In its most recent rate announcement the BoC took no action in this regard, yet the underlying conditions point to an economy that is, at best, limping along without any real signs of meaningful growth. The BoC, like all other central banks, retain a certain degree of optimism for the near term. However, in reviewing the BoC latest report there are number of disquieting developments that can shake...
    On May 16, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    Two Years Too Late The Yield Curve Becomes Interesting

    The US Treasury yield curve is flattening again, with parts finally in 2016 surpassing the bearishness exhibited to start 2015. The mainstream is just now starting to notice likely because unlike last year there are no longer credible excuses to simply wish it away. “Transitory” is not a word you find much anymore, replaced instead by reluctant and forced acknowledgement that there is real economic peril here. Bearishness in the yield curve is not something new, however, only the notice of it. While risks to the economy are part of this shift in commentary, the Federal Reserve’s haplessness is as well. “The yield curve itself signals...
    On May 16, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    E Market Briefing For Tuesday, May 17

    A perfect rouge wave took this market up out-of-the-box Monday; and that of course ignored any fundamentals like poor Chinese or NY Empire State ‘reality check’ economic data. All it took (perfectly announced) was Buffett apparently on the buy side of Icahn’s Apple (AAPL) sale (Buffett often buys high and it looks like he did with purchases completed by the end of March, though announced now when it was technically helpful to the overall market); and of course Goldman reversing their view yet again, and now speaking bullishly about Oil after recent run-ups. It’s notable that nobody seems to have noticed that the reboun...
    On May 16, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    Gold, Silver, Mining Shares: Big Drop Dead Ahead!

    Last time I wrote, I pointed to May 19th as being a likely, important bottom in the precious metals complex. It is May 16th in the evening as I write this. If I’m correct, the next three days should prove to be huge down, especially for the miners. Most analysts admit that we are overdue for a correction, but they have no idea how fast and furious it may turn out be. Below are charts of GLD, SLV and GDX:  ...
    On May 16, 2016 / By
  • Finance 0

    The Battle For The Matterhorn – Skirmish Lines Drawn

    We are presently engaged in an epic battle involving the gold price. So what is it all about? What is so epic? You should know that gold bottomed back in December and the precious metal (PM) stocks bottomed in January. Since this bottom the stocks have simply been on fire. I have classified this as a Phase I advance where stocks return to “Known Values” after having been left on the bargain table throughout the fall of 2015. The Phase III of the previous bear market had so compressed these stocks that they resembled a beach ball held under water. Well, on January 20th 2016 Mr. Market lost his grip on the ball and it has been in an upward ...
    On May 16, 2016 / By