Comment On Friday, Jim Bianco was on CNBC with David Rosenberg of Gluskin-Sheff discussing the jobs report. To view the interview click on the image above. To view any of our recent interviews click here. Two jobs topics were discussed in this interview. David Rosenberg noted that the household survey (from which the unemployment rate… Continue reading Discussing The Jobs Report
The Wall Street Journal – Wary Stock Investors Raise Bar for Earnings Some Shares Pushed Lower Even After Meeting Forecasts Investors this year are showing an impatience rarely seen during the record-setting 2013 stock-market rally, digging deep into corporate quarterly reports and often sending shares falling even if companies meet forecasts. Amid rising worries over… Continue reading Earnings Season Update
The Economist – The worldwide wobble The world economy will have a bumpy 2014. But the recovery is not, yet, at risk FOR much of 2013 the world’s big stock markets had a magical quality about them. They soared upwards—America’s S&P 500 index rose by 30% last year, and Japan’s Nikkei by 57%—buoyed by monetary… Continue reading The World Economy In 2014
<Click on chart for larger image> Morningstar – Bonds as the Ballast Despite their relatively low expected returns, bonds still provide diversification and stability. After a blockbuster year for stocks and concerns about rising interest rates, some investors might be entertaining the idea of ditching their bond holdings. We’ve all heard the argument, “interest rates… Continue reading More On Bond Funds
Bloomberg.com – Yellen, Carney Face Explaining Policy as Benchmarks Near “She needs to provide more clarity about what forward guidance is going to look like,” said Russ Koesterich, chief investment strategist at New York-based BlackRock Inc., which manages $4.3 trillion in assets. “There is some uncertainty about how the Fed is going to approach monetary… Continue reading Yellen’s First Testimony To Congress Is Tomorrow
The Wall Street Journal – Workers Shed Caution, in a Healthy Sign for Labor Market Economists say part of the reason the quit rate is rising is that more of the jobs the economy is creating are in industries like retail and restaurants, known for higher turnover and relatively low pay. Roughly 20% of November’s… Continue reading More On The Job Market
Yahoo – Germany sends ECB’s anti-crisis measure to EU Court Germany’s top court voiced doubts Friday about the European Central Bank’s bond-buying programme, credited with calming the eurozone crisis, and sent the case to the European Court of Justice. The EU Commission in Brussels welcomed the decision and experts suggested the move could actually be… Continue reading Germany’s Decision On The OMT
CNBC – US economy may be stuck in slow lane for long run In the 4 1/2 years since the Great Recession ended, millions of Americans who have gone without jobs or raises have found themselves wondering something about the economic recovery: Is this as good as it gets? It increasingly looks that way. Two… Continue reading The U.S. Economy Continues To Be Mediocre
CNBC – And the world’s most successful hedge fund manager is… George Soros’s Quantum Endowment fund has been named the world’s most successful hedge fund, after it gained $5.5 billion in 2013, bringing the total gains since inception to $39.6 billion. Quantum overtook Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Pure Alpha in a study by LCH Investments… Continue reading The World’s Most Successful Hedge Fund
Bloomberg.com – Junk Yield Premiums Soar on China’s Looming First Default The extra cost to borrow for China’s riskiest companies is at the highest in 20 months as soaring interest rates heighten concern the nation will experience its first onshore bond default. The yield gap on five-year AA- notes over AAA debt jumped 27 basis… Continue reading China
<Click on chart for larger image> CNBC – Will emerging markets become a euro zone-style risk? Emerging markets have been a key source of volatility for global financial markets in recent weeks, raising the question of whether they will become a “euro zone” for investors this year. “We expect that woes in emerging markets may… Continue reading Emerging Markets
Real Time Economics – Decline in Japan Sentiment a Warning Flag for Abenomics Economic sentiment doesn’t necessarily move in tandem with the market. That’s especially true in the short term, as shoppers and businessmen don’t base decisions about buying a refrigerator or making a capital investment on the daily fluctuations of the stock market. But… Continue reading Abenomics