Saturday, December 16, 2017

Bitcoin Trading Alert: Bitcoin Pauses – Will Appreciation Follow? / Currencies / Bitcoin

By: Mike_McAra

Bitcoin was directly mentioned during Janet Yellen’s last scheduled conference as Fed chair. On CoinDesk, we read:

Yellen, whose term in office expires in February, spoke to reporters today on a range of topics. About thirty minutes into the presser, Yellen was asked about bitcoin.

She noted that, in the Fed's view, bitcoin "plays a very small role" in the U.S. payment system, going on to explain:

"It is not a stable store of value and it doesn't constitute legal tender. It is a highly speculative asset and the Fed doesn't really play any role, any regulatory role with respect to bitcoin other than assuring that banking organizations that we do supervise are attentive that they're appropriately managing any interactions they have with participants in that market, and appropriately monitoring anti-money laundering [and] Bank Secrecy Act responsibilities that they have."

Friday, December 15, 2017

SanDisk Ultra 128gb 100mbs Micro SD Card for Smartphone's Speed Test / ConsumerWatch / Mobile Technology

By: HGR

Here is a speed test for currently one of the most popular micro SD cards on the market, the 128gb SanDisk Ultra that is speced to operate at upto 100mbs that many smartphone users such as for those in the Samsung Gallery range, the S6, S7 and S8 are opting for. However, are smartphone users wasting their money by paying extra for a fast 100mbs card? Find out in my speed test review of exactly what performance is likely to be achieved when used in a smartphone.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Stock Market Aggressive Sell Signals, but Discretion is Warranted / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

SPX futures are higher with the expectation of the passage of the tax reform bill. Yesterday’s decline may not be impulsive and did not make it to Short-term support. Let’s see how the bounce develops before taking positions. I would suggest that Short-term support should be broken before short positions are added.

ZeroHedge reports, “U.S. equity index futures point to a higher open, having rebounded some 10 points off session lows with the VIX stuck on the edge between single and double digits, while European and Asian shares decline as investors assess central banks’ shift toward tighter monetary policy and concern over tax overhaul ahead of final plan. “

Friday, December 15, 2017

Inflation is Spiking Globally… Bond Bubble Bursts in 3… 2… / Economics / Inflation

By: Graham_Summers

I believe 2018 will be the year inflation arrives.

The reason, as I’ve noted throughout mid-2017, is that multiple Central Banks, particularly the European Central Bank (ECB), Bank of Japan (BoJ) and Swiss National Bank (SNB) have maintained emergency levels of QE and money printing, despite the fact that globally the economy is performing relatively well.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Sheffield's 'Real' LORAX Defending the Trees From the Labour City Council Patrol Units / Local / Sheffield

By: N_Walayat

Here are just a few of Sheffield's many thousands of LORAX who speak not just for the street trees but also for freedom, free speech, and democracy. Against which are martialed the forces of the establishment, a Labour controlled Sheffield city council and it's £2.2 billion PFI contractor Amey. Where we are increasingly witnessing the deployment of patrol units on the streets that go far beyond the realms of what one would expect from a British local city council, let alone a LABOUR COUNCIL! We are witnessing on a daily basis what resembles militias patrolling Sheffield's streets along with their green vested evidence gatherers that are akin to something out of an eastern european dictatorship.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Stock Market Decline Signals are Near / Stock-Markets / Stock Market 2017

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

SPX appears to have begun its decline. However, it may bounce at the two trendlines intersecting with Short-term support at 2644.74. Relief may be coming for those who have remained short the past two weeks.

While I will be discussing the signals from the VIX and Hi-Lo, I wish to point out that the best short entries are often at a bounce. Aggressive short entries will be subject to whipsaw. Thus, smaller portions are recommended until fully confirmed.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Trends in the U.S. Unemployment rate and the U.S. Yield curve / Interest-Rates / US Interest Rates

By: Donald_W_Dony

The trends in both the U.S. Unemployment rate and the U.S. Yield curve are linked to similar economic pressures.

The Unemployment rate rises and falls due to a number of key reasons and reflects the changes in the economy.

The U.S. Yield curve acts as a tool for the Fed to conduct its monetary policy in its goal for the long-term health (ie stable prices and sustainable employment) of the economy.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Santa Is Putting Christmas On The Blockchain And Saving Billions / Currencies / BlockChain

By: OilPrice_Com

So, you think that you know all there is to know about Christmas?

Maybe you string enough lights on your roof to give Clark Griswald a run for his money. Maybe you can identify mistletoe and holly in the wild, chop down your own Christmas tree, and know exactly how many Hallmark Keepsake ornaments they’ve issued since 1973. You can rattle off all of Santa’s reindeer—backwards, starting with Rudolph and ending in Dasher, and know all the words to O’ Tannenbaum. Including all the verses. In German. You own White Christmas—which is indisputably the best Christmas movie ever—on Blu Ray, DVD, VHS, and Betamax (I’ve included a link if you have no idea what that is). And heck, you even make figgy pudding on Christmas Eve.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

The Unprotected, the Protected, the Vulnerably Protected Classes—Which Are You? / Politics / Employment

By: John_Mauldin

Last month I shared in Outside the Box (subscribe here) a new McKinsey report on job automation. Every year, reports like this reflect a process that’s occurred many times in human history.

People discover or invent something useful: fire, the wheel, iron, gunpowder, coal, oil, the steam engine, electricity, the automobile, the airplane, the computer, etc. Life changes as the new knowledge spreads. People either adapt or they don’t.

Those who don’t adapt fade into the background. In the last few decades of their working lives, they end up taking the very lowliest of jobs in order to get some food, clothing, and shelter, but it’s not a comfortable life.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Strap Yourself In - We Are About To See Some Big Moves In Precious Metals / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: Avi_Gilburt

Recent price action

The last week has seen the metals and miners drop down into support regions. As I write this, we are sitting just over major support for most of the charts I follow.

Whereas the GDX likely provides the cleanest picture of the market potential right now, I will be providing you guidance about the GDX in my analysis below. And, while I maintain a strong bullish bias for 2018, the action we see in the coming weeks will tell us when we can begin to take a more immediate bullish perspective.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

December 2017 FOMC Meeting and Gold / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: Arkadiusz_Sieron

Yesterday, the Fed released its most recent monetary policy statement. How can it affect the financial markets?

In line with expectations, the Fed raised the federal funds rate target by 25 base points to the 1.25-1.50 percent range. This way, the U.S. central bank delivered the third hike this year, and the fifth rate increase in the post-crisis period. The most important paragraph of the released monetary policy statement is, thus, as follows:

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Gold’s Upside Target / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: P_Radomski_CFA

In our Monday’s analysis, we emphasized that a lot changed from the short-term point of view, even though price changes in gold and silver were small. On Tuesday, we argued that closing our short position on Tuesday had been justified. Mining stocks soared by over 3% making yesterday’s session the biggest daily rally since August. A lot has changed indeed. Will the rally continue for much longer?

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Year-end US Interest Rate Hike Again Proves To Be Launchpad For Gold Price / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: GoldCore

– FOMC follows through on much anticipated rate-hike of 0.25%
– Spot gold responds by heading for biggest gain in three weeks, rising by over 1%
– Final meeting for Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen
– Yellen does not expect Trump’s tax-cut package to result in significant, strong growth for US economy
– No concern for bitcoin which ‘plays a very small role in the payment system’

Thursday, December 14, 2017

WTI Crude Oil Elliott Wave Analysis / Commodities / Crude Oil

By: Submissions

Science Investing writes: Short Term Price Trend

WTI crude oil started a bullish trend in June 2017. We forecast further upside in the crude oil complex.

For the past month we’ve witnessed a sideways movement in the WTI. It may have traced out a triangle pattern. The move from the 24th of November top looks complex, which is typical for a C-wave of a triangle. Triangles typically resolve into the direction of the greater trend. Hence we forecast price action to the upside short term.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

A Pivotal Week For Gold And Crude Oil / Commodities / Commodities Trading

By: Enda_Glynn

My Bias: Long to a new all time high above 1827.
Wave Structure: Impulse structure to a new high.
Long term wave count: wave (3) above 1666.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Dollar and Bonds are Showing Weakness/Sell Signals / Stock-Markets / Financial Markets 2017

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

USD/JPY is on a sell signal by crossing beneath the 50-day Moving Average at 112.88.

USD has also crossed beneath its 50-day Moving Average at 93.71. It is currently at 92.45.

TNX has also crossed beneath its 50-day Moving Average at 23.61. It is still within its consolidation area, so I will withhold judgement pending further developments.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Alabama Election, FOMC Meeting and Gold / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2017

By: Arkadiusz_Sieron

Democrats won a fight for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama. What does it mean for the gold market?

Yesterday, a special election for the United States Senate took place in Alabama. The vote was organized to fill the vacancy which arose when Jeff Sessions resigned from being a Senator to serve as U.S. Attorney General.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Why the Saudis Failed to Cripple Qatar / Politics / Saudi Arabia

By: John_Mauldin

BY ALLISON FEDIRKA : Six months ago, Saudi Arabia announced the closure of its shared land border with Qatar in response to its supposed support of terrorism. The other Gulf Cooperation Council members denied Qatar use of their airspace and ports.

The measures were meant to bring the Qatari economy to its knees. However, the plan didn’t work out as planned and the effort ultimately failed.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The Jobs Report Misled You—Job and Wage Growth Are Actually Decelerating / Economics / Employment

By: John_Mauldin

The monthly jobs report is one of the most important statistics for investors.

Yes, any single month doesn’t tell us much. Yes, the Labor Department’s methodology has some flaws, both major and minor, which I covered many times in my newsletter, Thoughts from the Frontline (subscribe here). But imperfect as it is, the jobs report is our best look at the economy’s pulse.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

2 Charts That Might Define the Fed’s Jerome Powell Era / Stock-Markets / US Federal Reserve Bank

By: F_F_Wiley

In September, we proposed a theory of the Fed and suggested that the FOMC will soon worry mostly about financial imbalances without much concern for recession risks. We reached that conclusion by simply weighing the reputational pitfalls faced by the economists on the committee, but now we’ll add more meat to our argument, using financial flows data released last week. We’ve created two charts, beginning with a look at cumulative, inflation-adjusted asset gains during the last seven business cycles: