ANOTHER VIEW OF UKRAINIAN DIVISIVENESS

These divisions are hardly isolated to the Ukraine.

They exist in many if not in fact most countries. And the US is no exception.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/residents-in-provincial-southern-ukraine-defend-a-lenin-statue-a-958294.html

WHERE ARE WE?

"Bonds, including government bonds, are a lot more dangerous than people imagine."
                            Jeremy Grantham

The above quote appears in the latest issue of Barron's.

http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424053111904628504579431002134993072.html?mod=BOL_hp_mag#articleTabs_article%3D1

END WEEK MARKET WRAP

Techs and financials led the S&P 500 down for the week's final session. But 7 of the 10 sectors were up as news continues to be mixed. China and the Ukraine remain on investor's minds. Not to mention Crimea where the vote there is set for early next week. Evidence that insiders are more bearish than they've been in years also clouded the market for many. All this just a week after the index closed at a record high closing today at 1841. 

Over in the commodities bin the inflation-fear indicators, gold and silver, finish up for the week with gold 3% higher and silver up 2.3% while crude oil backed off 3.6% and copper fell 4.2%, most likely owing to China worries. Gold gained traction for the 5th straight session. Natural gas backed off 4.2%.

Stocks in the EU fell for the 3rd day and UK equities suffered worst performance since late 2011.

So besides the Crimea vote several other things are on tap for next week. But perhaps none is more interesting than Fed Chairwoman  Janet Yellen's first FOMC meeting. Here's one observer's take on that.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bill-gross-fed-to-reassure-market-on-zero-rate-policy-2014-03-13

THE CHINA PROBLEM

As the chart in this article shows concern about whether China's once robust growth will turn into a paper tiger grows.

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2014/03/14/another-worrying-chart-on-china/

ECONOMIC MUSICAL CHAIRS

Is it 4% or 6% or 7.2%?

Just what is it? That's right, we're talking about the big C, China, and it's projected growth for this year.

The sure thing is there are many predictions. Does it really matter? Yea, it does because perception rules on Wall Street.  Well, in this case the perception of central bankers in the US and UK, to name a couple. And it matter to the ECB.
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2014/03/13/faber-sees-china-growth-at-4-good-news-for-its-gigantic-bubble/

ONLY WHERE?

And a lot of readers think this is only happening in America.

Not so fast. These are not-so-subtle pleas on the one hand for sovereignty and on the other for one world government.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/the-eu-critical-course-of-the-german-high-court-a-958018.html

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

A couple of important reads from the WSJ to digest and then watch the developments.

The odds of any of these central bankers getting it exactly correct are slim, slimmer and slimmest.

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/03/13/the-feds-age-of-inflation/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=MarketsMain

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2014/03/11/is-the-boe-determined-to-be-behind-the-curve/

TRANSPARENCY

Despite what those T-shirts say, old men don't rule. It's the pharmaceutical and banking industries that rule. http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-06/spare-me-your-transparency-please

And it's not just New York surgeons picking the healthier candidates to keep their mortality and mistake rates low; it's medical practitioners across the board everywhere. How many practitioners you think look forward to treating diabetics, many who are on three or four diabetic medicines a day?

Diabetics heal slower, get infections easier and often suffer amputations. DM is a nasty vascular-neuro-toxic disease. Listing calories on labels is akin to the seat belt law. Yea, it saves a few more lives, but studies show people because they feel safer drive more recklessly or, to put it kinder, spend more time driving beyond their actual driving skill.

And then there's the running-a-red-light-camera-at-every intersection fiasco. In California where violators can opt for traffic school to show their contrition, it became common price for offenders to compare their fines. The variation in those prices exceeded what one often sees on a slow day at NYSE.

"Dallas Buyer's Club," the movie two actors won academy awards for, had it correct: the FDA and big-pharma are two of your worst nightmares. Transparency is just another ploy to keep the rabble from getting too restive.

Now that's your real nightmare.

LONG OR SHORT IN THE TOOTH?

As always it's a personal decision.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/06/investing/bull-market-five-years/index.html?iid=Lead

JAPANESE CONSUMPTION TAX

The land of the rising sun is soon to become the land of rising consumer taxes. Everyone knows what the annouced consequences are suppose to be, cut national debt and create a surplus. That only leaves the un-intended ones. The future of Abernomics could rest in the balance. 

http://www.bondvigilantes.com/blog/2014/03/04/japan-hikes-consumption-tax-in-april-will-retail-sales-spike-in-march-only-to-collapse-afterwards/

WASHINGTON-WALL STREET WAY

A lot of people either missed or ignored it. But here's a person who apparently didn't, a leading WSJ article recently about Freddie and Fannie, two government rip offs, politicians, bankers and their ilk refuse to let endure the ignoble death it so justly deserves.

Forget mom, apple pie, dyslexic children and Roth IRAs. This is a good old fashion example of American business done the Washington-Wall Street way.

http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/2014/03/05/bruce-berkowitzs-bogus-bombast/