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HomeCommodities Growling Like a Bear
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 1st, 2010 2:48 PM |
Does anybody have any doubt that the equity markets are heavily manipulated by the banks and Uncle Sam? I didn’t think so.
The same clearly holds true for our credit markets, primarily the Treasury market. That said, the commodities market, in my opinion, is much more closely aligned with the real economy. What have commodities done over the last few years? The DJ-UBS Commodity Index was up a mere 16% in 2009 and is down 10% so far in 2010. Over the last two years, the index is down approximately 50%, significantly more than most major equity averages.
What are commodities telling us currently? Let’s navigate. (more…)
What Are Insiders Doing, or Pump and Dump?
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 1st, 2010 12:03 PM |
Who truly knows more about a company’s prospects than the executives running the operation? These executives, commonly referred to as insiders, are privy to sensitive, non-public information. Insiders are subject to severe restrictions in how they handle this information, and most importantly in how they manage their own finances.
Insiders selling company stock is not always an indication that the company is having problems. Insiders manage their own finances and will sell for a variety of reasons, especially for tax purposes. That said, monitoring insider activity is always prudent. Are there trends? Is activity heavily skewed in one direction or another? Is there a major inconsistency between insider activity and analyst recommendations? (more…)
European Bank Stress Tests? Nein, Danke!!
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 1st, 2010 8:58 AM |
How do you think the wizards in Washington are feeling about the European bailout structured two weeks ago at their behest? In those two weeks, the Euro has plummeted another 5%, equities continue to suffer, and credit spreads continue to widen.
Our Washington wizards are looking back into their bag of tricks and now recommending another of their ‘shell game’ proposals to their European counterparts. Which proposal might this be? How do you spell charade? Try, bank stress tests.
Treasury Secretary Geithner is pressuring European central bankers to perform and release bank stress tests as a precursor to restoring financial health and stability into the European system. The Wall Street Journal highlights Geithner’s recommendation this morning in writing, U.S. to Push Europe on Stress Tests:
The U.S. intends to urge Europe to disclose publicly the results of bank stress tests as a way to calm jitters over the health of the Continent’s financial system, U.S. officials said. (more…)
