Chinese Investors Dump Money Into New Zealand Bonds

Chinese and other investors have been bidding up N.Z. bonds as they seek a safe haven in a global slowdown.

As a result N.Z. enjoys lower than normal  interest rates and their currency has popped over 4% this year.

Full article

“Australia’s dollar fell against 14 of its 16 major counterparts as signs of a global economic slowdown sapped demand for higher-yielding currencies.

The New Zealand dollar extended last week’s decline versus the yen after a report today showed Japan’s economy grew less than forecast, adding to signs of a worldwide slump. Data tomorrow may show the euro-area economy contracted during the second quarter. Demand for the so-called Aussie dollar was supported as futures traders increased bets that it will gain.”

Full article

“Japan’s reconstruction-fueled rebound waned in the second quarter as consumer spending growth almost stalled and export gains diminished, increasing the chance for monetary and fiscal stimulus.”

Full article

World Markets

Currencies

Commodities

USD Libor

Euribor

Yields for Italy, Spain, France,  and Germany …

Monday:

• Groupon Inc    GRPN
• JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd    JASO
• LiveDeal Inc    LIVE
• Sky-mobi Ltd    MOBI
• Vringo Inc    VRNG

Tuesday:

• Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc    DKS
• Home Depot Inc    HD
• JDS Uniphase Corp    JDSU
• Michael Kors Holdings Ltd    KORS
• Saks Inc    SKS
• TJX Companies Inc    TJX

Wednesday:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co    ANF
• Applied Materials Inc    AMAT
• Canadian Solar Inc    CSIQ
• Cisco Systems Inc    CSCO
• Deere & Co    DE
• Hot Topic Inc    HOTT
• MIPS Technologies Inc    MIPS
• NetApp Inc    NTAP
• SINA Corp    SINA
• Target Corp    TGT

Thursday:

• Aeropostale Inc    ARO
• E Commerce China Dangdang Inc    DANG
• GameStop Corp    GME
• Gap Inc    GPS
• Marvell Technology Group Ltd    MRVL
• Sears Holdings Corp    SHLD
• The Buckle Inc    BKE
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc    WMT

Friday:

• Foot Locker Inc    FL

Note: Earnings dates are subject to change, please check dates for accuracy

Ever wonder why corporations and their CEOs seems to not really give a fuck anymore about the goings-on in Washington?

Read the article here.

Unreal. America, bend over. This is your future:

Antonopoulos and his partners spent hours collecting papers from tax offices, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the municipal service where the company is based, the health inspector’s office, the fire department and banks. At the health department, they were told that all the shareholders of the company would have to provide chest X-rays, and, in the most surreal demand of all, stool samples.

Read the article here.

I really really like this relationship but wish someone would chart it back much further.

Want to know what’s going to happen in the stock market (and by extension the Presidential election)?

Just keep your eye on weekly initial jobless claims.

The recent improvement in claims perfectly mirrors the recent improvement in the stock market, and going back over 5 years, the relationship remains pretty much perfect.

See the article and graph here.

Germany will block any new aid to ailing Greece if Athens does not fully comply with the terms of previous rescue packages, even if other countries support unlocking funds, a senior lawmaker said Sunday.

Read the rest here.

A great post by the Conversable Economist:

Everyone knows that the future of the U.S. economy and standard of living is tied up with how well Americans are educated. Everyone is right! But the U.S. education system has been stuck in neutral for decades, while other countries have been moving ahead. Martin West summarizes some of the evidence in “Global Lessons for Improving U.S. Education”, which appears in the Spring 2012 edition of Issues in Science and Technology.The questions that follow are mine: the answers are excerpted from the article. I add a few remarks at the end.

Read the rest here.

Generally, when platinum is at a discount to gold, it points to concerns about the economic outlook, given that 60% of demand for platinum comes from the automotive industry. But when platinum moves above gold, it tends to indicate that investors expect the economy to pick up. Gold also tends to trade as an alternative to traditional currencies, such as the dollar, in times of market nervousness or as a hedge against inflation.

Read the article here.

Most economists surveyed by USA TODAY have little faith a divided Congress will adequately address looming tax increases and spending cuts, significantly hampering economic growth well into 2013.

The standoff in Washington, along with the global economic slowdown, threatens a U.S. economy that otherwise would be gaining steam on a strengthening U.S. housing market and improving private-sector balance sheets, economists say. The survey of 50 leading economists was conducted Aug. 3-8.

Read the rest here.

Keep an eye on those bond yields in Spain and Italy….

Full article

We will have to see what happens as the $FB lock up comes in this week on the 16th. $MSFT is said to be keeping their 1.7% piece of the company.

Full article

“How much more valuable do you think Facebook is than Yahoo? Let’s say I gave you 1% of Facebook’s stock. How much of Yahoo would I have to give you to part with that share? 5%? 10%? More? (Or would you just move to Singapore and renounce your U.S. citizenship?)

What about Google stock? Would you make a 1% for 1% trade? What about 0.5% of Google for your 1% Facebook stake?

Well here’s what the stock market thinks: ”

Full article

Came across this article and thought of $TQNT immediately. If you have any other picks with this specific semi in production please share.

I make no recommendations to buy $TQNT based upon this article. If you bought it based on this article without any homework then you are truly an asshat.

Furthermore, i have no position in $TQNT…..yet

Full article

“As Paul Ryan hits the campaign trail as Mitt Romney‘s running mate, Democrats can hardly contain their glee at the fresh opportunity to attack the Wisconsin Congressman — and by proxy, Mitt Romney — over his signature budget proposal.

When Ryan first announced his proposals in 2011, the Democratic response was swift and vicious. Since then attacking Ryan’s budget — and specifically his proposals to overhaul Medicare — has been a remarkably successful strategy for Democrats, who argue that Ryan’s plan would “end Medicare as we know it,” or simply “end Medicare.”

Read more

The markets are reflecting benign and or improving data. Of course, there is still the European folly card to play out. The question is will oil fly higher based on all this seemingly improving data or have we topped out momentarily ?

Full article

“By picking Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has managed something rare, for him: He’s made everyone feel good. Conservatives are thrilled, of course — they’ll have the “big choice” campaign they’ve been demanding from Romney. The Obama campaign is ecstatic — now they can more easily tie Romney to the unpopular Republican Congress and its determination (in last year’s debt ceiling fight and in the “Ryan Budget”) to force deep cuts to Medicare to balance the budget without raising taxes.

Read more

“The U.S. Navy said one of its guided-missile destroyers collided with an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

The collision between USS Porter and the Panamanian-flagged bulk oil tanker M/V Otowasan occurred at about 1 a.m. local time, Bahrain-based U.S. 5th Fleet spokesman Lieutenant Greg Raelson said in a phone interview today. The collision was not combat-related and overall damage to the ship is being evaluated, he said.”

Full article