Jack the Pipper

Above is the yield curve. Notice how far rates in the low-end (left side) of the curve have fallen. This is good for banks but likely bad for us who want to borrow and not too good for those who depend on deposits for income.

Climate change — it’s taken on a meaning beyond the literal. It is “global warming” … it is carbon emissions … it is saving the planet … it is ridiculous.

The BRIC countries which include Brazil, Russia, India, and China are talked about as if they are some monolithic grouping that will carry the world out of the great depression we seem to be now mired.

By the looks of it, traders might actually be respecting the holiday commemorating US Independence. The dollar is positive on the day so far.

A key day reversal is defined by Stockcharts.com as “a one day chart pattern where prices sharply reverse during a trend. In an uptrend, prices open in new highs and then close below the previous day’s closing price.

We’re still getting mixed signals as a consolidation moves continue. But it looks as though some of the currencies are building up steam; the likely resolution (on technical analysis alone) being a sharp breakout in accordance with the trend prior to consolidation.

The mantra from most commodities guys is a simple: Be long or be wrong. This is a secular bull market in commodities. And up until that little upset recently, a 50% haircut triggered by the credit crunch, commodity bulls have been right on the money.

China knows its symbiotic relationship with the US is over. You remember the one; it was based on US buying likely drunken sailors and China sending its sailors over to drop off container cartons of stuff,

Wondering why the South African rand rallied sharply against the buck yesterday? Me too. Leading into and following the Federal Reserve announcement yesterday, the dollar was stronger versus the pack of majors. So what prompted such strength from the rand?

We were expecting at least one day of follow-through (actually more) on the green shoot to brown weed re-think, thinking it would benefit the dollar as it did on Monday, but no dice.