Once again, the Japanese Yen and the US Dollar have taken control of the spotlight in the FX market. The safe haven Yen continues to be the currency of choice for investors uncertain of the future of the global economy. Meanwhile the Dollar is getting hammered from all sides on expectations of any rate hike…
With the advent of April, most companies get busy preparing their financial statements, before the onset of the first-quarter 2016 earnings season. The fourth-quarter 2015 just behind us has not been very encouraging given the uncertain global macroeconomic environment, volatile energy prices and the still strong U.S. dollar. Further, most analysts expect the dark clouds…
Shares of L Brands (LB), which owns the Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works brands, is in focus this morning after reporting an increase in March sales and revealing a restructuring at Victoria’s Secret in order to focus on core operations. MARCH SALES INCREASE: L Brands this morning reported that its same-store sales grew…
In Naples, riots against Renzi resulted in clashes between police and demonstrators. On Wednesday, Italy’s government had to address the plight of Italian banks which now seems to be significant as both houses of parliament blessed in a crisis meeting, voted to create a state fund for bad loans from.Resistance to Renzi’s idea was very…
I have to trade and invest in the markets that I have before me and not the ones that I desire! Therefore, I must be able to approach the market place from a completely ‘unbiased’ perspective. I do not care if the markets doubles in price, or if it is cut in half. I take…
Medical equipment and supply stocks aren’t very sexy to most investors. Many in the health care space seem to prefer the high risk/high reward track of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology worlds, leaving equipment stocks by the wayside. However, there are actually plenty of great opportunities in this market if you are willing to look. And…
Hot money flows into real estate have become an issue in some of the world’s largest markets, as prices have skyrocketed. As we’ve repeatedly noted before, China is experiencing massive capital outflows (even if technically, overnight the PBOC said that in the last month these flows reversed to inflows for the first time in 5 months), which…
Today’s Economic events Australia AIG Construction Index 45.2 vs. 46.1 BoJ Gov. Kuroda Speech French Trade Balance -5.2bn vs. -3.8bn Swiss foreign currency reserves 576bn vs. 571bn previously UK Halifax HPI m/m 2.60% vs. 0.80% ECB monetary policy meeting minutes released Canada building permits m/m 15.5% vs. 4.70% US weekly unemployment claims 267k vs. 271k…
Those betting against Goldman Sach’s retail investment advice have generally been on the right side of things. The same thing is about to happen again. “Short gold! Sell gold!” said Goldman’s head commodity trader, Jeff Currie, during a CNBC “Power Lunch” interview. Currie’s advice was in response to the question “Is there any commodity you…
I have studied the process of European integration in some detail at the College of Europe in Bruges where I also became a teaching assistant for a year. I also had the pleasure of doing my PhD thesis at the European University Institute in Florence. So it is probably no surprise that I would have…
