Art Cashin's Presidential Debate Summary: "Not A High Moment In The History Of The Republic"

For those who watched last night's pre-presidential theater, our condolences. You were not alone, however. Art Cashin was there too and here is his post-mortem.

Leaked Debate Agreement Shows Both Obama and Romney are Sniveling Cowards

by John Cook, Gawker via Pakalertpress.com:
Time‘s Mark Halperin has made himself useful for once by obtaining, and publishing, a copy of the 21-page memorandum of understanding that the Obama and Romney campaigns negotiated with the Commission on Presidential Debates establishing the rules governing this month’s presidential and vice presidential face-offs. The upshot: Both campaigns are terrified at anything even remotely spontaneous happening.

They aren’t permitted to ask each other questions, propose pledges to each other, or walk outside a “predesignated area.” And for the town-hall-style debate tomorrow night, the audience members posing questions aren’t allowed to ask follow-ups (their mics will be cut off as soon as they get their questions out). Nor will moderator Candy Crowley.

Most bizarrely, given the way the debates have played out, the rules actually appear to forbid television coverage from showing reaction shots of the candidates: “To the best of the Commission’s abilities, there will be no TV cut-aways to any candidate who is not responding to a question while another candidate is answering a question or to a candidate who is not giving a closing statement while another candidate is doing so.”
Read More @ Pakalertpress.com

Overstock.com CEO Says He’s Voting in November — But for Ron Paul

from The Blaze:
Not news: The CEO of a prominent and successful business voicing his concerns over the possibility of President Obama winning re-election.
News: The CEO of a prominent and successful business voicing his concerns over the possibility of President Obama winning re-election and then vowing to write-in the name of libertarian Congressman Ron Paul rather than vote for the GOP’s nominated candidate.
And that’s exactly what Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne promised last week during an interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren.
… The Overstock.com CEO argued that both the Republican and Democrat Party have a fundamental misunderstanding of the major issues facing the country.
“Who you voting for?” Greta Van Susteren asked. “I’m curious.”
“I’ll write-in Ron Paul,” Byrne responded, “He’s the only one who understands the constitution and the benefits of a limited government.”

Jim Rogers: Neither Obama nor Romney Are Worth My Vote

Eric De Groot at Eric De Groot - 2 hours ago

The Presidential candidates talk a good game before the election, but the real world distinction between the two in terms of policies and spending designed to protect a decaying economic system are minimal. Expect both parties to continue spending and catering to the same institutions that issue their debt despite claims to the contrary. Headline: Jim Rogers:... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The "Electoral Precedent"

 
Sick of the seemingly endless presidential theater? So are we. Alas, there are 20 more days to go, so to kill a few minutes here are some cartoon anecdotes of previous presidential 'precedents' courtesy of XKCD.

 

 

People Have A Tendency To Rush Where Others Are

Admin at Marc Faber Blog - 39 minutes ago

People are tempted by what is hot. Suppose you open two identical restaurants next door to each other. They have the same menu, the same décor, and the same manager at the entrance. If during the first 10 days after opening, you paid people to line up in front of one of the restaurants, I guarantee that one would be packed with diners all the time and the other, identical one next door, would be empty, because people have a tendency to rush where others are. - *in Trading the World`s Markets * *Marc Faber is an international investor known for his uncanny predictions of the stock ma... more » 

Chart Of The Day: A Glance Into The January 2013 Jobs Report

We are currently experiencing a pre-election surge in all economic metrics; and then comes the hangover as can be confirmed by looking at hiring plans. Morgan Stanley's Business Conditions Index (a multi-factor real-time bottom-up economy tracker) has tumbled this month, giving back most of the very recent gains but it is the 'outlook for hiring' that is the most worrisome. Despite the stronger than expected employment report for October, both hiring indices fell to multi-year lows. The hiring index dropped 10 points to 44%, its lowest since December 2009, and the hiring plans index sunk 13 points to 44%, lowest since August 2009.  Due to its leading indicator nature, this means that imminent payrolls may not stop rising; but in a few short months will post the first sequential decline since 2010. What this means for the unemployment rate is self-explanatory - but by then the election will be decided.

Gold And Silver Building Cause

Eric De Groot at Eric De Groot - 48 minutes ago

Gold and silver building cause: A-wave (phase) represents the market building energy for the C-wave breakout (chart 1). Richard Wyckoff described this phase as a market building "cause". The only real distinction between an A-wave dip and B-wave decline is concentration of money flows. Silver, much smaller and tighter market than gold, is more sensitive... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] 

 

Shorting J.P. Morgan (JPM)

Admin at Jim Rogers Blog - 1 hour ago

"I am short J.P. Morgan (JPM) as of yesterday. I am short the calls for J.P. Morgan (JPM)." - *in Fox Business News* * **Related stocks: JPMorgan Chase (JPM)* *Jim Rogers is an author, financial commentator and successful international investor. He has been frequently featured in Time, The New York Times, Barron’s, Forbes, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and is a regular guest on Bloomberg and CNBC.* 

 

Seniors on Social Security squeezed by rising prices

Eric De Groot at Eric De Groot - 3 hours ago

Both 'Tax the Rich or 'Austerity for the masses' cause investment to decline, capital to flee, and an acceleration of the slow economic implosion underway. The likely outcome is policy gridlock defined by economic stagnation, currency-induced inflation, infinite liquidity, and the masses dependent on social programs squeezed to the edge of existence until 2015. Headline: ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] 

 

Mailbox

Eric De Groot at Eric De Groot - 3 hours ago

Denny, Timing is a dynamic animal. The window for the C-wave rally will change as the A- and B-waves complete. Eric Hi Eric, Humans sure need to learn other responses to perceived trouble/scarcity/threats. Not likely but possible. Physics tells us a trend in motion stays in motion until it meets a superior countervailing force. Lord help us if humans ever meet... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Hidden Cost Of The "New Economy": New-Type Depression

We can summarize the breeding ground of new-type depression: very demanding work that is beyond the capacity of people with poor social and communication skills and those who fear being left behind or failing. Fearing failure, they wilt under criticism that seems unfair and irresponsible given that they're doing their best. Facing an apparently no-win situation at work, they quit or take an extended leave of absence. This doesn't solve the depression or its causes, unfortunately. What seems to help is counseling that raises the emotional maturity of the person with NTD so they can better handle criticism, and counseling the senior supervisors to become better communicators with younger workers. Placing workers with low communication skills in jobs where they can work independently and productively also helps. The demands on enterprises and employees alike are rising as the "New Economy" of pervasive insecurity and constant adaptation become the norm. The take-away from Japan's new-style depression is that we need to understand not all workers are cut out for the high-social-skill "New Economy," though in the right positions they are admirably productive. That will take a new level of management skills in Corporate Japan, America and Europe as definancialization and deleveraging unravel the global economy.

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Once "Jollying The Markets" With "Faith, Hope And Charity" Fails, What Comes Next: A Primer On Europe's Next Steps

Back in January, Zero Hedge proposed a pair trade, which to date has returned well over 100% on a blended basis, namely the shorting of local law peripheral European bonds, while going long English law (or strong covenant) bonds (a relationship best arbed in Greece, when various foreign-law issues were tendered for at par to avoid a bankruptcy, even as the local law bond population saw a massive cram down a few months later as part of the second Greek "bailout"). In big part, this proposal stemmed from the work of Cleary Gottlieb's Lee Buccheit, who has been the quiet brain behind the real time restructuring of Europe's insolvent states. In fact, one can say that what is happening in Europe was predicted to a large extent in his "How to Restructure Greek Debt" and "Greek Debt; The Endgame Scenarios." Which is why we read his latest white paper: "The Eurozone Debt Crisis - The Options Now", because it presents, in clear, practical terms, just what the flowchart for Europe looks like, unimpeded by the ceaseless chatter and noise of clueless politicians and career bureaucrats who have never heard the term pro forma or fresh start. In brief, Buccheit, unlike all European politicians, is hardly optimistic.

Germany Wants To Be Europe's Currency Tsar

As all eyes and ears (and trigger fingers) are glued to the flashing red headlines from Europe's conditional unconditional OMT/credit-line/backstop/ESM malarkey and Spain's insistence that it doesn't need help yet just wonders what the rules are, Merkel stated - for absolute clarity once again - her views yesterday. As much as no-one wants to hear what the money-lady has to say - preferring instead to live in a world where promises work, FinMin Schaeuble clarified the need for a 'currency commissioner' with sweeping powers to strike down national budgets. This bombshell, as The Telegraph calls it, is really nothing of the sort; as Merkel has already made it clear that there's no money without sacrificing sovereignty. The directness of this statement though does raise questions over just what the ECB is for? Critically, dismissing Van Rompuy's spin that this is a step towards debt-pooling and euro-bills, Schaeuble made it clear that fiscal union meant "more power to police the affairs of debtor states." While the possibility remains of a precautionary line of credit, the Germans stated: "one thing is clear: whatever is requested, it won't be without conditions," and as Citi's Steve Englander noted "It's all down to haggling over the price now."

Spanish Bonds At Six Month Highs As 'Half Pregnant' Bailout Looms

As overseas deposits continue to flood from the periphery (e.g. Italy -15.4% YoY in Aug), yet another European Summit is about to begin delivering headline after headline of baffle-'em-with-bullshit comments. As the market switches from rallying on conditional OMT-backed bailouts (that are not needed according to Rajoy and De Guindos), now it is rallying on a precautionary line of credit (with no apparent conditionality) that Katainen also adds is not needed because Spain doesn't need a bailout. It seems that a 'half pregnant' bailout for Spain is all that it takes as 10Y Spanish spreads dropped below 400bps for the first time in six months and while IBEX is lagging the sovereign's performance for now, it is also having a great week (up over 5%). Thanks to Moody's apparently gutless contingent investment-grade-but-on-the-verge-of-needing-a-sovereign-bailout decision, more rotation from foreign real money to domestic real money and fast money is slapping Spanish credit tighter in a hurry (5Y CDS 278bps and 10Y yield under 5.5%). Now if someone would just explain how any of this has solved the underlying insolvency issues, we'll be more than happy to play along.

Ex-Goldman Trader Who Made Millions On Subprime, Now Making Even More Millions On Subprime

One of the 'chief architects of Goldman's Big Short' on the subprime debacle is reaping the rewards of the Fed's actions once again at his new hedge fund. After backing up the subprime truck in 2007 for Goldman, Josh Birnbaum is back (at Tilden Park Capital) and according to Bloomberg, is up 30% this year as we presume he is front-running the Fed's repression. The 40-year old founded the firm as a number of funds enter the non-agency mortgage-bond market where there are "billions of bonds trading a week and they are hotly debated" which creates opportunity from different valuations - as opposed to the agency-side where the heavy hand of Bernanke moves everything systemically. Ironically while Birnbaum bet it all on Subprime weakness at Goldman, he appears to be all-in on recovery this time as he notes "some of these recovery plays are compelling" and is "significantly more constructive" now than a year ago.

Housing Starts Surge 15% To 872,000, Highest Since July 2008

The pre-election barrage of "six-sigma" economic beats continues, with today the trophy going to Housing Starts, which soared by a whopping 15% from a revised 758K to 872K. The highest forecast called for a 800,000 print with consensus expecting an increase to 770,000K. Did we say 6 sigma? We meant a 9 sigma beat to consensus. The numbers being thrown about are so ridiculous they are almost credible in their political talking point ridiculousness. Expect this outlier printing to continue at least until the election. In the meantime, prepare for a barrage that housing start soared to the highest since July 2008. Looking inside the numbers, the print for single family rose to 603K from a revised 543K, while multi-family houses increased to 260K from 208K. The geographical breakdown is as follows Northeast down 4K to 75K, Midwest modestly higher to 143K from 134K, West a little more higher from 169K to 203K, and the biggest surge was in the South from 376K to 451K. At this point the best one can hope for is for a return to some normal data reporting after the election, because it is now obvious that every data series will be skewed and 'seasonally adjusted' substantially higher. Curious why BofA charge-offs are already soaring thanks to the Housing Bubble 2.0? That's why.

Bank Of America Gimmicks Continue - Chargeoffs Soar To Highest In A Year, As Loan Loss Release Surges

When one combs through the usual hodge podge of purposefully distracting headline bullets in Bank of America's quarterly release one as usual ends up with a sorry picture. Here are the key numbers: Noninterest income for the firm, traditionally about half of total revenues in addition to Net Interest Income, has continued to decline, and slid fo $10.5 billion, down from $12.4 billion in Q2 and down from $18.0 billion in Q3 2011. The other side: Total Interest Income (before expenses) also has continued to decline, and dropped to $13.976 billion from $13.992 billion a quarter ago, and down from $15.853 billion a year earlier. These numbers are hard to fudge. The number that is very easy to fudge is the Net Income (and per share) line, which was reported at $340 MM or $0.00 in diluted earnings per share after dividends. What helped substantially here is the following: while the firm booked a provision for credit losses of just $1.774 bilion, in line with Q2 and half of the $3.4 billion in Q3, 2011, what more than offset this was the surge in reserve reduction which soared to the highest in years at $2.348 billion, up from $1.853 billion in Q2 and way up from the $1.679 billion in Q3 2011. What is even more paradoxical is that despite what Moynihan is saying about an improvement in the housing market, the bank's total chargeoffs rose to the highest in a year, at $4.122 billion, up from $3.626 billion in Q2, and the highest since Q4 2011. The result is that the Net charge off ratio also spiked to the highest in a year, at 1.86%.

Frontrunning: October 17

• Obama takes offensive against Romney in debate rematch (Reuters)
• Obama Says Romney Words Aren’t ‘True’ in Second Debate (Bloomberg)
• Obama takes Romney head-on in debate (FT)
• And another joins the club: Thailand Unexpectedly Cuts Rate as Global Outlook Worsens (Bloomberg)
• PBOC Injects Less Cash (WSJ)
• Japan to Hold Special Cabinet Meeting After Economy Downgraded (Bloomberg)
• Greek Coalition Duo Reject Labour Moves Proposed by Troika (WSJ)
• Opposition wanes to Spanish aid request (FT)
• RBS to Exit U.K. Asset Protection Plan After $4 Billion Fees (Bloomberg)
• Spain Retains Investment Grade Credit Rating From Moody’s (Bloomberg)
• US diplomat asks Japan, ROK to resolve islands spat (China Daily)
• Stagnation not due to austerity, says OBR (FT)

Overnight Sentiment: Celebrating Spain's Non-Junk Status

To summarize: European stocks are little changed although Spanish shares rise. Spain 10-yr bond yields fall to the lowest level in more than 6 months. S&P futures are now higher on the trading session, driven by correlation engines as the euro is up vs the dollar, despite major disappointments by IBM and Intel. In other news Germany formally shut down the debt redemption fund proposal, ending one more rescue avenue for when the recent baseless euphoria ends, even as Spanish La Vanguardia reports that Germany is pressuring Italy to request European aid alongside Spain so that the government of Prime Minister Mario Monti doesn’t reap the benefit of lower borrowing costs without being tied to tougher economic reforms. Needless to say, Italy is said to resist the proposal: after all in Europe one just wants the upside from being bailed out, as opposed to actually being bailed out...





Today’s Items:

First…
China Profit Downgrades Signal Worst Yet to Come
http://www.cnbc.com

Chinese corporate profits show no sign of a second-half recovery as analysts cut earnings estimates in September by the most in 2 1/2 years.    The Chinese economy started losing steam in 2011 with slowing sales, swelling inventories, and sluggish bill payments.    Needless to say, as a producer, if China is going down, then it is reflection to the consumers nations like the US and Europe.

Next…
China Says No to US Treasuries
http://www.zerohedge.com

Japan, with a debt/GDP ratio will above 200%, prepares to become the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt as China dropped its purchases by $125 billion since last year.    The fact that one economically weak nation is buying the debt of another speaks volumes.    This paper shell game is going to end and it is going to end very badly for those who are not into hard assets.

Next…
No Economic Crisis Was Ever Caused by Stable Money
http://www.forbes.com

When there is a real money standard, whether gold or whatever, money printing is held in line that resembles reality.     Without a real standard, money printing can resemble greed, need, and ambitions of those printing the money.    Fear and war can cause economic crisis if there is, or is not, a real money standard; however, without this standard, economic crisis are more susceptible because there is no standard based on a physical reality.

Next…
ETF Costs and Liabilities
http://www.goldcore.com

ETFs have a high degree of counter party risk that potentially makes the actual ETF worthless.    Because of this, more and more people are migrating to physical allocated gold for more safety; however, there are growing cases where the so-called allocated gold is missing; therefore, if you do not have it in your hand, then you do not own it.

Next…
Justice Department Seeks Dismissal of Fast and Furious Lawsuit
http://www.foxnews.com

The Justice Department has sought dismissal of a lawsuit by the House committee demanding that records be produced about the illegal “Fast and Furious” operation that allowed hundreds to die.    The documents sought will, no doubt, show that this was not a sting operation to capture Mexican drug lords but; instead, to incriminate US gun dealers, as scapegoats, to end the 2nd amendment of the US Constitution.    In short, Holder apparently believes that it is acceptable to be a party to mass murder and not be held accountable for it.

Next…
Ordered DNR – A Preview of Obamacare In Action
http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Another feature of socialized medicine is that doctors can subject elderly patients to Do Not Resuscitate, or DNR, orders without consulting family members – as was the case in the UK with a 79 year old man who died because his doctor arbitrarily chose to implement DNR without consulting the family.   Think of this as another potential Obamacare feature coming to a hospital near you.

Next…
Vote Yes On Proposition 37
http://www.carighttoknow.org

I rarely agree with Bill Maher; however, this powerful video tells Californians to vote yes on proposition 37 which will force clear GMO labeling on food products.    In short, you have the right to know what is in your food.

Next…
GMO Cereals
http://www.naturalnews.com

From Frosted Flakes to Cocoa Puffs, many major breakfast cereals contain GMO’s. Only Nature’s Path appears to be the only known breakfast cereal that contains no GMO’s.

Next…
Debate (2nd Presidential)

With no knock out punch, a slight advantage goes to Obama, who obviously spent far less time on the golf course than normal.    The big loser in this debate was the biased moderator Candy Crowley, and by extension, the media, as she cut off Romney repeatedly and throwing the floor to Obama.   It was not a town hall debate, it was Candy Land.

Finally, please prepare now for the escalating economic and social unrest.    Good Day!

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