Europe Fractures: France "Prepared To Support Greece" In Debt Renegotiations

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 16:10
Despite Angela Merkel's insistence on numerous occasions this past week that there will be "no debt renegotiations," it appears a schism at the core of Europe is opening. As France24 reports, following a meeting between France's finance minister Michel Sapin and Greece's finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, the press conference had a considerably more amicable tone that Friday's Dijsselbloem dissing. "France is more than prepared to support Greece," Sapin said adding that Greece’s efforts to renegotiate were "legitimate." Sapin urged a "new contract between Greece and its partners."

The Tide Is Turning: Obama "Expresses Sympathy" For Greece; Lazard Says 50% Greek Haircut "Reasonable"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 22:13 The newsflow over the past several days was progressing much as expected: any time Greece demanded a bailout renegotiation (or termination), and an end to the Troika, Germany just said "Nein." And then something unexpected happened: the socialists came to the rescue when they voiced their support to their ideological peers in Greece. First, it was France whose finance minister said that France is "more than prepared to support Greece." And now it is Obama's turn who as the WSJ reported, has "expressed sympathy for the new Greek government as it seeks to rollback its strict bailout regime, saying there are limits to how far its European creditors can press Athens to repay its debts while restructuring the economy."



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13 Ways to Be a Sheeplez

  1. Emulate Other People’s Goals in Life
2. Always Follow the Latest Trends
3. Buy Expensive Stuff just because it’s From Famous Brands
4. Hang Out With Mediocre People
5. Get All Your Information from Mainstream Media  
6. Don’t Stay Too Well Informed
7. Adopt the Opinions of the Majority
8. Always Obey Authority Figures
9. Avoid Disapproval like the Plague
10. Reject Divergent Ideas by Default
11. Let Inertia Be Your Guide
12. Judge Others Based On Appearances and Stereotypes
13. If Your Life Sucks, Blame the System

"Hottest Year On Record?" Think Again! Meet 'Seasonally-Adjusted' Seasons

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 14:45

Denmark Launches "Back-Door QE", Halts Treasury Issuance: Why DKKEUR Could Be The "Trade Of 2015"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 14:25 What Denmark has just done is "back-door QE", because as some forget, there are two ways to push the price of an asset higher (thus pushing its yield lower in the case of a bond): increase demand, which is what conventional QE does when central banks buy bonds, or reduce supply. Which is what Denmark just did by completely cutting off all Treasury issuance "until further notice". As a result, paradoxically, increasingly more speculators are betting that the "Trade of 2015" could be doing precisely the opposite of what the Danish central bank is hoping will happen: i.e., shorting the EURDKK (or going long the DKKEUR) in hopes that when the Danish peg finally does break, it too will result in long Swiss France-type profits.
 

Nomi Prins: The Sinister Evolution Of Our Modern Banking System

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 09:23 I quit Wall Street and decided that it was time to talk more about what was going on inside it, as it had changed. It had become far more sinister and far more dangerous.
~ Nomi Prins

Free College Wasn't Just A Give Away – It Was A Trial Balloon

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 17:00 Over the past few weeks one could not escape the headline of the latest proposal to give away two years of community college. Everywhere it was debated by pundits whether it was a “good thing,” or a “bad idea”. One of the details that was missed early on that finally made its way into the discourse was that “free” actually meant it was going to be paid for via the rescinding of the 529-Plan - a plan used primarily by the middle class as a way to help pay the onerous ever rising costs of college. Of course once this detail became apparent there was an outpouring of outrage. So much so that the idea was pulled and shelved nearly as fast as it came on the scene. There just has to be something here more than what typically meets the eye. Then it hit me: Replace 529 with 401K – and change college to retirement...

Ukraine "Truce"? Tanks Are Rolling In Poland As NATO Plans Permanent Eastern European Bases

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 16:15 With Ukraine, Germany, and France all expressing their concern this morning about "conflict escalation" between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukraine military, the so-called "truce" appears to be hanging by a thread of semanticism (despite OSCE's please for respect of the cease-fire and the demarcation line). Today's triple whammy of 'escalation' appears more focused on the non-Russian side as first, France begins sending tanks into Poland; second, Ukraine shifts its tanks to the front-line; and third - and potentially most inflammatory for Putin - NATO has confirmed plans to create permanent command centers in Eastern Europe. Putin has not responded yet but reports of 'nuclear bombers' flying above the English Channel "with transponders turned off," suggests the sabre rattling continues.

Chart Of The Day: Super Bowl Of 'Smarts' Edition

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 18:12 Next year should be a lot easier...

Q1 Earnings Are Set For The Biggest Drop Since 2012

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 18:01 On September 30, the estimated earnings growth rate for Q1 2015 was 9.9%. By December 31, the estimated growth rate had declined to 4.2%. Today, it stands at  -1.6%.  Most of the expected decline in the estimated earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 for Q1 2015 is due to reductions in earnings estimates for companies in the Energy sector. On September 30, the estimated earnings growth rate for the Energy sector for Q1 2015 was 3.3%. By December 31, the estimated growth rate fell to -28.9%. Today, it stands at -53.8%. 

U.S. Vs. Russia – Military Might

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 17:45 The historical relationship between the United States and Russia can hardly be described as rosey. The two countries are inextricably linked due to the Cold War era, with the world’s two modern superpowers having enjoyed an extremely suspicious relationship with one another for decades during the 20th century. Which of the two superpowers has the greater military provisions?

The Euro Tragedy & Its Consequences For Gold

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 15:30 Until now, central banks have restricted monetary policy to domestic economic management; this is now evolving into the more dangerous stage of internationalisation through competitive devaluations. The gold price is an early warning of future monetary and currency troubles, and it is now becoming apparent how they may transpire. The ECB move to give easy money to profligate Eurozone politicians is likely to have important ramifications well beyond Europe, and together with parallel actions by the Bank of Japan, can now be expected to increase demand for physical gold in the advanced economies once more.

USDJPY Tumbles, BofA Stopped Out: New "Tom Stolper" Crowned

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 15:11 Moments ago, in the illiquid Sunday night pre-market, BofA's "Stolper" was just stolpered stopped out as the USDJPY just tumbled well below 117 on concerns about Greece and the biggest Chinese economic slowdown in 2 years, dropping to the lowest level since the SNB announcement in just 3 trading days after Curry's initial recommendation, which incidentally is a record short period of time for a "Stolpering", even the original Tom Stolper. So here's to you, MacNeil Curry: keep those "recos" coming because in the absence of illegal chatrooms and muppet slayers it was getting a little difficut to make riskless profits day in and out.

Obama "Engages In Envy Economics": Proposes Offshore Profit Tax To Fund Public Spending

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 14:00 Just as AAPL stock hits record highs and single-handedly rescues Q4 earnings from the doldrums, it appears President Obama is bringing his own brand of 'middle-class-economics' Robin-Hood-iness to crush the 'wealth generating' machine that has served America's 1% so well for so long. As AP reports, The White House plans a six-year half a trillion dollar public works program financed with a one-time mandatory tax on profits that U.S. companies have amassed overseas. Under current law, profits only face federal taxes if they are returned, or repatriated, to the US; but Obama's new deal would set a tax on accumulated foreign profits at 14% and due immediately as part of a broader administration plan to overhaul corporate taxes. Of course, with Republicans 'in charge', it is unlikely to pass as Paul Ryan blasted, "the president is trying exploit envy economics again," adding, "top-down redistribution doesn't work."

Invasion Of The "Zombie Crazies"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 13:15 With the European Central Bank in QE mode, stocks should be catching a bid. Instead, they seem to be following commodities – down. But who knows? The situation is so crazy that only a disabled person could understand it. Why do we say that? Because a report released last week told us that one out of every three people on Social Security’s disability program is a mental defective. In Washington, DC, the rate of nuttiness among the disabled is even higher – 42%. No surprise there. Who better to understand what is going on in the financial world than a crazy person? Fortunately, America’s zombies are going crazy in ever-greater numbers.

Chinese Corruption Probe Pivots To Bankers As Manufacturing Contracts At Fastest Pace Since August 2012

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 12:29 With all eyes on China as the great Eastern hope for putting a floor under crude oil prices, last night's dismally disappointing Manufacturing PMI print looks set to remove that last pillar of 'demand' - artificial or not. Having fallen 6 months in a row and printing 49.8, missing expectations of 50.2 (3rd of last 4 months) and down from the prior 50.1, this is the first official contractionary signal for Chinese manufacturing since September 2012. With Industrial Enterprises in China seeing profits collapse at 8% YoY along with the slowest GDP growth (7.3% of magic unicorns and credit expansion) since Q1 2009, the PMI components' broad-based weakness show significant signs of a cyclical slowdown. What is perhaps most worrisome though is that with cries for more RRR cuts or government-sponsored largesse, the banking system has, it appears, become the new focus of the nation's corruption probes as the President of China Minsheng Bank was taken away by the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
 

It's Greece Vs Wall Street

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/01/2015 - 11:52 If Yanis and Alexis want to get anywhere, they’ll need to take on Wall Street and its international, American, French, German, TBTF banks, primary dealers. And if there’s one thing those guys don’t like, it’s democracy. It’s going to be a bloody battle. And it hasn’t even started yet. But kudos to all Greeks for starting it. It has to be done. And I don’t see how the euro could possibly survive it.

The Police State Is Upon Us

from Paul Craig Roberts:
Anyone paying attention knows that 9/11 has been used to create a police/warfare state. Years ago NSA official William Binney warned Americans about the universal spying by the National Security Agency, to little effect. Recently Edward Snowden proved the all-inclusive NSA spying by releasing spy documents, enough of which have been made available by Glenn Greenwald to establish the fact of NSA illegal and unconstitutional spying, spying that has no legal, constitutional, or “national security” reasons.Yet Americans are not up in arms. Americans have accepted the government’s offenses against them as necessary protection against “terrorists.”
Neither Congress, the White House, or the Judiciary has done anything about the wrongful spying, because the spying serves the government. Law and the Constitution are expendable when the few who control the government have their “more important agendas.”
Read More @ PaulCraigRoberts.com

“We’re on the Verge of a Crisis” and Global Currency Wars Are Triggering It

by Mac Slavo, SHTFPlan:
In financial circles, it is widely acknowledged that the Federal Reserve was about to raise interest rates, but has since changed course and decided to hold firm.
Why? Because currencies are tanking all across the globe, and a stronger U.S. dollar – a double-edged sword – is making export goods more expensive and hurting international business.
Welcome to 2015, the year of the currency wars. Things are about to get volatile, so hold on.
Wall Street bears are warning that a crisis is near, according to CNN Money:
Read More @ SHTFPlan.com

The Hidden Weakness In Your Defense Plans

from Survival Blog:
There are two tried, proven, and scientifically-documented ways to program the unconscious mind. Any professional or Olympic athlete will tell you that visualization works. If you watch winter Olympics downhill skiers stand at the top of their run, they are moving their bodies imagining the run as they want it before they even start. This programs the unconscious to see the same picture that the conscious imagines, and when the two work together amazing results follow. The other way to reprogram the unconscious mind is also well known and documented, though few have applied that knowledge to shooting; it’s positive affirmations. If you continually bombard your unconscious mind with verbal suggestions, what you are essentially doing is brainwashing yourself. If the unconscious mind hears it enough times repetitively and over a long enough time span, it begins to believe it. To be effective, your self-talk should be short, simple, and to the point. For instance, let’s say you aren’t the most observant person in the world. Your self-talk statement might be something like this; “I am always alert”. Your positive affirmations should be spoken several times a day and as often as you can. Remember repetition and time are the proven basis for brainwashing. If you do this, you will find that over time you will be looking less at your shoes as you walk and instead looking around at your surroundings more.
Read More @ SurvivalBlog.com

LEARN THE HARD WAY, IF YOU MUST

from The Burning Platform:
This is very unsettling. NYC citizens, and ultimately all US citizens, have just been given 350 more reasons to question authority. It seems like NYC has been picked for beta testing another “fear/control/aggressive/divisive influence”. It has….
New York, NY- NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton announced Thursday that 350 heavily armed NYPD officers, called the “Strategic Response Group,” will soon be patrolling protests and the city at large.
He said the new strain of hyper-armed police will be…
Read More @ TheBurningPlatform.com

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