BACKDOC: GOOD EVENING ALL! MMMMM HEE HEE
DON’T FORGET THEY ARE SELLING JOINT BONDS TOGETHER FOR FINANCING THIS PROJECT! (see article below:)
NOW I ASK YOU, WITH ALL THE ARTICLES WE HAVE SHOWN YOU NOW ABOUT MINERAL MINING PARTNERSHIPS, OIL, ETC., DO YOU THINK THESE TWO SHIA BROTHERS WILL HAVE COMPARABLE CURRENCIES? HEE HEE DOC IMO
Mountainman: You KNOW……I “THINK” these MUSLIM BROTHERS…..Should Just “SQUEEZE” each Other in this KODAK Moment….because The $$$$$$$$ “they” are Going to Make …….Is OUT of this WORLD……LOL…..IMO
Thunderhawk: Iran, Iraq negotiate joint oil projects
Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh expressed hope that Iran and Iraq will be able to reach agreements on joint projects during the on-going visit by a delegation from the Iraqi Oil Ministry.
He made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Deputy Minister for Gas Refineries at the Ministry of Oil Fayaz Hassan here on Tuesday during which expansion of bilateral relations were discussed.
“It is for a long time that Iran and Iraq are negotiating over a number of joint projects which will serve the interests of both countries and their peoples,” Zangeneh said, Shana reported.
“We hope that there would be progress on some of the joint projects,” he added.
The Iraqi official also hoped that bilateral negotiations will result in satisfactory results.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81996101/
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BACKDOC: WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED THUNDER?
THEY SLIPPED IN THEIR REFORMS UNDER THE SKEPTICAL U.S. INVESTORS NOSES! HEE HEE AHHH BUT NOT MINE OR YOURS THUNDER! HEE HEE WE BOUGHT EARLY AND OFTEN WHEN WE BROUGHT “THE DEAL”! DOC IMO
Mountainman: You gotta Love these Iranians…….It’s Like they said Ok these “SANCTIONS” Are BRUTAL to Our Country…..so We Will “TRY” and PLAY by the RULES…..But This is (PRETTY SMOOTH) in My BOOK……=Keeping Your “TOP” Bankers in the EUROPEAN Banks….Not too Shabby….IMO……I didn’t say SHABIBI……Silly……
Thunderhawk: CBI governor expects western states to improve Iran’s credit status
Governor of Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Valiollah Seif said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran expects the western governments to improve Iran’s credit status corresponding to the pre-sanctions era.
He made the remarks in a meeting with Slovakia Economy Minister Vazil Hudak.
Seif said that Iran and Slovakia enjoy satisfactory background of banking relations which will serve to help develop economic cooperation in post-sanctions era.
On the necessity to heed the banking standards related to principles of corporate governance and transparency, he said that Iranian banks are committed to international regulations and they have done nothing wrong to bring penalty to European banks.
The CBI governor made clear that Iranian banks’ main agents were often the agents of the top-ranking European and international banks.
He said that the post-sanctions era have positive context to improve the atmosphere for banking cooperation and CBI is ready to solve any ambiguity in the current of negotiations.
He recalled final approval of Law to Combat Financing for Terrorism, Seif said that after negotiations with some Governors of European Central Banks, they have agreed to drop Iran’s name from the list of non-cooperative countries so that the Slovak banks can cooperate with Iran with no concern.
He said that CBI started operation with its trade partners including Italian Export Credit Agency, SACE and COFACE and Austria’s export insurance institute and with Hermes of Germany.
Seif suggested opening representative offices of Slovakian Banks in Iran which was welcomed by Slovakian side.
Slovakian Economy Minister Vazil Hudak said that Slovakian Government is willing to cooperate with Iranian public and private banks.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81995394/
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Thunderhawk: Over 55 MoU signed in investment conference
General Manager of Economy and Finance of Semnan Province said over 55 memoranda of understanding worth over 20 thousand billion rials were signed in the first Investment Conference of Semnan Province which commenced on Sunday.
Amir Khalilikhah said 99 projects with a total value of 38 thousand billion rials had been picked for presentation to the conference in the four agricultural, cultural and tourism, industry, mine and infrastructure, and energy and civil services sectors.
However, he added, 12 MoU in the agriculture sector, 18 in cultural and tourism, 9 in industry and mine and over 16 in infrastructure energy and civil services were signed in the conference.
Pointing to the presence of representatives of two foreign investors in the conference, from Japan and India, he said one company representing a Japanese producer has announced readiness for cooperation in the field of infrastructure and wagon manufacturing.
The first conference on investment was held in the presence of 300 investors, economic activists from the private sector and government directors which was also attended by Mohammad Khazaei, Deputy Economy Minister.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81995529/
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Mountainman: Hey…..Hey Who….Me…..Yes YOU….USA……As IRAN gets “CLOSER” to The Negotiated DEALS/BENCH MARKS w/their ECONOMY and of Course their BRO SHIITE TWIN=IRAQ READY as Well…..It’s No (WONDER) USA is Easing Up W/the UST/OFAC……..SPRINGING Up w/OIL and the REST is PERFECT TIMING…..to Set those “SPRING FORWARD” Clocks!!!!…….IMO as Well
Thunderhawk: Japanese, German, US insurers call for rendering services to Iran in post-sanction era
Demands of major Japanese and German insurers and expectation of the Americans for issuance of legal permissions for rendering services to Iran in the post-sanction era, have been outlined in the latest report of Central Insurance Company on the situation of international communication with foreign insurance companies.
According to the report, negotiations are underway between the IG international clubs with the US Department of Treasury for obtaining permission for rendering insurance coverage to the Iranian oil tankers by the American reinsurers.
Meanwhile, ban on the American Steamship Owners Mutual which is one of the 13 members of the IG group for rendering P&I insurance to the Iranian vessels has been removed by Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury.
In this regard in the post-sanction era, the Korean P&I Company has announced readiness for cooperation with Kish P&I Club for the joint issuance of Certificate of Entry, LOU, and Blue Card of the EU.
The Turkish P&I is also intended to cooperate with Kish Club.
Certificates for the insurances of Kish P&I Club has been obtained from Italy and Spain and obtaining certificates from Panama, Cyprus, Malta, Britain, France and Sweden is underway.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81994828/
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BACKDOC: AS IRAN RE-ENTERS THE WORLD AT BLINDING SPEED IT SEEMS THE BEST THE U.S. CAN MUSTER IS A LITTLE SLAP! ON THE HAND AND CONTINUE TO LOSE OUT OF MASSIVE BUSINESS PROJECTS THAT WILL BE SUCKED UP BY OTHER ECONOMIES AROUND THE GLOBE.
I GUESS SOMEONE WAS SUCCESSFUL AT REDISTRIBUTING SOME WEALTH WEREN’T THEY? MMMMM
WHY IS IT THAT THE WHOLE WORLD HAS RELEASED IRAN BUT THE U.S. FROM SANCTIONS? MMMMM
WAS IT PLANNED THAT WAY TOGETHER? IT SURE MAKES ONE WONDER. IT HAS GIVEN IRAN A HEAD START IN THEIR MONETARY REFORM. DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
Iran fires ballistic missiles, U.S. hints at diplomatic response
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired several ballistic missiles on Tuesday, state television said, challenging a United Nations resolution and drawing a threat of a diplomatic response from the United States.
Two months ago, Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals linked to Iran’s missile program over a test of the medium-range Emad missile carried out in October 2015.
U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington would review the incident and, if it is confirmed, raise it in the U.N. Security Council and seek an “appropriate response”.
“We also continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran’s missile program,” Toner added, in a possible reference to additional U.S. sanctions.
An Iranian state television report showed a missile being fired from a fortified underground silo at night time. The presenter said it was a medium-range Qiam-1 missile, and the test took place in the early hours of Tuesday.
The report said the Guards had fired several missiles from silos across the country, though it only showed footage of one. “The missiles struck a target 700 km away,” said Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s aerospace arm.
State-run Press TV had earlier shown footage of the Emad missile, Iran’s most advanced model under development, being fired. However, that footage appeared to be of the earlier October launch that triggered the U.S. sanctions.
U.S. and French officials said a missile test by Iran would violate U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to conduct “any activity” related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
However, Washington said that a fresh missile test would not violate the Iran nuclear deal itself, under which Tehran agreed to restrict its atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. The deal was endorsed in resolution 2231.
It is unlikely the Security Council would take action on Iranian missile tests, diplomats say.
While most of its 15 members would agree with the United States and France about a likely violation of resolution 2231, Russia and China, which have veto power, made clear during negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal they did not agree with continuing the U.N. restrictions on Tehran’s missile program and arms trade.
DETERRENT POWER
Hajizadeh said sanctions would not stop Iran developing its ballistic missiles, which it regards as a cornerstone of its conventional deterrent.
“Our main enemies are imposing new sanctions on Iran to weaken our missile capabilities … But they should know that the children of the Iranian nation in the Revolutionary Guards and other armed forces refuse to bow to their excessive demands,” the IRGC’s website quoted Hajizadeh as saying.
Iran always denied any link between its ballistic missiles and its disputed nuclear program, which is now subject to strict limitations and checks under the nuclear deal.
Tuesday’s test is intended “to show Iran’s deterrent power and also the Islamic Republic’s ability to confront any threat against the (Islamic) Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country”, the IRGC’s official website said.
While any missile of a certain size could in theory be used to carry a nuclear warhead, Iran says the Emad and other missiles are for use as a conventional deterrent. Recent work has focused on improving the missiles’ accuracy, which experts say will make them more effective with conventional warheads.
(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Dubai, Doina Chiacu and Arshad Mohammed and Andrea Shalal in Washington, John Irish in Paris and Lou Charbonneau at the United Nations; Writing by Sam Wilkin; Editing by Gareth Jones and Alistair Bell)
http://www.reuters.com/article…..SKCN0WA0UY
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BACKDOC: THE BOND MARKET IS CLEARLY INDICATING A CONTRACTING ECONOMY WHICH LOOKS TO BE SCARY!
REMEMBER IF WE HAVE A FIAT CURRENCY MELTDOWN YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU KEPT YOUR POWDER DRY IN YOUR ASSET BACKED DINAR! DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
Is the dollar calling the bond market’s bluff?
The bond market has been making moves that the U.S. dollar just isn’t buying.
On Monday, short-term bond yields hit their highest levels since January. This reflects slightly increased expectations on how willing the Federal Reserve will be to raise its interest rate targets over the course of the year.
But Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management sees one big problem with the recent move higher.
“Something interesting is happening right now. Yes, yields on the short-term bonds are going up, but the currency market is totally not buying it. The dollar is not rising,” Schlossberg said Monday on CNBC’s “Trading Nation.”
Schlossberg said given the rise in short-term yields, the dollar should be rising against the yen and the euro. Expectations of increasing short-term rates tend to boost the dollar against other currencies, as it increases the yield that traders can hope to earn by holding dollars.
The unusual divergence “tells me that maybe this is just a fake-out rally in yields in the near-term … and the market is simply getting ahead of itself,” he said.
Marc Chandler, head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman, said that while U.S. bond yield premiums over other countries have reached multiyear highs, the dollar has been constrained by investor caution.
“That interest rate differential is the underlying trend, but under that trend is noise. It hasn’t convinced everybody that everything is good again,” Chandler told CNBC in a phone interview Monday.
He said investors are still looking for a hedge or insurance for lingering market uncertainty, and one strategy is to be long the Japanese yen. He also likened the situation to the continued gains in safe-haven gold, even as U.S. stocks have bounced greatly from the year’s steep plunge.
Chandler said weakness in global markets has made the U.S. market more attractive by comparison. However, technician Ari Wald of Oppenheimer believes low interest rates in Germany and Japan will weigh on long-term bond yields in the U.S., even as short-term yields rise.
“We think it’s going to remain anchored by global growth concerns. If you look at the trends between the two you can really see a notable difference,” Wald said Monday.
Unlike the 2-year Treasury yield, Wald noted that the 10-year yield has fallen below its 200-day moving average, a technically important measure of asset movements.
Schlossberg agreed that long-term bond yields in the U.S. will have trouble fighting off pressure from weak global economies and low international bond yields.
“It’s really hard to have U.S. yields go up when the rest of the world is trying to drag it down,” he said. “We’re in uncharted territories. I don’t think anybody can really forecast how this whole thing unwinds.”
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/08…..bluff.html
BACKDOC: I LOVE THE OIL RECOVERY IN BRENT CRUDE UP TO $41.00/BARREL! HOW CONVENIENT THAT PEAKED ON THE 8TH!
THE UNIVERSAL CURRENCY SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO DEPEG FROM THE DOLLAR BUT THAT HASN’T HAPPENED ENTIRELY YET BUT MAYBE WE ARE SEEING POSSIBILITIES SINCE CHINA HAS ESSENTIALLY CHANGED THEIR CURRENCY RELATIONSHIP TO THE DOLLAR!
THE RECENT RISE IN COMMODITIES MAY BE SHORT LIVED SINCE WE CONTINUE TO SEE CONTRACTION IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIES!
AS DEFLATION GRIPS GLOBAL ECONOMIES WE SEE DRAGI FROM THE ECB READY TO DEVALUE THE EURO AGAIN WITH MORE AGGRESSIVE EASING! MMMM
IT SEEMS WE ARE SEEING WARNING SIGNS COMING FROM EVERYWHERE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE. DOC IMO
Mountainman: Sheesh HAWK…….These Guys are Just Going to have to Get ALONG to GO A Long…..Way that is………A Competitive Market will Bring Out the BEST and The Worst of “INTENTIONS”….which is More than likely going to “HURT” the SHALE Production Market……..IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
U.S. shale-oil output is still increasing in the Permian Basin
When it comes to shale-oil regions in the United States, not all of them are created equal.
Oil production in the Permian Basin, which spans from western Texas to southeastern New Mexico, has been much more resilient in the face of the near-65% drop in oil prices CLJ6, +0.30% since mid-2014 than other shale regions, according to Charles Perry, chief executive officer of energy-consulting firm Perry Management.
According to the EIA, the Permian Basin is the largest crude-oil producing region in the U.S., and output from that area has exceed production from the offshore Gulf of Mexico region since March of 2013.
“Almost any location in [that region] can be a shale-oil project,” Perry said.
‘If you are in an oil-producing related business, the Permian Basin is the place to be in 2016.’
It has six major shale-oil producing formations: Spraberry, Wolfcamp, Bone Spring, Glorieta, Yeso and Delaware.
Some companies have “‘pulled their horns’ in all other shale-rich fields and are now concentrating all of their drilling in the Permian Basin,” said Perry, noting that Pioneer Natural Resources Co. PXD, -3.82% has said it was going to shut down drilling in the Eagle Ford and concentrate on the Permian Basin.
Pioneer is “probably the most active producer in the Permian Basin,” said Perry. Other major Permian Basin drillers include Chevron Corp. CVX, -2.13% Concho Resources Inc. CXO, -5.64% Occidental Petroleum Corp. OXY, -4.60% and ConocoPhillips COP, -6.71%
“If you are in an oil-producing related business, the Permian Basin is the place to be in 2016,” said Perry.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story?guid=1314c7f6-e557-11e5-bcc8-497742a43ec4
BACKDOC: WITH SOME EVIDENCE OF INFLATION STARTING TO RAISE ITS HEAD, THE FED WILL BE UNDER PRESSURE SOON TO START RAISING RATES.
THIS USUALLY CAUSES PRESSURE ON STOCK PRICES AS IT SIGNALS A CONTRACTION IN MARKETS AND PRESSURE TO SELL STOCKS. MONEY BEGINS TO LEAVE THE MARKET DURING RECESSIONS AS OPPOSED TO EXPANSIONARY ECONOMIES!
NO STAY WITH ME! SLAP! HEE HEE
IF THE ECB BEGINS ITS EASING POLICY ON THE EURO OTHER CURRENCIES MAY ALSO JOIN THE PARTY LIKE THE YEN! THIS MAY CAUSE A SPIKE IN THE DOLLAR WHICH WILL PUT THE BRAKES ON U.S. EXPORTERS!
RECENTLY, CHINA DECREASED THE AMOUNT THAT BANKS WOULD HAVE TO KEEP ON RESERVE IN THEIR BANKS CAUSING A MOODYS DOWNGRADE ON THEIR DEBT! OUCH!
WHY DO I SHARE WHATS GOING ON HERE?
WELL, WE ARE LIKELY VERY CLOSE TO THAT IMPLEMENTATION DAY THAT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT BY CHATTY IRAN.
WE HAVE GREAT CONCERN ON HOW WE TRANSITION FROM THE FIAT CURRENCY WORLD INTO THE “GLOBAL NEW REALITY”!
IT COULD BE FINANCIALLY LETHAL FOR OUR FUTURES, BY EXCHANGING OUR 25% GOLD ASSET BACKED DINAR INTO FIAT DOLLARS!
I’M TRYING TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT FIAT COMPARED TO ASSET BACKED MAY CAUSE A BLACK SWAN EVENT SOMETIME IN JUNE TO SEPTEMBER!
WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT CHINA WILL BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE SDR ON OCTOBER 1ST 2016!
THERE WILL BE AN AUDIT BY THE IMF PRIOR TO THIS EVENT WHICH MAY BE MARKET MOVING!
AS I’VE MENTIONED MANY TIMES BEFORE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO MAKE FINANCIAL PLANS UNTIL THE GLOBAL REALITY VALUE IS FINALLY ESTABLISHED! WILL THIS BE AFTER CHINA IS PROPERLY VALUED? MMMMM
8@8, DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
Goldman doubles down on calls to short the euro ahead of ECB
A team of currency strategists at Goldman Sachs is again calling for the European Central Bank to deliver a surprisingly dovish expansion of its easing regimen on Thursday — despite getting burned by a similar call three months ago.
The team, led by chief currency strategist Robin Brooks, believes the ECB will need to act aggressively on Thursday if it wants to jolt the eurozone out of its deflationary spiral and help push price growth back toward its 2% target. More stimulus measures would indirectly weaken the euro against the dollar and its other rivals, driving up the prices of imported goods.
Core prices grew at an annualized rate of just 0.7% in February, down from 1% a month earlier, and only slightly above its level from January 2015, before the ECB announced its program of monthly asset purchases.
Goldman’s economists have called for a 10 basis-point deposit-rate cut, and for the central bank to increase its monthly asset purchases by €10 billion. But Brooks believes the ECB will go even further — possibly cutting its deposit rate by 20 basis points or more while committing hundreds of billions of additional euros to its program of monthly asset purchases.
The Goldman team has stood by its call for the euro to hit parity with the dollar even as many other strategists have backed away from that view over the past six months.
Goldman’s current forecasts put the euro at 95 cents in 12 months.
Brooks said there was “a compelling case” for shorting the euro EURUSD, -0.3541% ahead of the ECB’s December meeting even though the shared currency had already shed 3.5% of its value against the dollar during November.
But the ECB underdelivered, sparking a massive short squeeze in the euro. Shortly after, Brooks & Co. admitted that they badly misread the meeting.
But circumstances have changed since December, Brooks said. If the central bank wants to have a shot at reviving inflation, it will need to drastically expand its stimulus efforts.
“There is little doubt in our minds that the ECB wants to surprise this week, not just because of the inflation picture, but also because it disappointed in December, inadvertently tightening financial conditions materially,” Brooks said.
Brooks believes the eurozone’s persistently weak price growth is linked to labor-market reforms adopted by peripheral countries like Italy and Spain, as both sought to make their industries more competitive.
Wages fell as a result of the reforms, weighing on prices.
Brooks believes the ECB’s decision to hold back in December was meant as a repudiation of ECB President Mario Draghi’s “go it alone” style. This time, Brooks expects the governing council to find a consensus more easily.
“We know that rubbed a lot of governing council members the wrong way because they felt like he was trying to push them into another course of action,” Brooks said. “This time [Draghi] has kept a low profile, that way he can build a coalition and have more consensus.”
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story?guid=f8a9613c-e54d-11e5-8884-b9235945cc10
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BACKDOC: IT LOOKS LIKE THE BEAR MARKET RALLY MAY BE ROLLING OVER, BASED ON THESE TECHNICAL INDICATORS. ARE WE READY TO TAKE ANOTHER LEG DOWN? MMMM
MAYBE!
I CONTINUE TO WATCH WHAT WILL DEPEG THE DOLLAR FROM OIL?
WILL IT BE SOME ANNOUNCEMENT?
OR WILL IT BE SOMETHING MORE RADICAL LIKE PEGGING OIL TO THE SDR? MMMMM SLAP!
WE WATCH! WE WATCH FOR ACTIONS! DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
I see ‘lower highs and lower lows’: BTIG chartist
The recent stock market advance has been a “relief rally” that may run out of steam, BTIG Chief Technical Strategist Katie Stockton said Tuesday.
“It is a countertrend rally at this point. We do have those lower highs and lower lows,” she told CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” following a five-session winning streak for the S&P 500. The index, as of Monday’s close of 2,001.76 , was up 8 percent since its most recent low on Feb. 11.
Looking at the S&P’s 200-day moving average, Stockton said: “You can see it’s rolled over” and facing “overhead resistance” to 2,025 with the “first major support is near 1,820.”
“We’ve seen a change in the character of the market year to date,” Stockton said, pointing to the worst January performance since 2009, which continued for the first nine trading days of February.
“Last year wasn’t great either, we saw a lot of negative divergences: less participation on the upside [and] we saw loss of momentum that was very real,” she said. “It wasn’t until January that we saw a lot of breakdowns. And indeed those breakdowns are very difficulty to recover from.”
“We need to respect that,” she continued, “[and] have a shorter time frame on long positions and be somewhat noncommittal.”
As for U.S. oil prices, up nearly 40 percent since the recent $26.05-per-barrel bottom on Feb. 11, Stockton said she’s not convinced of the staying power of the upswing.
We did see WTI crude get above its 50-day moving average,” she said. “It could prove to be something more than that later on. But it’s early stages.” Energy stocks had anticipated “additional stabilization,” she added.
But even with the recent surge, West Texas Intermediate crude, the American oil benchmark, was still down over 60 percent since the June 20, 2014, top of $107.26 per barrel.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/08/i-see-lower-highs-and-lower-lows-btig-chartist.html
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REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY FAMILY – GET IT? ThunderHawk
Mountainman: No Of Course CHINA would “NEVER” want to take the “TOP” Economic (SPOT)….RIGHT??? ……..That’s WHY??? “They” were Stealing Trade Secrets and Manipulating their CURRENCY/MARKET……..Ok got It!!!!!!!!…..Well W/ the NEW REALITY on the (HORIZON)……..NEW RULES and CONTRACTS will “SET a NEW TONE”….However……In BUSINESS………One “ALWAYS” has to CYOB………..000358medium_gif……..LOL…..
China Has No Intention to Replace US on World Arena
China does not intend to take away the world leadership from the United States, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.
China does not have any plans to steal the world leadership from the United States:
“Tensions between China and the United States are caused by the constant US concerns regarding strategic deterrence of China, as the US worries that China someday will replace it. I would like to emphasize that China is not the United States and will never become the second United States. We have no intention to replace anybody or capture anybody’s leadership,” Wang said at a press conference.
In late February, the Chinese foreign minister visited the United States and held a meeting with US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. During these meetings the minister expressed Beijing’s willingness to uphold cooperation with Washington on acute regional and international issues and jointly counter global challenges.
The top Chinese diplomat added that the cooperation between the two countries had made major progress under the leadership of Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
http://hilias.com/news/china-h…..orld-arena
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BACKDOC: GLAD I HAVE A SAFE AND REWARDING PLAN GOING FORWARD ON THIS!
FOR NOW I WILL LEAVE THIS ALONE BECAUSE MAKING THOSE MOVES WILL NEED TO HAPPEN AFTER THE GLOBAL REALITY VALUE! DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
Opinion: Why stocks won’t earn you nearly as much money over the next 7 years
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (MarketWatch) — There’s one thing we know for sure as we celebrate the 7th anniversary of the beginning of the bull market on March 9, 2009: There’s no way the stock market over the next seven years will produce a return anywhere as good as the last seven.
That’s because the stock market’s growth over the last seven years has far outpaced that of the economy in general or publicly-traded companies in particular. Such a divergence can’t keep widening indefinitely.
Though saying so looks as though I’m raining on the stock market’s birthday parade, it’s just as true that I’m celebrating the extent to which the stock market has been an overachiever: U.S. stocks have performed remarkably, despite weak economic growth.
On that fateful day seven years ago when the 2007-2009 bear market came to an end, the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.64% traded as low as 6,516.86 (versus more than 17,000 today), while the S&P 500 SPX, -1.12% dipped to 672.88 (versus 2,001.76 as of Monday).
The Wilshire 5000’s total-return index, which takes all publicly-traded stocks and dividends into account, has risen over the last seven years at an annualized rate of 19.4%.
To appreciate the extent to which the stock market has been an overachiever, start by considering corporate sales: In contrast to the overall stock market’s gain of nearly 20% annualized, per-share sales over the last seven years have grown at an annualized pace of less than 2%. And even that anemic rate comes by comparing recent sales to their depressed level registered during the Great Recession.
As you can see from the chart at the top of this column, a similar divergence exists between the stock market’s seven-year growth rate and that of book value, corporations’ replacement cost, and gross domestic product.
One reason for these wide divergences is widening profit margins: Operating earnings per share for the S&P 500 have grown at a 13.0% annualized rate over the last seven years. That’s far faster than the growth rates of GDP, sales, book value, and so forth.
This impressive overachieving is a double-edged sword. Unless those margins continue to widen even further in coming years from their already lofty levels, earnings per share growth will have no choice but to fall back.
How likely is it that profit margins might widen? Robert Arnott, the founder and chairman of Research Affiliates, is confident they won’t, since it would mean a continued shrinking of the already reduced share of GDP going to worker compensation. He says that if profit margins were to widen from there, “the backlash would be so widespread” that it would no longer be just “Occupy Wall Street” but “Occupy Main Street.”
To be sure, there’s one other way the stock market in coming years could theoretically outpace overall economic growth: Expanding ratios of price-to-earnings, book value, sales, and so forth. But current ratios are already well above historical averages, so the more likely trend in coming years is for ratios to contract rather than expand.
The bottom line: As we celebrate the stock market’s remarkable performance over the last seven years, don’t forget that famous line from British economist John Maynard Keynes: Trees don’t grow to the sky.
http://www.marketwatch.com/sto…..7742a43ec4
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BACKDOC: MAYBE THEY SOLD THEIR GOLD TO BUY SOME FOREIGN CURRENCY THAT WAS GOING TO EXPLODE IN VALUE! HEE HEE DOC IMO
Mountainman: Well I would say……O YAH…….We are “READY” for You IRAN/That’s WHY??? We {OFF LOADED} The (MAJORITY) of Our GOLD…….=In “PREPARATION” for You!!!!!!!!…….IMO
Thunderhawk: Canada eager to re-open embassy in Tehran
Canadian prime minster has been quoted as saying that Ottawa is eager to reopen its embassy in Tehran, although reestablishment of full diplomatic relations is time taking and its process has just started.
Justin Trudeau was quoted as saying so in the Tuesday edition of Huffington Post’s website in reply to that news media’s reporter’s question on termination of the anti-Iranian sanctions and the new prime minister’s intention to restore relations with Iran, or not, and whether he believes the severing of ties had sent a wrong message to Iran.
Prime Minister Trudeau all the same rejected the idea that the severing of ties by the former premier had been a wrong move, or that it had sent the wrong message to Tehran.
‘I believe Canada transmits quite correct signals,’ he added.
The Liberal prime minister had earlier said that after four years of severed ties, Ottawa was ready for restoration of full diplomatic ties with Tehran.
‘Considering Iran’s moves in the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Tehran’s full commitment to its vowed obligations Iran has taken a major step and we expect restoration of diplomatic relations in near future,’ said Trudeau.
He added that he raise the issue in the Canadian cabinet for sure and put the issue to debate there.
The Canadian government had a while ago announced that after the implementation of the JCPOA and the UN confirmation of it Ottawa terminated a part of its anti-Iranian sanctions and was after full restoration of ties with Iran.
The Canadian government had elaborated that the terminated sanction were in the field of comprehensive financial and monetary fields, including banking service, imports and exports.
The Canadian government has said that in addition to lifting the UN sanctions, it will also revise its unilateral economic sanctions.
The former Canadian government had in the summer of 2012 under the US and Zionists’ pressure shut down its embassy in Tehran.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81995679/
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BACKDOC: OK THEN WHY THE SANCTIONS AND ALL THE DRAMA?
LIKE I SAID, THERE’S A GREAT CHANCE THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO SPREAD WEALTH AROUND AND TO HELP CREATE UNCERTAINTY SO THAT IRAN COULD COMPLETE ITS MONETARY REFORM! DOC IMO
Thunderhawk: US: Iran missile tests did not violate nuclear deal
The United States has said Iran’s recent missile tests do no breach the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers.
During his news conference on Tuesday, the US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the tests would not constitute a breach of the Iran nuclear deal.
However, the US diplomat added, Iran’s latest reported missile test would be in breach of UN resolutions.
He said Washington could take the matter to the Security Council, the AFP reported.
Kirby said he could not confirm Iranian media’s claim that Iran had conducted multiple tests, but warned Washington might take unilateral or international action in response.
Number 2231 resolution of the United Nations Security Council banned missile tests by Iran.
‘I do want to make it clear that such tests, if they are true, are not a violation of the JCPOA,’ he said, referring to the ‘Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’ which was struck between Iran and the 5+1 in July.
‘We have and we will use unilateral and multilateral tools to address this. If these latest reports are true, we’ll take them up appropriately,’ he said.
‘We’re not going to turn a blind eye to this… I’m just trying to get to a technical point here, which is that it’s not a violation of the Iran deal itself,” he said according to the new agency.
At the last stage of a massive drill on Tuesday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched missiles from a multitude of places.
The IRGC said that the event began in the presence of IRGC commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari and the Commander of the IRGC Air Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Commenting on the test, the Major General said that Iran’s defense might and the country’s national security is regarded as IRGC red line, he said adding that the enemies are afraid of Iranian missiles.
Launch of ballistic missiles from different locations is a crushing response to the allegations of the enemies which indicated parts of capabilities of IRGC missiles have been stationed nationwide, said the commander.
Since Zionist regime is within reach of Iranian missiles, it is quite natural that they should be more concerned, Jafari said.
In January, Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran’s missile program just 24 hours after separate embargoes targeting its nuclear program had been lifted.
Also on Tuesday, some of the United States’ top military commanders raised concerns about what they called Iran’s continued ‘destabilizing behavior’ in the Middle East.
http://www3.irna.ir/en/News/81996128/
Mountainman: I’m sure You do Well……While (MANY) Businesses are “LOSING” their Rears and (OTHERS) are “CLEANING HOUSE” while It’s on A DOWNSLIDE…..IMO…..and “IF” One (THINKS) these GOLDMAN Boys don’t “KNOW” What’s Around the CORNER???…..”Think Again”…….IMO…..= A “RECYCLE of CYCLES”!!!!!!!! and NEW BEGINNINGS (8)
Thunderhawk: Backdoc Alert
A $10 billion hedge fund is bracing for a 2008-type event
Perry Capital, a $10 billion New York-based multistrategy hedge fund led by Goldman Sachs alum Richard Perry, is preparing for another credit event like 2008.
Perry Capital bought $1 billion worth of credit-default swaps (CDS) on about 10 investment-grade corporate bonds, The Wall Street Journal reported last month.
Investment-grade bonds have a rating of BBB or higher by Standard & Poor’s or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s. They are companies seen as having the safest balance sheets.
Perry stands to profit if those companies are downgraded by ratings agencies.
“I think there are some real interesting examples where the ratings agencies are maybe a year or two behind and still have different credits rated as investment-grade….” Perry said Friday in Austin, Texas, at the University of Texas Management Co.’s 20th-anniversary event.
He added: “But there are interesting opportunities to buy protection on some of those companies as we believe a credit event will occur. Because when the credit event occurs, like in 2008–and we did this then also—you are very prepared as the market starts to tank. You already have a big short in place and it protects you as your start to buy things on the way down.”
During the panel, Perry declined to name specific companies he’s targeting. However, he hinted that they’re companies he thinks will be disrupted by technological changes.
“So we’ve been building up a book of investment-grade shorts that we think are in businesses where the technology is really something that might look like film, or might look like a long distance telephone call, or might look like a telephone booth, or radio. And all of these [are] things that when I was growing up were fundamental and essential and key parts of the US economy and today essentially are buggy whips,” he said.
Later on during the discussion, he used BlackBerry as an example to illustrate his point about companies that once dominated and are now being suddenly disrupted.
REUTERS/Mark Blinch” data-mce-source=”Thomson Reuters” data-mce-caption=”A sign is seen at the Blackberry campus in Waterloo” width=”650″ height=”487″>(Thomson Reuters)
A sign is seen at the Blackberry campus in Waterloo
“Probably everyone in this room was addicted for some period of time 1999 to 2008, 2009, 2010 before everyone evolved and went to a different type of smartphone,” he said, adding, “That inflection point from where BlackBerry stopped growing and when they started losing subscribers, that was the beginning of the end.”
He also thinks that there are a number of those situations today where a company’s stock might look cheap and it might look like there’s value, but they will end up being “value traps.”
Perry noted earlier in the panel that when putting money into distressed situations it’s “important to keep alive” while things aren’t quite so active.
“So for us, we’ll move quite dramatically. We’ve had as much as 70 or 80% of our firm in credit and as little as 10% or 20%. But to stay involved in credit, for instance right now, we actually believe that there’s a distinct possibility that… we will go into a credit cycle sometime over the next year or two.”
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-billion-hedge-fund-bracing-212157510.html
