Category Archives: Stock market

QE in Europe

The dollar rose against major rivals yesterday and investors now wait for employment data later today. The Euro fell yesterday after ECB`s President Mario Draghi said the bank has discussed QE at the last meeting.

The ECB also made no change to interest rate or monetary policy, leaving its key lending rate at 0,25%. Draghi said they would use unconventional measures to fight falling inflation. The mechanics of a hypothetical bond-buying program weren`t hashed out, he said.

The target for inflation rate in Europe is just under 2% in the medium term. Inflation should pick up in April because of the Easter holiday. If Draghi is right, they will probably not do something in May, so the first real opportunity for some action is in June.

Mario Draghi and ECB hope the Easter Bunny will bring an uptick in inflation in April! I hope so too. Usually we see a volatility around service prices in the months around Easter. Draghi expect the inflation to be low in 2015, and push back toward levels closer to 2% toward the end of 2016.

We saw what happened to Japan in 1989. Nikkei topped out on December 29, 1989, during the peak of the Japanese asset price bubble. The ultra-day high was 38,957,44. It grow sixfold during the decade, and lost nearly all these gains.

On March 10, 2009, Nikkei closed at 7,054,98. That is 81,9% below its peak in 1989. Take a look at the chart below. Japan has printed so much money, but have never recovered. The value of the stocks is declining, and Japan`s public debt will be 242% of GDP in 2014.

Nikkei 225

(Chart: Nikkei Index)

Japan`s debt-to-GDP ratio is higher than any country in Europe and more than twice the OECD average. OECD expect Japan`s gross general government debt-to-GDP ration will increase to 231% in 2014.

How is it in the PIIGS country`s? Greece: 166%, Italy: 140%, Ireland: 123%, Portugal: 139% and Spain: 91%. The U.S national debt is now: $17,565,900,000,000. Take a look at this link: http://www.usdebtclock.org/

So, what are you doing if your debt is higher than your income? Paying the debt by another debt? No way! Debt is like drugs. You need more and more and more, and at the end, it will go terribly wrong. Japan had deflation for about 15 years.

Nonfarm Payrolls and Unemployment rate will be reported later on today. Millions are unemployed and this cannot continue. Mark Twain once said: «The lack of money is the root of all evil».

U.S is not Japan. U.S is not half the way either, but will the debt clock stop in the future? Tighter Fed policy will boost economy, according to UBS AG. The expectation for rising rates may prove helpful. This is positive thoughts.

Reports today:

08:30 a.m EST Nonfarm Payrolls
08:30 a.m EST Unemployment Rate

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Shiny bull. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Shiny bull nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Shiny bull and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

 

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European Central Bank in focus

Nikkei is up today +0,8% to 15,071,88. It`s up because of the news from China which is taking steps to stimulate its economy. All this because they want to reach their goal of the growth at 7,5% in GDP.

ECB

The dollar hit a 10-week high to the yen. Rising up after solid U.S economic data. Investors in the Euro zone are waiting for ECB news and the markets are flat so far today. The ECB will announce its interest rate decision today at 11:45 GMT.

Mario Draghi will talk about any further policy decisions at the conference at 12:30 GMT today. It is expected to see ECB keep the rates steady and offer no new aid to the euro zone`s fragile recovery.

As I wrote about yesterday; the inflation in the Euro zone is dangerously low, but despite the lowest inflation in more than four years, they will probably wait for some action now. It seems like the U.S markets will open up today.

Gold is declining as the investors are waiting for the ECB news. Because of the incumbent macro events, the gold prices is continue to fall. New reports from U.S jobs numbers comes tomorrow too. That will be a final sign to see that the economy is on the recovery path.

Reports today:

08:30 a.m EST ECB Press Conference
08:30 a.m EST Trade Balance
08:30 a.m EST Unemployment claims
10:00 a.m EST ECB President Draghi Speaks
10:00 a.m EST ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Shiny bull. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Shiny bull nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Shiny bull and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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AT&T is a long term pick

Fed Chair Janet Yellen said in a speech in Chicago yesterday that the recovery still feels like a recession to many Americans. The «overall comitment to maintain extraordinary support for the recovery for some time to come» is a strong one, she said.

«The scars from the Great Recession remain, and reaching our goals will take time», she said. U.S stocks moved to session high. S&P 500 up +0,79%. Dow up +0,82% and Nasdaq up +1,04%. It’s all green in Europe today too. All indices are up, but it was mixed in Asia earlier today.

100px-AT&T_logo.svg

The biggest U.S phone company AT&T Inc is planning to repurchase 300 million shares (about 6%) on its outstanding stock. AT&T Inc has acquired 775 million shares since 2012. They give itself room to boost shareholders returns and repurchasing 300 million shares would cost about $10,6 billion.

AT&T`s dividend yield is 5,2%. It is expected to see a net-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio in the 1,8 range or lower. This is a stock for value investors that offers reasonable dividend yields, low valuations and a solid margin of safety.

The stock has declined in 2013. Down from its high at $39. At&T Inc is now trading at $35,07. Both AT&T and Verizone are dropping but not a huge plunge, but they look worse when compared to the Dow`s gain.

The telecom sector is still unloved, and its all comes down to the never-ending radio spectrum battles. Companies like AT&T, Sprint, Verizone and T-Mobile sit on the losing end of this zero-sum equation.

Sprint investors are ignoring the good spectrum tidings, worried that this idea might be a needless cash flow killer. Building a so-called FirstNet will cost about $7 billion to build and there will be less pressure to make big money on the larger auction of former TV station frequencies next year.

Bad for Verizone and AT&T. Good for Sprint and T-Mobile, and great news and even better for the American people.

Reports today:
10:00 am. EST ISM Manufacturing PMI

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Shiny bull. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Shiny bull nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Shiny bull and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication

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Low inflation in Euro zone

The yen is weaker today, but Japan`s Nikkei is trading up at its three-week high. A nice day, but it is the worst quarter performance for Nikkei in about two years. It’s also a «window dressing» as the books close for the fiscal year-end today. Nikkei rose to 14,827,83, up 0,9%.

Janet Yellen

The inflation in Europe is at its lowest since November 2009. The question now is what ECB (European Central Bank) will do to stop this threat of deflation in the currency bloc. It`s far from the deflation we saw in Japan in early 90`s, but it is a clear sign of a weak economy.

ECB will probably cut the interest rate on the meeting on Thursday, but because of this year`s late Easter, they will probably wait until the next meeting which is in June this year. It`s still a case for easing.

That`s why we see the European markets trading up today to a three-week high. There are growing speculation that China will start to stimulate its economy too. This is music in investors ears, and not only European shares are up today.

It seems like the U.S markets will open up today too. That`s a nice, green and positive territory. Right before a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen. She is scheduled to speak in Chicago at 09:55 a.m EST.

Investors will listen to what she have to say about interest rates. Last time Yellen spoke about the possibility of an earlier-than-anticipated increase in rates, the equities dropped. This is the last day in march, and the S&P 500 is nearly flat this month. Up 0,5% for the quarter.

Reports today:

09:45 a.m EST  Chicago PMI
09:55 a.m EST  Fed Chair Janet Yellen speaks

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Shiny bull. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Shiny bull nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Shiny bull and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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AT&T up

A nice rally for Asian stocks today. Nikkei up +1,77% to 14,475 points. Hang Seng is up +1,91% to 21,846,45 points. Gold and Silver is down and European stocks are in the same direction; in a red territory today.

100px-AT&T_logo.svg

U.S indices will open up today, and many investors are now bullish on AT&T. The investors have not been that bull since Apple chose AT&T as exclusive carrier for their original iPhone. The stocks dividend payout will lure income investors searching for yield.

So far this year has been bad for the shareholders at AT&T. The shares sank 9,2% in January and February and that is the worst start to a year since 2010. AT&T have like other in the same business faced increased price competition in the mobile market.

The drop pushed the dividend payout to the highest among the 30 stocks in the Dow. The average yield of stocks in the S&P 500 is about 1,9%, while 10-year Treasuries (USGG10YR) have paid an average of 2,52% in the past year.

Reports today:

09:45 AM ET Flash Manufacturing PMI

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Shiny bull. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Shiny bull nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Shiny bull and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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