Sorry for not posting last night or this morning, servers were down and internet access was a no go.
The Greece hot potato is being tossed around still, the ISM numbers were fictionally good, employment was fictionally good and the market closed flat.
Mish's thoughts on the ISM report and some factors surrounding it that you will not read elsewhere are in ISM Service Sector Expands, Backlog of Orders and Employment Still Contracting; Public Sector Catchup Coming. The thing I like most about what Mish is bringing to the table these days is his focus on the state and city level budget shortfalls. These will hit home more than the "national" bullshit you read about on a daily basis. In this post is a link to a recent speech given by the new NJ Governor Christie. Please take a moment to watch this. This guy is ready to kick some butt and take names to get his states budget shortfalls worked out and he does not care who gets pissed. It is the best thing I have heard in a long time. Denninger takes on the ISM BS in We're Schizoid! (Non-Manufacturing ISM). Both are not that impressed and poke unique holes in the report.
You market timers may find this one interesting (I finally went short today BTW) Has Goldman Called The Market Top: GS Sells $3.1 Million Leveraged Index-Linked Notes Referenced To 1123.7 On The S&P. Zero Hedge as usual is above the line on their reporting and timing of reports. This one is quite interesting. Maybe we can take advantage of a tip from the gods on high (and hope like hell it is not a sucker play).
Since everyone else has posted it, I'll complete the circle - No Wonder the Economy Isn't Improving from Washington's Blog is a wonderful post on the idiocy demonstrated by our leaders and an expose of the bullshit that flows endlessly from Washington (sounds like something I would like!).
TPC has this from Rosy - ROSENBERG: THE MARKET LOOKS TOPPY. “In a secular bull market, a six-month trading range can be viewed as a pause that refreshes. But in a secular bear market, it more than likely reflects a classic topping formation, as was the case in the spring and summer of 2007 when the S&P 500 also flirted with the 1,500 mark for as long a period as it has hovered around the 1,100 threshold since last fall. Keep in mind that similar to 2007, we are starting to see some fraying around the edges in the latest set of economic data releases — jobless claims, housing starts and sales, core goods orders and shipments, construction, ISM and consumer confidence.” Put that with the GS report above and some of my fine analysis and I'd say you better be getting those horses saddled up.
In what I thought was the best new of the day, ZH has Philly Fed's Plosser Speaks: Too Big To Fail Must End, "I believe these three actions would go a long way toward improving financial stability. Enacting a credible bankruptcy process to solve the too-big-to-fail problem, clarifying the Fed's umbrella supervision and financial stability roles, and enhancing market discipline are steps we must take to lower the probability of a future crisis. We could simplify the entire financial regulatory legislative initiative by focusing on these three key elements. We do not need huge new bureaucracies, or a complete restructuring of our regulatory agencies." Damn, two tough and sensible speeches in the same week, what, did Washington run out of cool-aide?
Last, but not least, I bring you a radio interview from Bob Chapman that I thought was interesting. I like the way this guy thinks (extreme like me). This may be a bit conspiracy laced for some of you, but maybe it is time to buy into some of those theories. "They are preparing for a large world wide meeting of the kind of the Smithsonian meeting in the seventies and they will decide from there which currency to devalue against which ...The whole Toyota issue is the American government behind the scenes telling the Japanese either you buy my treasuries or I destroy your best exporting part of the industry.... The UK may break up from the European Union, Warren Buffett should be in jail not in CNBC says Bob Chapman , 10 years ago everybody knew that Greece and Italy were in bad shape but everybody looked at the other side ..."
For the latest on the Greece saga, you can always turn to this link at the FT.com.
Have a good evening.
