"As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, 'Are you also going to leave?' Simon Peter replied, 'Master, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we are convinced, that you are the Holy One of God.'”
John 6:66-69
"A short while later someone else saw him and said, 'You too are one of them.' Peter answered, 'My friend, I am not.' About an hour later, still another one insisted, 'I'm sure this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean.' But Peter said, 'My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.'
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the words of the Lord, how he had said, 'Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.' And Peter went out, and wept bitterly."
Luke 22:58-62
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to sift all of you like wheat. But I have prayed that your own faith may not fail. And once you have returned to the faith, you must strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32
"Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Matthew 28:21
A whiff of reality wafted through the equity markets today, as the dose of dovish joy delivered by the Fed's Dr. Feelgood began to wear thin.
VIX still remains in the nominally complacent level, at least by this year's experience.
The Dollar chopped a little higher.
Gold finished up a bit as well, moving with the Dollar in a risk adjustment.
Silver ran with equities, but managed to hold it's level finishing unchanged.
There was a military exchange between Hezbollah and the IDF over the weekend.
The reported results in the Western media were heavily flavored by the fog of war.
Read most of the accounts in the corporate media with a very critical eye.
It was an exchange, and more a prelude, as each side felt the other out.
And so it goes in the Ukraine, as the Kursk salient grinds down.
I suspect the bear is waiting to close its jaws, as it is occupied on more serious business elsewhere.
Let's see what happens.
Personally I think this military action is deplorable and unnecessary on all sides, and makes no sense excepting for the venality and egos of some leaders and their cronies, who are not particularly interested in the well being of their public.
But this is how war often is. For the benefit of a few, at the often extreme expense of the many.
Have a pleasant evening.
