Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Silver Shines as the Too Often Naked Shorts Run for the Exits

"Democracy is held captive, not just by money, but by ideas — the ideas that money buys." 

William Greider

 

"A multibillion-dollar bailout and Wall Street’s swift, subsequent reinstatement of gargantuan bonuses have inspired a narrative of parasitic bankers and other elites rigging the game for their own benefit. And this, in turn, has led to wider—and not unreasonable—fears that we are living in not merely a plutonomy, but a plutocracy, in which the rich display outsize political influence, narrowly self-interested motives, and a casual indifference to anyone outside their own rarefied economic bubble."

Chrystia Freeland, The Rise of the New Global Elite, January 2011 

 

"They claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest.  Their final objective toward which all their deceit is directed is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection."

Henry Wallace, 9 April 1944

 

"Our future could be one in which continued tumult feeds the looting of the financial system, and we talk more and more about exactly how our oligarchs became bandits and how the economy just can’t seem to get into gear.  Recovery will fail unless we break the financial oligarchy that is blocking essential reform.  And if we are to prevent a true depression, we’re running out of time." 

Simon Johnson, The Quiet Coup, May 2009

 

Silver exploded higher today.

The capping on gold continued.

It too will fail as all long term price manipulation schemes do..

Stocks look wobbly.

I took quite a bit of profit and risks off the table today.

Have a pleasant evening. 

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Better Call Powell - Bad Day for Stocks

 

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.  The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere incognito."

C. S. Lewis

 

"I am so resplendent in my creation that in order not to see me these poor people would have to be blind." 

Charles Péguy, Le Porche du Mystère de la Deuxième Vertu

 

"Our faith is stronger than death, our philosophy is firmer than flesh, and the spread of the Kingdom of God upon the earth is more sublime and more compelling.  

The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?" 

Dorothy Day

 

Most stocks that have some connection to reality were hammered lower today. 

This is bubble action. when the selling starts in earnest, almost everything gets sold. 

And despite the elevated perception of risk, as clearly shown by the VIX, the mineres were sold heavily as well. 

Let's see how the rest of the week goes. 

Thanks to my friend Tony S for the 'Better Call Powell' idea.

Have a pleasant evening. 

 

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Mania - Metals Option Expiration, Fed Meeting Decision Tomorrow

 

"Few things are more destructive to Christians than anger.  Anger causes us to lose our self-control and to say and do things we would otherwise never consider.  Anger, if allowed to remain, turns into bitterness that eats away at our hearts.

Anger does not bring about God’s redemptive work; far more often it hinders what God is working to accomplish.  If you feel that you have a righteous anger because of something that has happened, see if you are holding anger in your heart without sin.   Is your anger turning into bitterness?  Is your anger causing you to make excuses for your own ungodly behavior?  Is your anger preventing you from acting in a loving, redemptive, and Christlike way?" 

Henry Blackaby

 

"Those wishing abundant wealth are falling into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful passions which plunge them into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all evil, and people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.  But you people of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness." 

1 Timothy 6:9-11

 

We are entering a speculative mania now.  Hysteria and passions are running high with greed and entitlement.

When the reckoning comes, the insiders and moneyed interests will be blaming the small speculators and 'Robin Hood' crowd.  They always do.  

Hate the game and not the players, right? 

But they are at the heart of it, urging on the speculation, and steadily weakening the safeguards and regulations at every turn so that they can extend their outsized misappropriation of the nation's wealth.

In the same manner that they foment political anger and social hatred and oppression and riots, with a towering pride and self-righteousness and self-delusion.

Know who it is that you serve.

Madness.

Do not be so concerned about your money, that you let go so easily of your self.

Have a pleasant evening. 

 

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Volatility de Luxe

 

“Bull markets are born on pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism and die of euphoria.”

John Templeton

 

“When an investor focuses on short-term investments, he or she is observing the variability of the portfolio, not the returns – in short, being fooled by randomness."

Nassim Taleb

 

Stocks had quite a ride today from the lows to the highs. 

They did manage to go out on the positive.

There is a metals option expiration on the Comex for the February contract tomorrow. 

There will be a Fed rate decision on Wednesday. 

Have a pleasant evening.