US Ready To Strike Back Against Chinese Cyberattacks

"At some point we do have to call the Chinese out on this," said Michael Chertoff, Homeland Security secretary under President George W. Bush and now chairman of the Chertoff Group, a global security firm. "Simply rolling over and averting our eyes, I don't think is a long-term strategy."

It is worth keeping an eye on this.   It has not been very widely reported.

The implications of this are broader than most people think, especially with regard to the globalization meme and 'free trade.'  China has been very aggressive in this area for some time.

The currency war is opening a new cyber front. But I find it hard to believe that Obama will do anything substantial.

AP
US ready to strike back against China cyberattacks
By Lolita C. Baldor

WASHINGTON (AP) — As public evidence mounts that the Chinese military is responsible for stealing massive amounts of U.S. government data and corporate trade secrets, the Obama administration is eyeing fines and other trade actions it may take against Beijing or any other country guilty of cyberespionage.

According to officials familiar with the plans, the White House will lay out a new report Wednesday that suggests initial, more-aggressive steps the U.S. would take in response to what top authorities say has been an unrelenting campaign of cyberstealing linked to the Chinese government. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the threatened action.

The White House plans come after a Virginia-based cybersecurity firm released a torrent of details Monday that tied a secret Chinese military unit in Shanghai to years of cyberattacks against U.S. companies. After analyzing breaches that compromised more than 140 companies, Mandiant has concluded that they can be linked to the People's Liberation Army's Unit 61398.

Military experts believe the unit is part of the People's Liberation Army's cyber-command, which is under the direct authority of the General Staff Department, China's version of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As such, its activities would be likely to be authorized at the highest levels of China's military...

Read the rest here.

Gold Daily and Silver Weekly Charts - Option Expiration Next Monday

Intraday commentary here.

Another day, another raid by the gangs of New York. And an abject failure of leadership, globally.

"Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men.  True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition.

Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence.

They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.

The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit."

Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address

SP 500 and NDX Futures Daily Charts - Don't Fight the Fraud

There are many reasons offered to buy equities.

One of the reasons being touted lately is that with bonds in a bubble, and nowhere to go but down, and money leaving commodities, equities are the only place for money to go to obtain a fair return.

But there was another reason offered today on US financial television that had me gobsmacked, as my British cousins say.

The guest said that the market was 'rigged to go higher.'

So obviously one should not short it, and staying out of it is not such a good play either. Rather, if you know the dice is going to come up the same way each time, you need to get in on the betting, whether it makes sense otherwise or not.

Now I've heard everything. Don't fight the fraud.

After the bell, Dell beat earnings by a penny.

What hath Ben wrought.

Don't ask why; just buy.

Comex Metals Option Expiration For Remainder of the Year - Hedge Fund Buying Metal Shares

As a reminder, next Monday is the March option expiration for gold and silver at the Comex.

Here is an interesting blurb on the steps the government of India is taking to dampen gold imports: fractional reserve bullion. I wonder where they got this idea?

"The government recently stopped requiring gold-backed exchange-traded funds to hold physical gold in the amount of their sales. Instead, the funds will be allowed to deposit some gold with banks who in turn can lend it to jewelers, which in theory should reduce imports for a time."

India Cultural Demand Defies Gold Curbs

And there is this tidbit:

"SAC Capital Partners LP, a $20 billion dollar group of hedge funds founded by Stephen A. Cohen, quietly positioned itself in over $240 million dollars worth of gold, silver, and mining share investments during Q4 2012.

Of great interest is the structure of those positions. They are indicating, that the firm is expecting a massive spike in both gold and silver, as well as a staggering move higher in the mining shares."

SAC Puts $240 Million into Gold/Silver/Mining Shares Investments

As you may recall, it is Stevie Cohen's cohorts who are being frisked up for having traded on non-public information. Naw, couldn't be.