sábado, 29 de agosto de 2009

FALL OF WESTERN SOCIALISM


Amazing graphic of the Economic Confidence model by Martin A. Amstrong , former President of Princeton Economics International and the Foundation for the study of cycles.

Are we ready for 2011 ??

BTW, he predicts GOLD level of $1350/1750 in 2010 to 2012 but goes far beyond that with new levels of $1750 to $2275 if confidence in Fiat currencies declines...


WIZ



martes, 25 de agosto de 2009

ESPAÑA: Deflación !!!


Me parece tremendamente desaprensivo el que las Instituciones Españolas sepan que llevamos tres meses en deflación y nadie diga ni haga NADA...

Esta situación no se había producido muchísimo tiempo.

Y no olvidemos que esto sólo es la punta del iceberg !!!

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/08/21/68016/are-spanish-banks-hiding-their-losses/

WIZ


lunes, 24 de agosto de 2009

SECULAR BEARS



Courtesy of John Mauldin and his weekly letter, we can see what happened in the last Secular Bear between 1966/1982.

Volatility and valuations are the drivers yesterday and possibly TODAY...

WIZ

martes, 18 de agosto de 2009

DRAGON´S WEAKNESS ?


On August 4th the Shanghai composite reached a new high for the year but sported all sorts of technical divergences. During the next two weeks a 17.5% decline from August top.

As in 2007 : First in, First out...

WIZ


viernes, 7 de agosto de 2009

Bob Farrell Rules

Legendary Investor Bob Farrell set a few golden rules that can help a lot in today´s difficult moments :

. Markets tend to return to the mean over time
When stocks go too far in one direction, they come back. Euphoria and pessimism can cloud people’s heads. It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and lose perspective.

2. Excesses in one direction will lead to an excess in the opposite direction
Think of the market baseline as attached to a rubber string. Any action too far in one direction not only brings you back to the baseline, but leads to an overshoot in the opposite direction.

3. There are no new eras - excesses are never permanent
Whatever the latest hot sector is, it eventually overheats, mean reverts, and then overshoots. Look at how far the emerging markets and BRIC nations ran over the past six years, only to get cut in half.

As the fever builds, a chorus of “this time it’s different” will be heard, even if those exact words are never used. And of course, it - human nature - is never different.

4. Exponential rapidly rising or falling markets usually go further than you think, but they do not correct by going sideways
Regardless of how hot a sector is, don’t expect a plateau to work off the excesses. Profits are locked in by selling, and that invariably leads to a significant correction eventually.

5. The public buys the most at the top and the least at the bottom
That’s why contrarian-minded investors can make good money if they follow the sentiment indicators and have good timing. Watch Investors Intelligence (measuring the mood of more than 100 investment newsletter writers) and the American Association of Individual Investors Survey.

6. Fear and greed are stronger than long-term resolve
Investors can be their own worst enemy, particularly when emotions take hold. Gains “make us exuberant; they enhance well-being and promote optimism”, says Santa Clara University finance professor Meir Statman. His studies of investor behavior show that “Losses bring sadness, disgust, fear, regret. Fear increases the sense of risk and some react by shunning stocks.”

7. Markets are strongest when they are broad and weakest when they narrow to a handful of blue-chip names
This is why breadth and volume are so important. Think of it as strength in numbers. Broad momentum is hard to stop, Farrell observes. Watch for when momentum channels into a small number of stocks.

8. Bear markets have three stages - sharp down, reflexive rebound and a drawn-out fundamental downtrend
I would suggest that as of August 2008, we are on our third reflexive rebound - the January rate cuts, the Bear Stearns low in March, and now the Fannie/Freddie rescue lows of July.

We have yet to see the long-drawn-out fundamental portion of the bear market.

9. When all the experts and forecasts agree - something else is going to happen
As Stovall, the S&P investment strategist, puts it: “If everybody’s optimistic, who is left to buy? If everybody’s pessimistic, who’s left to sell?”

Going against the herd can be very profitable, especially for patient buyers who raise cash from frothy markets and reinvest it when sentiment is darkest.

10. Bull markets are more fun than bear markets
Especially if you are long only or mandated to be fully invested. Those with more flexible charters might squeak out a smile or two here and there.

WIZ


martes, 4 de agosto de 2009

VIX : climbing again


Remember, there are a million reasons to sell...but only ONE reason to buy. While a rising market makes everyone 'feel' better, it's time for caution, especially if the VIX starts to see higher levels.

WIZ