Month: October 2013

Article by Investazor.com

Since the new Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was elected for this position, the Japanese citizens knew that they chose the right person in order to see radical changes implemented. Thus, the approach of Shinzō Abe consists of enlarged fiscal and monetary stimulus as well as important structural improvements in the Japanese economy. It is known from the beginning that the main target is to overcome the deflation, to solve the issue of the national debt and to sustain the economic growth of the country.

As lately we heard rumors about a possible increasing in the sales tax, now it was confirmed that it will be raised from 5% to 8% (the first increase since 1997) in April 2014. Is expected this change to go  further and to have the sales tax increased to 10% in 2015.  As the tax increase is aimed to gather 8 trillion yen a year, this measure is thought to be needed in order to rein Japan’s public debt and help reduce the budget deficit which now reached 10% of GDP. As the sales tax increase is strongly affecting the Japanese citizens, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe is expected to come with a solution. The key is expected to be announced later this year and consists of an additional $50 billion stimulus package in the first year of having the citizens bearing the raised costs.

Speaking about the new stimulus package, economists believe it is actually necessary to have it. Moreover, it is expected to have it operating in the infrastructure sector and most of the fields correlated with it. Also by the end of the year we will have a decision taken in relation with the corporate tax. As it is considered that the Japanese corporate tax is one of the biggest, reducing this tax is seen as a boost in the business environment and an encouragement for economic growth.

Considering all the above mentioned changes, we can say that important steps are taken and indeed “Abenomics” is pointing towards a direction. All that is being left is to wait and see to what extend these changes will impact the real economy.

The post “Abenomics” Technique Comes With New Measures appeared first on investazor.com.

By OilPrice.com

Thanks to the shale boom, markets already perceive the trade balance optimizing, energy prices are cheaper than they would otherwise be and we’ve even cut carbon emissions. And we are only getting started, according Tyler Cowen, New York Times best-selling author and one of the most influential economists of the decade.

While we aren’t likely to get past the American public’s irrationality over gas prices at the pump and their confusion about why this hasn’t translated into lower gas prices, that doesn’t change the fact that our shale boom is only just beginning to affect the global economy. The only question is who will be the next to latch on to this revolution.

Cowen gives us the long view in his most recent book, ” Average is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of Great Stagnation “, and in an exclusive interview with Oilprice.com, he discusses:

• Why energy-intensive investment is our real future
• Why peak oil isn’t an issue for at least 3 decades
• Why Syria is impossible to predict
• Why US gas exports are a win-win situation
• How the US shale boom has benefited the economy
• How the shale boom is just getting started
• What the general public doesn’t get about gas prices
• Why we can’t do much to stop energy market manipulation
• Who’s right about climate change? Wait and see…

Interview by James Stafford of Oilprice.com

James Stafford: You have written at length about “Great Stagnation” and its relation to technology and natural resources. How do we trace the “Great Stagnation”, and are we seeing the end of our unexploited natural resources?

Tyler Cowen: The Great Stagnation first shows up in the data in 1973, when income growth slows and productivity growth falters. It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that this has something to do with the end of the age of cheap energy. In my view sustainable economic growth is more dependent on energy than the share of the energy sector in GDP would indicate. Energy-intensive investments are more likely to build for our future, compared to the productivity mess known as our service sector.

I do not, however, think we are seeing the end of unexploited natural resources – just look at fracking. But every now and then we take a pause before extraction technologies race ahead once again. We’ve been living in that pause for much of the last 40 years–a scary thought.

James Stafford: Should we still be talking about “Peak Oil”?

Tyler Cowen: I don’t see “peak fossil fuel” being a binding constraint over most of the next 30 years. That said, new supplies take a while to come to market, and the global economy is still constrained by oil supply scarcity. This was evident during the price spike dating from the time of chaos in Libya. There just wasn’t enough oil for the global economy to manage a higher growth rate, and only now is the US economy moving beyond that constraint. India still faces it.

James Stafford: There are rival theories concerning what a potential US direct intervention in Syria would do to oil prices. How do you see this playing out?

Tyler Cowen: It would depend what we do and when we do it, and in any case I don’t see this as an easy matter to predict. Perhaps the best prediction is that the situation festers and we don’t have a direct US intervention at all.

James Stafford: Does the conflict in Libya provide us with insight into what would happen to oil prices in the event of a US intervention in Syria?

Tyler Cowen: As mentioned above, the price experience and the growth slowdown from the Libyan crisis is far from encouraging. As for Syria, China would very much like to see a peaceful resolution of this entire situation and they do not care per se who comes out on top. Since the US and China want in broad terms the same thing from this conflict, there is a good chance that can happen.

James Stafford: As the debate continues over whether the US should export unlimited natural gas or keep it at home, what would be better for the US economy over the long-run, and why?

Tyler Cowen: Trade benefits both nations. And it will encourage the supply of gas all the more in the longer run. This is a win-win, and I see no good reason to restrict exports.

James Stafford: Approvals for US LNG export projects appear to be picking up momentum. Has the export question already been decided?

Tyler Cowen: The overall record of the US federal government is pro-business and pro-export, and I see no reason to bet against that record this time around.

James Stafford: How has the US shale revolution affected the American economy?

Tyler Cowen: Our trade balance will be coming into order and markets already see this. Energy prices are cheaper than they would be. We’ve even cut carbon emissions, unexpectedly.

James Stafford: What the general public remains confused about is why gas prices are so high amidst this shale boom. How do we address this on a level that is accessible to a general audience?

Tyler Cowen: The shale boom is just getting started, most of all on a global level. And a lot of complicated substitutions are required for shale gas to lower retail gasoline prices, for instance greater use of gas to power transportation. The US public never has been very rational about the price of gasoline, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Gasoline is a price which we see and pay very often, too often. That means voters remember it all too well.

James Stafford: How has the US shale boom affected the global economy, and how will US exports play into this?

Tyler Cowen: Our shale boom is only starting to affect the global economy. The question is who else will follow suit. Russia? Argentina? Poland? We will see, but I expect a lot more supply to come on line.

James Stafford: In the world of finance and banking, energy market manipulation has become a hot topic, most recently with the scandal around JPMorgan. How does this style of energy market manipulation affect consumers?

Tyler Cowen: Not much at all.

James Stafford: Is this a trend we can’t stop?

Tyler Cowen: We can’t stop it easily. Consumers are not really the losers here, rather some traders benefit at the expense of others. There is more churn than we would like to have in prices and short-term inventories. That’s a problem, but pretty far down on my list of worries.

James Stafford: On a social level, with the fashion for choosing to become a banker rather than, for instance, an engineer, are things like market manipulation becoming … acceptable-a sexier sort of crime?

Tyler Cowen: Finance is still where the big money is, though for fewer people than before. This is perhaps slightly encouraging, as I would rather see more top minds go into science, engineering, and other fields. But in finance a smart young person can make a mark quickly, more so than in most sciences or businesses (tech aside) so finance will remain a big draw for young talent.

James Stafford: As the “debate” over climate change has taken on polarizing political proportions, it’s better to ask an economist. How can climate change affect the economy?

Tyler Cowen: We’re going to find out, I have to say.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Interviews/The-Shale-Boom-Just-Getting-Started-Interview-with-Tyler-Cowen.html

By. James Stafford of Oilprice.com

U.S. dollar under pressure

EURUSD Euro / dollar can break the current resistance

Yesterday the EUR / USD rose from 1.3475 support to 1.3555 resistance. Positive against stored pairs, as well as the demand level of 1.3518. Apparently, the bulls for the pair intend to break the resistance. If they succeed, it will be possible to count on the euro into the direction of the 37th figure, which can possibly activate sellers. In turn, the inability of the EURUSD to overcome the level may lead to profit-taking on long positions and, therefore, the depreciation of the pair. In this case, it can not avoid testing the 34th figure.

GBPUSD Bullish pound / dollar in force

The uptrend in the pound / dollar remains in force. The pair rebounded yesterday from support at the level of 1.6131 and rose to 1.6202. In the Asian session, the growth continued, and the pound tested the 1.6246 mark. The next target for the pair of bulls looks 63rd figure, but because of overbought conditions, this goal can not be achieved in the short term. The nearest support is on the way to the 61 th figure. A drop below 1.5954 will weaken the bullish momentum. On the upside, 1.6300 is possible to consider the possibility to open a short-term short positions.

USDCHF bears on the dollar / franc 0.9000 intend to test the lows

Pressure on the dollar / franc remains, therefore, attempts to increase for the pair capped at 0.9068 and support around 0.9000 level attracts buyers. While the bears can not break below 0.9020, it seems that the testing 0.9000 support can not be avoided. Its breakdown will open the way to 0.8930. To weaken the dollar bearish pressure to go back and consolidate above the 91 th figure, but at this stage it looks unlikely.

USDJPY dollar / yen may fall to 97.00

Reduced dollar/yen to 97.50 attracted buying interest, against which the dollar could rise to the level of 98.72. Here sellers again proved, and the pair returned to the 98th figure. Nonetheless, this pair makes it difficult to predict movements in it, but as long as the dollar is trading below 99.00, the pressure on it will be preserved, along with the pressure that will continue and the chances to drop to 97.00. The loss of this support significantly spoil the prospects for the dollar, and a drop below 96.00 would confirm the development of large-scale downward correlation.

provided by IAFT

By The Sizemore Letter

With one quarter left to go, the Best Stocks of 2013 contest is settling into a two-horse race. Daimler AG (DDAIF) is in the lead with a 48% year-to-date return including dividends. Rick Pendergraft’s pick Mylan (MYL) is still well within striking distance at 39%. With three months to go, this race is still far too close to call.

Louis Navellier’s Sherwin-Williams (SHW), Jeff Reeves’ Intel (INTC) and Paul La Monica’s Qualcomm (QCOM) round out the top five with year-to-date total returns of 19%, 14% and 10%, respectively. As a point of comparison, the S&P 500 is up 16% year to date and the Dow Industrials 15%. So, taken as a portfolio, the top five are stacking up well.

At #6, Meb Faber’s contrarian recommendation of the Global X Greece ETF (GREK) is showing signs of life after enduring a brutal summer. It’s up by nearly 30% from its July lows and about 6% year to date.

Steve Freehill’s Two Harbors (TWO) and Jon Markman’s Femsa (KOF) both had great starts to the year but took a pounding during the summer “taper tantrum” and are now flat on the year. Greg Harmon’s infrastructure play Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) is having a strong September, but the small cap is still recovering from a sharp sell-off in March. And Stephanie Link’s Vale (VALE) , which has had a terrible year along with the rest of the mining sector, is back from the dead. It’s up by a full 26% after hitting a 52-week low in July.

Taken as a single equally-weighted portfolio, the Best Stocks list is up a little over 9% year to date, including dividends.

With Daimler up 48% thus far, it’s fair to ask: is Daimler still a buy?

And to this, I would answer with a resounding “yes.”

Even after its recent run, the stock is still reasonably cheap. It trades for 12 times expected 2013 earnings, 0.5 times sales, and 1.5 times book value. Daimler also pays a market-beating 3.8% in dividends and happens to have nearly a quarter of its market cap in cold, hard cash.

The valuation numbers are roughly in line with General Motors (GM). And given that I consider General Motors attractive at current prices, this makes Daimler’s underpricing all the more apparent. Daimler is a higher-margin luxury automaker with better positioning among the emerging world’s nouveau riche. And while Daimler’s sales have not been completely immune to the effects of slowing global economic growth, Daimler’s customer base is far less sensitive to economic shocks.

Aside from Daimler’s attractive price—which should be catalyst enough—I see two catalysts that should propel Daimler higher.

First, China—Daimler’s most important growth market—appears to have bottomed for now. As I wrote in a recent article, anecdotal data such as property prices, rail volumes and government revenues all point to a Chinese economy that is expanding again. And the shocks to Chinese demand from earlier in the year—such as the crackdown on bribery and conspicuous consumption by public officials—look to have run their course.

Daimler expects to see demand for luxury cars in China rise 15% next year, and last month the company announced plans to invest €2 billion euros increasing its manufacturing capacity in China. In 2014 the company may or may not recoup the ground lost to rivals BMW (BAMXY) and Audi in recent years. But management sees a bright future in China, and I am inclined to agree.

Next is the stabilization of Europe. Yes, we’ve all seen the protests sporadically erupting in Greece, and yes, Silvio Berlusconi is making noise about bringing down the Italian government again. Yet the Eurozone bond market remains calm. Spanish bond yields are near their pre-“taper tantrum” levels of early May, and Italian bond yields are only about 50 basis points their May lows.

I’m not expecting robust growth to return to Europe any time soon. But with investors already largely desensitized to the perpetual Eurozone crisis, I do see stability. And a stable Eurozone should help Daimler on two counts. First, it makes a pop in domestic sales more likely. But more immediately, it means that investors are more likely to award European stocks richer valuations.

Charles Lewis Sizemore, CFA, is the editor of the Sizemore Investment Letter and the chief investment officer of investments firm Sizemore Capital Management. As of this writing, he was long DDAIF and INTC. Click here to learn about his top 5 global investing trends and get your copy of “The Top 5 Million Dollar Trends of 2013.”  This article first appeared on InvestorPlace.

This article first appeared on Sizemore Insights as Daimler and the Best Stocks of 2013

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By HY Markets Forex Blog

Eurozone’s final Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), measuring the eurozone activity level of purchasing managers in the manufacturing sector declined 51.1 points lower in September, meeting analysts estimated of 51.4 in August, Markit Economics confirmed.

“An improvement in euro zone manufacturing business conditions for a third straight month in September sends a reassuring signal that the sector is providing an all-important lift for a region that has been besieged by recession”, Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said on Tuesday.

“Even manufacturers in the region’s ‘periphery’ are reporting better demand for their goods. Orders rose for the fourth month running in Spain and for the third successive month in Italy and Ireland. In the region’s ‘core’, orders likewise rose for a third month running in Germany and the Netherlands and even the recent laggard France saw the first upturn in demand for just over two years” Williamson added.

“Although signaling the best performance for over two years in recent months, the PMI slipped slightly compared with August and remains only just above the 50 ‘no change’ level, indicating that this is still early days in what looks like a fragile recovery.”

Final Manufacturing PMI – German Activity

Germany’s manufacturing sector maintained its expansion in September, while the final manufacturing PMI slightly dropped to 51.1 in September.

“Germany’s manufacturing sector looks to have expanded at a reasonably solid pace through the third quarter of the year, despite growth momentum easing in September. A robust performance from investment goods producers helped sustain manufacturing growth, while the main drag was from weaker consumer goods production,” Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit said.

“Despite output volumes remaining on an upward tilt, manufacturers were cautious about their payroll numbers during September, reflecting relatively subdued demand from emerging markets and a general lack of pressure on operating capacity”, Moore added.

 Italy’s Activity Worsens

The manufacturing sector in Italy worsened in September, as the manufacturing PMI for the country dropped to 50.8 points in September from previous reading of 51.3 in August, Markit Economics said. Analysts had forecasted the reading to come in at 51.1.

“The headline manufacturing PMI slipped from its recent high in August but was nevertheless in expansion territory for a third straight month, implying that the sector has made a positive contribution to GDP in the third quarter. Data suggested that the slowdown in growth in September was mainly attributable to fragility in the domestic economy, with the recent surge in new export orders continuing”, Phil Smith, economist at Markit said.

Activities in the Spanish industrial sector worsened in September, as the manufacturing PMI came in at 50.7 points, down from the previous reading of 50.1 points in the previous month.

“The September manufacturing PMI for Spain confirms the picture of gradual improvement seen in the third quarter of the year, supported again by solid growth of exports. It remains to be seen whether this stabilisation can be translated into a period of expansion or whether the sector will slip back into contraction again,” Andrew Harker, senior economist at Markit stated.

France Activity Picks Up

The business activity in the French manufacturing sector showed a slight boost in September, as the final manufacturing PMI rose 49.8 points higher in September. Slightly higher than the previous reading of 49.7 in August.

“Although French manufacturing output fell again in September, a rise in new orders for the first time in over two years suggests that conditions in the sector are stabilising. Moreover, a sharp fall in stocks of finished goods suggests that production will have to be raised soon if demand continues to hold up,” senior economist at Markit Jack Kennedy said on Tuesday.

“Looking at the data relating to the supply chain, low stock levels at vendors resulted in a marked lengthening of lead times, while input prices showed a renewed rise as the cost of a number of raw materials increased,” he added.

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The post Eurozone Final Manufacturing PMI In September Drops appeared first on | HY Markets Official blog.

Article provided by HY Markets Forex Blog

By HY Markets Forex Blog

Major European stocks started the trading session mixed on Tuesday, following the first US government shutdown since 1996.

The US government faced its first shutdown after the government failed to finalize an agreement over the largest economy’s budged spending bill by the deadline given, which was on Monday midnight.

The Euro Stoxx 50 advanced 0.41% higher, opening at 2,900.56, while the German DAX edged up 0.37% higher at 8,626.54 at the open. At the same time the French CAC 40 rose 0.29% at 4,156.87, while the British FTSE 100 declined 0.09% to 6,458 at the open.

A series of Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) are expected to be released from Italy, Spain, UK, Germany, France and the eurozone as a whole, between 7:15am GMT and 8:30am GMT.

First US government shutdown

The House Republicans and Senate Democrats tried to reach a temporary agreement for the government budget spending bill before the deadline on Monday midnight, to delay the affordable care act as the US senate aimed for a fresh bill to continue funding the government after Monday.

Over 500,000 federal employees are expected to be out of work without pay, while other government services will be closed for the day.

“You don’t get to extract a ransom for doing your job, for doing what you’re supposed to be doing anyway or just because there’s a law there you don’t like,” Obama said at the White House on Monday. “Time’s running out,” he added.

According to economists, the shutdown could wipe out up to 1.4 percentage points from the fourth-quarter of the US economic growth rate.

Italy’s Turmoil

The ongoing political turmoil in Italy has worsened over the weekend after five ministers from the former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party withdrew from the cabinet. Analysts warned that the crises could stir up a new election.

Five Ministers from Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party resigned on Saturday, as the party’s leader opposed plans to increase sales tax.

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The post European Stocks Mixed After US Government Shutdown appeared first on | HY Markets Official blog.

Article provided by HY Markets Forex Blog

By WallStreetDaily.com

Barring a last-minute, epic compromise, the government is closed today. The stock market might be behaving badly as a result, too.

Oh, and apparently Nostradamus predicted this would happen in his fourth quatrain. Thirst and famine are next.

Hey, with this Congress? Who knows!

Of course, most Americans probably won’t even notice the shutdown.

In fact, on Monday morning, the ever-popular Josh Brown of The Reformed Broker blog captured the current zeitgeist of the nation in a single tweet:

“‘Whatever. Wake me up when there’s a Netflix shutdown.’ – America.”

Welcome to the sad state of affairs in America!

We’ve simply grown immune to political brinkmanship. Of course, that won’t prevent the media from trying to scare us into caring about the shutdown. Ignore it.

What should we be focusing on instead? How about the only fundamental metric that’s going to matter once the government shutdown ends?

It’ll soon be dominating the headlines. And rightfully so. Here’s the early scoop – and what it means for our investments…

Get Ready for An Earnings Onslaught

The first government shutdown in 17 years isn’t the only thing yesterday signified. It also marks the end of the third quarter. That means we’re about to get bombarded with third-quarter earnings reports.

And while stock prices have continued to rise in 2013, earnings growth rates are trending in the opposite direction. In the second quarter, S&P 500 companies reported profit growth of 3.8%. Yet estimates heading into this quarter call for only 3.2% growth, according to FactSet data.

That could prove problematic…

After all, stock prices ultimately follow earnings. If earnings growth sputters out, so could the current bull market. Investors simply won’t keep paying up for slower growth. Especially since, at its current forward valuation of 14.4, the S&P 500 is already trading above its five-year (12.9) and 10-year (14.0) averages.

To be fair, earnings growth rates always surge in the early part of a bull market, then level off over time. Given the unprecedented amount of monetary stimulus by the Federal Reserve, though, it’s reasonable to expect that the economy and corporate profits should still be advancing at a healthy clip.

The good news? Despite weak estimates for this quarter, we could be in store for an upside surprise. Here’s why…

Follow the New Leader

Aluminum giant, Alcoa (AA), traditionally kicks off earnings reporting season. But it got booted from the Dow last month. As a result, new Dow component, Nike (NKE), has become the de facto bellwether.

That’s not a bad thing, either, as the shoemaker’s sales boast a 97% correlation with U.S. GDP, according to Businessweek. That’s way better than Alcoa’s correlation of 84.8%.

Put simply, Nike is a far better proxy for the overall health of corporate America, which makes its earnings report last week all the more instructive.

You see, the company reported a 38% increase in net income. Shares surged to an all-time high on the news, too, even though analysts expected weaker growth.

If this trend of better-than-expected earnings growth plays out, there’s no stopping this bull market. If not, well… look out below!

Bottom line: The government shutdown isn’t the biggest threat to our investments right now. It’s earnings. And it’s only a matter of time before investors start focusing on this all-important metric.

Rest assured, we’re already monitoring the reporting activity. And I promise to be in touch with any urgent buying opportunities.

Plus, at this stage of the bull market, we also need to be on the lookout for attractive short-selling candidates (i.e. – companies with rapidly deteriorating earnings).

So stay tuned!

Ahead of the tape,

Louis Basenese

The post The Most Important Chart After the Government Shutdown Ends appeared first on Wall Street Daily.

Article By WallStreetDaily.com

Original Article: The Most Important Chart After the Government Shutdown Ends

GBPUSD: Bullish, Remains on the offensive. GBPUSD: A second day of rally in the new week leaves GBP targeting further upside. Resistance resides at the 1.6300 level where a violation will pave the way for a run at the 1.6350 level. Further out, resistance resides at the 1.6400 level. A cut through here will turn attention to the 1.6450 level and then the 1.6500 level. Its daily RSI is bullish and pointing higher supporting this view. On the downside, support lies at the 1.6163 level where a breach will target the 1.6100 followed by the 1.6000 level and then the 1.5950 level where a violation will aim at the 1.5900 level. On the whole, GBP remains on offensive mood.

Article by fxtechstrategy.com

By www.CentralBankNews.info     Australia’s central bank held its benchmark cash rate steady at 2.5 percent, as expected, saying this was appropriate and the full effects of rate cuts since late 2011 “are still coming through, and will be for a while yet.”
    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which has cut its cash rates by 2.25 percentage points since November 2011, including cuts of 50 points this year, said the pace of borrowing remains subdued though there have been recent signs of increased demand for finance by households and evidence of a shift in savers’ behavior in response to the declining returns on low-risk assets.
    While the RBA repeated that it would “continue to assess the outlook and adjust policy as needed,” the bank softened its description of the Australian dollar, saying that it is still about 10 percent below its level in April despite a recent rise.
    “A lower level of the currency than seen at present would assist in rebalancing growth in the economy,” the RBA said, no longer describing the exchange rate of the A$ as high, as it has in recent months.
    From January through April, the A$ traded above parity to the U.S. dollar but it started to weaken in early May in response to the RBA’s first rate cut and fell to a year-low of 89 cents to the U.S. dollar on Sept. 1. Since then it has rebounded, trading at 93 cents to the U.S. dollar today.
    Australia’s economy has been hit by lower demand for its raw materials by China and the RBA has been cutting rates to help the economy adjust to lower levels of mining investment.
    The RBA said the economy had been growing a bit below trend in the past year and this was expected to continue. It acknowledged that the unemployment rate had edged higher but there had also been an improvement in household and business sentiment though it was too soon to judge whether this would continue to improve.
    Inflation remains consistent with the RBA’s 2-3 percent target and the central bank expects this to continue over the next one to two years even with the impact of a lower exchange rate as labour costs are moderating.
    In the second quarter, Australia’s headline inflation rate eased to 2.4 percent, down from 2.5 percent in the first quarter, but up from 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.
   Australia’s Gross Domestic Product expanded by 0.6 percent in the second quarter from the first for annual growth of 2.6 percent, up from 2.5 percent in the first.

    www.CentralBankNews.info