Year end book squaring outweighed yet more positive economic data to close the Nikkei a tad weaker on the day, but closes up 34% on the year. Earlier positives were lost onto the close but probably the result of a stronger Yen trading stronger towards the 112 handle. Both Shanghai and the Hang Seng closed […]

Although not all markets closed positive, the overall theme certainly was. Shanghai and Hang Seng were both strong with gains made from Tech, Consumers and Energy all adding to the near 1% gains. Volumes were again very disappointing with todays HSI around 70% of the previous 30 days average. Much has ben talked of the […]

COMMENT: I think the danger for Canada is not Quebec leaving because they get 11 billion dollars a year given to them by the federal government, it is the provinces paying the bills that are more likely to leave, western Canada in general but especially Alberta which has been getting hosed. As you noted before resentment […]

There are a number of states now looking into imposing a tax on every mile you drive your car. The leader of the pack has been the West Coast.  I previously reported that California wanted to tax space shots per mile they flew into the sky. Then California wants to tax taxi drivers per mile […]

QUESTION:  Hi Marty, You say, “The one-size-fits-all policy of central banks with regard to interest rates pits East v West in both Canada and the United States. Farmers, oil producers, and miners are forced to pay higher interest rates when their economies are declining because of speculative booms in Toronto or New York.” I can […]

Many people are aware of the various attempts of Quebec to separate from Canada. What they are unaware of is the supporters of the Western Independence Party of Alberta. There has been an undertone of the separatist movement in Alberta which actually stems from the Great Depression usurpation of the Federal Reserve by Franklin D. Roosevelt. […]

QUESTION: Hi Martin, Despite the Bitcoin fanboys arguing that Bitcoin is untouchable by governments, would you agree that once governments, in particular, the Chinese government, make it unlawful to own Bitcoins, the additional introduction of proceeds-of-crime legislation would make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to use Bitcoins to acquire assets, and dealing a permanent blow […]

COMMENT: Marty,   I was looking at the Global Warming Chart, at the red line and saying to myself, “That look awfully familiar.” Then I got it.   Note how the red line drops down from 1907 to almost 1913, gets a WWI bump and then rises steadily to about 1938. Then it really goes […]

Asian markets were a little nervous in todays trading, ahead of FED decision. Despite the strength seen in oil, markets saw prices lower loose their early strength as the day wore on. in China the loans nominal grew from an expected 800bn to 1.1tln and hinder any further progress and even turned sentiment negative in […]

A strong session from Asia to open the week with Hang Seng and Shanghai both higher by 1%. Having seen a brief wobble at the start of trading, the move was quickly rejected and we traded from strength to strength. Energy, Tech and Financials were the leaders for the day with volumes actually increasing slightly […]