An extremely dull day for most core equity markets across the globe today with plus or minus 0.5% movements throughout. If anything to write about it was probably that US stocks closed close to the days lows as they all drifted but even that it probably clutching at straws. Currencies were also quiet today but […]

The central banks are simply trapped. They have bought in bonds under the theory that this will stimulate the economy by injecting cash. But there are several problems with this entire concept. This is an elitist view to say the least for the money injected does not stimulate the economy for it never reaches the […]

A ton of emails are flooding in asking what to do with gold since it made new lows after yet another false rally. I appreciate all the people who have been hurt by the goldbugs. Just remember, what goes up MUST come down. Even if gold reached the $5,000 level, it may do so for […]

If not for the Autumn Statement by the Chancellor George Osborne in the British Parliament today, I think dealers would have called an early night ahead of the long weekend in the U.S. Asian equities were really nothing to write home about, closing mixed Nikkei and HS lower with Shanghai firmer. In Europe, the DAX and CAC were the […]

With the Nikkei closed for a national holiday it was left to the Shanghai and Hang Seng to set the tone for the European markets following the weekend security fears in Belgium. Consequently, the Euro opened weak, as confidence continues to drift forcing money towards the US Dollar. Following this sentiment all European indices drifted […]

COMMENT:  Let’s see, penicillin was discovered in 1928, and first used en mass in 1943. Today, in 2015, antibiotic resistance is really becoming a problem (although it has been a minor problem for years, and will likely become a much larger problem in the future). Nonetheless, an article from the BBC today argues that we […]

Asian equity markets closed a rather dull week in the positive but off their highs and with lots of dealer talk of possible PBOC easing action over the weekend. Traders are always looking for the next trade, so if it makes sense (or even if it does not) traders will jump on the bandwagon. As […]

QUESTION: Hi Martin, Thank you for you blog and your informed perspective on world markets. I’ve owned gold and silver bullion for about 10 years and since 2011 they have behaved much differently. Normally they would spike on geopolitical catastrophes but now they quickly hit a ceiling and collapse on such news. The prices rise in […]

Asia saw a good performance today for stocks on the back of the FED’s supportive stance and the chance of a “one and done” approach, an unchanged policy decision by the Bank of Japan but also China cut in its overnight lending facility. In Europe this positive stance continued early in the session but retraced […]

Do politicians ever really care about society? President Hollande wants to change the French Constitution, but he also wants to extend the state of emergency indefinitely. Why? Is this really about terrorism? Sure, more than 80% of the French are willing to give up civil liberties for security, just as Americans responded after 9/11. That […]