Search Results for: double speed

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Sorted Weekly Tweets

US Politics & Policy

 

  • How the Tea Party Will Die?http://t.co/EgEnMQVsZB?Gets 1thing right: gerrymandering is behind much of our gridlock $$ http://t.co/rOugB104TN?Oct 18, 2013
  • Even When the GOP Loses, It Wins?http://t.co/6CLe41CJDp?New baseline favors deeper cuts as we may go through sequestration again $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • The Tea Party and the GOP Crackup?http://t.co/a3wLOJ7raO?t-party represents Jacksonian America: angry & in full revolt against new elite $$?Oct 17, 2013
  • How Delayed Inflation Data Mess With Social Security and More?http://t.co/d8BKFRd1g3?US Treasury will have 2 estimate best they can $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • Though it might b better if the govt weren’t calculating the data; gives them too much power to fiddle w/the #s. But no one is neutral $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • McConnell?s Favored Dam Project Included in Debt Deal?http://t.co/8d9jraD29v?Pork is not dead in DC, whether GOP or Democrats $$ #shame?Oct 18, 2013
  • Crop-Insurance Cuts Test Farm Power as Lobbies Push Back?http://t.co/p59uqsRgDX?If can’t be cut when Ag does well, then nothing can b cut $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • Factional conflicts have the power to destroy empires – and republics?http://t.co/TeuFlo7tsW?Reminds me of Europe in 1840s: too much debt $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Reformers hail limit on US crop insurance subsidies?http://t.co/EEn5n9jOYX?Let’s c if it actually gets passed; Ag subsidies tough 2 kill $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • EPA?s McCarthy Says No Decision Made on Renewable Mandate?http://t.co/wi7kzgGl0L?Believe no rumor until it is officially denied $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • A Slowdown on the Road to Recovery?http://t.co/3Pd6dDeVgL?Decaying Bridges, Highways Raise Costs for Truckers, Manufacturers $$ $SPY $TLT?Oct 14, 2013
  • Fiscal negotiations sputter as deadline looms?http://t.co/h73IOeaS36?Obama could end this here by tossing the GOP a bone 2 avoid MAD $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • America?s default on its debt is inevitable?http://t.co/jLSqxj42gG?America has defaulted 3 times already. No way we can fund entitlements $$?Oct 13, 2013
  • Republicans Need a Graceful Exit Strategy, Now?http://t.co/9hjoD6L0hV?@asymmetricinfo explains y the GOP should cut their losses here $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • Is US Political Bubble About to Burst??http://t.co/bipVe5brA0?If there is no permanent default, no, b/c the world needs flexibility of US $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • How to Handle a Debt Default. You Know. Just in Case.?http://t.co/m3j1wilU7R?In a longwinded way comes 2 correct answer: no good strategy $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • 10 ‘Poorest’ Members of Congress Owe Big?http://t.co/cmMpRI2rNR?The same list with a little more data to flesh it out $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • The 10 least wealthy members of Congress, from Roll Call?http://t.co/pO7HBfAlkh?They r not just least wealthy; they r broke 8 Ds, 2 Rs $$?Oct 12, 2013

PPACA / Obamacare

 

  • Health Website Woes Widen as Insurers Get Wrong Data?http://t.co/kNIQrXoDVK?4 something so critical, the healthcare website has failed $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Another reason y PPACA is a sham; resources don’t appear from nowhere; low cost plans don’t chg the underlying cost of services $$ $SPY $TLT?Oct 16, 2013
  • Patients Pay Before Seeing Doctor as Deductibles Spread?http://t.co/SGly5lDxX7?Big: as deductibles rise, so does prepayment, b/c bad debt $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • Obamacare Needs a Drop-Dead Date?http://t.co/Qe4OORe5AV?@asymmetricinfo ably argues if exchanges aren’t functioning by 11/1, delay PPACA $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • Petco, Applebee’s employees join growing list on private exchanges?http://t.co/00tiYWUrPz?If this works, maybe can replace govt exchanges $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • Obamacare marketplace could get partial rebuild?http://t.co/cwjqbEakyT?If ppl have a hard time signing up, they will have to fix or delay $$?Oct 14, 2013

 

Rest of the World

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  • Time to take bets on Frexit and the French franc??http://t.co/McwX1vZNvG! Weird: Marine Le Pen’s Front National most popular French party $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • China CPI Speeds Up in September, Mainly on Food Prices?http://t.co/blyIxmplSq?Woe betide when Chinese Inflation starts running hot $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Merkel Faces Decision on Coalition Partner?http://t.co/0BqUYzoiV6?Grand coalition coming, may have impact on German Constitution $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • The Long, Slow Process of IKEA Design?http://t.co/O6FWUi8RHh?Company’s Commitment to Shaving Costs Makes Designing a Kitchen a 5-Yr Task $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Japan May Hire Firms to Manage Foreign Reserves?http://t.co/EWOzlEKp1d?A small experiment where they take illiquidity & credit risk $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Malaysia Rules Catholic Paper Can’t Use ‘Allah’?http://t.co/OLNJiLId6q?Go back to the original, and use “Elohim,” not the Arabic version $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • French Fume Over Speed Traps That Cut Hollande Budget Gap?http://t.co/solddgufg3?An irritating way 2 tax people, would try 2 avoid that $$?Oct 14, 2013

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Berkshire Hathaway

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  • Buffett?s Son Calls Junk Bonds Model for Charities?http://t.co/QF89ou2F0S?Howard Buffett wants charities 2try hard projects, risk failure $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Buffett Adds Stocks in Pension Handoff to Lieutenants?http://t.co/zdgnFteYp3?Long duration, higher cost float 4 $BRK.B 2 invest $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Buffett Defends Dimon, Says Regulators Take Ton of Flesh?http://t.co/Ax3YjbANui?Difficult to pin down liability w/large complex firms $$?Oct 16, 2013
  • As a result, there is the bias toward fines, a little criminal prosecution. Fines should go to those harmed, rather than govt $$ $JPM $BRK.B?Oct 16, 2013
  • Tracy Britt Cool on Management Lessons From Warren Buffett?http://t.co/7s5QP3I9Pw?Buffett gives his managers freedom & flexibility $$ $BRK.B?Oct 16, 2013
  • Buffett Turns to Deputies to Help Find Successors for Unit CEOs?http://t.co/YLt3NquVbM?Berkshire is a complex company; requires much mgmt $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Warren Buffett’s Lieutenants at Berkshire Hathaway?http://t.co/nclA8Vqsep?Possible Buffett replacement Matthew Rose, CEO of BNSF $$ $BRK.B?Oct 14, 2013
  • CEOs to Face Berkshire-Loyalty Test?http://t.co/peoPfaJ2Hb?How will $BRK.B retain managers after there is no Warren Buffett 2 disappoint? $$?Oct 14, 2013

 

Companies & Industries

 

  • Can Coke and Pepsi Overcome Shrinking Juice Demand??http://t.co/6JzH27NKSQ?Far better to have fruit & get the fiber, not just the sugar $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • A SWAG Surprise in the $19 Billion Chevron Case?http://t.co/PUrxEMlmvp?Defense atty surprised when witness says the damage # was made-up $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Ursula Burns: ‘Chill out a little bit’?http://t.co/j80WyoKUQq?Pick the places where u want 2b great, focus energies there & then go do it $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Hollywood Steps Up Security to Keep Scripts Secret?http://t.co/We49CbLssh?Interesting: tech & methods Hollywood uses 2 protect scripts $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • ‘Clean Coal’ Costs Are on Display at Mississippi Plant?http://t.co/omVqqflAl7?Clean coal is likely a pipe dream 4 coal producers $$?Oct 14, 2013

 

Finance

 

  • Dimon Said to Have Given Up Role at Bank Unit on OCC Request?http://t.co/KC09IBMymM?He stepped down, but not w/o the OCC giving a push $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Stockbroker Requests to Scrub Complaints Are Often Granted?http://t.co/Hpiir2YBtg?Bad stuff; makes u want to beef up the SEC & end FINRA $$?Oct 17, 2013
  • NY Fed Fired Examiner Who Took on Goldman?http://t.co/z2CBD8DmLw?$GS $$ $SPY She analyzed conflict of interest rules & found them lacking.?Oct 16, 2013
  • Simon Says: ?Toughen Up??http://t.co/yDmroZcNDz?Simon Business School attempts to get students ready 4 the hard aspects of business $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Big Banks Can Be Dismantled, Say US & UK Regulators?http://t.co/i0KCOMIl4d?I will believe it when I see it. Regulators r2 optimistic $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Debt moves the world?http://t.co/knHet0TrjN?This article moves the ball forward; overall debt levels should help decide monetary policy $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Beyond Earnings: A Simple Method 2Pick a Winning Stock?http://t.co/N2AlhUTX2K?”Quality” or gross return on assets, measures moat strength $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • When Analysts Sober Up?http://t.co/yPt8kJO8gr?Sell side analysts tend 2b very optimistic & revise as reality intrudes. CFOs don’t mind $$?Oct 12, 2013

 

Other

 

  • Houston Texans Running Back Arian Foster Is Going Public?http://t.co/GG11tRFIbe?Step right up, buy a share of a football player’s pay $$ #no?Oct 18, 2013
  • How I Learned to Haggle Over Prices?http://t.co/LMgLRP1GQs?Never thought I would b good at haggling until I traded corporate bonds $$?Oct 17, 2013
  • Harrisburg?s Parking Bond Sale Avoids Chicago Regret?http://t.co/sT0dSsUmhS?Key is 2align incentives; Harrisburg/investors both make $$ same?Oct 16, 2013
  • Axel Merk: In our assessment, a central bank pursing an employment target… has given up its independence?http://t.co/tp4MDrixjm?$$ $TLT?Oct 16, 2013
  • Regional Fed Bosses Struggle With Communication Issue?http://t.co/aOZ2CQ2iGt?Talk is cheap 4 the Fed; the expenses get charged to us $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • BuzzFeed’s Brazen, Nutty, Growth Plan?http://t.co/YMYFpymfEI?Translation by foreign-language speakers learning English using Duolingo $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Google Is Going to Include Your Face in Its New Ads?http://t.co/MbV0XgLphb?U did not know that u have signed up 2b an ad pitchman w/G+ $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • The Cheap Way to Watch Every NFL, NBA, NHL Game Online?http://t.co/hsrxfC4XDm?The genie is out of the bottle, will b hard 2get it back in $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Bit by Bit, Virtual Reality Heads for the Holodeck?http://t.co/U1l99HThFa?Think the technology will get bogged down on multiple players $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • ‘Jumping Genes’ Bring Unexpected Twists 2 DNA?http://t.co/0IXG7BvBlO?1 shouldn’t b overly impressed w/idea of strict genetic heritability $$?Oct 12, 2013
  • Wire Fraud Is on the Rise?http://t.co/dlDn7nBMHK?Double check transfer requests; you could be on the hook for any losses $$?Oct 12, 2013

 

The Swedish Central Bank Prize

 

  • If you have 2shorten it further, call it The SCB Prize. But it is not a Nobel Prize; none of the economists winning it deserve the honor $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • The official name is The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Call it the Swedish Central Bank Prize. $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Note2journalists: there is no Economics Nobel Prize . Nobel knew economics was not a science. We should agree given failures of ec theory $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Fama, Shiller, Hansen Win 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics?http://t.co/R5Vg7XM67P?Can anyone explain why Hansen shared the SCB prize? $$?Oct 14, 2013

 

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Wrong

  • Unreliable research: Trouble at the lab?http://t.co/hXsQYejcTR?The main problem is that scientists do not understand statistics $$?Oct 19, 2013
  • Also, they r incented to find positive results, when there may be none, & they are not neutral observers, sometimes they push an agenda $$?Oct 19, 2013
  • Wrong: Fed Official Says Big Banks Should Be Required to Hold Long-Term Debt?http://t.co/9KVgFf66NW?Job is 2 protect subs not holdcos $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Wrong: Hey China, Stop Laughing at the US?http://t.co/t9dulVuJ6z?W/any fair rendering, China’s economic &political problems > those of US $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Wrong: Al Gore: ?Carbon Bubble? Is Going to Burst ? Avoid Oil Stocks?http://t.co/ShdX90aLeD?The “carbon bubble” is between his ears $$?Oct 18, 2013
  • Difficult to say: Investors Seek Bargains in Battered Munis?http://t.co/LoBJgds82u?2 many major weak credits & 2 many weak holders $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Tenuous: US Corporate Profit Growth Slows as Shutdown Risks Rise?http://t.co/EPZedodSTn?Link more tenuous as economy was slowing already $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Bad HL: Default Doubters Repudiated by Republican Economists?http://t.co/GClDYBVnLF?Comments of GOP economists r more nuanced than that $$?Oct 14, 2013
  • Wrong: Don’t Shoot the Messaging?http://t.co/prnAskf4ZB?Fed puts 2much effort into fwd guidance, should not b surprised @ mkt reactions $$?Oct 12, 2013

 

Replies, Retweets & Comments

  • @marcmakingsense A competitive market in data. Let the best data win. Democracy ain’t what it used 2b w/gerrymandering, thus current fight?Oct 16, 2013
  • @JPDesloges not my article, but the Economist’s. Do what you like.?Oct 16, 2013
  • @pkedrosky I wouldn’t have said it that way, but you are correct.?Oct 15, 2013
  • Commented on StockTwits: Good point. The successor will have 2go2 great pains to prove he will keep the old hands …?http://t.co/ky8jWaL9n3?Oct 14, 2013
  • RT @EpicureanDeal: Want cleaner banking? Pay litigation, settlement, and penalty costs directly out of the employee bonus pool. $JPM?Oct 13, 2013

 

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Data Privacy

 

  • Many in Media Claim Bradley Manning’s Leaks Had Little Value?Here’s Why They’re So Wrong | The Nation stks.co/jZXy Who knew? $$
  • Congress grills intelligence officials on data-gathering practices stks.co/qGqB Issue doesn’t divide neatly by political party $$
  • Noonan: Privacy Isn’t All We’re Losing stks.co/hZsF “…you can’t give up your own liberty and your own freedom.” $$
  • US Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms stks.co/gZcv Not paranoid? That doesn’t mean they aren’t coming 2get u $$
  • How Rand Paul Can Take On the NSA stks.co/pGjI We need to rethink the conditions under which the govt may do surveillance on us $$
  • Pardon Edward Snowden wh.gov/liZnR I support this petition at whitehouse.gov $$
  • US Relies on Spies for Hire to Sift Deluge of Intelligence stks.co/aXgm I have many friends involved in this; they keep quiet $$
  • Booz Allen Grew Rich on Government Contracts stks.co/qGMz Thus all the radio advertisements you hear if you live near DC $$
  • Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations stks.co/pGCi Rare person who put US ahead of self $$

 

Rest of the World

 

  • Korean Tiger Moms Scrimp for Tutors in Blow to Spending stks.co/bY3b The solution is home schooling, should it b legal in SK $$
  • Italian showdown with Germany over euro looms closer stks.co/bXwF A halt2fiscal & monetary contraction, or full-blown reflation $$
  • Southern Europeans Flee to Germany: OECD stks.co/tGdg If the jobs won’t come to the people, the people will go to the jobs $$
  • On Iran?s Inflation Bogey stks.co/gZQP Iran’s inflation rate may be over 100%/year $$
  • What Abenomics tells us about the great bond market asset bubble stks.co/jZFc Japan is a bug in search of a windshield $$
  • Consumer Price Inflation Slows in China stks.co/gYzR & so does the rest of China’s economy, rebalancing will b painful $$
  • Denmark Seeks to Pass Too-Big-to-Fail Bank Laws in Parts stks.co/jYj7 SIx large financial companies will require more capital $$

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Companies & Industries

 

  • Surge in US oil-by-rail suffers first slowdown as spreads slim stks.co/qGqK Start of a new trend, or just a blip? $$ #blip #trend
  • Lampert Uses $393M in AutoNation for Redemptions stks.co/gZcw Future historians will wonder why Lampert received attention $$
  • Comcast Is Turning Homes Into Public Wi-Fi Hotspots stks.co/sGaQ Gateway transmits 2signals; separate SSIDs 1 public, 1 private $$
  • Berkshire to Provide More Insurance Cost Details stks.co/bXuO All of this data is already freely available, ask4statutory files $$
  • Cisco plans to double the speed of the Internet stks.co/iZXI | FD:+ $CSCO Fascinating new technology will increase net capacity $$
  • Freeport Declares Force Majeure on Grasberg Copper Shipments stks.co/gZTc Rare 2c Force Majeure invoked; reveals supply issues $$
  • Insurers Inflating Books, New York Regulator Says stks.co/iZTl My response: stks.co/fZQE How do I contact DealBook? $$
  • Insurers Inflating Books, New York Regulator Says stks.co/sGPY Life insurers do this 2 strip out extra conservatism in reserves $$
  • A Rising Star Emerges at Berkshire stks.co/pGYd Bright lady Tract Britt takes over David Sokol’s old role @ Berky $$ FD: + $BRK.B
  • Anglo American Miner Slogs Ahead in Brazil stks.co/rG6r Rare people walk away from bad sunk costs; no walking away here $$ $AAUKY
  • Google to buy Waze for $1.3B stks.co/aXV7 Improves $GOOG ‘s maps capability, while denying the same asset to $AAPL & $FB $$

 

Market Impact

 

  • Price Benchmarks Said to Be Rigged in the Foreign Exchange Market stks.co/sGjl Should not b surprised; humans try2rig markets $$
  • Regulators Question Banks on Business Lending Risks stks.co/fZV2 Perhaps regulators r being more active this credit cycle $$
  • US Banks Margin Under Tremendous Pressure stks.co/rGeA Few safe places to lend at any significant spread over funding costs $$
  • Banks Get Reprieve on New Swaps Rule stks.co/jZPA Get 2 more years 2 place derivatives in special subsidiary 4 close regulation $$
  • The trick to bank profits stks.co/tGZB Sadly, reserves r not forward-looking but suffer from driving via the rearview mirror $$
  • Wrong: Interest Rates are Headed Higher. Are You Ready? stks.co/eXy4 This is a consensus view; global economy is weakening $$
  • Earnings Roundup: Second-quarter Earnings Guidance Among the Most Negative on Record stks.co/jZFb Could mean positive surprises $$
  • Fear of Missing Out Sparks Covenant Light Lending; ‘Return of the Silly Season’ stks.co/pGYc Credit cycle boom is getting late $$
  • These CDO Names Don’t Cry ‘Wolf’ stks.co/hZCu Doesn’t matter *what* you call them, CDOs lever up credit risk til next bear mkt $$
  • Intelligent Investor: What?s Eating Munis? stks.co/iYsP @jasonzweigwsj tells us 2 beware getting gouged on muni bond trading $$
  • Hulbert on Investing: Why ‘Boring’ Stocks Beat ‘Exciting’ Ones stks.co/dXCa Long-term, low vol has been a winner. Short-term?? $$

 

Monetary Policy

 

  • Fed Likely to Push Back on Market Expectations of Rate Increase stks.co/tGmK Gives the Fed 2much credit; they don’t have a clue $$
  • The Fed’s other trillion dollar problem stks.co/pGjZ Will b challenging 2 lower the amount of excess deposits @ the Fed $$
  • The Trapdoors at the Fed?s Exit by Nouriel Roubini stks.co/cXNh Will b difficult 4 Fed 2 remove policy accommodation $$

 

US Politics & Policy

 

  • White House Aims to Loosen Grip on Government-Held Wireless Spectrum stks.co/hZsO As it should b, govt has 2much spectrum $$
  • Camp Warns Against Cap on Charitable Break in Tax Rewrite stks.co/cXsG Private charity can do things govt can’t &more effective $$
  • FCC hopes to avoid ‘end of world’ for cell phones stks.co/cXrm Allocation of more bandwidth 2 mobile data would help $$
  • Urgency on debt issue fades, but underlying danger remains stks.co/qGAq W/deficit declining, the need to agree declines as well $$

 

Other

 

  • Larry Ellison’s Fantasy Island stks.co/iZhG Lanai benefits from the benevolent dictatorship of Larry Ellison $$
  • Blimps Morph Into Cargo Haulers as Maker Sees Revolution stks.co/fZdT Engineered concept of variable buoyancy; goes up/down $$
  • Hire Economics: Why Applying to Jobs Is a Waste of Time stks.co/aXwB Networking is more important than job boards, etc. $$
  • Drinking Water Runs Low as Drought Drags On stks.co/gYoc Weather isn’t fully random; correlated in short-run, thus droughts $$

 

Comments, Replies & Retweets

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  • @dpinsen Pipelines – high fixed, low variable costs. Railcars – high variable, low fixed costs. Getting pipelines over mountains is tough
  • @Undertherock3 I’m a skeptic on $GNW. I don’t trust their reserving, underwriting, etc. Low ROE justifies the low P/B.
  • @Undertherock3 Are you talking about Genworth? $GNW
  • @AlephBlog The best is “there is no way to get rich quick (eg Kyosaki). Snake oil salesman will always exist, learn to identify them & avoid
  • “This deal will get done after it is sweetened a little” ? Merkel disq.us/8die83 $$ $DOLE DeJa Vu: Murdock Wants to Go Private Again

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The Rules, Part XXXVII

The Rules, Part XXXVII

The foolish do the best in a strong market

“The trend is your friend, until the bend at the end.”? So the saying goes for those that blindly follow momentum.? The same is true for some amateur investors that run concentrated portfolios, and happen to get it right for a while, until the cycle plays out and they didn’t have a second idea to jump to.

In a strong bull market, if you knew it was a strong bull market, you would want to take as much risk as you can, assuming you can escape the next bear market which is usually faster and more vicious.? (That post deserves updating.)

Here are four examples, two each from stocks and bonds:

  1. In 1998-2000, tech and internet stocks were the only place to be.? Even my cousins invested in them and lost their shirts.? People looked at me as an idiot as I criticized the mania.? Buffett looked like a dope as well because he could not see how the enterprises could generate free cash reliably at any intermediate time span.
  2. In 2003-2007, there were 3 places to be — owning homebuilders, owning depositary financials or shadow banks, and buying residential real estate directly.? This was not, “Buy what you know,” but “Buy what you assume.”
  3. In 1994 many took Mexican credit risk through Cetes, Mexican short-term government debt.? A number of other clever investors thought they had “cracked the code” regarding residential mortgage prepayment, and using their models, invested in some of the most volatile mortgage securities, thinking that they had eliminated all risk, but gained a high yield.? Both trades went badly.? Mexico devalued the peso, and mortgage prepayments did not behave as expected, slowing down far more than anticipated, leading the most levered players to? blow up, and the least levered to suffer considerable losses.
  4. 2008 was not the only year that CDOs [Collateralized Debt Obligations] blew up.? There were earlier shocks around 2002, and the late ’90s.? Those buying them in 2008 and crying foul neglected the lessons of history.? The underlying collateral possessed no significant diversification.? Put a bunch of junk debt in a trust, and guess what?? When the credit cycle turns, most of those bonds will be under stress, and an above average amount will default, because the originators tend to pick the worst bonds with a rating class to maximize the yield, which allows the originator to make more.? Yes, they had a nice yield in a bull market, when every yield hog was scrambling, but in the bear market, alas, no downside protection.

I could go on about:

  • The go-go years of the ’60s or the ’20s
  • The various times the REIT market has crashed
  • The various times that technology stocks have wiped out
  • And more, like railroads in the late 1800s, or the money lost on aviation stocks, if you leave out Southwest, but you get the point, I hope.

People get beguiled by hot sectors in the stock market, and seemingly safe high yields that aren’t truly safe.? But recently, there has been some discussion of a possible “safety bubble.”? The typical idea is that investors are paying up too much for:

  • Dividend-paying stocks
  • Low-volatility stocks
  • Stable sectors as opposed to cyclical sectors.

A “safety bubble” sound like an oxymoron.? It is possible to have one?? Yes.? Is it likely?? No.? Are we in one now?? Gotta do more research; this would be a lot easier if I were back to being an institutional bond manager, and had a better sense of the bond market pulse.? But I’ll try to explain:

After 9/11/2001, institutional bond investors did a purge of many risky sectors of the bond market; there was a sense that the world had changed dramatically.? At my shop, we didn’t think there would be much change, and we had a monster of a life insurer sending us money, so we started the biggest down-in-credit trade that we ever did.? Within six months, yield starved investors were begging for bonds that we had picked up during the crisis.? They had overpaid for safety — they sold when yield spreads were wide, and bought when they were narrow.

But does this sort of thing translate to stocks?? Tenuously, but yes.? Almost any equity strategy can be overplayed, even the largest and most robust strategies like momentum, value, quality, and low volatility.? In August of 2007, we saw the wipeout of hedge funds playing with quantitative momentum and value strategies, particularly those that were levered.

Those with some knowledge of market? history may remember in the ’60s and ’70s, there was an affinity for dividends, with many companies borrowing to pay the dividend, and others neglecting necessary capital expenditure to pay the dividend.? When some of those companies ran out of tricks, they would cut or eliminate the dividend, and the stock would fall.? Now, earnings coverage of dividends and buybacks seems pretty good today, but watch out if one of the companies you own has a particularly high dividend.? You might even want to look at some of their revenue recognition and other accounting policies to see if the earnings are perhaps somewhat liberal.? You also compare the dividend to what the cash flow from operations is, less cash needed for maintenance capital expenditure.

I don’t know whether we are in a “safety bubble” now for stocks.? I do think there is a “yield craze” in bonds, and I think it will end badly when the credit cycle turns.? But with stocks, I would simply say look forward.? Analyze:

  • Margin of safety
  • Valuation, absolute & relative
  • Return on equity
  • Likely and worst case earnings growth

And then balance margin of safety versus where you have the best opportunities for compounding capital.? If relative valuations have tipped favorably to less common areas for stock investing that considers safety, then you might have to consider investing in industries that are not typically on the “safe list.”? Just don’t? compromise margin of safety in the process.

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Market Dynamics

 

  • Gold, backwardation and the ?time cost of money? http://t.co/AauT82dWoE Many players want 2 make $$ off gold financing but conditions shift May 04, 2013
  • The sultans of swing http://t.co/rItrBNwPej Short vol pays income & loses in bad times, long vol loses income & wins in bad times $$ May 04, 2013
  • Public Pensions Underreporting Liabilities?? http://t.co/IdEnrkdcXc Milliman is incented 2 make things look good, or they would lose biz $$ May 03, 2013
  • It?s Time to Fight the Fed http://t.co/rAnFWIwctu Makes the case that stock market has decoupled from economic reality $$ cc @MicroFundy May 03, 2013
  • JPMorgan Caught in Swirl of Regulatory Woes http://t.co/RFuywRTw0s When finance gets complex there r many opportunities 4 mischief $$ $JPM May 03, 2013
  • Why is Doug Kass bearish on Buffett?s Berkshire? http://t.co/aCQVRoxEzv My challenge is2ask original questions that have never been asked $$ May 02, 2013
  • High-Speed Traders Exploit Loophole http://t.co/aMdRBW72x3 Y can’t the same data feed be provided to all participants? $$ May 02, 2013
  • Treasury Is Readying Floating-Rate Debt http://t.co/d2ybajZWWO First new Treasury debt product in years. Wonder what the index will be… $$ May 02, 2013
  • Don’t get me wrong, QE is bad policy. Rather than having a short sharp recession that clears the way 4 growth, Fed traps us in malaise $$ May 02, 2013
  • When Defensive Stocks Plays Offense http://t.co/aF6MIrTzyQ @ReformedBroker describes effect of $$ flowing in2 low vol stocks, erasing safety May 01, 2013
  • Gold Rush From Dubai2Turkey Saps Supply as Premiums Jump http://t.co/2I3a2B5npH True in the US too: http://t.co/AmkUqn639p $$ #takedelivery May 01, 2013
  • Canadian banks r largely shielded from effects of housing downturn b/c government-owned Canada Mtge & Housing insures 64% Canadian mtges $$ May 01, 2013
  • Meet the man who’s selling Canada short http://t.co/HqStfr9CCe Shorting bank common stocks, & the Loonie. Market prices / rent – high $$ May 01, 2013
  • My Edge and the Crossroads http://t.co/KfcVQUCCjc @ReformedBroker gives us a glimpse of how he synthesizes disparate market data $$ May 01, 2013
  • The Great Gold Debate Continues, And It’s Serious http://t.co/Xwtar2rlWE As central banks debase fiat $$ ,gold standard gets more attention Apr 29, 2013
  • Big Number: Revenues Missing a ‘Beat’ http://t.co/IwTCtzSUZS Only 44% of companies have beaten revenue estimates, rally could slow down $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Gold Climbs as Higher Physical Demand Counters Decline From ETPs http://t.co/2c6WAxC5Yn Negative real cost of carry favors gold here $$ $GLD Apr 29, 2013
  • Gold Bears Defy Rally as Goldman Closes Short Wager http://t.co/WRNWV4MayC Demand 4 physical gold continues while ETPs c outflows $$ $GLD Apr 29, 2013
  • Market?s $20T Yielding 1% Shows Austerity Mistaken http://t.co/NnEbi5SshB Monetary policy papering over budget deficits aids stagnation $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Stock Analysts Tell All! http://t.co/I4ixQlTBeU Follow the $$ | C how analyst comp affects their actions; hedge funds matter, retail doesn’t Apr 29, 2013
  • The Mind of Jeffrey Gundlach http://t.co/aLmhR5gEuB @eddyelfenbein takes us on a brief tour of how Gundlach came 2b a clever contrarian $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Oil demand at lowest level since Oct http://t.co/X6qhQnYOS8 More signs of global sogginess $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • When Safe Havens Become Bubbles In Disguise http://t.co/XTPtp4jgGa Good article if you view the investing alternatives @ end skeptically $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Gold Rout for Central Banks Buying Most Since 1964 http://t.co/Zzkd0slUS8 Gold overshot, but negative real cost of carry favors a rise $$ Apr 28, 2013
  • Bank-Loan Funds Pose New Risks http://t.co/V0F6rX4TSV This is a minor mania — expected future returns are low to negative. Avoid. Avoid $$ Apr 27, 2013

Other

 

  • Cicadas, the Wedding Crashers Who Can Jitterbug http://t.co/jcnOqeJeY0 Will b going2an outdoor wedding in late May, should be a scream $$ 😉 May 03, 2013
  • Note, Shodan can be used positively 2 identify security flaws in your own systems 😉 $$ http://t.co/PmMo1IWcrp May 03, 2013
  • SHODAN – Computer Search Engine http://t.co/5stvEHa6Js Why be the last person on your block w/o ability to unprotected computer networks? $$ May 03, 2013
  • NO PIZZA FOR YOU!!! http://t.co/6BxRJtamn2 Mayor Bloomberg runs into his “Personal Slice Limit,” & has to go to another pizza purveyor $$ May 03, 2013
  • 5 Twitter tools to Unfollow Inactive Users http://t.co/o467OjGtgA Interesting utilities cc: @carney @reformedbroker $$ May 02, 2013
  • Billionaires Flee Havens as Trillions Pursued Offshore http://t.co/Lbmk1sofQC Politicians interested protecting tax havens 4 their owners $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Run or walk: Why science hasn?t determined which exercise is best http://t.co/nFB6BgCPzf Equal expending of calories -> similar results $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Texas Town?s Blast Crater Shows Risk From Patchwork Zoning Laws http://t.co/LHYMiBq3l7 Necessary dirty industry has 2 go somewhere $$ Apr 28, 2013
  • Can You Get a Refund From a Bad Hedge Fund? http://t.co/VO3AsaooVO If your hedge fund has lost $$, u may be able 2 rescind your purchase Apr 28, 2013
  • Are Bachelor’s Degrees Worth It? http://t.co/AxAWgZmWge Bachelor’s degrees may not b worth it, but community college can bring a return $$ Apr 28, 2013

 

Rest of the World

 

  • Too-Big-to-Fail Danish Banks Seek Bailout Text in Sifi Law http://t.co/jRJigpfsW1 Overleveraged housing sector & banks challenge Denmark $$ May 03, 2013
  • Chinese Way of Doing Business – In Cash We Trust http://t.co/pGEcUDgMTa More corrupt ur nation is, the more u want 2do cash transactions $$ May 02, 2013
  • Denmark Exhausts Stimulus Avenues as Housing Losses Persist http://t.co/MjtLztxIeg Denmark is the poster child 4 mtge excess, then Canada $$ May 02, 2013
  • Japan household spending surges as Abenomics gains momentum http://t.co/9wehqDMxde Inflation genie comes out of the bottle, what next? $$ May 01, 2013
  • Where the Chinese credit is going? http://t.co/lYHxHMCNeZ “financial distress is another reason why credit expansion has not worked well” $$ May 01, 2013
  • Why the China Dream Might Be a Mirage http://t.co/hO4YupHbJl Economic change w/o political change will not work much longer in China $$ Apr 30, 2013
  • Factories to face headwinds from enlarged TPP http://t.co/dbPXgxlqzr Chinese businesses build factories elsewhere 4 cheap labor $$ #surprise Apr 29, 2013
  • European Leaders? Softening on Austerity May Accelerate http://t.co/VnLL4Npykr Ending austerity is one thing; sharing losses is another $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Silvercrest’s Patrick Chovanec http://t.co/H2RgxU16Kq Excellent interview w/ @prchovanec on the difficulties w/old Chinese growth model $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Japan’s ‘wall of money’ proves elusive for global markets http://t.co/l9d8RVnqks So far, most of the credit inflation recycled in Japan $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • The hole the mutual fund industry has dug for itself http://t.co/MEYDxqJgy5 Huge mutual fund fees in Canada shortchange investors $$ #Wow Apr 29, 2013
  • Europe: Aging deepens debt-laden region?s economic woes http://t.co/jWqDYPaDSO Economic growth relies on a population not shrinking $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Danes as Most-Indebted in World Resist Credit http://t.co/PPfvdn12tT Denmark is the poster child 4 what happens w/2 much mortgage debt $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Japan’s Abenomics New Export By-Product: Deflation! http://t.co/0YMovyM2Br Growth does not come as more reserves build up in the banks $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Japan’s Yen Unintended Consequences – Fukushima and the Yen – Hara-Kiri http://t.co/TRqa9gjIUs Higher fuel costs begin 2 bite in Japan $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Europeans Are Thinking the Unthinkable: That Debt Defaults Might Make Sense http://t.co/BQdfWoGknw Only if u can stiff foreign creditors $$ Apr 29, 2013

 

Companies & Industries

 

  • Buffett Bets on Business Insurance ?Big Time? http://t.co/tlcMeszcWJ Rounding out underwriting book; more conservative version of $AIG $$ May 03, 2013
  • Quite a first day of trading for CST Brands, Inc. Common Stock Finance http://t.co/nFzrkovLWN Spun off from Valero | FD: + $CST & $VLO $$ May 02, 2013

?? Endurance Reports First Quarter 2013 Financial Results http://t.co/VC4x9cUQBh I have never seen an earnings beat this big b4 | FD: long $ENH May 01, 2013

  • How Wall Street Defanged Dodd-Frank http://t.co/FzgwKpOvBh Long, worth a read, describes financial industry’s strategy 2 kill Dodd-Frank $$ May 01, 2013
  • I don’t like D-F b/c it’s weak in areas that matter, & strong in areas that don’t matter. &, study committees shouldn’t have lotsa power $$ May 01, 2013
  • I was serious on that last comment. Actuaries serve as honest, semi-neutral advisors to the regulators, & have a significant ethics code $$ May 01, 2013
  • That makes insurance regulation significantly more brainy than banking regulation. Also tougher, b/c harder 2 co-opt 50 state regulators $$ May 01, 2013
  • New Ajit Jain Signals in the Berkshire Hathaway Tea Leaves http://t.co/k5sikoCKGM Is Ajit preparing 2b CEO or retire? FD: long $BRK/B $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Apple doesn’t deserve top credit rating: Fitch http://t.co/ardXsKVuoB Problem is that the $$ is overseas & the debts r in the US $AAPL Apr 29, 2013
  • Tech Stocks Are Cheapest in Seven Years http://t.co/InmrCkKmVw Question should b how sustainable revenue streams r in a soggy economy $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • States Object to ‘Payday’ Lawsuit Lending http://t.co/ZL7vvCz3GQ This looks like a good market 2 avoid; 2 much risk from legal changes $$ Apr 29, 2013

 

US Economic Policy

 

  • Deflation, not inflation, could bedevil markets http://t.co/seyOKKmSZV Watch global weakness weigh on the US, also inventory drawdowns $$ May 03, 2013
  • US Economy : 6 Critical Indicators of Potential Recession Flashing RED http://t.co/32jNZ3SNrC A stroll through the bearish economic view $$ May 03, 2013
  • A possible step towards numerical guidance for QE? http://t.co/fjNXmEMPPk Volume/Clarity of Fed communications doesn’t matter $$ #deadend May 03, 2013
  • Fed weighs tighter cap on bank leverage http://t.co/oLiw2XZdqf Maybe adapt well-designed RBC formula life insurance industry uses $$ #noway May 01, 2013
  • Obama to Name Congressman Mel Watt to Housing-Finance Post http://t.co/LClhqyLnij This seems like a mistake; Zandi would have been better $$ May 01, 2013
  • There Will Be Haircuts http://t.co/uGuDijhW7d @pimco gives 4 ways govt will fleece us: negative real rates, inflation, default, cap ctrls $$ May 01, 2013
  • Roubini: Money supplies holding back economy, but run could last 2 years http://t.co/kaoOK1Nd41 Monetary policy is weak in a liquidity trap Apr 30, 2013
  • Powerful Union, Upstart Battle Over Shrinking Pie http://t.co/z5N7DME5sT Another sign that unions are a thing of the past. Good riddance $$ Apr 30, 2013
  • Ebbing Inflation Means More Easy Money http://t.co/32RIuQeX1f Fed’s new job is 2 push the marginal productivity of capital to zero $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Wall Street is full of ‘crooks,’ Jeffrey Sachs told Philadelphia Fed audience http://t.co/V8LhcyX8qg Evidence would help, many assertions $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • US Growth comes Mostly from Inventories http://t.co/WJnRbUGfiJ The current expansion is not robust, IMO will not persist at rates >1.5% $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • The Federal Financial Triangle http://t.co/tc8vEvK7QP The Fed, the Treasury, & GSEs have mispriced financial risk -> deeper US deficits $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Are You Ready for the New Investment Tax? http://t.co/yDSIkClF5H Make a lot of many from investments? This tax could surprise u in 2014 $$ Apr 28, 2013

 

Fixed Income

?

  • DoubleLine’s Gundlach seeks more risk in new closed-end fund http://t.co/EaBoKhCGCv I like the strategy, wonder when will get 2 crowded $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Fitch US High Yield Default Insight ? March 2013 http://t.co/8KnB3v1uN7 Lots of good data on the stretched junk bond market $$ $HYG $JNK Apr 29, 2013
  • Junk Bond Daily Yield Snapshot: 5.289% (Yes, Another Record) http://t.co/1GiDYWac74 Further price gains should b incremental due 2 calls $$ Apr 29, 2013

 

At the Bloomberg Washington Summit

  • Bloomberg Washington Summit http://t.co/t1pgPaRBRg The videos from the event can be found here. 5.5 hours of video #BBwash $$ May 03, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit, Part 5 http://t.co/k3a3maTPST Alan Krueger (Chmn Council of Economic Advisers) & Other Stuff #BBwash $$ May 03, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit, Part 4 http://t.co/lQVo1drGbc Economics, US Postal Service, Lunch & China #BBwash $$ May 03, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit, Part 3 http://t.co/i3KmSxbKmz Infrastructure, Corp Tax Reform, Dodd-Frank, & Garry Gensler $$ #BBwash May 03, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit, Part 2 http://t.co/6m43ZgCm8X Unemployment, Healthcare Spending, & the State of the states $$ #BBwash May 03, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit, Part 1 http://t.co/Rjgb8zY60u US Budget, Sequester, dysfunctional politics & economics #BBwash $$ May 03, 2013
  • Back home from #BBwash, watch for a summary post later tonight at http://t.co/HQR2bRfS06 Thanks 2 @bgov, @BoozAllen, @Visa, @Bloomberg Apr 30, 2013
  • Final panel optimistic about tax reform over the next 2 years Prob over 50%. Can’t say I’m that optimistic #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • John Rogers of the CFA institute asks Q on differential taxation of dividends/interest, of course panel goes 4 ending dbl taxation #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Take back my last tweet. Panel agrees on every corporate tax cut, but shies away from anything that might affect their interest #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Final Panel at #BBWash on corporate tax reform, the significant disagreements of panelists indicate y reform will b tough Apr 30, 2013
  • Last tweet made 2 counter what the VA Governor said about his budget being balanced, along with the rest of the states #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • States only balance on a cash basis. Various pension, healthcare and other liabilities r not fully funded all states in the Union #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • VA Gov McDonnell speaking of the US “Don’t you know we are broke?” Then goes on 2 talk about our unfunded public benefit liabilities #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • VA Governor makes case that sequestration cuts r unfair b/c they disproportionately affect VA. But VA benefited when spending rose #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • #hello still waiting on sequestration’s effect on Virginia #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Waiting 2 get 2 the main topic w/the VA governor on sequestration, interviewer still grilling on perceived conflict of interest #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • @cate_long Cool, if you were here, I would say “hi.” Instead, I type “hi.” Apr 30, 2013
  • Gov McDonnell of VA speaking @ #BBWash about sequestration, Instead, gets grilled by interviewer on perceived conflicts of interest Apr 30, 2013
  • @cate_long Are you here at BBWash or watching on television? Apr 30, 2013
  • Ravitch says the threat of BK can make all of the parties focus; biggest state risk is confiscatory tax levels, not reduced benefits #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Rendell makes case 4 telling truth & shared sacrifice. Ravitch: Muni Bankruptcy is an admission that democracy has failed #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • RT @cate_long: Rendell “If city goes bankrupt cant borrow again” BBG’s Glasgall “Orange County went bankrupt and can still borrow” #bbwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Moderator makes point about the frenzy in the junk muni market, Ravitch says cities & states have no choice but 2 have access 2 mkts #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Ed Rendell makes case 4 a single payer health system. Same point can be made for no health insurance, which would lower costs more #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Pension & OPEB panel @ #BBwash is making the case that we are in deep trouble, w/little way out Apr 30, 2013
  • @cate_long Thanks, useful… Apr 30, 2013
  • @cate_long Thanks, just puzzled by the moderators comments on OPEB at this panel at #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • @cate_long Cate, most corporations don’t reserve OPEB, b/c they can walk away from it, Governments can’t do the same? Apr 30, 2013
  • @CescaAntonelli Could be, I think she is the leading candidate as well, but I don’t like her seemingly reflexive dovishness Apr 30, 2013
  • Never happened b4 2 VC RT @CescaAntonelli: Yellen has right of first refusal at Fed, Meyer says at @BBGlink #bbwash http://t.co/Qwn6MvlmVP Apr 30, 2013
  • Krueger suggests that people have to adjust their definition of fairness. Trouble is there is no fairness, it is all based on trade #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • @tomkeene brings up corporate tax code given $AAPL bond deal, Krueger says a deal can be done if the base can b broadened #BBWash #notlikely Apr 30, 2013
  • Krueger goes on talking about inequality, has few solutions; education is slow if it works, throwing $$ @ it hasn’t worked recently #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Krueger spending a lot of time criticizing the sequester, suggests there is a way to do smart cuts. When have we ever done that? #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Krueger suggests that fixing infrastructure has the highest payoff. Problem: haven’t *ever* done it, & the budget 2 deep in deficit #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Kreuger implies Stockman’s opinions r not worthy of consideration #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Delicious food & good conversation @ #BBwash lunch. Sat w/ @tomkeene & @steve_hanke Apr 30, 2013
  • @pattersonscott In my opinion, that comes down to misregulation of inv banks & AIG , they should have regulated derivs as if on B/S #bbwash Apr 30, 2013
  • @pattersonscott & I argued 4 ring-fencing the derivative counterparties, & let the holding companies fail, but had 2 have mtges fail 1st Apr 30, 2013
  • @pattersonscott derivatives did crater some companies taking one side of the mortgage trade, but mortgages had to go bad first Apr 30, 2013
  • @pattersonscott for every winner on a derivative, there is a loser. nets to zero — on the original loan there are real loan losses #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Appreciate CFTC Chairman Gensler’s sense of humor, even if it burns time… #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • #BBwash Gensler says that we will move away from Libor. Me: Any benchmark not based on trades will b gamed, as well as those based on trades Apr 30, 2013
  • @pattersonscott Some were tied to the mortgages, but the real losses came from the mortgage underwriting, which came first #bbwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Utterly mistaken RT @cedwaddell: #BBwash Gary Gensler, chair of CFTC, says 8 million jobs lost since 2008 due to unregulated swaps market Apr 30, 2013
  • Gensler traces the crisis to the derivatives markets when it was really due to bad mortgage lending #BBwash #FTL Apr 30, 2013
  • @PeterCCook Ask him why derivatives are not regulated like insurance, and require insurable interest #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • @PeterCCook Ask him why derivatives are not regulated like insurance, and require insurable interest Apr 30, 2013
  • RT @cate_long: “I believe that the role of the Post Office is universal service and overnight delivery is part of that” Sen Cardin #bbwash Apr 30, 2013
  • USPS CFO thinks there is a long-term solution, needs regulatory changes, allowing delivery of alcohol, etc. wants more independence #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • CFO of $UPS talks about two scenarios for rises in interest rates: good: improvement in productivity, bad: stagflation #BBwash #duh Apr 30, 2013
  • If business were already agreed on tax policy, tax policy would have changed already #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Mistaken concept that the business community has 1 clear goal in tax policy, one man’s tax expenditure is more valuable than others #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Eclectic panel Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Kurt Kuehn, CFO UPS & Joseph Corbett, CFO & EVP, USPS — don’t think this goes far #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • PA gov Corbett leaves benefits/fees of fracking to local governments where it is needed #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Corbett wants to be the “Texas” of Natgas, TX ain’t what it used 2b #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • 1 in 6 people in PA on Medicaid would b 1 in 4 under Obamacare, according2 Tom Corbett, PA 2nd highest in Medicaid b/c optional covs #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • @fbonacci @incakolanews @felixsalmon Easy come, easy go, little high, little low… nothing really matters, anyone can see… Apr 30, 2013
  • At #BBwash , Tom Corbett talks about selling the state liquor stores, when it barely moves the needle in terms of the NPV of the liabs Apr 30, 2013
  • John Rogers of the CFA Institute asks Engle why we should invest in a new bubble created by the Federal Reserve? Engle waffles. #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • @incakolanews Galileo, Galileo, will you let me go? Apr 30, 2013
  • Engle correct in noting that the tea party has made washington a 3-party game, which creates a complex blocked situation #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Gotta give Scaramucci credit for getting on this #BBWash panel, he has said some notably odd things Apr 30, 2013
  • Federal Reserve less independent since Dodd-Frank, & not in a good way, it supports the US financial sector & government #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Pitt: if I were a college professor, I would give Congress an “F” 4 Dodd-Frank #BBWash Apr 30, 2013
  • Humorous panel w/Harvey Pitt, Robert Engle, and Anthony Scaramucci — Engle is clueless, thinking Fed policy can b easily removed #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • Wargaming in economics is impossible; there is no way to predict next economic crisis, writ small. Overlevered systems r risky #BBwash $$ Apr 30, 2013
  • Too much discussion over bailing out the system. Too little discussion over how to limit overall debt and debt complexity #BBWash $$ Apr 30, 2013
  • Good discussion @ #BBwash where they describe how more complex laws & regulations make markets more complex rather than clear $$ #worse Apr 30, 2013
  • Panel on Dodd-Frank arguing about bank capital, arguing that higher capital isn’t so bad. #BBwash $$ That said, liquidity is more important Apr 30, 2013
  • Panel on Dodd-Frank arguing about bank capital, arguing that higher capital isn’t so bad. #BBwah $$ That said, liquidity is more important Apr 30, 2013
  • Really disappointed in the lack of reasoning from Larry Meyer, not disappointed in Chris van Hollen, nothing to expect there $$ #BBwash Apr 30, 2013
  • At the Bloomberg Washington Summit: definitely a liberal bias to first two panels, saying that the current deficits must continue #BBWash $$ Apr 30, 2013

?

Wrong

  • Wrong: Fed Seen Slowing Stimulus With QE Cut by End of This Year http://t.co/h2ckgPDc3e Sorry, but the Fed will increase its QE in 2013 $$ May 02, 2013
  • Wrong: Europe?s New Path: Austerity with a Human Face http://t.co/HXzbWFx2v9 Real austerity hasn’t been tried yet, only debt monetization $$ Apr 29, 2013
  • Wrong: ?Peak Fossil Fuels? Is Closer Than You Think: BNEF – Bloomberg http://t.co/XoKYF1qoEW No way; governments of world won’t cooperate $$ Apr 28, 2013
  • New York Times Moves Toward Netflix Model as Ads Tumble http://t.co/rHrbxxAe8e I think $NYT is eventually a zero as the internet eats it $$ Apr 28, 2013

?

Replies, Retweets & Comments

  • 5.5% annualized growth $$ RT @EddyElfenbein: Nominal S&P 500 earnings are expected to be roughly double this year compared with 2000 May 03, 2013
  • @EddyElfenbein http://t.co/FvBzLDzuGI On the IBM Industrial Average, where I propose the News Corp Industrial Average May 03, 2013
  • @H_X_S Thanks, Janetter looks interesting. May 03, 2013
  • Liked the old Tweetdeck better $$ RT @danprimack: Does Twitter know that some of us probably would have paid to keep tweetdeck alive? May 03, 2013
  • @AndreCimini It’s all a part of the current “race to the bottom” monetary policy game. Trying to figure out how this one blows up May 03, 2013
  • @fsmontenegro Thanks, missed that, relied on a friend May 03, 2013
  • ‘ @JayLeonard No doubt, & realize these are marginal rates, which few pay because of the Swiss cheese nature of the corp tax code $$ May 03, 2013
  • @alestuma I get that — that’s y some investors co-locate servers at the exchanges. But not getting the same feed initially is different May 02, 2013
  • ‘ @WarrenBuffett Good 4u, Mr. Buffett. We all await your wise counsel, especially me, a student of yours & a shareholder. $$ FD: + $BRK.B May 02, 2013
  • @TheStalwart I don’t think much happened overnight, but I did publish a five piece set of articles on the Bloomberg Washington Summit May 02, 2013
  • @notgunnamatta Yes May 02, 2013
  • @dpinsen There r no good solutions in the bust. The only sane thing is to try to prevent booms from getting out of control, a la Martin $$ May 02, 2013
  • @CardiffGarcia If I had the data, would be interesting to try a parabolic fit, & look at the coefficients, looks like it would flop May 01, 2013
  • @rubicon59 @PlanMaestro @SajKarsan I think I was the only one that did public analyses of the 3 Maiden Lane trusts, but I was wrong there 2 May 01, 2013
  • @rubicon59 @PlanMaestro @SajKarsan Yes, I did; I presumed that the really junky assets that they had would default far more than they did May 01, 2013
  • Cool $$ RT @jasonzweigwsj: our great Fed-speak comparison machine: see how the FOMC’s statements change over time http://t.co/CubyVqQ6KL May 01, 2013
  • @Matthew_C_Klein Next in line r colonialists who exploited Belgium/Congo, Germany/SW Africa, Spanish in the new World, Black Slavery $$ May 01, 2013
  • @Matthew_C_Klein Historically, it is fascinating how many attempts at forced collectivization led to massive deaths, Ukraine, Cambodia $$ May 01, 2013
  • His rhetoric usually leaves me cold $$ RT @TheStalwart: Some folks asking who, exactly, Krugman has persuaded. Fair question. May 01, 2013
  • @Matthew_C_Klein I’ve seen higher estimates on the deaths c book “Hungry Ghosts;” the statistics r hard 2 come by; most don’t want 2 talk $$ May 01, 2013
  • “Any anomaly can be overfished. The low volatility anomaly was one of the more durable ones, but?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/syjdr5nHDU May 01, 2013
  • @CFAevents Honored that you would mention me. Thanks. Osband’s book was one of the best I have read on the topic. May 01, 2013
  • @djoalpha11 @tomkeene What flash crash? Apr 30, 2013
  • @csissoko But most of the issuance of bad mtges were prime, not subprime — the issuance of Fannie & Freddie were more responsible 4 crisis Apr 30, 2013
  • @csissoko Yes, the lust for yield drove willingness to enter into CDS, taking risk, receiving premium, which led some issuance of bad mtges Apr 30, 2013
  • @Nonrelatedsense I read otherwise in an article yesterday… but thanks for the correction Apr 30, 2013
  • Apologies, you are right RT @Nonrelatedsense: @AlephBlog DSL is absolutely a Closed End Fund. Prospectus: http://t.co/vXcUpTEZi9 Apr 30, 2013
  • @Nonrelatedsense It’s an ETF, not a CEF Apr 30, 2013
  • Also leads 2 creation of more shares, grows the fund $$ RT @vzban123: Per doubline website, IPO price is almost 5% premium to NAV. Apr 29, 2013
  • Yeh, saw that. Just another symptom of yield lust. $$ RT @vzban123: @AlephBlog Per doubline website, IPO price is almost 5% premium to NAV Apr 29, 2013
  • It’s a great job if you have the skills to get it; it’s even better if you have business skills as well… http://t.co/ji5jgSLPA9 Apr 29, 2013
  • @aneiro Any stats on what %age of the market is trading to call, rather than maturity? Apr 29, 2013
  • @codywillard I suspect there r a lot of games going on w/ETPs, certainly in Europe, regulation is tighter here, collateral issues & arb Apr 29, 2013
  • @codywillard I was against the bailouts dear friend; what I puzzle over is how many games r *presently* being played on Wall Street Apr 29, 2013
  • @EddyElfenbein model 2 minimizes the sum of squared ratios between actual & modeled prices. Model 2 more reliable, IMO, though fits worse Apr 29, 2013
  • @EddyElfenbein model 1 minimizes the sum of squared differences between actual & modeled prices. Apr 29, 2013
  • @Jesse_Livermore Emerging Market Government Bonds, maybe Long Treasuries — it is a deflationary environment, kinda, maybe, sorta, meh $$ Apr 27, 2013

 

FWIW

  • My week on twitter: 47 retweets received, 48 new followers, 89 mentions. Via: http://t.co/cPSEMLXpb8 May 02, 2013

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Sorted Weekly Tweets

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Eurozone

 

  • Danske Bank?s Patience With Moody?s Evaporates http://t.co/eGbf3kV5 Questions over willingness of Denmark to provide support in a crisis. May 11, 2012
  • CIC Stops Buying Europe Government Debt on Crisis Concern http://t.co/dljk9Tau Overblown; China will return to funding the Eurozone $$ May 10, 2012
  • Greeks May Hold $510 Billion Trump Card in Renegotiation http://t.co/P7U4LSpG Depends on how well Core EZone banks have divested Greece $$ May 10, 2012
  • Spanish Banks Erode Creditors With ECB Loans http://t.co/HaEx3bgT Better collateral highly encumbered; Unsec debts implicitly subord 2 ECB May 10, 2012
  • Greece Euro-Exit Debate Goes Public http://t.co/0xOgsa7G Core Eurozone wrestles w/how to kick Greece out, even though they can’t. $$ May 10, 2012
  • How a Radical Greek Rescue Plan Fell Short http://t.co/Ds0589IG Greece is failing as a culture due2 corruption; no rescue would work $$ May 10, 2012
  • Denmark?s Banks Endure Writedown Shock Delaying Recovery http://t.co/A2Vdpymn Good sign on Denmark; take pain early -> in good shape $$ May 10, 2012
  • Greek Election Surprise Rejects ?Barbarism? of Bailout Austerity http://t.co/oX0nt5SF Growth is magic, magic I tell u! Just invoke it! $$ May 08, 2012
  • Merkozy End Means Franco-German Gulf; Greek Voters Rebel http://t.co/iCd0Cs6l Loss of Sarkozy may not b bad, but Greek paralysis will b $$ May 08, 2012
  • Francois Hollande has ten weeks to avert a French bond crisis http://t.co/3SEAWJB5 When few adults r in the room the children run wild $$ May 08, 2012
  • Challenge to Austerity, And Germany, Is Sharpened http://t.co/BWbgQJ85 The odds have risen that Germany will leave the Eurozone $$ May 08, 2012
  • Obvious but it needs 2b said $$ RT @Hawk100Clemens: Mauldin tells #CFA12 every monetary union in history has failed. May 07, 2012
  • France faces 40pc house price slump http://t.co/nPuMaVnJ If French banks have trouble now, just wait until the bad mortgage debt hits $$ May 06, 2012

 

JP Morgan

 

  • What Beached the London Whale? Credit Indices http://t.co/JKFxfaMb Crosshedging long credit risk by buying protection on an index? $$ May 11, 2012
  • J.P. Morgan Trades In Its Crown http://t.co/QUJ6hmoA That goes for firms and CEOs as well: $JPM and Jamie Dimon will not get free passes May 11, 2012
  • Drew Built 30-Yr JPMorgan Career Embracing Risk http://t.co/uocyyVC1 Lifetime 2build reputation; few years 2destroy it; revealed: 1 day $$ May 11, 2012
  • And the best way to reduce risk is to lower leverage & raise cash $$ RT @marydchilds: “The best way to hedge something is to get rid of it.” May 11, 2012

 

Facebook

 

  • Facebook Co-Founder Saverin Gives Up U.S. Citizenship Before IPO http://t.co/kL1VQYXU Cuts down on the tax bill; discount prior 2 IPO $$ May 11, 2012
  • Facebook IPO Said to Get Weaker-Than-Forecast Demand http://t.co/ktK5Bgun $FB faces slowing revenue growth, order books 4 IPO go slack $$ May 11, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

  • Google?s Brin Makes Strides in Hunt for Parkinson?s Cure http://t.co/YvL4LUNA He may get it one day; his Mother already has Parkinson’s $$ May 11, 2012
  • And also for those who call vegetables “veggies?” RT @jasonWSJ: Can we impose a $40 fine on dudes who refer to sandwiches as “sammies”? May 10, 2012
  • Firefox browser group irked with Microsoft, Windows 8 http://t.co/tBZ9GFuw Only Internet Explorer runs on Windows 8; expect some lawsuits $$ May 10, 2012
  • Aluminum Buyers in Japan to Pay Record Fee on Supply Drop http://t.co/7AVU1knI Smelting capacity reduced, China buys more, Japan pays up May 10, 2012
  • @RobTheStreet A lot depends on the definition of marriage, Would you allow people to marry inanimate objects, animals, or multiple parties? May 09, 2012
  • Brookstone to sell Lilliputian portable power chargers, this year http://t.co/FnSvdfOw Impressive technology if it works. $$ May 08, 2012
  • Economy Reshapes Wisconsin Recall Vote http://t.co/G0OetHhV My wife and father were forced in2 unions by collectivist brutes. Go Walker! May 08, 2012
  • Father?s Shadow as Transit Leader Hard to Evade for Shuster http://t.co/0FAZUqd4 Bud Shuster is a jerk, forcing us through Breezewood $$ May 08, 2012
  • Kellogg?s Kashi Targeted as Web Food Fighting Escalates http://t.co/BNhf5294 We need 2 send a lot of people back 4 science reeducation May 08, 2012

 

Rest of the World

 

  • Sony, Panasonic Fall to 30-Year Lows as TV Losses Mount http://t.co/Euo37RLQ Sold Panasonic after reviewing uneconomic “green” agenda $$ May 11, 2012
  • Kim Jong Un Bashes ?Pathetic? North Korea Fun Park http://t.co/gb4S9HBc He should know; he lived outside NK, where there is real fun $$ May 10, 2012
  • Sukhoi SuperJet Disappears During Indonesia Demo Flight http://t.co/0JrxAkAw Another sign of degraded Russian abilities in aerospace $$ May 10, 2012
  • Bad H/L: Shooting to Kill Pirates Risks Blackwater Moment http://t.co/laW55VEo Correct H/L: Hiring Armed Guards protects cargoes &crews $$ May 10, 2012
  • Drug-Defying Germs From India Speed Post-Antibiotic Era http://t.co/XGeno5mf Long. Scariest article of the day; wash your hands w/soap $$ May 08, 2012
  • Israel Pyramid Rules Turn Insurers Into Buyout Targets http://t.co/4tXBqehx Interesting:

Israel is limiting holding company levels to 3 $$ May 10, 2012

  • UK Pay Protests Oust Aviva Chief http://t.co/WKVdmQGM I remember when they overpaid for Amerus Life in the US; sign of bad management $$ May 10, 2012

 

 

Energy

 

  • RT @merrillmatter: @AlephBlog Methinks we’ll need to see some epic blowouts in natgas space (ha ha) before supply/demand can come back i … May 10, 2012
  • Chesapeake Deals Carry $1.4 Billion in Undisclosed Liability http://t.co/UFohsseZ $CHK May b worth a look when things stop getting worse May 10, 2012
  • When the Exxon way stops working http://t.co/BgN2zLO6 $XOM learns 2b more cooperative w/foreign countries where it wants 2 explore 4 oil $$ May 08, 2012
  • Argentina Taps Ex-Schlumberger Executive Galuccio to Run YPF http://t.co/j5P1oyoS Possibly a good choice to run the purloined company $$ May 08, 2012

 

Fixed Income

 

  • Still time to make money in Treasury bonds http://t.co/ABl43gzM The depressionary bull case 4 long T-bonds; D. Rosenberg & Lacy Hunt $$ May 10, 2012
  • Why Emerging Market Corporate Bond ETFs are Hot http://t.co/tWvz0sif High USD yield, but be wary. Laws governing creditor rights vary $$ May 10, 2012
  • In other words, the 30-year Tsy sold well today b/c some seek Depression insurance & others hedge convexity or immunize long liabilities $$ May 10, 2012
  • Treasuries Pare Losses as Europe Concern Aids Sale http://t.co/C7jytF08 Investors make sure they get income 4 30-yrs & $$ back when old May 10, 2012
  • S&P Warns Of $46T Perfect Credit Storm http://t.co/jZTbvy42 If companies have adequate cash flows from operations, this is not an issue. May 10, 2012

 

Canada

 

  • In Canada, Alternate Currency Keeps Traction With Fans http://t.co/ePyXRH1f Paper Money, Issued by Canadian Tire, Is Popular Way 2Pay $$ May 11, 2012
  • Revisit after their housing bubble pops RT @vgmac: There is a lot of love for Canada’s banking system here at the Chicago Fed conferences $$ May 10, 2012
  • @vgmac Then again, at the first Treasury/blogger summit I told them they should imitate the Canadian regulators and central bankers. #canada May 10, 2012
  • Canada Housing Bubble Concern Shown in Insurer Query http://t.co/kGHcqgDE Should the Canadian govt try2exit the mortgage insurance biz? $$ May 10, 2012
  • CMHC Says Capital Levels “Double” OSFI Requirements http://t.co/R4p5TuBO F&F also had capital far higher than their disaster level $$ May 08, 2012

 

Cisco Systems

 

  • Cisco shares drop on tech spending worries http://t.co/06maBaX4 Global economic weakness feeds into tech firms that sell much abroad $$ May 10, 2012
  • @ampressman Cramer said something like, “It’s not a growth company if they have to talk about the economy, weather, industry factors, etc.” May 10, 2012
  • @ampressman $AAPL is a growth company, at least for now, $CSCO was a growth company somewhere in the last 15 years… May 10, 2012

 

Delta Air Lines

 

  • Buy Delta Air Lines: Trainer Refinery Purchase & Improving Financials Will Lift The Stock http://t.co/W7YeEmgb Poorly reasoned thesis $$ May 08, 2012
  • Remember when $DD bot Conoco? There would b synergies in petrochemicals. $DD bot it at the peak, spit it out at the bottom $$ #limitscope May 08, 2012
  • $DAL substitutes risk in jet fuel pricing 4 risks in crude oil, gasoline, heating oil prices, & operational risk in a biz it doesn’t know $$ May 08, 2012
  • @The_Analyst Agreed, though enough capacity has come out of the industry through mergers that they might finally c some pricing power $$ May 08, 2012

 

US Housing

 

  • 5 Pitfalls of Home Refinancing http://t.co/ZxGUF3HM Longer maturity, Closing costs, Contract terms, Hidden fees, Appraisals $$ May 10, 2012
  • Look Who?s Pushing Homeowners Off the Foreclosure Cliff http://t.co/T6CBkUAt Mtge docs exist to protect the lender’s property interest $$ May 08, 2012
  • RE: @bloombergview Read any mortgage contract; it exists to protect the rights of lenders, including protecting the m? http://t.co/ob9eIcBt May 08, 2012
  • No Repeating Slowdown Seen by U.S. With Banks to Housing http://t.co/A0LNwrjh While hi % of mtges r underwater, finl stress will remain $$ May 08, 2012
  • Pimco Housing Bear Kiesel Says It?s Time to Start Buying http://t.co/f3zaBNZA He assumes dark supply will hang on for higher prices. $$ May 06, 2012

 

US Regulation

 

  • Maybe to be perfectly fair, the government releases the data on a website at midnight ET, long before the US markets ? http://t.co/9Zqniljs May 10, 2012
  • A Jury of Peers for Broker Disputes http://t.co/5Ly14oKJ The playing field may be more even now; odds r still stacked against investors May 10, 2012
  • Congress Seeks Postal Overhaul While Making It Impossible http://t.co/lvcEBxmw The real danger is after reduction, PS is less relevant $$ May 10, 2012
  • US Millionaires Told Go Away as Tax Evasion Rule Looms http://t.co/Tx6lr1Bl Fewer foreign banks will accept accts w/US citizens/firms $$ May 10, 2012

 

Berkshire Hathaway

?

  • Biggest Buffett Targets Seen Spanning Deere to Henkel http://t.co/dLbp9pic Muses about what Buffett would buy 2 eclipse BNSF $$ May 08, 2012
  • +1 RT @Kevin_Holloway: Good read on possibilities of recent $BRK.B purchases among some other gd thoughts by @AlephBlog http://t.co/xkN8SlXu May 08, 2012
  • Deep in the Insurance Weeds at Berkshire Hathaway http://t.co/GkH9oWBo This helps explain the life reinsurance losses at $BRKB. LTC $$ May 08, 2012
  • Buffett understands tech. But he searches for revenue streams that can’t easily be obsoleted. $AAPL & $GOOG could be ? http://t.co/VyOnKUTy May 07, 2012

?

Market Dynamics

 

  • World?s Simplest Stock Valuation Measure http://t.co/OvmQTmHs Growth Rate/2 + 8 = PE Ratio; @eddyelfenbein & his conservative PE formula $$ May 10, 2012
  • Dole Food Breakup Seen Bearing Fruit With 58% Return http://t.co/C4SvaNvw Can $DOLE become a high margin biz, & pay down debt? $$ May 10, 2012

 

Financial Sector

 

  • What about front-running? $$ RT @abnormalreturns: @MebFaber: Nail in the Mutual Fund Coffin (NAV Based ETF Trading) http://t.co/SZ3CbIY3 May 08, 2012
  • BTW, for those holding dividend funds, back in 1994, stock managers following a yield strategy got crushed. $$ #annushorribilisforbonds May 08, 2012
  • The Dangers of Dividend Funds http://t.co/5WSdEFwN Dividend funds may b safer than other stock funds, r still stock funds w/real risk $$ May 08, 2012
  • True 4 many $$ RT @ReformedBroker: ?Daddy, what do you do at your job?? http://t.co/mxrcVyhm May 08, 2012
  • BofA?s New Black-Belt Data Chief Targets Blinding Gaps http://t.co/P60yhtAk Merger integration didn’t happen in $BAC ‘s IT areas $$ #mess May 08, 2012
  • Billion-Dollar Traders Quit Wall Street for Hedge Funds http://t.co/2yFJ2JXr Volcker Rule reducing dealer-driven market liquidity $$ May 08, 2012
  • Flash-Crash Story Looks More Like a Fairy Tale http://t.co/0mBQDGKZ Still a mystery; but4any self-feeding panic, players leaning wrong way May 08, 2012
  • Almost Half of Finance Graduates Seek New Jobs, PwC Says http://t.co/YUuH9KJl The bubble in financial jobs has popped, decamp 2 other inds May 08, 2012
  • ?Where is Everybody?? http://t.co/7YPOcMUb Little retail participation is bullish; it means that only the relatively smart $$ is playing May 08, 2012
  • 50 Ways to Restore Trust in the Investment Industry http://t.co/VHhllKyp The CFA Institute gathers opinions from members on cleaning up $$ May 08, 2012
  • RE: @bloombergview Equity is more expensive than other types of bank capital; raising the cost of capital means fewer? http://t.co/qPvVygll May 07, 2012
  • Heat’s on Triparty Repos http://t.co/7Jk7DrTS Fed Is Pressing Big Players to Reduce Exposures to $1.7 Trillion Market $$ May 06, 2012

 

Company Specific

 

  • How Hewlett-Packard lost its way http://t.co/pA683e3H Very long & ugly article about board & mgmt dysfunction @ $HPQ. FD: +$HPQ 4 me&clients May 08, 2012
  • A Real Concern For Apple?s Stock: Telecom Carriers Threaten to Kill Subsidies on Phones http://t.co/JlQwSDAq Interesting thesis $$ May 08, 2012
  • AMR Said to Seek More Overseas Flights as Suitor Circles http://t.co/eUHdHju4 $LCC wins more backing, could allow filing another plan $$ May 08, 2012

 

Politics

  • Exodus From Tiburon to Texarkana Is Exaggerated http://t.co/nsyd3QjF Truth is, people & firms r sticky, until they finally get fed up! $$ May 10, 2012
  • If we do not discipline ourselves, the bond market will discipline us $$ RT @carney: Why the left will keeping winning. http://t.co/kJcfgEt4 May 08, 2012
  • Too bad, we need a better opponent to Obama $$ RT @BloombergNews: Breaking: Santorum Endorses Former Rival Romney as Republican Nominee May 08, 2012
  • Don’t Worry (About GDP), Be Happy http://t.co/BaSDMbTM GDP approximates economic growth; more subjective progress measures r ridiculous May 08, 2012
  • @justinwolfers Last thing we need on the Fed is another neoclassical Ph. D. economist. Let’s try some brainy generalists, value investors $$ May 07, 2012
  • @GaelicTorus @justinwolfers All I am saying is value investors understand how the economy works better than neoclassical economists do $$ May 07, 2012
  • Disabled Americans Shrink Size of U.S. Labor Force http://t.co/NX6ZzCjK I still resent former neighbor on SSD, putting Xmas lights on roof May 06, 2012
  • But are they ending with an accrual basis surplus, not just a cash surplus? That’s the question. http://t.co/uGa7WX14 May 06, 2012
Recent Sorted Tweets

Recent Sorted Tweets

Finance Business

 

  • Breaking Ranks: Former Broker Turns Bomb Thrower http://t.co/q1vpz9dh @reformedbroker interview previews his book: http://t.co/Yigg2sEE $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • Why CLO managers continue to struggle http://t.co/a13j8jVG Low issuance, warehousing is tough, need more subordination, fewer senior buyers Feb 24, 2012
  • My Favorite Quote from Baupost’s 2011 Annual Letter http://t.co/VOvbqab3 DIstressed bond mgrs get itchy in bull phase & buy new junk @ par Feb 24, 2012
  • SEC IFRS Plan Endorsement http://t.co/8xguvs2G IFRS is not worth giving up comparability or sovereignty for. Project is a total loser. $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • Very cool, congrats RT @Finovate: @AlphaClone to offer Alternative Alpha ETF from U.S. Bancorp http://t.co/srufb3qd Feb 23, 2012
  • SEC May Ticket Speeding Traders http://t.co/oNCbF7pa Worthy of an experiment like the kind they did to study the “uptick rule” $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • AQR?s Aaron Brown on Red-Blooded Risk http://t.co/ZM7hn5P4 When I was a bond mgr, could sense some aspects of risk listening 2 broker’s tone Feb 23, 2012
  • The Volcker Rule is not going to bring your house back http://t.co/ADKMABfE Prop trading was not a leading cause of the financial crisis. $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • Pimco Said to Quit Mortgage Bond Group http://t.co/YsQZs1IE Feels wrong parties (their clients) r paying 4 bad servicing,instead of banks Feb 23, 2012
  • ?If you want, I can dig up an old research piece on analyst coverage — there are basically 3 factors that explain 70? http://t.co/tBinshJJ Feb 21, 2012
  • Stressed VAR is still a “protractor in the jungle” http://t.co/GRGgwvsd Risk management sh/not b done w/central measures but stress tests $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • How One Company Teaches Employees the ABCs of Finance http://t.co/fqO19foq More companies should do this, they would b more profitable. $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Gross Fund at 66% Premium Shows Pimco Allure in Quest for Yield http://t.co/LY8Rv4SS Yield illusion distracts many investors. Avoid it. $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • Read:Which three of DOL’s new 401(k) rules represent the biggest land mines for financial advisors and plan sponsors? http://t.co/ZVoMPmQu Feb 15, 2012
  • The 400% Man http://t.co/nrRhYIZl Wish I could meet some of his disappointed investors who came to kick the tires and were disappointed. Feb 15, 2012
  • Contra:Foot-Dragging on IFRS Decision Could Strip SEC of Power http://t.co/VNUFhWD5 The US could lose representation on IASB. Good, drop out Feb 14, 2012
  • Notes from iGlobal’s Global Distressed Investing Summit: Part 2 http://t.co/9iOty0Iz Leveraged loan market seems to be in decent shape $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • Pimco: $25 Billion Foreclosure Deal to Hit Pensions Harder Than Banks http://t.co/DKFtMI9B Gives MBS buyers a reason 2 sue originators $$ Feb 13, 2012
  • Missing at MF: $1.6 Billion http://t.co/QSUMYbNO Included for the 1st time is roughly $700 million in client money residing in the UK $$ Feb 13, 2012
  • Stockbrokers: A Guide to Private Placement Due Diligence http://t.co/tbwtu6Jy Illiquid investments are ways to cheat average people. $$ Feb 11, 2012
  • Why illiquid? Can’t recover the commission otherwise.? Can deceive people that their investment is worth more than it? http://t.co/cYjvUhWx Feb 11, 2012

 

Market Strategy

 

  • Jim Stack was right, and he?s still bullish http://t.co/GfEqtTKl Basically a forward P/E plus momentum argument, & lack of sharp falls $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • S&P 500 Gets 9% Cheaper on Record Profits http://t.co/DWPGz5Y2 Makes a P/E argument; profit mrgns will eventually revert, may take a while Feb 23, 2012
  • The dangers of dividend-paying stocks http://t.co/FymTmAAi Hint: they are stocks. No maturity date, no certain cash flow, low BK priority $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • Falkenblog: Low Vol Commodity Timing Strategy http://t.co/M4FFRoCx Low volatility seems to work in a large number of areas, this is one $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • Retro Investing?Look Back to Get Ahead http://t.co/vYiPCu9J The 50s, w/post-WWII financial repression, recurs as a current investing meme $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • The Intelligent Investor: Are Index Funds Messing Up the Markets? http://t.co/VAoFtksw May also be traders following each other $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • If history is any indication, high dividend stock outperformance should continue http://t.co/C5GaWmW8 Uses 40s & 50s as analogy $$ Feb 20, 2012
  • Breakout or consolidation? http://t.co/GTSkBjIT Many market seem to be at inflection points. Which way will they go? Wildcards: EZone, China Feb 20, 2012
  • RE: @alea_ Interesting analysis.? I would be wary of teasing too much out of the cluster analysis of sector correlati? http://t.co/zirdOJ8v Feb 18, 2012
  • MORGAN STANLEY: January Exhibited This Tell-Tale Sign Of A Market Top http://t.co/IQqidpUE When everything rises at once, look out! $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Apple Stock May Not Be as Cheap as It Looks http://t.co/2dgfjfPq Earnings quality has declined, and so has the PE multiple $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • @ampressman Common summary stat 4 acctg quality 4 $AAPL Net Operating Accruals / Assets, has been deteriorating 4 last 7 years + Feb 18, 2012
  • @ampressman $AAPL acctg used to be very conservative, now modestly liberal by that statistic. It’s a bad direction, not a bad position, yet Feb 18, 2012
  • Should the Rich Invest Like Colleges? http://t.co/M9OaPEPA Better question: what are your goals? Do you have an infinite horizon? $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • High Yield Bonds as Equity Indicator | The Reformed Broker http://t.co/OXUtZrWG Meet my friends & former colleagues Ed Meigs & Sean Slein $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • When Earnings Slow, Focus on Big Cap, Quality http://t.co/zjD3RPKA High quality is the place to be at present, credit cycle shifting some $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • A Lesser Known Indicator http://t.co/8oivTJFl Cash enters market through IPOs, employee grants, & exits through cash buyouts, buybacks $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • Parabolas have 2 end somewhere $$ RT @ReformedBroker: $AAPL sold off because people were getting impatient with how slowly it was moving up. Feb 15, 2012
  • FPA Capital?s Bryan Beats Peers Embracing Oil Volatility http://t.co/7ebuGmrb A clever focus on absolute retruns, w/a long horizon $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • Paulson Gives Activism a Go http://t.co/dkHb3cht Not as easy as it looks w/ $HIG. Acctg may not fairly capture variable liabilities $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • RE: @SoberLook DB hedges its bets.? Average years rarely happen in high yield, they are either good or bad. http://t.co/0C51uulu Feb 14, 2012
  • THE 1987 MYTH?. http://t.co/mHSU4nM3 ?Illusion of stability within disequilibrium? Very well said, in one short phrase. $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • America Inc. Faces Margin Stall http://t.co/RbqvqbT9 US companies have begun to see rising costs eat into the bottom line. Finally. $$ Feb 13, 2012
  • Hulbert: Insiders Selling at Heavy Pace http://t.co/qOPk2cbY Just another straw blowing in the wind, but insiders usually have good sense $$ Feb 10, 2012

 

Greece

 

  • Greek PSI outcomes tree: credit event probability at 93% http://t.co/jcLBc04c Clever grraphic shows high likelihood of Gk CDS triggering. $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • The market is now pricing in Greek sovereign CDS trigger http://t.co/w5vJ42Fa Upfront prices for Greek CDS moving up $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Despite Pact, Unease Lingers for Greece http://t.co/Urp7mmag “Many Problems Remain Even Under Best-Case Scenarios” Shrink, shrink… $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Greek Rescue Is Not the End of the Story http://t.co/IOCVcCTb Won’t save Greece on its own & there r other fringe nations 2 deal with $$ Feb 20, 2012
  • ECB Greek Plan May Hurt Bondholders While Triggering Debt Swaps http://t.co/Aya9urfV ECB may get better treaqtment than private holders $$ Feb 20, 2012
  • So, what would your plan for Greece be? http://t.co/SAd2f28O Play the game, and let Keynes sneer @ u as u attempt 2 solve the impossible $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Greek Economy Shrinking Rapidly http://t.co/VzXi375M And it may shrink more rapidly depending on what the rest of Europe does $$ Feb 14, 2012

 

Eurozone

 

  • ECB’s Mario Draghi magic corrupts bond markets http://t.co/r0ZCmYpb Banks become dependent on ECB, bank bondholders more subordinated $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • European Banks May Tap ECB for $629 Billion Cash http://t.co/Re5TjLR5 ?There is a ?lose-lose? air around the ECB?s auction next week,? $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • The Eurozone should be prepared for a new government in France http://t.co/qGFPC20S And that govt will be more hostile to current actions $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Spain Sinks Deeper Into Periphery on Debt Rise http://t.co/wkuef6tS As debts grow higher, the probability of escape gets lower. $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Iron Lady Merkel Bucks German Street on Greek Aid http://t.co/Wc95xI47 Strategy working 4 now, but what if colleagues lose their seats? $$ Feb 20, 2012
  • Moody?s Cuts European Sovereigns http://t.co/GvJuES7t Spain, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia & Malta all cut. France & UK -> neg outlook Feb 15, 2012
  • Unlisted in euroland http://t.co/AQQrJMUf Didn’t catch this in Jan. Private bonds can offered 2 ECB as collateral; helps French banks $$ Feb 13, 2012

 

The Well-off Fringe Nations

 

  • Icelandic Anger Brings Debt Forgiveness http://t.co/P4BH8HKN If the debt problem is not severe, austerity. If it is severe (Iceland) default Feb 22, 2012
  • Nordic Currencies Stung in Crisis http://t.co/teorxG1P Much of the world, looking for a store of value, drive fringe currencies up $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • Canada housing market: poised 4 ‘severe correction,’ George Athanassakos says http://t.co/05kaVIAD Canada is used to the boom/bust cycle $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • @joshuademasi You’re right, but most of the fringe currencies are facing the same dilemma; who to favor, consumers vs exporters, etc… $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • Israel Safest as Investors Discount War Threat http://t.co/3oXTlILj Well-capitalized banks & balanced economy w/much high tech $$ #warrisk Feb 20, 2012
  • A hedge fund bets big on a Canadian mega quarry http://t.co/k7OZBC9u Property rights r tough here. What if an existing farmer tried this? $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Australia?s Gillard Urged to Increase Mortgage Purchases http://t.co/ylsCuvq4 A mistake, far better to let the market fail. $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • You’re right, reminds me of an old piece I wrote: http://t.co/XkgO7z7A Thanks $$ RT @joshuademasi: The 5 stages of USD grieving ! Feb 15, 2012
  • Norway?s Rate Policy Dilemma Pits Household Debt Against Krone ?Headache? http://t.co/Ud4FCOsI Cut rates, asset bubble grows, Krone weakens Feb 15, 2012

 

 

China

 

  • Plan B for China’s Wealthy: Moving to the U.S., Europe http://t.co/X9jRPy6q Wealthy Chinese know their govt, thus the need for flight $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • China?s FDI and Trade Outlook Horrible Says Commerce Spokesperson http://t.co/LIlvmxIL Hard 4 Comm Party 2command domestic consumption up $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • ‘Mother of all bubbles’ will pop China stocks: GMO http://t.co/OMENKZOI Low prob: China successfully navigating soft landing out of a bubble Feb 18, 2012
  • China’s excess exports turn negative http://t.co/CiLgTKqC Key Q: how will China grow its economy by stimulating domestic consumption? $$ #uh Feb 18, 2012
  • Too many bearish on China, but I’m bearish also.? What to do? Seek out China bulls.? If their arguments sound dumb, d? http://t.co/vrhUIdsh Feb 17, 2012
  • The Silent Victims of the U.S.-China Currency War http://t.co/6DXAnE3m Smaller nations get caught in crossfire of competitive devaluation $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • China’s Military Spending to Double by 2015 http://t.co/5Va8kiLr I think it take some losses before DC takes this seriously. $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • China?s Tenuous Hold on Peace http://t.co/dOFr68tL Tibet is restive, China blames its problems on the economic mismanagement of foreigners Feb 14, 2012
  • Glimpses of a Chinese Town Under Lockdown http://t.co/AFoW0zsM some reporters managed to get there to document the heavy security presence Feb 14, 2012
  • Liu Mingkang Outlines the Reforms China needs to Undertake http://t.co/L0cXMoIf Will the communist party willingly reduce its power in China Feb 13, 2012

 

Japan

 

  • Japanese Equities Herald Return to Inflation http://t.co/rxlt5OhI If Japan bond market breaks, ructions will be felt the world over. $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • Energy imports will pressure Japan’s trade deficit http://t.co/lieDm3T4 But, Japan has a current account surplus from its net foreign assets Feb 23, 2012
  • Japan Suggests No Quick G-20 Deal on IMF Funding http://t.co/RZYF5EB2 non-European members of the IMF waiting on the Europeans to act $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Tokyo Small-Caps Set for Longest Win Streak http://t.co/mD3ySrzh Unnoticed but true, look @ this CEF: http://t.co/VcdMQDxL FD: long $JOF Feb 22, 2012
  • Yen Slumps After Japan Expands Bond Buying http://t.co/L6yImwzC Competitive currency devaluations driving Forex $$ #beggarthyneighbor Feb 15, 2012

 

Iran

 

  • Japan Refiners Said to Stall on Iran Deals http://t.co/uEq1DYtb Life is harder on those that need Iranian oil, like India, China, Japan $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • Iran Says It Loaded Locally Made Fuel to Nuke http://t.co/6HkMaEFj Not sure I believe this, but if it’s true, the Israelis will know 😉 $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • Iran presses ahead with dollar attack http://t.co/Hd4Qtnvz Unlikely to work, but it’s all they can do w/oil transport shut down $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • Letter Writers Break Iranian Taboo http://t.co/M3NMfmk1 They are so desperate that they write the Ayatollah and criticize conditions. $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • Iran Sanctions Tighten as Shippers Stop Loading http://t.co/ubEtI6om Risk goes up, shipping insurance premiums rise, shipping stops $$ Feb 13, 2012

 

Rest of the World

 

  • Record Redemptions Loom Amid Akbank $1.3 Billion Loan Talks http://t.co/x5iDTSwE Never knew Turkish firms financed w/so much Short debt $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Chavez Missing $10 Billion a Month by Curbing State Oil Investment http://t.co/uTG1Z8d8 PDVSA falls behind Pemex? How low can you go? $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • Ch?vez Opposition Faces Hard Election http://t.co/YBWi9PaW Chavez controls media & oil wealth; tough for Capriles, but he can still win. Feb 14, 2012
  • Gunfights in Saudi Arabia Show Spread of Tensions http://t.co/dNxhg2ij Shia in Saudi Arabia fight the govt. Biggest split in Mideast $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • The Real Reasons the Rich Are Moving Cash to the Caymans http://t.co/gh7d85ZA Litigation risk, and US political risk; diversify yr govts Feb 13, 2012

 

Federal Reserve / Monetary Policy / Fiscal Policy

 

  • Those believing the Fed is on hold for the next 3 years will be in for a rude awakening http://t.co/VYggm431 FF futures & TIPS betray mkt $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • Exported Inflation to Return Home, but When and in What Form http://t.co/UHT61w4Y The Fed will find it hard to shrink its balance sheet $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • Healthcare expenses will overwhelm the US federal budget http://t.co/lLUABMYy Suspect a deal will b driven 2 reduce benefits somehow $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • ?Fiat Money and Collective Corruption? http://t.co/lRAa2xnG Hard money would help, the bigger problem is light regulation of banks/credit $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • Fed Writes Sweeping Rules From Behind Closed Doors http://t.co/UtozNgly Q: Why? 2 avoid bank influence, or 2 hide bank influence? $$ Feb 21, 2012
  • The Race To Debase In All Its Glory http://t.co/rPtS9EqD Balance sheets of major central banks expand rapidly $$ #racetothebottom Feb 21, 2012
  • Wealthy Enriched by Double-Dipping U.S. Plan http://t.co/YtGTfakC Long article describing unethical use of SBA $$ . #eliminatetheSBA Feb 21, 2012
  • Over-regulated America http://t.co/uMKtg2W0 The home of laissez-faire is being suffocated by excessive and badly written regulation $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Geithner: GOP Walked Away From Tax Overhaul – Bloomberg http://t.co/yupPqVeO Articles like this indicate another stalemate in the making $$ Feb 17, 2012
  • Potomac Divide Shows Foreclosures Thru Courts Slow Home-Price Recovery http://t.co/kilW75GM MD has slow foreclosures, housing mkt lags VA Feb 16, 2012
  • Sober Look: Regulate it all, ask questions later http://t.co/qnpfakfJ New regulations reduce the liquidity of the corporate bond market $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • FHA is almost broke. What will DC do when it goes critical? RT @HousingWire: FHA defaults up for ninth straight month http://t.co/TSZFHCeD Feb 15, 2012
  • Pentagon May Oust Troops Involuntarily to Meet Reductions in Budget Plan http://t.co/VnY4At7J Tough time 2b let go if you r a veteran $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • What a surprise! $$ RT @pdacosta: Bernanke’s big housing speech makes no mention of the Fed’s regulatory laxity in run-up to the crisis. Feb 10, 2012

 

Bonds

 

  • Contra: Should Mortgage Rates Even Be Lower? http://t.co/lODEFb1P Mortgages do not price off of Tsys, but swaps and bank bond yields $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Wall Street Crowds Into Trader Joe?s http://t.co/dHZT83VK CMBS mkt getting heated; loans linked 2 retail rose to 45% 4 bonds sold in 2011 Feb 22, 2012
  • ?Have a lot of friends who have lost a lot of money waiting for $TLT to break. FD: long TLT http://t.co/Lw6Rqn02 Feb 21, 2012
  • A $360 trillion confidence trick http://t.co/Kar0f3Cz I have argued that LIBOR should be based off of binding offers to borrow/lend $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • http://t.co/VOIG2gUk W/TIPS NY Fed concentrates on the long on-the-run & nearby, w/nominals opposite. Makes implied inflation look higher $$ Feb 10, 2012

 

 

Muni Bonds

 

  • Stockton, CA, to Weigh First Steps Toward Bankruptcy http://t.co/d2lsCmx8 Start of negotiations to reduce emplyee pensions & healthcare $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • Good piece, thx RT @munilass: Evaluating Chapter 9 Bankruptcy for City of Detroit: Reality Check or Turnaround Option? http://t.co/PxWo5qHA Feb 21, 2012
  • Yes. http://t.co/4DUVVTKi $$ RT @BarbarianCap: @munilass isn’t this the muni book that @AlephBlog reviewed very favorably a few days ago? Feb 20, 2012

 

Pensions

 

  • New Rules Wreak Havoc forRetirement-Plan Sponsors http://t.co/HzHWTTtL I would expect rules to be modified, else headaches 4 DC plans $$ Feb 24, 2012
  • @BarbarianCap Looking at the RFP, that is one of the few things *not* under consideration, pity too, because it is more important. #DumbOCPP Feb 23, 2012
  • @BarbarianCap The audit is a test of methods and data, not assumptions. That’s actually pretty normal unless you an assumptions outlier $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • @BarbarianCap I’ve said it many times b4, if life insurers have 2b conservative in accounting, DB plans s/b more so, but they r less so $$ Feb 23, 2012
  • @BarbarianCap Some cases, deals will be driven to reduce benefits, depends on state/muni laws, Ch 9 allowable; not protected by ERISA/PBGC Feb 23, 2012

 

Stocks

 

  • The Capabilities Premium in M&A http://t.co/9CdZIugk Long piece that explains why some mergers work; they aid organic growth & r small $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Elemental to Raise $1.7 Billion Next Year to Mine Potash http://t.co/w7GNsA2H Potash pricing has been volatile lately, cross-currents $$ Feb 22, 2012
  • Gamestop to J.C. Penney Shut Facebook Stores: Retail http://t.co/zSui0fCf $FB may have a more difficult time w/retail than some expect $$ Feb 20, 2012
  • Hewlett-Packard’s Message: We’ve Been Here All Along http://t.co/vU8piGMt Note: long $HPQ . HPQ definitely sounds more certain now. $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • Icahn Pushing CVR?s Sale Means $1 Billion Gain for Shareholders http://t.co/TfBKGErf What refiner wants more capacity now & fertilizer? $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • Hedge Funds Switch Positions, While Paulson Switches Investing Style http://t.co/MznmLhci Issue w/ $HIG is value of Variable product biz $$ Feb 15, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

  • The Control Revolution And Its Discontents http://t.co/FY4XgPde There is a “sweet spot” for market efficiency, too much & things get chaotic Feb 24, 2012
  • The Decline In Inventory Right Now is NOT a Good Sign http://t.co/Ra1Iz65H Fall in seller confidence & decline in new distressed inventory Feb 23, 2012
  • Spring Lambing in UK Turns Deadly as New Virus Kills Young http://t.co/PrO4neT1 Infects pregnant sheep, cows and goats, 5% infection rate Feb 22, 2012
  • Midwest Farmland Prices Update for the Year 2011 http://t.co/se9DbEgB Good discussion after a good article; things r getting a little bubbly Feb 22, 2012
  • Finding Treasures Among Insurer’s Wreckage http://t.co/jiFZiydE Never bot Atl Mutual’s Surplus Notes, but historical curiosities, wow $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • @StockTwits Insurance is boring, but antiquities at the oldest companies are fascinating. Wonder what Nationwide did w/Provident Mutuals? $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • @StockTwits I would hold meetings every now and then in Provident Mutual’s underused antiquities room; would start good conversations $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Why Is Violent Crime Declining in US Cities? http://t.co/SLgD8bEL & http://t.co/RRRI2m8X Smarter law enforcement makes DC safer. Wow! $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Thanks, liked it. RT @onwrdnupwrd: you will like this one from this weeks economist http://t.co/DMqhgXBB Feb 18, 2012
  • Interracial Marriages in US Reach a Record http://t.co/RJjWnTso Interesting that it is more prevalent with college educated people. $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Harvard Mapping My DNA Turns Scary http://t.co/m5stl0d2 Journalist learns hard things about his DNA. Would he be better off not knowing? $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Groupthink: The brainstorming myth http://t.co/7VBlhzKC People do better solving problems on their own, and sharing ideas w/the group $$ Feb 18, 2012
  • Fear, Submission, and Authoritarianism; a Disturbing Trend http://t.co/0lb32tOw Negative social mood leads to loss of liberties $$ Feb 16, 2012
  • Santorum?s Electability Pitch Undermined by 2006 Senate Re-Election Loss – Bloomberg http://t.co/8xglQQPJ Shouldn’t be an issue, here’s why: Feb 15, 2012
  • As the late Bob Casey said, “You can’t lose if you are a pro-life Democrat.” This is true, and it is why Santorum lost to his son. $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • Cracking the Long-Jump Code http://t.co/MN9d9EdJ Fascinating science applied; the key seems 2b2 jump higher, not just longer $$ Feb 15, 2012
  • The Best Foods for Thought, Literally http://t.co/tMyLW9E2 Perhaps the Mediterranean diet can aid brain function, or a lowcal diet $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • Contra: Almost Half the Price of Oil is Speculative Premium http://t.co/z8t51JOl It should be impossible to so overprice such a large mkt $$ Feb 14, 2012
  • The Hunt Brothers thought they could corner a much smaller silver market, and were not able to do it.? The oil compan? http://t.co/MLYVH5w3 Feb 14, 2012
  • So, What’s Your Algorithm? http://t.co/lC4voWCI Being able 2 crunch large amounts of data can lead to more objective decisions $$ #ornot Feb 13, 2012
Unstable Value Funds? (IV)

Unstable Value Funds? (IV)

This should be my last post on this topic for a while.? I thank those that sent me additional data that agreed with my theses in the piece Unstable Value Funds? (III).? I would like to start by quoting from my piece at RealMoney The Biggest Asset Class You Never Heard Of.

The bonds held in stable value funds can’t be valued at book value, because accounting rules require that they be held at market. The stable value pool goes out and purchases derivatives known as wrap agreements in order to allow the bonds to be held at book value. The wrap agreements agree to pay or receive money if any of the bonds have to be liquidated at a loss or gain respectively, thus making the fund whole for any book-value loss.

Typically, wrap agreements are only done on the highest-rated bonds, AAA, so credit risk is not covered by most wrap agreements. With most wrap agreements, once a payment is received or made by the wrapper, the wrapper enters into a countervailing transaction with the pool to pay or receive, respectively, a stream of payments over the life of the bond that was wrapped equal to the present value of the initial payment when the bond was tapped. The wrapper bears almost no risk in the arrangement; the risks are rated back to the stable value pool, and the stable value pool pays for the gains and losses through an adjustment to the pool’s credited rate. Because wrappers bear almost no risk, wrap pricing in 401(k)-type plans is typically 0.05%-0.10% per year of assets wrapped. The only risk a wrapper faces is that the interest-rate-related losses on a bond in a rising interest rate scenario are so severe that the losses can’t be repaid out of the yield of the wrapped bond. In this case, the wrapper would have to pay without reimbursement.

Interest Rate Risks

Stable value funds attempt to maintain a stable share price, but the assets underlying the fund vary as interest rates, prepayment behavior and credit spreads change. There is almost always a difference between the book value of the assets, expressed by the NAV, and the market value. When the stable value fund has a higher market value than book value, typically it pays an above-market yield. There is a risk that in an environment where interest rates have risen sharply, a stable value fund would have a lower market value than book value, with a below-market yield. In a situation like this, particularly when the yield curve inverts, there is a risk that shareholders in the stable value fund will leave in search of higher yields. If that happens to a high degree, it will worsen the gap between the market value and book value of assets. That gap will be covered by the wrappers in the short run but will reduce the fund’s yield as it pays the wrappers back. It is unlikely but possible to get a death spiral here if more and more shareholders leave the pool and the yield sags to zero. It hasn’t happened yet, so this is theoretical for now. In theory, the wrappers would keep paying once the fund’s credited rate dropped to zero, so no one would lose money unless a wrapper defaulted on his obligation. There probably would be some legal wrangling in such an event; the wrappers might try to get the fund manager to take on some of the liability, or negotiate down the amount owed, leaving policyholders with a loss. In 401(k) plans, there are limitations on transferring funds out of a stable value fund to funds that would offer an easy arbitrage, so the risk of a death spiral is further reduced but not eliminated.

Asset Default Risks

For the most part, stable value funds take little credit risk, but it’s little known that this is not universally true. Some of these funds buy corporate bonds or other, more riskily structured product bonds. Some of them take credit risk in hidden ways. For example, there are some exotic, asset- or commercial-mortgage-backed interest-only bonds that are rated AAA by the rating agencies. The agencies rate them AAA because they can’t lose principal; they have no principal to lose. But if the loans underlying the interest-only bonds default or prepay, the interest stream gets shortened. The sensitivity on these securities to default risk is more akin to BB or BBB bonds, but a manager using them can count them as AAA. If an asset in a stable value fund defaults, the fund probably will temporarily suspend withdrawals while the managers pursue one or two courses of action. If the loss is small, its managers might buy a wrap contract for the loss, which will give a haircut to the yield on the stable value fund for the life of the wrap contract. If the loss is big, they will reduce the NAV and attempt to keep the NAV stable from there. Given the history of money market funds breaking the buck, it is possible that the fund manager might pony up the funds to make the stable value fund whole, but I wouldn’t rely on that.

I want to publicly thank Chris Tobe for writing to me.? He brought me back up to speed on some aspects of stable value that I was not in touch with.? (Any errors here are mine, not his.)? After reading what he sent me, there are two major risks.? One I have described in-depth: credit risk.? The other I described in my RealMoney piece: wrapper risk.

When the market value of assets is lower than the book value of assets, the wrapper covers the difference when withdrawals are made.? But the difference typically gets amortized into the credited rate of the stable value fund, lowering the interest rate credited to pay back the wrapper.

But what if the interest rate were forced to zero?? Then the wrapper would take losses.? Investors take losses is if the wrapper is insolvent when book value is more than market value.? The stable value fund could try to replace the wrapper, but it will come out of the hides of investors, unless the management company bears it.

There aren’t many wrappers today.? Here’s a list:

  • JP Morgan
  • State Street
  • RBC
  • CDC
  • AEGON
  • ING
  • Pacific Life
  • AIG (few buying from them)
  • Rabobank (not accepting new business)

As such, with the current financial stress, wrap fees have doubled.? There is more need for wrap capacity than is currently available.? There is the potential for losses as wrappers could go into insolvency.

But how big is this problem for investors?? The stable value marketplace is very big, though the severity of any loss should be small — under 10% of capital on average (some could be worse than 10%).

There are two troubles here.? First, because the stable value industry does not reveal the market value of their assets under management.? The opaqueness adds to the mystery.? Second, because the stable value funds have more accounting flexibility than most investment options, they can wait much longer than a money maket fund, which must declare a credit event if the NAV of the MMF is under 99.5%.? There is not such a threshold for a stable value fund.? The risk is that a stable value fund engages in wishful thinking, assuming that the value of their bonds will rebound, and the rebound does not happen.

Is a loss of 5% horrible, in an investment that is supposed to be safe?? How about 10%?? 20%?? I can’t go over 20%, the fund managers must act by then.

It is likely that losses will be small in the stable value option, but losses are a real possiblity.? Transferring assets to other fixed income options or other stable options could be smart.

More Slick VIX Tricks

More Slick VIX Tricks

Tonight’s article will be less mathematical, and more qualitative than last night’s article. Last night I did say:

The relationship of the VIX to the S&P 500 is an interesting one, one that I have studied for the past nine years. Over that time, I have used the relationships to:

  • Design investment strategies for insurance companies selling Equity Indexed Annuities.
  • Estimate the betas of common stocks. (Not that I believe in MPT?)
  • Trade corporate bonds.
  • Gauge the overall risk cycle, in concert with other indicators.

Investing to Back Equity Indexed Annuities

Let me talk about these applications. Equity indexed annuities [EIAs] are tricky to design an investment strategy for. Typically they contain long guarantees, say ten years or so, where the minimum payoff must be guaranteed. That payoff is typically 90% of the initial premium plus 3% compound interest. The optimal strategy invests 80% or so of the money to immunize that guarantee, while using the other 20% to invest short to pay for option premiums that match the payoff pattern promised in the EIA.

But here’s the problem. The forward market for 1-year implied volatility doesn’t exist in any deep way, so the insurance company decides that it will have to take its chances, and assume that volatility will mean revert over longer periods of time. Also, they try to build in enough policy flexibility that they can less favorable option terms to policyholders during times of high volatility (at the risk of higher lapsation). Certain bits of actuarial smoothing in the reserves can also be useful in assuming mean reversion. But what happens if volatility rises high and stays there a while? Unfortunately, that tends to be the same time when credit spreads are wide, because option implied volatility is positively correlated with credit spreads. So, at the time that the strategy needs the most help, option costs are high (or payouts are chintzy and lapse rates go up), and corporate bond prcies sag due to wider spreads.
If the insurance company can handle the lack of incremental income, investing in higher credit quality instruments in tight spread low implied volatility environments can mitigate the risks. The benefit to such a strategy is that in a higher spread and implied volatility environment, you can do a down-in-credit trade (lower credit quality) at the time that it is being rewarded. This takes real courage and foresight on the part of the insurance management team to manage this way, but it pays off in the long run. (Which is why the strategy doesn’t usually get used…)


Corporate Bonds Generally

On my monitor screens, I keep three things front and center: the S&P 500, the long bond, and the VIX. This served me well in 2001-2003 when I was a corporate bond manager. After 9/11, we did a massive down-in-credit trade, buying all of the industries that were out of favor because of fears of terrorism. This is the only time I can remember when our client, who never said “no” to incremental yield, told us to hold back. We were almost done anyway, but in the depths of November 2001, we questioned our own sanity. Then, as implied volatility fell, credit spreads did as well, and the prices of our bonds rose, so in the spring of 2002, we reversed the trade and then some. We were in great position for the double bottoms that happened in July and October of 2002. We played the risk cycle well. Following equity volatility aided structural management of the corporate bonds.
When implied volatility was so high, and volatile, I would use the S&P 500 and the VIX to aid the timing of my trades. When the S&P was falling, and the VIX rising, and the long (Treasury) bond rising in price and falling in yield, I would wait until the S&P 500 would level off, and the VIX begin to fall a little. Then I would buy the corporates that I had been targeting. I would get good executions because of the dourness of the day, but more often than not, the market would turn an hour after I bought as corporate spreads would begin to tighten in response to the better tone from the equity markets and implied volatility.Though we were a qualitative credit analysis shop, I would have analysts review companies when their stock price had fallen by more than 30% since the purchase of the bond, and where the equity’s implied volatility had risen by more than 30%. This test flagged Enron, and others, before they collapsed. Not everything that fits those parameters is a sell, but they are all to be reviewed.

One aspect of the bond market that outsiders don’t know about is that when it gets frothy, deals come and go rapidly. Some get announced and close in as little as seven minutes. Speed is critical at such times, but so is judgment on how fairly the deal is priced. When the market is that hot, a corporate bond manager does not have time to ask the credit analyst what he thinks about a given company. I developed what I called the one-minute drill, which when I explained it to my analysts, fascinated them. Using a Bloomberg terminal, I would check the equity price movement over the last twelve months (red flag — down a lot), equity implied volatility (red flag — up a lot), balance sheet (how much leverage, and what is the trend?), income statement (red flag — losing money), cash flow statement (red flag — negative cash flow from operations), and the credit ratings and their outlooks. I can do that in 30 seconds to a minute at most, giving me ample time to place an order, even if the deal closes seven minutes from its announcement. I told my analysts that I trusted their opinions, but in the few weeks that we might hold the bonds while they were working out their opinion, if I didn’t have any red flags, it was safe to hold the bonds for a month off of the one minute drill. If the analyst didn’t like the bonds, typically I would kick them out for a small gain.
For those with access to RealMoney, I recommend my articles on bonds and implied volatility. Changes in Corporate Bonds, Part 1 , and Changes in Corporate Bonds, Part 2.


Estimating Beta

You can estimate beta using the VIX. Here’s how: start with the Capital Asset Pricing Model (ugh), and apply a variance operator to each side. After simplification, the eventual result will be (math available on request):
BetaWhat this means is that the actual volatility of the individual stock is equal to the square of its beta times the actual volatility of the market portfolio, plus the firm-specific variance. Now, one can estimate this relationship using a non-linear optimizer (Solver in Excel can do it), regressing actual market volatility on the volatility of the individual firm, allowing for no intercept term, and constraining the errors to be positive, because firm specific variance can’t be negative. In place of actual volatility, implied volatility can be used, because the two are closely related.
I played around with this relationship and found that it yielded estimates of beta that I thought were reasonable. It’s a lot more work than the ordinary calculation, though. The estimate might be more stable than that from using returns.

Gauging the Overall Risk Cycle

When I look at systemic risk, the VIX plays a big role. Other option volatilities are valuable as well, bond volatilities, swaption volatilities, currency volatilities, etc. Also playing a role are credit spreads in the fixed income markets. Together, these help me analyze how much risk is being perceived in the market as a whole. I don’t have a single summary measure at present; different variables are important at different points in the cycle.


Profitable Trading Rules

I think that there are no lack of profitable trading rules for the S&P 500 from the VIX. But you have to choose your poison. Absolute rules tend to have few signals, and require holding for some time, but are quite profitable. Here’s an example: Buy the S&P 500 when the VIX goes over 40, and sell when it drops below 15. Relative rules tend to have more signals, and don’t require long holding periods, but are modestly profitable on average, with more losing trades. Example: buy when the VIX is over its 50-day moving average by 50%, and sell when it is less than the 50-day moving average.

I don’t use any of those rules for my investing, but I do watch the VIX out of the corner of my eye to help me decide when conditions are are more or less favorable to put on more risk. Along with my other variables for tracking the risk cycle, it can aid your investment performance as well.

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