A note to all of the actuaries in the audience, all three of you 😉 : an old friend from my GIC days is seeking a multi-talented actuary to work in the stable value business.? Must understand how wraps work, etc.? If interested, drop me a note, and I’ll send you the contact info.

On with the tweets:

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Eurozone

 

• May not last long $$ RT @John_Hempton: @AlephBlog Spain imposing on bank junior bonds but prefs in Santander still trading at par! Strange. Jun 23, 2012
• Buying Europe Banks Is Easy for Herro as Cheap Stocks Fall http://t.co/gfCOhY8q Key question here is accounting quality; not a buyer $$ Jun 23, 2012
• Spain Said to Weigh Imposing Losses on Junior Bank Bondholders http://t.co/cD1hoAVa Fine, but they won’t fund jr debt for 20yrs or so $$ Jun 23, 2012
• Spanish Aid Plan Is Flawed, Says IMF http://t.co/9V2FJ0Xc IMF doesn’t like the complexity of the E-Zone, wants it 2 behave like a nation Jun 23, 2012
• Debt crisis: Angela Merkel defies Latin Europe and the IMF on bond rescue http://t.co/qTKEAr5O She who pays the $$ calls the tunes Jun 23, 2012
• What?s So Special About the Euro Currency Area? http://t.co/oJWyrLAk Currency unions don’t work; must centralize or die $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Merkel Balks at Sovereign Debt Purchases to Overcome Crisis http://t.co/UfuN4ae8 Physically, the crisis looks like it is wearing on Angela Jun 21, 2012
• Spanish short-term debt costs reach alarm levels http://t.co/Dm8d2bsv Yields high enough that Spain unlikely to grow out of the debt $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Cyprus Said to Face Europe Pressure for $13 Billion Aid http://t.co/z0etJBlX Who wants to maintain influence in Cyprus? Russia, E-zone? $$ Jun 20, 2012
• ‘ @aarontask He might b right. Key Q is how much Germans/Nordics/Dutch view themselves as Europeans 1st rather than Germans/Nordics/Dutch $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Greek Leaders Poised to Agree on Three-Way Coalition http://t.co/JvAaPDDj It will be difficult for that coalition 2 hold together $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Ma?ana-nomics at Los Cabos http://t.co/GtlAj4lY Weak Europoliticians blame US, when their banking system was overlevered & malregulated $$ Jun 20, 2012
• G20 summit: perils of a half-baked rescue for Spain and Italy http://t.co/7E6jPK4W E-zone not ready 2 take strong actions; don’t force it $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Is Spain past the point of no return? http://t.co/zCRF7qKo ??I suspect the ECB will have to be the buyer of last resort for Spanish bonds.?? Jun 19, 2012
• Saddling Spain With Bank Burden Repeats Irish Error http://t.co/dWgYAUht Protect deposits, not bank bonds, preferreds, or stocks $$ Jun 19, 2012
• “Which is why $JPM had the hedge there in the first place $$” http://t.co/o61frAFX Dimon Says ?Firewalls? May Halt Spread of Europe Crisis Jun 19, 2012
• Germany set to allow eurozone bailout fund to buy troubled countries’ debt http://t.co/OEFi9UI9 Last refuge of scoundrels:blame speculators Jun 19, 2012
• Fran?ois Hollande said meeting btw Ezone & Obama rescheduled4this morning2brief Americans on “mechanisms that allow us to fight speculation” Jun 19, 2012
• Spanish Yields at 7% Show Investors Slamming Door http://t.co/JxGxNHDn Spain is slowly passing the “tipping point” into hopelessness. $$ Jun 18, 2012
• Where is the relief? RT @jennablan: Where is the relief rally? Jun 18, 2012

FOMC Meeting/Press Conference

 

• Fed Seen Extending Operation Twist and Avoiding Bond Buys http://t.co/qFOSA0rf Fed can’t do nothing, so it does something that is nothing Jun 21, 2012
• RT @ezraklein: Hypothesis: Bernanke doesn’t do more because he doesn’t think he can. He says otherwise is because he doesn’t want the ma … Jun 20, 2012
• Dr. Bernanke: Couldn?t increased unemployment be structural, after all, there is a lot more competition from labor in emerging markets? Jun 20, 2012
• That’s all folks!!! Jun 20, 2012
• Dr. Bernanke, Isn?t stagflation a possibility here? I mean, no one expected it in the ?70s either. $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Q for Bernanke: If the Fed ever does shrink its balance sheet, what effect will it have on the banks? $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Stocks trading off — correlated with future inflation rates; long Treasuries rallying nominal yields falling -> real rates stable-ish $$ Jun 20, 2012
• What Bernanke is describing in terms of hedging and risk management has to be done in the insurance industry; actuarial risk analyses Jun 20, 2012
• W/MBS rates, those mtges that are underwater don’t benefit, same for Alt-A & Jumbo; low rates don’t help many in residential real estate $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Effect of Tsy ylds on corporate yields is stronger 4 AAA-A bonds, moderate 4 BBB bonds, little 4 junk & the effects get weaker w/maturity $$ Jun 20, 2012
• That’s the wrap up for the central tendencies and averages of the FOMC’s additional data release. Anyone find those summaries useful? $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Changes in Avg Target Federal Funds Rate at Year-End 2012-2014, Longer -0.07%, -0.10%, -0.22%, -0.09% $$ Levels: 0.30%, 0.50%, 1.11%, 4.11% Jun 20, 2012
• Average appropriate timing of policy firming moved out 1.6 months to November 2013 $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Changes in PCE Inflation central tendency 2012-2014, Longer -0.4)%, -0.07%, -0.12%, 0% $$ Levels: 1.48%, 1.76%, 1.77%, 2.00% Jun 20, 2012
• Changes in unemployment central tendency 2012-2014, Longer +0.18%, +0.20%, +0.24%, +0.03% $$ Levels: 8.10%, 7.71%, 7.28%, 5.60% Jun 20, 2012
• Changes in real GDP growth central tendency 2012-2014, Longer -0.50%, -0.37%, -0.11%, -0.04% $$ Levels: 2.13%, 2.57%, 3.28%, 2.44% Jun 20, 2012
• +1 RT @bondscoop: Steve Liesman is the Fed’s Helen Thomas Jun 20, 2012
• Fed wants to see long TIPS up in price relative to long nominal Treasuries. http://t.co/X5Gjt6jI Jun 20, 2012
• @TheStalwart #FOMCGuesses OT extended, no QE3, central tendencies move back to where they were in January, shades lang down GDP, CPI, etc $$ Jun 20, 2012
• C?mon, Ben, Just Say It; Please, Just Say QE3 http://t.co/ksIKxZ6C Sad that equity guys beg 4 stimulus; think OT extends; no QE3 yet $$ Jun 20, 2012

 

Rest of the World

 

• Glencore Protests Bolivia’s Move on Mine http://t.co/OcIzatJ5 Bolivia has Venezuela envy; won’t end until Morales is shown 2b a fail. $$ Jun 23, 2012
• Children of Mao’s wrath vie for power in China http://t.co/pWzj4Dbq All of the current ruling class survived the Cultural Revolution $$ Jun 22, 2012
• Riskier Bets Pitched to Asia’s Rising Rich http://t.co/P6PjFqyR Yield is the oldest scam in the books; Asia’s brokers fleece clients $$ Jun 21, 2012
• China warns its rare earth reserves are declining http://t.co/ve2e6PQq I doubt this, but if true -> significant scarcity of rare earths $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Britain doomed, apparently http://t.co/WdvPCsxs Countries that don?t reset their systems through default, will experience money decay $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Suicides, Arrests Show Trouble at Korean Savings Banks http://t.co/aP1fu6KS Pride drives suicides, rather than confession of wrongdoing $$ Jun 19, 2012
• The UN’s Internet Power Grab http://t.co/LE704S74 Never surrender an advantage for no gain; does the Obama administration get that? $$ Jun 18, 2012
• The Return of Egypt’s ‘Deep State’ http://t.co/i1IkbmMq Islamists & liberals checkmated by Egyptian Army 4 now. Liberals s/b glad $$ Jun 17, 2012
• @dpinsen Agreed, better H/L would have been: “Egyptian Army reveals full control, ends show that played w/democracy 2 smoke out enemies” $$ Jun 17, 2012
• Noda Ends Japan Nuclear Freeze, Risking Voter Backlash at Polls http://t.co/Jcoxl91Z He does the right thing, but will the voters agree $$ Jun 17, 2012

?

Banks

 

• A History of Money Funds http://t.co/KXCpfCDz Let the critics of money market funds apply the same2banks; mark2market accounting. $$ Jun 23, 2012
• Bank Investors Dismiss Moody?s Cuts as Years Too Late http://t.co/5cOsGOyG True. Moody’s should’ve done it in 2008; did politics stopthem? Jun 23, 2012
• Citigroup Faces $5 Billion on Dollar?s Rise, Peabody Says http://t.co/5HZtJfvx So, on the heels of $JPM, $C has a currency mismatch? $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Eminent domain for underwater mortgages could have biggest impact on banks http://t.co/NK9W0PyO Comments at end; disagreement welcomed $$ Jun 20, 2012

 

Central Banking

 

• Bernanke Acknowledges Tsy Strategy @ Odds W/Fed Policy http://t.co/MqW6qda2 “Thx, Unca Ben 4letting us issue morre 30s” Ben:”Arrrgh!” $$ Jun 23, 2012
• The Fed?s second best solution http://t.co/YJhiHbNd “collateral damage will mount, making the next policy steps even more excruciating.” Jun 21, 2012
• Fed Born of Morgan?s Bailout Under Scrutiny After Dimon?s Loss http://t.co/7EHPlSvM How significant is it 4 Jamie D 2b on NY Fed board? $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Krugman’s Intellectual Waterloo http://t.co/brrRB3CP Suggested possible Fed stimulus: blow housing bubble 2replace tech bubble $$ Jun 17, 2012
• Also, the last H/L could have been: “Bernanke?s GDP View Invalidated as Economy Slows” FOMC has been lousy economic forecasters lately $$ Jun 17, 2012
• Bernanke?s Inflation View Validated as Commodities Fall http://t.co/pjRKhXWv Median & Trimmed mean CPIs mot falling, better measures $$ Jun 17, 2012

 

Asset Management

 

• Pimco?s Gross Warns of Risk Assets as Aberdeen Avoids Stocks http://t.co/pcqnMis6 Bill Gross signs on to deflation late & promotes it $$ Jun 23, 2012
• Private Equity Has Too Much Money to Spend on Homes http://t.co/VPToSU8I Big buyers need to stay quiet if they want 2 make good returns $$ Jun 22, 2012
• Simon Lack responds to AIMA’s hedge fund cheerleading http://t.co/VQq4s1O8 Backfill bias, IRR vs Buy&Hold, high fees, survivor bias $$ Jun 21, 2012
• At 40,000 feet, Fidelity’s Danoff ponders Groupons http://t.co/BwOKJR8X Danoff is a survivor; he’s right it’s lonely 2b a stockpicker $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Very good point. Wall Street is a 1-note Sam RT @chadstarliper: Has there ever been a time when Wall St didn’t think stocks were “cheap?” $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Wall Street says stocks are bargains, but that assumes surging profits http://t.co/0c0iDdK6 Or at least growing sales w/flat profit mgns $$ Jun 20, 2012
• America?s $8T corporate debt market faces liquidity drought as banks retreat from the trade http://t.co/rvXwFsjW Shouldn’t b that bad $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Equities entail less risk than ?haven? investments http://t.co/u3befAMT Ain’t necessarily true; think of the Great Depression or 1871 $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Valuation Matters…. Equity vs Bonds Edition http://t.co/23IikMDJ Earnings ylds v Tsy ylds unstable; Q-ratio, CAPE10, Price/resources bettr Jun 19, 2012
• Biggest Stocks Beat S&P 500 Most in 13 Years as Valuations Fall http://t.co/7vLxG6VN Once valuations get so low, they must go up $$ Jun 18, 2012

?

Companies

 

• DuPont selling Conoco at oil mkt trough $$RT @BarbarianCap: “Delta seals deal to buy Pennsylvania refinery” > hasn’t that been tried before? Jun 23, 2012
• DuPont buying Conoco at oil mkt peak $$ RT @BarbarianCap: “Delta seals deal to buy Pennsylvania refinery” > hasn’t that been tried before? Jun 23, 2012
• J.C. Penney Falls After Francis Leaves Amid Strategy Flop http://t.co/jfAVGj3V Rare setback 4 Ackman/Pershing on $JCP; retail is tough $$ Jun 20, 2012
• Buffett Extends Real-Estate Bet With ResCap Pursuit http://t.co/ZsN6J0Pm Buffett is early, in my opinion, but has the capital to do it $$ Jun 18, 2012

 

Pensions

?

• US public retiree benefits gap grows to $1.38T http://t.co/7bZ18GRB Gap widened by $120 billion since last year; thx Ben 4 low discnt rates Jun 20, 2012
• Joe Nocera Is Wrong About Woonsocket’s Crisis http://t.co/Z3RM9UGO Harder2discharge muni “pension” bonds than renegotiate muni pensions $$ Jun 20, 2012
• GM Seen Fueling Pension Deals as Employers Face Shortfall http://t.co/noz9auU0 Hope $MET & $PRU survive; guaranty funds limited in size $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Terminal funding of DB pension plans will be a growing phenomenon if corps/states bite bullet and kick in more $$ to fund annuity purchases Jun 19, 2012
• Problem to annuitants is companies can go broke; no PBGC coverage of annuities, and state guarantees r usually limited 2 $100,000 total $$ Jun 19, 2012

?

Media

 

• Love the Leaker, Hate the Leak http://t.co/wiY7RwJU Value of releasing sensitive govt data to the public is in the eye of the beholder $$ Jun 21, 2012
• How David Weidner Changed My Life http://t.co/g9LVJIWD @reformedbroker – how getting on @davidweidner ‘s Top 10 list gave him a big boost $$ Jun 19, 2012
• +1 won’t watch RT @ReformedBroker: Bloomberg PR pushing their Meredith Whitney interview video hard today. They haven’t gotten the memo yet. Jun 19, 2012
• Wrong: 20 rules that can save you from the Doomsday Cycle http://t.co/jLB0s2pL Why does Marketwatch give Paul Farrell space 2 write? $$ Jun 19, 2012
• So long, suckers ? I?m leaving Wall Street http://t.co/x1Ju1fmZ David Weidner: Some lessons from 15 years observing the industry $$ Jun 19, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

• Liquidity, Noise, and Signal http://t.co/cV15Mr2z Shorter the time period-> higher ratio noise/signal; leads2bad trades @ turning points $$ Jun 21, 2012
• ‘ @JATranfo Never criticized ECRI when out of favor; FWIW, I reverse-engineered their main model: industrial commod pxs & credit spreads $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Lawmakers Push for Overhaul of IPO Process http://t.co/qhh7tX1V Every “fix” creates its own set of problems. Mania can hit auctions 2 $$ Jun 21, 2012
• Yes $$ RT @Fullcarry: A point I have made many times in the past: the drop in yields the past decade is mostly due to a drop in real rates. Jun 20, 2012
• Housing Starts in U.S. Fall 4.8% in May on Apartments http://t.co/PhMFwHQL Interesting contrary data; $EQR chart http://t.co/vleXkVAM $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Asians Top Immigration Class http://t.co/Sir2IFxQ Certainly noticeable here in Ellicott City; most businesses have signs in Korean $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Poorly reasoned: Court-Ordered Care ? A Complication of Pregnancy 2 Avoid http://t.co/DqmhsvkU Mothers w/child in womb uniquely affect child Jun 18, 2012
• Please follow @jarrodwilcox, He has taught me many things, and I respect him a great deal #FF Jun 17, 2012
• A Jewish-Asian Couple?s Union Leads to a Scholarly Interest in Intermarriage http://t.co/U3jfPkyK Both ethnic groups prize education $$ Jun 17, 2012

 

Comments

 

• DavidMerkel’s discussion on “The New Yorker’s Newest Writer Is a Big Self-Plagiarist” http://t.co/g1i0YeF4 Writing belongs2those that paid Jun 20, 2012
• “High energy particle physics is only a small part of science, and not adequate to measure the?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/T4BrvWBj Jun 20, 2012
• “Please, accidents per passenger mile would be better, rather than: “He also pointed to the fact?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/Yg6r5N3X Jun 20, 2012
• RE: @bloombergview Maybe DC city govt should start a reality TV show, w/prizes 2 the official who commits the most cr? http://t.co/lIXL6eMi Jun 20, 2012
• RE: @bloombergview ?How will you deal with deferral of individual taxes on investment from DC plans, unrealized CGs, ? http://t.co/NY0Q3Ia5 Jun 20, 2012
• “Cool picture, Ed. Thanks for sharing it.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/Mg9lx0ij Jun 19, 2012
• “Hitting the fiscal cliff won’t happen, and that’s too bad, because we need to discuss long-term imbalances” ? D_Merkel http://t.co/csiaLXlV Jun 19, 2012
• “Here is a proposal for how rating agencies could be eliminated: http://t.co/rLrOK4vu…” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/q2mxmhpW Jun 19, 2012
• “I trust ratings agencies more than mismanaged governments. Ratings are needed to provide?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/vOdPJvzv Jun 19, 2012
• “If this is representative of what the ruling Greek coalition will do, the government will fail?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/HEe4GwHt Jun 19, 2012
• “Much as we may dislike financial fraud, suggesting that those in the US that mismanaged their banks?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/fEZQIo0h Jun 19, 2012
• ‘ @FilmCriticOne You say u want tax reform, but ur willing2let value grow untaxed through deferral? Get real; ability2defer is the issue $$ Jun 16, 2012

 

Dimon for Fed Secretary

 

• @dlevineMW @moorehn and pay cut. The same rumors were applied to Hank Greenberg $AIG 4 Tsy Secretary user Bush, Sr. Said the same then $$ Jun 19, 2012
• Jamie kind2let us live in his world 😉 RT @ReformedBroker He’s hedging the Senate w/the House right now, y’all r just pawns in a bigger game Jun 19, 2012
• Why should Jamie accept the demotion? $$ RT @moorehn: This is just Jamie practicing for confirmation hearings as Treasury Secretary, right? Jun 19, 2012

 

Tax Policy

 

• Tax Panels Turn Focus to Investments http://t.co/sq6AnHdE Best poss is lowering corp tax rates, equalizing all tax rates for individuals Jun 23, 2012
• How to Kill the Corporate-Income Tax http://t.co/T5MgnVuD Evens out personal income tax rates by class. Good, but what about deferral? $$ Jun 20, 2012