investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--These U.S. Companies Have the Highest Debt-to-Equity Ratios Right Now

U.S. companies have never had so much debt on their books as they do now .
As of the fourth quarter of 2019 , non-financial firms owed some $ 9.6 trillion in outstanding debt , a figure that ’ s up more than 57 percent from the financial crisis 10 years earlier , according to data provided by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association ( SIFMA ) .
Thanks to a decade-long credit binge driven by rock-bottom borrowing costs , corporate debt as a percent of U.S. GDP now hovers around 47 percent , or nearly half the size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see below , this level well exceeds those we saw in the last two credit cycles .
Even in good times , this would be cause for concern .
Indeed , I warned about ballooning corporate debt and the economic risks it poses a year ago , back when no one had yet heard of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 .
And it ’ s not just the amount of debt that matters , but the quality .
In the years since the financial crisis , BBB-rated bonds––those that sit at the very bottom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to S & P Global .
The pool of BBB-rated bonds grew to more than $ 3 trillion for the first time last year and now represent 53 percent of the entire investment-grade market .
That percentage will only increase , though , as the two biggest ratings agencies , S & P and Moody ’ s Investors Service , are currently downgrading U.S. companies at the fastest pace since the financial crisis , with downgrades outpacing upgrades three to one .
The worry now is that , as more and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ junk ” status , it will prompt a flood of selling , with not enough buyers to absorb it all .
Having said that , I was curious to see which S & P 500 companies had the most debt on their books relative to equity before markets began to tumble due to the spread of the coronavirus .
As of December 31 , the S & P as a whole had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58 percent , meaning that for every $ 1 they had in cash and other assets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So which companies had the highest debt-to-equity ?
Below are those that had a ratio of over 10.00 , starting with a ratings agency , interestingly enough .
Moody ’ s Corp. had a debt-to-equity ratio of higher than 10.00 at the end of 2019 , thanks in large part to a number of recent acquisitions .
In July , the New York City-based company bought a majority stake in Four Twenty Seven , a “ leading provider of data , intelligence and analysis related to physical climate risks , ” according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Moody ’ s completed its acquisition of Regulatory DataCorp ( RDC ) , a “ leading provider of anti-money laundering ( AML ) and know-your-customer ( KYC ) data and due diligence services.
” This complements a 2017 acquisition of company data provider Bureau van Dijk ( BvD ) .
Lamb Weston may not be a household name , but the food it produces is eaten and enjoyed all over the world , from french fries to potato chips to hash browns .
The Idaho-based company , which spun off from Conagra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valued at $ 2.5 billion as of May 2019 .
Meanwhile , it held cash in the amount of $ 55.6 million .
Photo by : Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube | CC BY-SA 2.0 Lowe ’ s , the second largest hardware store in the U.S. following The Home Depot , had a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.04 at the end of 2019 .
In May , the retail giant announced that it had completed the purchase of the Retail Analytics platform from Boomerang Commerce , which is intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and merchandise assortment decisions.
” On March 24 , Lowe ’ s announced that it was issuing a total of $ 4 billion in new notes , taking advantage of low borrowing costs .
Like Lamb Weston , Alliance Data Systems may not be a household name , but chances are fair to good that you use their services on a regular basis .
The marketing services provider , based in Plano , Texas , manages more than 160 branded credit card programs for companies ranging from Wayfair to J .
Crew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have at least one of Alliance ’ s managed cards in their wallets .
It was highly leveraged at the end of 2019 , with a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.23 .
An estimated 93 percent of American households own at least one vehicle , and as we all know , things break on occasion or just need to be replaced .
O ’ Reilly Auto Parts is the largest such retailer in the U.S. , with a market cap of around $ 34 billion in November , before stocks began to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced in August that it was acquiring Mexican auto parts retailer Mayoreo de Autopartes y Aceites in a stock purchase agreement .
Hotels have been among the hardest hit industries due to stay-at-home and social distancing orders , and Marriott , the world ’ s largest hotel operator , is no exception .
The company , which operates in as many as 130 countries , has had to furlough tens of thousands of workers as hotel rooms sit empty .
As of June , Marriott had net debt of $ 10.3 billion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
In October , the company announced it would be acquiring Barbados-based Elegant Hotels Group in a $ 130 million all-cash deal .
The most highly leveraged S & P 500 company in 2019––by far––was none other than Colgate-Palmolive , maker of such household brands as Irish Spring , Ajax , Cuddly , Speed Stick and , of course , Colgate toothpaste and Palmolive dish detergent .
For every $ 1 the New York-based company has , it owes $ 72.50 in debt .
Last year it made its first $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skin care company Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques for $ 1.7 billion .
This was followed in January 2020 by the announcement that it had agreed to acquire Hello Products , “ one of the fastest-growing , premium oral care brands in the United States.
” Also , at a time when many companies are cutting or suspending dividends , Colgate announced last month that it would be raising its dividend , from $ 0.43 to $ 0.44 a share , effective in the second quarter .

by Frank Holmes, CEO, U.S. Global Investors
U.S. companies have never had so much debt on their books as they do now. As of the fourth quarter of 2019, non-financial firms owed some $9.6 trillion in outstanding debt, a figure that’s up more than 57 percent from the financial crisis 10 years earlier, according to data provided by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA).
Thanks to a decade-long credit binge driven by rock-bottom borrowing costs, corporate debt as a percent of U.S. GDP now hovers around 47 percent, or nearly half the size of the economy. As you can see below, this level well exceeds those we saw in the last two credit cycles.
click to enlarge
Even in good times, this would be cause for concern. Indeed, I warned about ballooning corporate debt and the economic risks it poses a year ago, back when no one had yet heard of SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.
And it’s not just the amount of debt that matters, but the quality. In the years since the financial crisis, BBB-rated bonds––those that sit at the very bottom of investment-grade corporate debt––have exploded 200 percent, according to S&P Global. The pool of BBB-rated bonds grew to more than $3 trillion for the first time last year and now represent 53 percent of the entire investment-grade market.
click to enlarge
That percentage will only increase, though, as the two biggest ratings agencies, S&P and Moody’s Investors Service, are currently downgrading U.S. companies at the fastest pace since the financial crisis, with downgrades outpacing upgrades three to one.
The worry now is that, as more and more companies’ creditworthiness is downgraded to “junk” status, it will prompt a flood of selling, with not enough buyers to absorb it all.
Having said that, I was curious to see which S&P 500 companies had the most debt on their books relative to equity before markets began to tumble due to the spread of the coronavirus. As of December 31, the S&P as a whole had a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.58 percent, meaning that for every $1 they had in cash and other assets, they had $1.58 in liabilities.
So which companies had the highest debt-to-equity? Below are those that had a ratio of over 10.00, starting with a ratings agency, interestingly enough.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Moody’s Corp – 10.06
Moody’s Corp. had a debt-to-equity ratio of higher than 10.00 at the end of 2019, thanks in large part to a number of recent acquisitions. In July, the New York City-based company bought a majority stake in Four Twenty Seven, a “leading provider of data, intelligence and analysis related to physical climate risks,” according to the press release, and in February, Moody’s completed its acquisition of Regulatory DataCorp (RDC), a “leading provider of anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) data and due diligence services.” This complements a 2017 acquisition of company data provider Bureau van Dijk (BvD).
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. – 12.00
Lamb Weston may not be a household name, but the food it produces is eaten and enjoyed all over the world, from french fries to potato chips to hash browns. The Idaho-based company, which spun off from Conagra Brands in 2016, had long-term debt valued at $2.5 billion as of May 2019. Meanwhile, it held cash in the amount of $55.6 million.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc – 12.04
Photo by: Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube | CC BY-SA 2.0
Lowe’s, the second largest hardware store in the U.S. following The Home Depot, had a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.04 at the end of 2019. In May, the retail giant announced that it had completed the purchase of the Retail Analytics platform from Boomerang Commerce, which is intended to help with “strategic and data-driven pricing and merchandise assortment decisions.” On March 24, Lowe’s announced that it was issuing a total of $4 billion in new notes, taking advantage of low borrowing costs.
Alliance Data Systems Corp. – 14.23
Like Lamb Weston, Alliance Data Systems may not be a household name, but chances are fair to good that you use their services on a regular basis. The marketing services provider, based in Plano, Texas, manages more than 160 branded credit card programs for companies ranging from Wayfair to J. Crew. It’s estimated that 40 million people have at least one of Alliance’s managed cards in their wallets. It was highly leveraged at the end of 2019, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.23.
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. – 14.75
Photo by: M.O. Stevens, O’Reilly Auto Parts – Hillsboro, Oregon | CC BY-SA 3.0
An estimated 93 percent of American households own at least one vehicle, and as we all know, things break on occasion or just need to be replaced. O’Reilly Auto Parts is the largest such retailer in the U.S., with a market cap of around $34 billion in November, before stocks began to sell off. The Springfield, Missouri-based company announced in August that it was acquiring Mexican auto parts retailer Mayoreo de Autopartes y Aceites in a stock purchase agreement.
Marriott International, Inc. – 17.00
Photo by: Jose Carlos Cortizo Perez, Marriot Hotel | CC BY-SA 2.0
Hotels have been among the hardest hit industries due to stay-at-home and social distancing orders, and Marriott, the world’s largest hotel operator, is no exception. The company, which operates in as many as 130 countries, has had to furlough tens of thousands of workers as hotel rooms sit empty. As of June, Marriott had net debt of $10.3 billion, about half of that coming due this year. In October, the company announced it would be acquiring Barbados-based Elegant Hotels Group in a $130 million all-cash deal.
Colgate-Palmolive Co. – 72.50
Photo by: William Warby | CC BY-SA 2.0
The most highly leveraged S&P 500 company in 2019––by far––was none other than Colgate-Palmolive, maker of such household brands as Irish Spring, Ajax, Cuddly, Speed Stick and, of course, Colgate toothpaste and Palmolive dish detergent. For every $1 the New York-based company has, it owes $72.50 in debt. Last year it made its first $1 billion acquisition since 1995, buying European skin care company Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques for $1.7 billion. This was followed in January 2020 by the announcement that it had agreed to acquire Hello Products, “one of the fastest-growing, premium oral care brands in the United States.” Also, at a time when many companies are cutting or suspending dividends, Colgate announced last month that it would be raising its dividend, from $0.43 to $0.44 a share, effective in the second quarter.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--CHINA: New Coronavirus Strand Last Up To 49 days

Chinese researchers have warned of a new mutated version of coronavirus that could infect people for nearly two months .
@ @ @ @ @ middle-aged man who had the disease for 49 days , which is significantly longer than @ @ @ @ @ according to reports .
He needed to be treated with a plasma transfusion from other @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s claimed .
Previous research showed patients who survived the virus normally @ @ @ @ @ on average , with the longest previous case at 37 days .

Chinese researchers have warned of a new mutated version of coronavirus that could infect people for nearly two months.
Chinese military researchers found a middle-aged man who had the disease for 49 days, which is significantly longer than other durations of illness, according to reports.
He needed to be treated with a plasma transfusion from other COVID-19 sufferers who had recovered, it’s claimed.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Previous research showed patients who survived the virus normally tested negative after 20 days on average, with the longest previous case at 37 days.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/china-finds-new-coronavirus-strain-21793918


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--US Lockdowns To Increase In Short-Term To Prevent Rebellion Until Elites Can Fully Implement Martial

US Lockdowns To Increase In Short-Term To Prevent Rebellion Until Elites Can Fully Implement Martial Law?

Waves Of Mutilation : Medical Tyranny And The Cashless Society Back in 2014 during the Ebola scare in the US , I published an article warning about how a global pandemic could be used by the elites as cover for the implementation of an economic collapse as well as martial law measures in western nations .
My immediate concern was the way in which a viral outbreak could be engineered or exploited as a rationale for a level of social control that the public would never accept under normal circumstances .
And this could be ANY viral outbreak , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creation of an “ invisible enemy ” that the populace can not quantify and defend itself against without constant government oversight .
I noted specifically how the government refused to apply air travel restrictions in 2014 to nations where the outbreak had taken hold when they could have stopped the spread in its tracks .
This is something that was done again in 2020 as the UN ’ s WHO and governments including our government in the US refused to stop air travel from China , pretending as if it was not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing to worry about .
This attitude of nonchalance serves a purpose .
The establishment NEEDS the pandemic to spread , because then they have a rationale for strict controls of pubic activities and movements .
This is the end goal .
They have no care whatsoever for public health or safety .
The end game is to acquire power , not save lives .
In fact , they might prefer a higher death count in the beginning as this would motivate the public to beg for more restrictions in the name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak and telling people not to bother with preparations like purchasing N95 masks , to full blown crisis mode only weeks later .
In January Trump initially claimed he “ trusted ” the data out of China and said that “ everything was under control ” ; as usual only a couple months down the road and Trump flip-flopped on both assertions .
The World Health Organization refused to even label this outbreak a “ pandemic ” until the virus was entrenched across the globe .
The question people will ask is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or was it social engineering ?
The Ebola event six years ago seems to have been a dry run for what is happening today .
I believe it is entirely deliberate , and I will explain why in this article , but either way , governments have proven they can not be trusted to handle the pandemic crisis , nor can they be trusted to protect the people and their freedoms .
At the same time , the pandemic itself is tightly intertwined with economic collapse .
The two events feed off one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the crash of the massive debt bubble central banks and international banks have created over the years .
I noted in February that the global economy was crashing long before the coronavirus ever showed up .
At the same time , economic chaos increases 3rd world conditions within each country , which means poor nutrition and health care options that cause more sickness and more deaths from the virus .
As outlined in 2014 : “ Who would question the event of an economic collapse in the wake of an Ebola ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to buy or sell ?
Who would want to come in contact with strangers to generate a transaction ?
Who would even leave their house ?
Ebola ( viral ) treatment in first world nations has advantages of finance and a cleaner overall health environment , but what if economic downturn happens simultaneously ?
America could experience third world status very quickly , and with it , all the unsanitary conditions that result in an exponential Ebola ( pandemic ) death rate .
…Amidst even a moderate or controlled viral scenario , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crash that was going to happen anyway .
The international banks who created the mess get off blameless , while Ebola ( viral outbreak ) , an act of nature , becomes the ultimate scapegoat for every disaster that follows.
” As the double threat of financial collapse and viral pandemic accelerate , fear becomes widespread for those that never prepared ahead of time ( and we ’ re talking about millions of people ) .
When people are afraid they tend to sacrifice their freedoms to anyone that offers them a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty .
For now , the public is being convinced to assume that lockdowns and restrictions are temporary , but this is a lie .
The elites must maintain and increase restrictions with each passing month in order to prevent rebellion until they are ready to implement martial law measures .
You see , the establishment is going for broke with this event , and because of this there is the potential for them to face dire consequences .
The facade is quickly evaporating ; the collectivists and globalists are risking exposure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build a totalitarian system with extreme speed .
The establishment must keep the pressure on for now , because if the public is allowed to breath for just a moment they might look around and wake up to the bigger agenda .
The public has to be forced to beg for aid from the authorities ; only then will the pressure be lifted for a short time .
The public has to believe the control grid was THEIR idea .
A new process of mass conditioning is about to be set in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic and then waves of release and calm .
After studying the behavioral traits and methods of narcissistic sociopaths ( psychopaths ) for many years , I can tell you this form of conditioning is very familiar .
This is exactly what they always do , just on a global scale – They create an atmosphere of crisis to keep people around them unbalanced and on edge , then “ relieve the pressure ” intermittently so that those same people relax and their anger is deflated for a time .
Then , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traps the narcopath ’ s victims in a constant state of flux and uncertainty , and the moments of calm become a placebo which prevent their rebellion against him .
He can then feed off his victims at his leisure like a psychological vampire , and often these victims will see the narcopath as their only means of support .
They have been convinced that all the threats are coming from the outside ; they do not realize the source of the threats is the person standing right next to them .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting to show up everywhere , and it is most blatant in the intended “ solution ” presented by establishment elites in response to the coronavirus outbreak .
As Truthstream Media outlined in their excellent video ‘ We Are Living In 12 Monkeys ’ , MIT recently published a paper written by their globalist editor in chief Gideon Lichfield titled ‘ We ’ re Not Going Back To Normal ’ which admits quite brazenly how the elites intend to use this crisis to their advantage .
Lichfield lays out a kind of programming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of viral infection outbreaks , waves of tight social restrictions , followed by waves of limited economic activity and limited calm over the next 18 months .
As Lichfield suggests : “ To stop coronavirus we will need to radically change almost everything we do : how we work , exercise , socialize , shop , manage our health , educate our kids , take care of family members .
We all want things to go back to normal quickly .
But what most of us have probably not yet realized—yet will soon—is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to normal after a few weeks , or even a few months .
Some things never will.
” “ As long as someone in the world has the virus , breakouts can and will keep recurring without stringent controls to contain them .
In a report yesterday researchers at Imperial College London proposed a way of doing this : impose more extreme social distancing measures every time admissions to intensive care units ( ICUs ) start to spike , and relax them each time admissions fall… ” Understand that there are 7 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of control could go on for years while we wait for every person to overcome the virus or die from it .
The only way for the public to escape this purgatory ( according to Lichfield ) is for them to submit to a biometric data grid .
They must volunteer ( or be forced ) to participate in 24/7 tracking through their cell phones and through mass surveillance .
In order to function in society , an individual must have the proper digital marker which tells the authorities that they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The system is being used in China right now : This system achieves a number of things .
Much like the social credit system China has been using for the past few years , the public is compelled to constantly appease the hidden but all seeing eye of government .
Everything they do is watched by algorithms and surveillance .
Any deviation might trigger scrutiny and a loss of simple freedoms to move around or participate in normal human interaction .
Lichfield argues : “ Ultimately , however , I predict that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socialize safely by developing more sophisticated ways to identify who is a disease risk and who isn ’ t , and discriminating—legally—against those who are .
…one can imagine a world in which , to get on a flight , perhaps you ’ ll have to be signed up to a service that tracks your movements via your phone .
The airline wouldn ’ t be able to see where you ’ d gone , but it would get an alert if you ’ d been close to known infected people or disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar requirements at the entrance to large venues , government buildings , or public transport hubs .
There would be temperature scanners everywhere , and your workplace might demand you wear a monitor that tracks your temperature or other vital signs .
Where nightclubs ask for proof of age , in future they might ask for proof of immunity—an identity card or some kind of digital verification via your phone , showing you ’ ve already recovered from or been vaccinated against the latest virus strains.
” And there you have it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ globalists have been hungry to set up for years now has the perfect catalyst – a viral pandemic which could cycle indefinitely ; all that would be needed is to release a designer virus every couple years which renews public fear .
The populace becomes increasingly dependent on government for everything as their very survival depends on their ability to function within the new economy , and without a special mark granted by government saying you are not an infection risk , you could be shunned from all trade and participation .
Refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
You ’ re kicked out of the economy .
Homeschool your children ?
They have not been monitored and are therefore an infection risk , and your whole family is kicked out of the economy .
Hold political views that are contrary to globalism ?
Maybe you are listed as a danger to the system and wrongly labeled infected as punishment ; and then you are kicked out of the economy .
The establishment can use the threat of economic removal to condition many people into complacency or slavery .
The MIT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in rather arrogant fashion : “ We ’ ll adapt to and accept such measures , much as we ’ ve adapted to increasingly stringent airport security screenings in the wake of terrorist attacks .
The intrusive surveillance will be considered a small price to pay for the basic freedom to be with other people.
” Beyond the effort to turn “ social distancing ” into a new cultural norm enforced by law , there is another agenda being quietly instituted – the cashless society .
More and more businesses are starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper cash spreads the virus .
Oddly enough , they still accept debit cards using pin pads which are much more likely than cash to spread disease .
This may force the public to keep their money in banks despite the threat of a credit freeze or bank holiday .
What if you pull cash out of your accounts but are not able to spend it anywhere ?
Eventually , they will ban debit and credit card transactions in stores as well , and replace them with a non-interactive payment model .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone in the beginning using a scanning app .
In the end , they will use your biometric data for all money transactions .
This forces the public , yet again , to carry a cell phone on them everywhere for their very survival .
The tracking network for the virus as well as the new payment transaction system makes this device indispensable .
If you want to participate in society , you will have no choice but to be tracked and traced at all times .
Unless , of course , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interaction .
The solution to medical tyranny and the cashless society is to not need the system at all for your own survival .
This means people will have to build their own economies based on barter and local scrip .
They will have to dump their cell phones and rely on other forms of communication such as radio , or establish a digital communication system separate and independent from the establishment system .
They will have to become producers and achieve more self reliance .
They will have to break free from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start RIGHT NOW .
Of course , the establishment will claim that these independent people are a threat to everyone else simply by existing .
They will perpetuate the lie of “ herd immunity ” and will claim that independent people will “ spread the virus ” , even to those who are supposedly protected through vaccination .
And eventually they will try to stop decoupled and localized communities from existing using force .
At that point we simply go to war with the elites , as we were always going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slavery in the name of the “ greater good ” , but there is no greater good without freedom , and there is no society without individuality .
Pandemic be damned .
If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda , subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch .
Learn more about it HERE .

by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market
Waves Of Mutilation: Medical Tyranny And The Cashless Society
Back in 2014 during the Ebola scare in the US, I published an article warning about how a global pandemic could be used by the elites as cover for the implementation of an economic collapse as well as martial law measures in western nations. My immediate concern was the way in which a viral outbreak could be engineered or exploited as a rationale for a level of social control that the public would never accept under normal circumstances. And this could be ANY viral outbreak, not just Ebola. The point is the creation of an “invisible enemy” that the populace cannot quantify and defend itself against without constant government oversight.
I noted specifically how the government refused to apply air travel restrictions in 2014 to nations where the outbreak had taken hold when they could have stopped the spread in its tracks. This is something that was done again in 2020 as the UN’s WHO and governments including our government in the US refused to stop air travel from China, pretending as if it was not a hot zone and that the virus was nothing to worry about.
This attitude of nonchalance serves a purpose. The establishment NEEDS the pandemic to spread, because then they have a rationale for strict controls of pubic activities and movements. This is the end goal. They have no care whatsoever for public health or safety. The end game is to acquire power, not save lives. In fact, they might prefer a higher death count in the beginning as this would motivate the public to beg for more restrictions in the name of security.
Authorities went from downplaying the outbreak and telling people not to bother with preparations like purchasing N95 masks, to full blown crisis mode only weeks later. In January Trump initially claimed he “trusted” the data out of China and said that “everything was under control”; as usual only a couple months down the road and Trump flip-flopped on both assertions. The World Health Organization refused to even label this outbreak a “pandemic” until the virus was entrenched across the globe. The question people will ask is, was this all due to incompetence, or was it social engineering?
The Ebola event six years ago seems to have been a dry run for what is happening today. I believe it is entirely deliberate, and I will explain why in this article, but either way, governments have proven they cannot be trusted to handle the pandemic crisis, nor can they be trusted to protect the people and their freedoms.
At the same time, the pandemic itself is tightly intertwined with economic collapse. The two events feed off one another. The pandemic provides perfect cover for the crash of the massive debt bubble central banks and international banks have created over the years. I noted in February that the global economy was crashing long before the coronavirus ever showed up. At the same time, economic chaos increases 3rd world conditions within each country, which means poor nutrition and health care options that cause more sickness and more deaths from the virus. As outlined in 2014:
“Who would question the event of an economic collapse in the wake of an Ebola (virus) soaked nightmare? Who would want to buy or sell? Who would want to come in contact with strangers to generate a transaction? Who would even leave their house? Ebola (viral) treatment in first world nations has advantages of finance and a cleaner overall health environment, but what if economic downturn happens simultaneously? America could experience third world status very quickly, and with it, all the unsanitary conditions that result in an exponential Ebola (pandemic) death rate.
…Amidst even a moderate or controlled viral scenario, stocks and bonds will undoubtedly crash, a crash that was going to happen anyway. The international banks who created the mess get off blameless, while Ebola (viral outbreak), an act of nature, becomes the ultimate scapegoat for every disaster that follows.”
As the double threat of financial collapse and viral pandemic accelerate, fear becomes widespread for those that never prepared ahead of time (and we’re talking about millions of people). When people are afraid they tend to sacrifice their freedoms to anyone that offers them a promise of safety, no matter how empty. For now, the public is being convinced to assume that lockdowns and restrictions are temporary, but this is a lie. The elites must maintain and increase restrictions with each passing month in order to prevent rebellion until they are ready to implement martial law measures.
You see, the establishment is going for broke with this event, and because of this there is the potential for them to face dire consequences. The facade is quickly evaporating; the collectivists and globalists are risking exposure of themselves and their political puppets in order to build a totalitarian system with extreme speed. The establishment must keep the pressure on for now, because if the public is allowed to breath for just a moment they might look around and wake up to the bigger agenda. The public has to be forced to beg for aid from the authorities; only then will the pressure be lifted for a short time. The public has to believe the control grid was THEIR idea.
A new process of mass conditioning is about to be set in motion, using “waves” of panic and then waves of release and calm. After studying the behavioral traits and methods of narcissistic sociopaths (psychopaths) for many years, I can tell you this form of conditioning is very familiar. This is exactly what they always do, just on a global scale – They create an atmosphere of crisis to keep people around them unbalanced and on edge, then “relieve the pressure” intermittently so that those same people relax and their anger is deflated for a time. Then, the process starts all over again…
This conditioning traps the narcopath’s victims in a constant state of flux and uncertainty, and the moments of calm become a placebo which prevent their rebellion against him. He can then feed off his victims at his leisure like a psychological vampire, and often these victims will see the narcopath as their only means of support. They have been convinced that all the threats are coming from the outside; they do not realize the source of the threats is the person standing right next to them.
The wave model of conditioning and control is starting to show up everywhere, and it is most blatant in the intended “solution” presented by establishment elites in response to the coronavirus outbreak. As Truthstream Media outlined in their excellent video ‘We Are Living In 12 Monkeys’, MIT recently published a paper written by their globalist editor in chief Gideon Lichfield titled ‘We’re Not Going Back To Normal’ which admits quite brazenly how the elites intend to use this crisis to their advantage.
Lichfield lays out a kind of programming schedule for the population based on waves of viral infection outbreaks, waves of tight social restrictions, followed by waves of limited economic activity and limited calm over the next 18 months. As Lichfield suggests:
“To stop coronavirus we will need to radically change almost everything we do: how we work, exercise, socialize, shop, manage our health, educate our kids, take care of family members.
We all want things to go back to normal quickly. But what most of us have probably not yet realized—yet will soon—is that things won’t go back to normal after a few weeks, or even a few months. Some things never will.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
He continues:
“As long as someone in the world has the virus, breakouts can and will keep recurring without stringent controls to contain them. In a report yesterday researchers at Imperial College London proposed a way of doing this: impose more extreme social distancing measures every time admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) start to spike, and relax them each time admissions fall…”
Understand that there are 7 billion people on the planet, and this process of control could go on for years while we wait for every person to overcome the virus or die from it. The only way for the public to escape this purgatory (according to Lichfield) is for them to submit to a biometric data grid. They must volunteer (or be forced) to participate in 24/7 tracking through their cell phones and through mass surveillance. In order to function in society, an individual must have the proper digital marker which tells the authorities that they are “clean” and devoid of infection. The system is being used in China right now:
This system achieves a number of things. Much like the social credit system China has been using for the past few years, the public is compelled to constantly appease the hidden but all seeing eye of government. Everything they do is watched by algorithms and surveillance. Any deviation might trigger scrutiny and a loss of simple freedoms to move around or participate in normal human interaction. Lichfield argues:
“Ultimately, however, I predict that we’ll restore the ability to socialize safely by developing more sophisticated ways to identify who is a disease risk and who isn’t, and discriminating—legally—against those who are.
…one can imagine a world in which, to get on a flight, perhaps you’ll have to be signed up to a service that tracks your movements via your phone. The airline wouldn’t be able to see where you’d gone, but it would get an alert if you’d been close to known infected people or disease hot spots. There’d be similar requirements at the entrance to large venues, government buildings, or public transport hubs. There would be temperature scanners everywhere, and your workplace might demand you wear a monitor that tracks your temperature or other vital signs. Where nightclubs ask for proof of age, in future they might ask for proof of immunity—an identity card or some kind of digital verification via your phone, showing you’ve already recovered from or been vaccinated against the latest virus strains.”
And there you have it. The social and biometric control grid that globalists have been hungry to set up for years now has the perfect catalyst – a viral pandemic which could cycle indefinitely; all that would be needed is to release a designer virus every couple years which renews public fear. The populace becomes increasingly dependent on government for everything as their very survival depends on their ability to function within the new economy, and without a special mark granted by government saying you are not an infection risk, you could be shunned from all trade and participation.
Refuse to get vaccinated due to health concerns? You’re kicked out of the economy. Homeschool your children? They have not been monitored and are therefore an infection risk, and your whole family is kicked out of the economy. Hold political views that are contrary to globalism? Maybe you are listed as a danger to the system and wrongly labeled infected as punishment; and then you are kicked out of the economy. The establishment can use the threat of economic removal to condition many people into complacency or slavery.
The MIT editor goes on to drive his point home in rather arrogant fashion:
“We’ll adapt to and accept such measures, much as we’ve adapted to increasingly stringent airport security screenings in the wake of terrorist attacks. The intrusive surveillance will be considered a small price to pay for the basic freedom to be with other people.”
Beyond the effort to turn “social distancing” into a new cultural norm enforced by law, there is another agenda being quietly instituted – the cashless society. More and more businesses are starting to refuse cash payments, claiming that paper cash spreads the virus. Oddly enough, they still accept debit cards using pin pads which are much more likely than cash to spread disease.
This may force the public to keep their money in banks despite the threat of a credit freeze or bank holiday. What if you pull cash out of your accounts but are not able to spend it anywhere? Eventually, they will ban debit and credit card transactions in stores as well, and replace them with a non-interactive payment model. This will probably be done through your cell phone in the beginning using a scanning app. In the end, they will use your biometric data for all money transactions.
This forces the public, yet again, to carry a cell phone on them everywhere for their very survival. The tracking network for the virus as well as the new payment transaction system makes this device indispensable. If you want to participate in society, you will have no choice but to be tracked and traced at all times.
Unless, of course, you build your own system of trade and interaction.
The solution to medical tyranny and the cashless society is to not need the system at all for your own survival. This means people will have to build their own economies based on barter and local scrip. They will have to dump their cell phones and rely on other forms of communication such as radio, or establish a digital communication system separate and independent from the establishment system. They will have to become producers and achieve more self reliance. They will have to break free from the grid, and this has to start RIGHT NOW.
Of course, the establishment will claim that these independent people are a threat to everyone else simply by existing. They will perpetuate the lie of “herd immunity” and will claim that independent people will “spread the virus”, even to those who are supposedly protected through vaccination. And eventually they will try to stop decoupled and localized communities from existing using force. At that point we simply go to war with the elites, as we were always going to have to do anyway. The alternative is slavery in the name of the “greater good”, but there is no greater good without freedom, and there is no society without individuality. Pandemic be damned.
If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch. Learn more about it HERE.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Chris Vermeulen: Stock Market Hasn’t Bottomed, TRUE Price Bottom Still Coming

The extended collateral damage to the US and global economy will soon become better understood , and the… by Chris Vermeulen of The Technical Traders As the world reacts to the global economic slowdown because of the COVID-19 virus event and the massive stimulus programs and central bank efforts to support the global economy , investors still expect weakness in the US and foreign markets .
We believe this expected weakness will not subside until news of a proper resolution to this virus event is rooted in the minds of investors and global markets .
Hong Kong and China are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave ” of the COVID-19 virus within their society .
As the economies open back up to somewhat normal , people are very concerned that a renewed wave of new infections will suddenly appear and potentially result in another shut-down event or infectious cycle ?
We believe all nations are watching what is happening in Hong Kong and China as they attempt to reopen their economies .
The rest of the world is still battling the rising infection rates and dealing with the economic shutdowns that have brought the global economy to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the US are all experiencing vast disruptions to their economies and commodity prices and demand expectations are collapsing as a result .
Nearly a week ago , we issued a research article that suggested our proprietary Fibonacci Price Modeling tool ’ s key resistance levels may become a very valid ceiling for any price recovery .
It appears this is happening in the markets as the NQ Daily chart , below , shows .
The NQ resistance level , near 7880 , has acted as a soft ceiling in the NQ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today , the NQ briefly rallied above this level , then rotated downward below this level again to confirm this key resistance level .
We believe this critical Fibonacci resistance level may continue to act as a price ceiling over the next few trading days and push prices lower as economic news and expectations hit the news this week and next .
The next downside price target for the NQ is 6565 – new price lows .
If you have not seen this important technical analysis on the Nasdaq which I posted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see these charts .
This ES Weekly chart illustrates another key resistance level near 2679 .
Although the ES price has not rallied up to reach this critical Fibonacci resistance level , we still believe this level is acting as a price ceiling and that the ES will weaken as future expectations are confirmed by earnings data , economic data and other collateral damage to the global economy .
We are still very early in understanding the total scope of this virus event .
The US and other global central banks are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result of this virus event .
We continue to believe the extended collateral damage to the consumer , business and other aspects of the economy are yet to come .
Most recently , consumer delinquencies have begun to skyrocket and the news is being printed about landlords and renters being unable to satisfy obligations on April 1st .
This is part of the reason why we believe further caution is warranted at this time in the markets .
We issued an Important Trade and Investment Alert Yesterday .
Our research team believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up over the next 30+ days to establish a true price bottom .
As we ’ ve warned , we believe extended collateral damage to the US and global economy will soon become better understood , and the extended shutdown of the US and other economies only manages to complicate any positive expectations for a bottom .
We believe a deeper price low will set up within the next 30+ days and we urge skilled traders to pay attention to the broader expectations of the markets .
Earnings data and other economic data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers over the next 30+ days .
Don ’ t get too aggressive with trying to buy a bottom in the markets just yet .
Be patient and wait for the markets to show you when the bottom has really setup .
As a technical analysis and trader since 1997 , I have been through a few bull/bear market cycles .
I believe I have a good pulse on the market and timing key turning points for short-term swing traders .
I hope you found this informative , and if you would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the opening bell , along with my trade alerts visit my Active ETF Trading Newsletter .
If you are a long-term investor looking for signals when to own equities , bonds , or cash , be sure to look into my Long-Term Investing Signals .
Ride my coattails as I navigate these financial markets and build wealth while others lose nearly everything they own during the next financial crisis .

The extended collateral damage to the US and global economy will soon become better understood, and the…
by Chris Vermeulen of The Technical Traders
As the world reacts to the global economic slowdown because of the COVID-19 virus event and the massive stimulus programs and central bank efforts to support the global economy, investors still expect weakness in the US and foreign markets. We believe this expected weakness will not subside until news of a proper resolution to this virus event is rooted in the minds of investors and global markets.
Hong Kong and China are currently concerned about experiencing a “third wave” of the COVID-19 virus within their society. As the economies open back up to somewhat normal, people are very concerned that a renewed wave of new infections will suddenly appear and potentially result in another shut-down event or infectious cycle? We believe all nations are watching what is happening in Hong Kong and China as they attempt to reopen their economies.
The rest of the world is still battling the rising infection rates and dealing with the economic shutdowns that have brought the global economy to its knees. Europe, Japan, Canada, and the US are all experiencing vast disruptions to their economies and commodity prices and demand expectations are collapsing as a result.
Nearly a week ago, we issued a research article that suggested our proprietary Fibonacci Price Modeling tool’s key resistance levels may become a very valid ceiling for any price recovery. It appears this is happening in the markets as the NQ Daily chart, below, shows.
DAILY NASDAQ (NQ) CHART
The NQ resistance level, near 7880, has acted as a soft ceiling in the NQ over the past 4+ trading days. Today, the NQ briefly rallied above this level, then rotated downward below this level again to confirm this key resistance level. We believe this critical Fibonacci resistance level may continue to act as a price ceiling over the next few trading days and push prices lower as economic news and expectations hit the news this week and next.
The next downside price target for the NQ is 6565 – new price lows.
If you have not seen this important technical analysis on the Nasdaq which I posted a couple of days ago, be sure to see these charts.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
SP500 (ES) WEEKLY CHART
This ES Weekly chart illustrates another key resistance level near 2679. Although the ES price has not rallied up to reach this critical Fibonacci resistance level, we still believe this level is acting as a price ceiling and that the ES will weaken as future expectations are confirmed by earnings data, economic data and other collateral damage to the global economy.
We are still very early in understanding the total scope of this virus event. The US and other global central banks are attempting to front-run any weakened expectations as a result of this virus event. We continue to believe the extended collateral damage to the consumer, business and other aspects of the economy are yet to come. Most recently, consumer delinquencies have begun to skyrocket and the news is being printed about landlords and renters being unable to satisfy obligations on April 1st.
This is part of the reason why we believe further caution is warranted at this time in the markets. We issued an Important Trade and Investment Alert Yesterday.
Our research team believes a deeper price low will likely set up over the next 30+ days to establish a true price bottom. As we’ve warned, we believe extended collateral damage to the US and global economy will soon become better understood, and the extended shutdown of the US and other economies only manages to complicate any positive expectations for a bottom.
We believe a deeper price low will set up within the next 30+ days and we urge skilled traders to pay attention to the broader expectations of the markets. Earnings data and other economic data will continue to stream into the news centers over the next 30+ days. Don’t get too aggressive with trying to buy a bottom in the markets just yet. Be patient and wait for the markets to show you when the bottom has really setup.
As a technical analysis and trader since 1997, I have been through a few bull/bear market cycles. I believe I have a good pulse on the market and timing key turning points for short-term swing traders.
I hope you found this informative, and if you would like to get a pre-market video every day before the opening bell, along with my trade alerts visit my Active ETF Trading Newsletter. If you are a long-term investor looking for signals when to own equities, bonds, or cash, be sure to look into my Long-Term Investing Signals.
Ride my coattails as I navigate these financial markets and build wealth while others lose nearly everything they own during the next financial crisis.
Chris Vermeulen
Chief Market Strategist
Founder of Technical Traders Ltd.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Did the Fed Really Just Save Mutual Funds from Disaster?

In the wake of the Federal Reserve ’ s “ Unlimited QE ” intervention , the website Pensions & Investments is arguing that the central bank ’ s move may have “ helped cure many of the massive dislocations in exchange-traded funds — and may have saved mutual funds from a similar fate.
” “ Mutual funds dodged a big bullet by not having to unload bonds into a market with no buyers , ” said Eric Balchunas , senior ETF analyst .
It makes sense to have buyers for your product .
But did mutual funds really get “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention ?
Or , is this another in a long list of economic “ band-aids ” that only work to temporarily stop the bleeding ?
Time is always the best “ judge ” to answer those questions .
But the Fed ’ s intervention did find optimists : But as we previously noted from Wolf Richter , the Fed ’ s inflation of the “ repo market bubble ” back in September 2019 spun out of control , and created an even more dangerous “ everything bubble.
” So if the Fed isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be wise to think differently .
Over-Relying on the Fed ’ s Interventions May Not Be a Good Idea Perhaps the mutual fund optimists like Mr. Nolte won ’ t be so optimistic if the “ slide ” in mutual fund asset values starts again in the near future .
Then what will the Fed do ?
It doesn ’ t appear they have many more solutions for the problem .
In fact , in the world of funds , it appears as though even more problems have already begun .
Fidelity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a collection of 30 investor and sustainability focused groups have raised concerns over a conflict of interest in an agreement between the Fed and Blackrock , another huge investment group .
Finally , one of the world ’ s biggest wealth funds is close to dumping a large portion of their assets .
Obviously , these are not conclusive proof that Fed intervention directly leads to disaster .
But it does show the problem may be a much bigger one than over relying on the Fed could solve .
Best not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk .
Be Proactive and Protect Your Retirement From the Fed The return to “ infinite ” QE could potentially inflate the dollar , burst asset bubbles , and threaten the long-term safety of the economy .
When QE was introduced in 2008 , precious metals like gold and silver thrived , and gold continued to power through its biggest bull run in years .
If we ’ re heading toward that scenario again , it might be a good time to be proactive and consider the best ways to protect against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they will do next .

From Birch Gold Group
In the wake of the Federal Reserve’s “Unlimited QE” intervention, the website Pensions & Investments is arguing that the central bank’s move may have “helped cure many of the massive dislocations in exchange-traded funds — and may have saved mutual funds from a similar fate.”
“Mutual funds dodged a big bullet by not having to unload bonds into a market with no buyers,” said Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst.
It makes sense to have buyers for your product. But did mutual funds really get “saved” by the Fed’s intervention? Or, is this another in a long list of economic “band-aids” that only work to temporarily stop the bleeding?
Time is always the best “judge” to answer those questions. But the Fed’s intervention did find optimists:
“They’ve stepped in, and we’re now finally starting to see a little bit more of a normal bidding process in the market,” said Mr. Nolte, a portfolio manager at Kingsview Wealth Management.
But as we previously noted from Wolf Richter, the Fed’s inflation of the “repo market bubble” back in September 2019 spun out of control, and created an even more dangerous “everything bubble.”
So if the Fed isn’t making things better, it might be wise to think differently.
Over-Relying on the Fed’s Interventions May Not Be a Good Idea
Perhaps the mutual fund optimists like Mr. Nolte won’t be so optimistic if the “slide” in mutual fund asset values starts again in the near future.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Then what will the Fed do? It doesn’t appear they have many more solutions for the problem.
In fact, in the world of funds, it appears as though even more problems have already begun. Fidelity has already closed three of its funds, and a collection of 30 investor and sustainability focused groups have raised concerns over a conflict of interest in an agreement between the Fed and Blackrock, another huge investment group.
Finally, one of the world’s biggest wealth funds is close to dumping a large portion of their assets.
Obviously, these are not conclusive proof that Fed intervention directly leads to disaster.
But it does show the problem may be a much bigger one than over relying on the Fed could solve. Best not to expose your retirement portfolio to this risk.
Be Proactive and Protect Your Retirement From the Fed
The return to “infinite” QE could potentially inflate the dollar, burst asset bubbles, and threaten the long-term safety of the economy.
When QE was introduced in 2008, precious metals like gold and silver thrived, and gold continued to power through its biggest bull run in years.
If we’re heading toward that scenario again, it might be a good time to be proactive and consider the best ways to protect against the Fed, instead of waiting to see what they will do next.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Mortgage Relief Is Only for People Who Have Lost Jobs, Mnuchin Says

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said only homeowners who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis will qualify @ @ @ @ @ let borrowers put off mortgage payments .
“ If people don ’ t have jobs @ @ @ @ @ they can forbear , ” Mnuchin said in a CNBC television interview on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ jobs , we expect those people to continue paying mortgages.
” The $ 2.2 trillion @ @ @ @ @ last week lets homeowners and businesses hurt by the pandemic seek temporary relief from monthly @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t specify how consumers will be required to prove hardship .
Mortgage servicers @ @ @ @ @ demand documentation from homeowners .
Those borrowers will simply have to attest that they ’ @ @ @ @ @ the text of the legislation .

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said only homeowners who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis will qualify for new government programs that let borrowers put off mortgage payments.
“If people don’t have jobs and people have hardships, they can forbear,” Mnuchin said in a CNBC television interview on Wednesday. “If people do have jobs, we expect those people to continue paying mortgages.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law last week lets homeowners and businesses hurt by the pandemic seek temporary relief from monthly mortgage payments. The legislation doesn’t specify how consumers will be required to prove hardship. Mortgage servicers aren’t allowed to demand documentation from homeowners. Those borrowers will simply have to attest that they’re struggling, according to the text of the legislation.
www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/mortgage-relief-is-only-for-people-who-have-lost-jobs-mnuchin-says/ar-BB121CCc


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--FBI has arrested a New York man for hoarding enough medical supplies “to outfit an entire hospital.”

BREAKING : The FBI has arrested a New York man for hoarding enough medical supplies “ to outfit an entire @ @ @ @ @ a New Jersey warehouse that housed his “ suspected stash of 80,000 masks ”

BREAKING: The FBI has arrested a New York man for hoarding enough medical supplies “to outfit an entire hospital.”
The FBI raided a New Jersey warehouse that housed his “suspected stash of 80,000 masks”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
BREAKING: The FBI has arrested a New York man for hoarding enough medical supplies “to outfit an entire hospital.” The FBI raided a New Jersey warehouse that housed his "suspected stash of 80,000 masks" t.co/wL51dkuxmy — Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@MattWolking) April 1, 2020
Cousin sent me this video today. Wonder if this is it? pic.twitter.com/U5jtWi0Kyn — Kemba (@kembageorge) April 1, 2020
JW


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Chinese woman in US buys ALL of the masks and brags about it!

“ It feels so awesome to buy all the masks !
I didn ’ t leave a single mask for @ @ @ @ @ they bring the virus here , then they buy all the masks so our LEOs @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have any…these people .

“It feels so awesome to buy all the masks! I didn’t leave a single mask for the Americans!”
First they bring the virus here, then they buy all the masks so our LEOs and HCW’s don’t have any…these people.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
AC


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--USPS warns it might have to shutter by June

USPS warns it might have to shutter by June as $ 2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package provides no funding .
@ @ @ @ @ Service is just as essential : It delivers about 1 million lifesaving medications each year @ @ @ @ @ delivery link to Americans living in rural areas .
Working with other delivery services like @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.7 trillion in sales and 7.3 million private sector workers year , and this @ @ @ @ @ delivering the 2020 Census to citizens as well as any vote-by-mail initiatives .
The USPS @ @ @ @ @ s most favorably viewed agency , with an approval rating of 90 % .
”

USPS warns it might have to shutter by June as $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package provides no funding.
“Today, the Postal Service is just as essential: It delivers about 1 million lifesaving medications each year
and serves as the only delivery link to Americans living in rural areas. Working with other delivery services like UPS,
the agency supports $1.7 trillion in sales and 7.3 million private sector workers year, and this year will prove
essential to delivering the 2020 Census to citizens as well as any vote-by-mail initiatives. The USPS is the federal
government’s most favorably viewed agency, with an approval rating of 90%.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
fortune.com/2020/03/30/usps-postal-service-stimulus-package-no-funding-post-office-mail-delivery-could-shutter-june-coronavirus-relief-bill/


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Vermont orders Walmarts, Target, etc. to sell ONLY essential items.

All other areas in these big stores are now blocked off .
I work in one .
You can only @ @ @ @ @ clothes , no toys , no electronics , no arts and crafts , no sporting @ @ @ @ @ items , lawn and garden centers are closed , auto care centers are closed…the only @ @ @ @ @ are : Food Pharmacy items Personal items like soap , shampoo , etc .
Paper @ @ @ @ @ paper towels , paper plates , etc .
Pet Food Only certain baby items – @ @ @ @ @ , baby food , bottles , but no cribs and stuff like that .
The @ @ @ @ @ this was because people were literally going to these big stores and walking around , @ @ @ @ @ they are bored .
Its sad it had to come to this .
Non essential @ @ @ @ @ online however , and many offer “ pick up today ” options .

All other areas in these big stores are now blocked off. I work in one. You can only buy essential items. No clothes, no toys, no electronics, no arts and crafts, no sporting goods items, no hardware items, lawn and garden centers are closed, auto care centers are closed…the only things you can buy now are:
Food
Pharmacy items
Personal items like soap, shampoo, etc.
Paper products – toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, etc.
Pet Food
Only certain baby items – diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, bottles, but no cribs and stuff like that.
The reason they had to do this was because people were literally going to these big stores and walking around, browsing, etc. because they are bored. Its sad it had to come to this.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Non essential items can still be ordered online however, and many offer “pick up today” options.
www.wcax.com/content/news/Vermont-orders-big-box-stores-to-stop-in-person-sales-of-nonessential-items-569263991.html
AC


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--THIS WILL END WELL! Pelosi Claims She Knew About Coronavirus Threat, Defends Prioritizing Impeachmen

THIS WILL END WELL! Pelosi Claims She Knew About Coronavirus Threat, Defends Prioritizing Impeachment. Now She Creates House Select Committee on Coronavirus.

THIS WILL END WELL : Pelosi : We ’ re launching a “ bipartisan ” select committee to oversee coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Even if Pelosi is sincere at the moment , Schiff and Jerrold Nadler @ @ @ @ @ will demand that this select committee expand its scope at some point .
The only @ @ @ @ @ happening would be to have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats on the select @ @ @ @ @ happening range somewhere between slim and none.
” This is stupid even for the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ taking steps against the pandemic they were using bogus congressional committees to try and impeach @ @ @ @ @ is saving the country from the same pandemic and they ’ re using bogus congressional @ @ @ @ @ him .
Thanks for proving the President ’ s point , chumps .

VIDEO: Pelosi Claims She Knew About Coronavirus Threat, Defends Prioritizing Impeachment
THIS WILL END WELL: Pelosi: We’re launching a “bipartisan” select committee to oversee coronavirus response — not investigate it. “Even if Pelosi is sincere at the moment, Schiff and Jerrold Nadler among others in her caucus will demand that this select committee expand its scope at some point. The only way to prevent that from happening would be to have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats on the select committee. Chances of that happening range somewhere between slim and none.”
This is stupid even for the Democrats. When the President was taking steps against the pandemic they were using bogus congressional committees to try and impeach him.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Now the President is saving the country from the same pandemic and they’re using bogus congressional committees to try and impeach him. Thanks for proving the President’s point, chumps.
GG


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--President Trump: No Stimulus For Illegals

At the 1:02:45 point below , President Trump answers the question about the illegals getting stimulus checks : “ Well @ @ @ @ @ are saying undocumented , meaning they came in illegally .
A lot of people would @ @ @ @ @ lot of citizens right now that won ’ t be working , so what are @ @ @ @ @ ”

At the 1:02:45 point below, President Trump answers the question about the illegals getting stimulus checks:
“Well, you know, you are saying undocumented, meaning they came in illegally. A lot of people would say that we have a lot of citizens right now that won’t be working, so what are you going to do?”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
h/t CrsCrpr


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--10 Signs The US Is Heading For A Depression

Authored by Mike Whitney via The Unz Review , Thursday ’ s jobless claims leave no doubt that the country is in the grips of another severe recession .
More than 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance in the last week .
That number exceeds the gloomiest prediction of more than 40 economists and pushes the two-week total to an eye-watering 10 million claims .
“ Those at the lower end of the wage scale have been especially hard-hit during a crisis that has seen businesses either cut staff outright or at best freeze any new hiring until there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contain the coronavirus will work .
“ We ’ ve lived through the recession and 9/11 .
What we ’ re seeing with this decline is actually worse than both of those events , ” said Irina Novoselsky , CEO of online jobs marketplace CareerBuilder.
” ( CNBC ) According to New York Magazine : 2– Service Sector has been walloped by the virus Services account for 70 % of the US economy , but presently the sector is in meltdown .
According to the analysts at Wolf Street : “ Employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those still employed .
“ The employment index plunged from +6.1 to -23.8 , also the lowest level on record… Retailers got whacked .
The Retail Sales Index of the Texas Retail Outlook Survey collapsed from the already beaten-down level of -2.5 in February to an epic all-time low of -82.6 in March… ( Also ) the general business activity index collapsed from the beaten down level of -5.0 to a historic low of -84.2… Comments from retail executives were somber : … “ Most of our business has gone to zero except @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military bases and prisons… We are contemplating at this moment sending most employees home while our owners determine whether they can afford to pay reduced salaries and cover benefits for a short period while we see if things improve or worsen ” ( Wolf Street ) Business Insider : “ Recession risks are rising as coronavirus spreads around the world…The crisis will clobber airlines , shipping , hotels , and restaurants… “ Sectors reliant on trade and the free movement of people are most exposed , ” said Benjamin Nelson , a Moody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report .
Carmakers , gaming , and retail will be hit hard by supply chain disruptions , the analysts said… “ A lengthy outbreak would affect economic activity for longer , leading to heightened recessionary dynamics and a more significant demand shock , ” Moody ’ s said .
“ A sustained pullback in consumption would hurt corporate earnings , prompt layoffs , and weigh on consumer sentiment.
” ( Business Insider ) Car sales have also dropped dramatically in the last two weeks .
On Wednesday , Hyundai reported that sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for March compared to the same period in 2019 .
That ’ s a drop from 61,177 vehicles in March 2019 to just 35,118 during the same month in 2020 .
All other car manufacturers are experiencing similar weakness in demand .
U.S. shares sold off again on Wednesday for the third time in four days wiping out most of last week ’ s bear market rally .
The SandP 500 dipped 114 points while the Dow Jones lopped-off nearly 973 points by the end of the session .
Analysts now believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a temporary reaction to Trump ’ s multi-trillion dollar fiscal plan .
By a 9 to 1 margin , investors are now betting that stocks have further to fall .
Before the outbreak of the virus , traders believed that low rates , liquidity injections and easy credit would keep stocks on a permanent upward trajectory .
But the daily deluge of bad news coupled with an economy that is in freefall has undermined confidence in the Central Bank sending stocks into a tailspin .
The Dow closed Wednesday at 20,943 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 9 , 2009 low of 6,547 .
Stocks still have further to fall .
5– Struggling consumers can no longer carry the US economy An article at The Medium explains how the composition of the workforce has changed since the 2008 financial crisis .
Gig workers make up are a significant part of the workforce , but they do not have the protections or benefits of most wage earners .
These independent contractors will impacted the most by the sudden downturn in the economy .
Their ability to consume will also weaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth .
Check out this short excerpt from A crippling collapse in consumer spending is coming : “ From restaurant workers , caterers , and Uber drivers to office and hotel cleaning staff to event venue staff to people supplementing earnings with AirBnB revenue , income is cratering across the country for hourly and gig workers .
And most have little to no financial cushion… Thirty-six percent of U.S. workers are now involved in the gig economy… .
Most gig and hourly workers are walking a financial tightrope .
They will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their earnings .
It will mean a further spike in auto loan and credit-card delinquencies .
It will mean a spike in healthcare-driven bankruptcies .
It will mean unpaid rent .
And it will mean consumer spending will plummet… .
A sudden shock to gig and hourly-worker earnings will have seismic implications for the economic and political future of the US… More than 15.5 million Americans work in restaurants .
Of those workers , roughly 3 million live in poverty….Unpaid rent will eventually lead to landlord defaults… Consumer spending now accounts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reportedly , government stimulus may not reach consumers until the end of April .
Gig and hourly workers need help now.
” ( “ A crippling collapse in consumer spending is coming ” , The Medium ) How many of these gig workers will fall through the cracks , lose their apartments or rental units , and wind up on the streets , homeless and destitute ?
According to the Wall Street Journal : “ In the past two weeks , Americans have hoarded food as restaurants close their dining rooms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work and school .
General Mills , which makes Cheerios cereal , Yoplait yogurt and Progresso soup , on Wednesday said retailers in North America and Europe are purchasing more of its products and its factories are running at near capacity to meet the demand… ( WSJ ) “ Consumers across the globe are still loading their pantries — and the economic fallout from the virus is just starting… “ You could see wartime rationing , price controls and domestic stockpiling , ” said Ann Berg , an independent consultant and veteran agricultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Psychologists ..weigh in on why our brains push us to panic buy — even when authorities are assuring the public there ’ s no need to .
According to Paul Marsden , a consumer psychologist at the University of the Arts London , … “ It ’ s about ‘ taking back control ’ in a world where you feel out of control…When people are stressed their reason is hampered , so they look at what other people are doing .
If others are stockpiling it leads you to engage in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty shelves and regardless of whether it ’ s rational it sends a signal to them that it ’ s the thing to do….
” ( CNBC ) 7– Most Americans have no savings Saving money continues to be a challenge for Americans… Since 2015 , GOBankingRates has asked Americans how much they have in savings .
Each year , the survey results have shown that a majority of adults don ’ t even have $ 1,000 in a savings account… This year , GOBankingRates asked more than 5,000 adults , “ How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your savings account ?
” Respondents could choose from one of seven options : The survey found that 58 percent of respondents had less than $ 1,000 saved .
“ It ’ s always concerning when a large part of the population is seemingly living paycheck to paycheck because when unexpected personal or financial hardships occur , it can be challenging to recover without adequate savings , ” Jason Thacker , head of consumer deposits and payments at TD Bank , said.
” ( “ 58 % of Americans Have Less Than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Yahoo Finance ) 8– Household debt is at an all-time high 9 — Many businesses might not survive long enough to get stimulus Many businesses shut their doors either for a lack of customers or on orders from state or local governments as emergency declarations began rolling across the country in mid-March , .
Yet it could be weeks more before the business loans , bigger unemployment checks and direct payments to individuals from the stimulus plan flow into the economy .
Small businesses account for almost half of U.S. private employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those enterprises not only would dash the dreams of entrepreneurs and threaten the livelihoods of many , it risks sapping the power of an eventual economic rebound as the financial distress ripples through to landlords , vendors and lenders .
Already , 50,000 retail stores have shut in just over a week across the country , putting more than 600,000 workers on furlough , according to data compiled by Bloomberg .
The National Federation of Independent Business , had a record 13,000 people register for a webinar it hosted Monday on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended , more than 900 emails flooded in , she said , with business owners asking : “ Am I going to have anything left ?
Will I be evicted ?
Will I have to file for bankruptcy ?
Will I be able to reopen ?
” “ The emails almost make me want to cry , ” Milito added .
“ What I ’ m hearing from members is fear , uncertainty and almost heartbreak.
” ( “ Stimulus May Come Too Late for U.S .
Businesses Already Stretched ” , Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden , sharp rise in demand This is from Newsday : Final Note from an article titled : “ Americans Are Worried About The Coronavirus .
They ’ re Even More Worried About The Economy ” Not surprisingly , some polls suggest that “ more Americans are worried about the effect of the coronavirus on the economy than about their own health.
” I would include myself in that group , which is why I hope that President Trump expands his economics team by adding more experienced , top-notch economists who can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This isn ’ t the time for the B Team ( Kudlow , Mnuchin ) to making decisions that will impact the entire country .

Authored by Mike Whitney via The Unz Review,
1– Unemployment is off-the-charts
Thursday’s jobless claims leave no doubt that the country is in the grips of another severe recession. More than 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance in the last week. That number exceeds the gloomiest prediction of more than 40 economists and pushes the two-week total to an eye-watering 10 million claims.
According to CNBC:
“Those at the lower end of the wage scale have been especially hard-hit during a crisis that has seen businesses either cut staff outright or at best freeze any new hiring until there’s more visibility about how efforts to contain the coronavirus will work. “We’ve lived through the recession and 9/11. What we’re seeing with this decline is actually worse than both of those events,” said Irina Novoselsky, CEO of online jobs marketplace CareerBuilder.” (CNBC)
According to New York Magazine:
“Economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louisprojected Monday that job losses from the coronavirus recession would reach 47 million and push America’s unemployment rate to 32.1 percent — more than 7 points higher than its Great Depression–era peak.”
2– Service Sector has been walloped by the virus
Services account for 70% of the US economy, but presently the sector is in meltdown. According to the analysts at Wolf Street: “Employment contracted sharply and hours were reduced for those still employed. “The employment index plunged from +6.1 to -23.8, also the lowest level on record… Retailers got whacked. The Retail Sales Index of the Texas Retail Outlook Survey collapsed from the already beaten-down level of -2.5 in February to an epic all-time low of -82.6 in March… (Also) the general business activity index collapsed from the beaten down level of -5.0 to a historic low of -84.2… Comments from retail executives were somber:… “Most of our business has gone to zero except for essential locations such as hospitals, military bases and prisons… We are contemplating at this moment sending most employees home while our owners determine whether they can afford to pay reduced salaries and cover benefits for a short period while we see if things improve or worsen” (Wolf Street)
3– Economic carnage extends across sectors
Business Insider: “Recession risks are rising as coronavirus spreads around the world…The crisis will clobber airlines, shipping, hotels, and restaurants… “Sectors reliant on trade and the free movement of people are most exposed,” said Benjamin Nelson, a Moody’s vice president and co-author of the report. Carmakers, gaming, and retail will be hit hard by supply chain disruptions, the analysts said… “A lengthy outbreak would affect economic activity for longer, leading to heightened recessionary dynamics and a more significant demand shock,” Moody’s said. “A sustained pullback in consumption would hurt corporate earnings, prompt layoffs, and weigh on consumer sentiment.”(Business Insider)
Car sales have also dropped dramatically in the last two weeks. On Wednesday,Hyundai reported that sales had seen a decline of 43 percent for March compared to the same period in 2019. That’s a drop from 61,177 vehicles in March 2019 to just 35,118 during the same month in 2020. All other car manufacturers are experiencing similar weakness in demand.
4– The Bloodbath on Wall Street continues
U.S. shares sold off again on Wednesday for the third time in four days wiping out most of last week’s bear market rally. The SandP 500 dipped 114 points while the Dow Jones lopped-off nearly 973 points by the end of the session. Analysts now believe that last week’s 20% surge was a temporary reaction to Trump’s multi-trillion dollar fiscal plan. By a 9 to 1 margin, investors are now betting that stocks have further to fall.
“Investor pessimism today is as bad as it has been,” said Dennis DeBusschere of Evercore ISI. “All estimates of when this will end are being pushed out…”
Before the outbreak of the virus, traders believed that low rates, liquidity injections and easy credit would keep stocks on a permanent upward trajectory. But the daily deluge of bad news coupled with an economy that is in freefall has undermined confidence in the Central Bank sending stocks into a tailspin. The Dow closed Wednesday at 20,943, which is three times higher than its March 9, 2009 low of 6,547. Stocks still have further to fall.
5– Struggling consumers can no longer carry the US economy
An article at The Medium explains how the composition of the workforce has changed since the 2008 financial crisis. Gig workers make up are a significant part of the workforce, but they do not have the protections or benefits of most wage earners. These independent contractors will impacted the most by the sudden downturn in the economy. Their ability to consume will also weaken the post-crisis recovery and lead to slower growth. Check out this short excerpt from A crippling collapse in consumer spending is coming:
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“From restaurant workers, caterers, and Uber drivers to office and hotel cleaning staff to event venue staff to people supplementing earnings with AirBnB revenue, income is cratering across the country for hourly and gig workers. And most have little to no financial cushion… Thirty-six percent of U.S. workers are now involved in the gig economy…. Most gig and hourly workers are walking a financial tightrope. They will not be able to afford even a short-term hit to their earnings. It will mean a further spike in auto loan and credit-card delinquencies. It will mean a spike in healthcare-driven bankruptcies. It will mean unpaid rent. And it will mean consumer spending will plummet…. A sudden shock to gig and hourly-worker earnings will have seismic implications for the economic and political future of the US… More than 15.5 million Americans work in restaurants. Of those workers, roughly 3 million live in poverty….Unpaid rent will eventually lead to landlord defaults… Consumer spending now accounts for roughly 70% of the U.S. economy. Reportedly, government stimulus may not reach consumers until the end of April. Gig and hourly workers need help now.” (“A crippling collapse in consumer spending is coming”, The Medium)
How many of these gig workers will fall through the cracks, lose their apartments or rental units, and wind up on the streets, homeless and destitute?
6– Americans continue to stockpile food
According to the Wall Street Journal: “In the past two weeks, Americans have hoarded food as restaurants close their dining rooms and more are told to stay home from work and school. General Mills, which makes Cheerios cereal, Yoplait yogurt and Progresso soup, on Wednesday said retailers in North America and Europe are purchasing more of its products and its factories are running at near capacity to meet the demand…(WSJ) “Consumers across the globe are still loading their pantries — and the economic fallout from the virus is just starting… “You could see wartime rationing, price controls and domestic stockpiling,” said Ann Berg, an independent consultant and veteran agricultural trader.” (Bloomberg)
CNBC: “Psychologists ..weigh in on why our brains push us to panic buy — even when authorities are assuring the public there’s no need to. According to Paul Marsden, a consumer psychologist at the University of the Arts London,…
“It’s about ‘taking back control’ in a world where you feel out of control…When people are stressed their reason is hampered, so they look at what other people are doing. If others are stockpiling it leads you to engage in the same behavior. People see photos of empty shelves and regardless of whether it’s rational it sends a signal to them that it’s the thing to do….” (CNBC)
7– Most Americans have no savings
From Yahoo Finance:
Saving money continues to be a challenge for Americans… Since 2015, GOBankingRates has asked Americans how much they have in savings. Each year, the survey results have shown that a majority of adults don’t even have $1,000 in a savings account… This year, GOBankingRates asked more than 5,000 adults, “How much money do you have saved in your savings account?” Respondents could choose from one of seven options: The survey found that 58 percent of respondents had less than $1,000 saved. “It’s always concerning when a large part of the population is seemingly living paycheck to paycheck because when unexpected personal or financial hardships occur, it can be challenging to recover without adequate savings,” Jason Thacker, head of consumer deposits and payments at TD Bank, said.” (“58% of Americans Have Less Than $1,000 in Savings, Survey Finds”, Yahoo Finance)
8– Household debt is at an all-time high
From CNBC: “Household debt surged in 2019, marking the biggest annual increase since just before the financial crisis, according to the New York Federal Reserve. Total household debt balances rose by $601 billion last year, topping $14 trillion for the first time, according to a new report by the Fed branch. The last time the growth was that large was 2007, when household debt rose by just over $1 trillion… “The data also show that transitions into delinquency among credit card borrowers have steadily risen since 2016, notably among younger borrowers,” Wilbert Van Der Klaauw, senior vice president at the New York Fed, said in a statement.” (“Household debt jumps the most in 12 years, Federal Reserve report says”, CNBC)
9 — Many businesses might not survive long enough to get stimulus
Many businesses shut their doors either for a lack of customers or on orders from state or local governments as emergency declarations began rolling across the country in mid-March,. Yet it could be weeks more before the business loans, bigger unemployment checks and direct payments to individuals from the stimulus plan flow into the economy. Small businesses account for almost half of U.S. private employment. A complete collapse of even some of those enterprises not only would dash the dreams of entrepreneurs and threaten the livelihoods of many, it risks sapping the power of an eventual economic rebound as the financial distress ripples through to landlords, vendors and lenders. Already, 50,000 retail stores have shut in just over a week across the country, putting more than 600,000 workers on furlough, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The National Federation of Independent Business, had a record 13,000 people register for a webinar it hosted Monday on the stimulus plan and financial resources….After the webinar ended, more than 900 emails flooded in, she said, with business owners asking: “Am I going to have anything left? Will I be evicted? Will I have to file for bankruptcy? Will I be able to reopen?” “The emails almost make me want to cry,” Milito added. “What I’m hearing from members is fear, uncertainty and almost heartbreak.” (“Stimulus May Come Too Late for U.S. Businesses Already Stretched”, Bloomberg)
10– Food banks are seeing a sudden, sharp rise in demand
This is from Newsday:
“Emergency food programs are bracing for a wave of new recipients in the coming weeks as more Long Islanders are expected to lose their jobs, get furloughed or have work hours and wages reduced. At the same time, volunteers — many of them at high risk of contracting the virus — are staying home to protect themselves and needy people from getting sick. Compounding the problem is a crippled national supply chain that delays food deliveries by weeks. “It’s a perfect storm of tragedy on top of each other,” said Jean Kelly, executive director of the Interfaith Nutrition Network, a Hempstead soup kitchen. “Everything that could go wrong is going wrong.” Soup kitchens and pantries in many communities closed temporarily in recent weeks to protect volunteers or because sponsoring agencies, such as houses of worship and nonprofits, also shut their doors. “The reason they’re closed is they don’t really have an infrastructure of people to work there….The majority of the food pantries are operated by volunteers. The average age is in their 70s. They’re fearful of contracting the coronavirus.” (“Demand at LI food pantries rise as volunteers and food supplies fall”, Newsday)
Final Note from an article titled: “Americans Are Worried About The Coronavirus. They’re Even More Worried About The Economy”
“An overwhelming majority of Americans are really concerned about the economy. … A Morning Consult poll conducted between March 20 and March 22 found that 90 percent of Americans said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned that the coronavirus would impact the economy…Americans are also worried about job security — 49 percent said they were worried about losing their job, according to an Economist/YouGov survey conducted between March 22 and March 24.” (FiveThirtyEight)
Not surprisingly, some polls suggest that “more Americans are worried about the effect of the coronavirus on the economy than about their own health.”
I would include myself in that group, which is why I hope that President Trump expands his economics team by adding more experienced, top-notch economists who can help him navigate this unprecedented and potentially-catastrophic crisis. This isn’t the time for the B Team (Kudlow, Mnuchin) to making decisions that will impact the entire country.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--History Suggests the Bear Market May Become a ‘Mega Meltdown’. The Fed Is Powerless to Stop the Mark

History Suggests the Bear Market May Become a ‘Mega Meltdown’. The Fed Is Powerless to Stop the Market’s Riskiest Debt

Investors now need to make a decision ; stay in the roller coaster or get out ?
Mortgage Lenders Bracing @ @ @ @ @ Delinquencies in History “ This is an unprecedented event , ” said Susan Wachter , @ @ @ @ @ finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania .
“ The great financial @ @ @ @ @ of years .
This is happening in a matter of months — a matter of @ @ @ @ @ a step to avoid crowding out some commercial bank lending with its exploding balance sheet @ @ @ @ @ to do more .
The Fed Is Powerless to Stop the Market ’ s Riskiest @ @ @ @ @ ‘ numerous fundamental headwinds ’ despite unprecedented aid from the Federal Reserve , Goldman Sachs @ @ @ @ @

Investors now need to make a decision; stay in the roller coaster or get out?
“This is an unprecedented event,” said Susan Wachter, professor of real estate and finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “The great financial crisis happened over a number of years. This is happening in a matter of months — a matter of weeks.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The Fed took a step to avoid crowding out some commercial bank lending with its exploding balance sheet. It may eventually have to do more.
Junk bonds still face ‘numerous fundamental headwinds’ despite unprecedented aid from the Federal Reserve, Goldman Sachs said Thursday. Spreads …


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Wilmington Trust’s Meghan Shue warns investors will see two grim quarters of losses — not just one….

Wilmington Trust’s Meghan Shue warns investors will see two grim quarters of losses — not just one…. Goldman: Financial distress will continue to increase, leading to higher defaults and downgrades.

Brace for Coronavirus Fallout to Take Stocks to New Lows Wilmington Trust ’ s Meghan Shue warns investors will see two grim quarters of losses — not just one .
The firm ’ s head of investment strategy believes market losses will continue to pile up amid negative coronavirus data and headlines .
“ GDP in the second quarter could be anywhere from negative 15 % to negative 30 % .
That is a huge range which just speaks to the uncertainty facing investors at the moment , ” the CNBC contributor told CNBC ’ s “ Trading Nation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something we can get our arms around in the next 90 days or so , we ’ re more likely to see the market bottoming in the second quarter.
” Stocks got crushed again Wednesday on fears the pandemic will close the economy longer than expected .
Yet , Shue questions whether Wall Street is accurately weighing the risks .
Worst Yet to Come For Junk Debt as Defaults Loom , Goldman Says ( Bloomberg ) — The worst is likely yet to come for high-yield bonds as more defaults loom , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt faces numerous headwinds , analyst Lotfi Karoui wrote in a note dated April 1 .
That ’ s even as the Federal Reserve ’ s unprecedented steps to pump liquidity into a financial system reeling from the coronavirus pandemic mean investment-grade bond spreads have likely already peaked , according to Karoui .
“ Despite the strength of the policy support , the cyclical challenges for corporate borrowers remain substantial , ” he said .
“ As has been the case in past downturns , financial distress will continue to increase , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Wilmington Trust’s Meghan Shue warns investors will see two grim quarters of losses — not just one.
The firm’s head of investment strategy believes market losses will continue to pile up amid negative coronavirus data and headlines.
“GDP in the second quarter could be anywhere from negative 15% to negative 30%. That is a huge range which just speaks to the uncertainty facing investors at the moment,” the CNBC contributor told CNBC’s “Trading Nation” on Wednesday. “If this is something we can get our arms around in the next 90 days or so, we’re more likely to see the market bottoming in the second quarter.”
Stocks got crushed again Wednesday on fears the pandemic will close the economy longer than expected. Yet, Shue questions whether Wall Street is accurately weighing the risks.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
(Bloomberg) — The worst is likely yet to come for high-yield bonds as more defaults loom, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Such debt faces numerous headwinds, analyst Lotfi Karoui wrote in a note dated April 1. That’s even as the Federal Reserve’s unprecedented steps to pump liquidity into a financial system reeling from the coronavirus pandemic mean investment-grade bond spreads have likely already peaked, according to Karoui.
“Despite the strength of the policy support, the cyclical challenges for corporate borrowers remain substantial,” he said. “As has been the case in past downturns, financial distress will continue to increase, leading to higher defaults and downgrades.”
Small cap leverage pic.twitter.com/xXCuNoEa0O — Win Smart, CFA (@WinfieldSmart) April 2, 2020
Implied default rate pic.twitter.com/hcBEXDWssm — Win Smart, CFA (@WinfieldSmart) April 2, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-02--Dollar funding stress keeps rising as the US Treasury additionally demands dollars and floods the ma

Dollar funding stress keeps rising as the US Treasury additionally demands dollars and floods the market w/bills. Libor OIS risk spread jumps to 137bps, the highest level since GFC. pic.twitter.com/qYXyWyxxv4 — Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) April 2, 2020
Round of applause for the Federal Reserve 👏
The $USD is officially a funding currency… $EUR $JPY $CHF all have a 3-month positive implied yield. It only took 150bps of rate cuts, unlimited QE, CB swap lines and 7 lending facilities pic.twitter.com/Ls9UdyfNcR — Viraj Patel (@VPatelFX) April 2, 2020
Here it comes: Fed Set to Launch Multitrillion Dollar Helicopter Credit Drop
Central bank balance sheet could double to $9-to-$10 trillion *willt.co/2n0WuGcHeV — Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) March 26, 2020
In the latest week the Fed's balance sheet exploded by $586.1 billion. That is over 7 months of QE3 in one week! The Fed's balance sheet is now $5.24 trillion, almost 20% larger than it was before the Fed's QT started. At this rate the balance sheet will hit $10 trillion by June! — Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) March 26, 2020