Monthly Archives: January 2012

‘Toon of the Day: Capitano Merkel, vada a bordo cazzo!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by macromon

Spiegel posted this cartoon which appeared in an Italian newspaper portraying the German Chancellor Merkel caricature and likening her to the captain of the capsized Costa Concordia. After abandoning ship, the captain was exhorted by a local Coast Guard official,  … Continue reading →

Posted in Euro, Sovereign Debt, Sovereign Risk | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

HSBC Flash China PMI Contracts

Posted on January 19, 2012 by macromon

“The third consecutive below-50 reading of the manufacturing PMI suggested that growth is likely to moderate further, following the sharp drop of 4Q GDP to a three-year low at 8% on a q-o-q seasonally adjusted annualized basis. Despite the upside … Continue reading →

Posted in China | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Creative Destruction 2.0

Posted on January 19, 2012 by macromon

R.I.P, Eastman Kodak, may you rise like a Phoenix out of bankruptcy.   If only you were owned by the government,  Larry Wood, as pictured below, might still have his job doing the same work he was doing in 1968. (click … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, Energy, Policy, Politics | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Westport Innovations: A Nattie Play That Has Worked

Posted on January 19, 2012 by macromon

Westport is a nattie/crude oil arb play (see last week’s post here) we’ve  dabbled in and sold waaaaaaay too early.  No earnings yet, but strong revenue growth.  Buying it here?  Place your bets. The collapse in natural gas prices, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Clean Tech, Crude Oil, Energy | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

IMF Having Trouble Raising New Funds

Posted on January 19, 2012 by macromon

(click here if video is not observable)

Posted in Black Swan Watch, Sovereign Debt, Sovereign Risk | Tagged , | 2 Comments

What Eurozone Crisis?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by macromon

Wow!  Check the moves in the large Eurozone bank stocks today and for the week.  And, unlike the U.S. market, on heavy volume.   Euro sovereign spreads are a bit tighter on the week with the exception of Portugal, which Standard … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Swan Watch, Euro, PIIGS, Sovereign Debt, Sovereign Risk | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Does the Solar ETF Reflect the Chances of Obama 2.0?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by macromon

Take a look at the Solar ETF’s performance over the past couple of years.   We, along with the President and most Democrats, were all lathered up about the “Green Economy” leading us into a new economy.    What a disaster! Granted … Continue reading →

Posted in Clean Tech, Energy, Policy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

500-million Chinese Using the Internet

Posted on January 18, 2012 by macromon

Stunning! (click here if video is not observable)

Posted in Clean Tech | Tagged , | Leave a comment

World Bank Bearish on Global Economic Prospects

Posted on January 17, 2012 by macromon

The World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) 2012 published today warns of a coming year of “uncertainties and vulnerabilities.”    They note gross capital flows to developing countries plunged to $170 billion in the second half of 2011, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Swan Watch, Economics, Sovereign Debt, Sovereign Risk | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Here’s What You’re Paying for in a Gallon of Gas

Posted on January 17, 2012 by macromon

Very informative graphic from the E.I.A. on what we’re paying for at the pump.   Note the loss in refining.   See our post,  U.S. Gasoline Consumption Tanks in 2011,  illustrating the collapse in gasoline consumption in 2011. Click on chart to enlarge … Continue reading →

Posted in Crude Oil, Energy | Tagged , | 4 Comments