A weak market close for most of the Asian indices today but saw the KOPSI and ASX off around 1.55% the pair. The Nikkei gave up another 0.6% as the yen trade back to the mid 110’s. With Shanghai the only core that closed positive even the Hang Seng fell -0.6%. The sell-off was broad based […]

Refreshingly, the markets tended to ignore geopolitical tensions escalating around North Korea after the recent missile test. All core markets returned positive today with China performing for both markets. The Shanghai recovered early weakness and closed up 0.75% on the day, whilst in Hong Kong the large cap’s weighed much on the shine but still […]

Strong US earnings are matching or indeed breaching expectations and the DOW is reflecting the confidence. Well, that is how the mainstream opinion feels – which is always good to know. Asia followed the momentum with the core reflecting strong daily returns. The Nikkei closed another 1% higher, this time with the Yen continuing to […]

QUESTION: Marty, it is well known here in Britain that you advised Thatcher of course, but it was John Major you advised and even wrote what he said during the pound crisis and the Soros attack. Would you ever like to comment on that in public about what really happened during that crisis. The press will […]

The weekend and overnight news surrounded Chinese growth downplay and the North Korean missile tests. The former certainly helped the Shanghai and Hang Seng market with closes of around +0.4% whilst the later hindered the Nikkei closing -0.5%. China Parliament opened at the weekend with the Premier Li calling growth target lower to around 6.5%, […]

  Much of the talk surrounded the 12 days of fresh highs for the US markets, but even so Asia closed mixed with focus well and truly on President Trump’s speech. The congress address will not take place until late in the US evening which will be just ahead of the Asian opening. The safe-haven […]

Kenneth Rogoff is a Professor of Public Policy and Economics at Harvard University. Rogoff calls critics of negative interest rates “ignorant” despite the fact that negative interest rates have been used since 2008 without any success. He had the audacity to say that people should not look at their short-term personal losses, but rather look at the long-term vision […]

Asian markets were marginally better on the back of oil but were awaiting the all important US jobs report after a sleepy opening until the FX market woke everyone up. A “fat-finger trade” as many were reporting it (implying a trader input the wrong price and/or quantity) saw GBP trade down to 1.1378 in seconds only […]

QUESTION: Marty; Since you wrote that central banks have been net sellers of US Treasuries for the first six months to support their currencies, others are jumping on board and are claiming nobody wants them so buy gold. Would you care to elaborate on this subject? It seems another desperate attempt by the hyperinflationists. Thank […]

Other than individual bank stocks, Friday’s EBA report had little overall effect on core markets as we heard nothing that we were not already familiar with. The Nikkei opened around 1% lower and then spent the rest of the day trying to recoup opening losses, which was pretty similar to the Hang Seng. Shanghai, on […]