GOLD PRICE CLOSED: DOWN 29.40   TO $2035.10

SILVER PRICE CLOSED: DOWN 78 cents  AT $22.95

Access prices: closes 4: 15 PM

Gold ACCESS CLOSED 2042.80

Silver ACCESS CLOSED: 23.02

SHANGHAI FUTURES//HUGE PREMIUM: 47 DOLLARS

SHANGHAI GOLD (USD) FUTURES – QUOTES

VENUE:

• GLOBEX

Beginning Monday, April 1, 2024, CME Group settlement data will no longer be accessible through ftp.cmegroup.com and will have a delayed publication time of 12:00 a.m. CT on all cmegroup.com web pages. Learn about alternate ways to access the data in our FAQ.

AUTO-REFRESH IS OFF

Last Updated 03 Jan 2024 08:31:32 AM CT.

Market data is delayed by at least 10 minutes.

MONTH	CHART	LAST	CHANGE	PRIOR SETTLE	OPEN	HIGH	LOW	VOLUME	UPDATED
JAN 2024 SGUF4		–	–	2103.0	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
FEB 2024 SGUG4		2106.7	-6.8 (-0.32%)	2113.5	2104.5	2106.7	2102.7	124	00:59:57 CT 03 Jan 2024
MAR 2024 SGUH4		–	–	2124.0	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
APR 2024 SGUJ4		–	–	2123.9	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
JUN 2024 SGUM4		–	–	2124.5	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
AUG 2024 SGUQ4		–	–	2125.1	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
OCT 2024 SGUV4		–	–	2125.7	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024
DEC 2024 SGUZ4		–	–	2126.3	–	–	–	0	21:30:01 CT 02 Jan 2024

About this Report

\SHANGHAI GOLD PREMIUM OVER NY: 47 DOLLARS

Bitcoin morning price:, 42,360  DOWN 2773 DOLLARS

Bitcoin: afternoon price: $42,663 DOWN 2470 dollars

Platinum price closing  $987.60 DOWN  $5.80

Palladium price;     $1080.60 DOWN $24.40

END

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Due to the huge rise in the dollar, we must look at gold and silver in currencies other than the dollar to understand where we are heading

I will now provide gold in Canadian dollars, British pounds and Euros

4: 15 PM ACCESS

*CANADIAN GOLD: $2,726.54 DOWN $17.00 CDN dollars per oz( * NEW ALL TIME HIGH 2,795.90 CDN DOLLARS PER OZ//DEC 1 272023)

*BRITISH GOLD: 1612.34 DOWN 19,23 pounds per oz// *(NEW ALL TIME HIGH//CLOSING///1655.17 BRITISH POUNDS/OZ) OCT 2/2023

*EURO GOLD: 1870.12 DOWN 12,24 euros per oz //* (ALL TIME CLOSING HIGH: 1903.75 EUROS PER OZ//DEC 1.2023)

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EXCHANGE: COMEX

EXCHANGE: COMEX
CONTRACT: JANUARY 2024 COMEX 100 GOLD FUTURES
SETTLEMENT: 2,064.400000000 USD
INTENT DATE: 01/02/2024 DELIVERY DATE: 01/04/2024
FIRM ORG FIRM NAME ISSUED STOPPED

---

159 C MAREX CAPITAL M 1
363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 397
435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 18
624 H BOFA SECURITIES 333
657 C MORGAN STANLEY 14
661 C JP MORGAN 18 45
690 C ABN AMRO 13
726 C CUNNINGHAM COM 1
737 C ADVANTAGE 3 31

---

TOTAL: 437 437
MONTH TO DATE: 2,638

 JPMorgan stopped 45/437 contracts.

FOR JAN.:

GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR JAN/2023. CONTRACT:  437 NOTICES FOR 43700 OZ  or  1.3592 TONNES

total notices so far: 2238 contracts for 223,800  oz (8.2052 tonnes)

FOR  JANUARY:

SILVER NOTICES  317 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 1,585,000 OZ/

total number of notices filed so far this month : 354  for 1,770,000 oz

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END

BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES

GLD

WITH GOLD DOWN $29.40/

INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL  (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD/ : / HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: //A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.90 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//

INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.21 TONNES

SLV//

WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER DOWN 78  CENTS  AT  THE SLV// HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2,294,000 OZ FORM THE SLV//

INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.

CLOSING INVENTORY: 435.056 MILLION OZ

Let us have a look at the data for today

SILVER//OUTLINE

SILVER COMEX OI ROSE BY A  STRONG  SIZED 653 CONTRACTS TO 134,725 AND CLOSER TO  THE  RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020 AND THIS HUGE SIZED GAIN IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR LOSS OF  $0.09  IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX ON TUESDAY. WE HAD A ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION WITH CONSIDERABLE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION (WITH HUGE SHORT COVERING BUT AT LOWER PRICES) AT THE COMEX SESSION.  WE HAD A HUGE 1343 T.A.S ISSUANCE AND THESE WILL BE USED FOR MANIPULATION LATER THIS MONTH/AS WELL AS TODAY.

CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE CROOKS USE THE MID MONTH FOR MANIPULATION AS THEY SELL THEIR BUY SIDE OF THE CALENDAR SPREAD FIRST AND THEN KEEP THE SELL SIDE TO LIQUIDATE AT A LATER DATE.  THUS WE HAVE TWO VEHICLES THE CROOKS USE FOR MANIPULATION AND BOTH ARE SPREADERS:  1) AT MONTH’S END/SPREADERS COMEX AND 2/ TAS SPREADERS, MID MONTH. TOTAL TAS ISSUED ON TUESDAY NIGHT: 1343 CONTRACTS. DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THE CROOKS HAVE VIOLATED POSITION LIMITS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TAS ISSUED HAVE A VALUE  OF ZERO (AS TO POSITION LIMITS FOR OUR CROOKED BANKERS). THE PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THAT THE CROOKS DO NOT LIQUIDATE THE TAS TOGETHER BUT SELL THE BUY SIDE FIRST AND THEN LIQUIDATE THE SELL SIDE TWO MONTHS HENCE. IT IS OBVIOUS MANIPULATION TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE BUT IT NATURALLY FELL ON DEAF EARS WITH OUR REGULATORS (OCC) WHEN THEY RECEIVED OUR COMPLAINTS. IT THUS LOOKS LIKE THE FED (GOV’T) IS BEHIND ALL OF THESE TRADES.

WE HAVE NOW SET ANOTHER RECORD LOW AT 114,102 CONTRACTS ///JULY 3.2023//  OUR BANKERS WITH THE HELP OF SPECULATORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY TRADERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT FELL BY $0.09), BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SILVER LONGS AS WE HAD A VERY STRONG SIZED GAIN OF 808  OI CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. 

WE  MUST HAVE HAD:

A SMALL SIZED 155 ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN  INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 6.650 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE)    FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S  50,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP AS WELL AS ANOTHER OF THOSE CRIMINAL C.M.E. ADDITIONS, A 200 CONTRACT ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK FOR 1.0 MILLION OZ//NEW TOTALS 7.715 MILLION OZ//

//NEW STANDING FOR SILVER IS THUS 7.715 MILLION OZ 

//HUGE  SIZED COMEX OI GAIN/ SMALL SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI)   HUGE  SIZED NUMBER OF  T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 1343 CONTRACTS)/

 I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL – REMOVED – 106 CONTRACTS (the cme will no longer provide preliminary no to be except through a paywall)

HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS DEC. ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF JAN

TOTAL CONTRACTS for 2 days, total 486 contracts:   OR 2.430 MILLION OZ  (243 CONTRACTS PER DAY)

TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR:  2.430 MILLION OZ

LAST 23 MONTHS TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED  IN MILLIONS OF OZ:

MAY 137.83 MILLION

JUNE 149.91 MILLION OZ

JULY 129.445 MILLION OZ

AUGUST: MILLION OZ 140.120

SEPT. 28.230 MILLION OZ//

OCT:  94.595 MILLION OZ

NOV: 131.925 MILLION OZ

DEC: 100.615 MILLION OZ

YEAR 2022:

 JAN 2022-DEC 2022

JAN 2022//  90.460 MILLION OZ

FEB 2022:  72.39 MILLION OZ//

MARCH 2022: 207.140  MILLION OZ//A NEW RECORD FOR EFP ISSUANCE

APRIL: 114.52 MILLION OZ FINAL//LOW ISSUANCE

MAY: 105.635 MILLION OZ//

JUNE: 94.470 MILLION OZ

JULY : 87.110 MILLION OZ

AUGUST: 65.025 MILLION OZ

SEPT. 74.025 MILLION OZ///FINAL

OCT.  29.017 MILLION OZ FINAL

NOV: 134.290 MILLION OZ//FINAL

DEC, 61.395 MILLION OZ FINAL

TOTALS YR 2022: 1135.767 MILLION OZ (1.1356 BILLION OZ)

JAN 2023///   53.070 MILLION OZ //FINAL

FEB: 2023:       100.105 MILLION OZ/FINAL//MUCH STRONGER ISSUANCE VS THE LATTER TWO MONTHS.

MARCH 2023:  112.58 MILLION OZ//FINAL//STRONG ISSUANCE

APRIL  118.035 MILLION OZ(SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAN LAST MONTH)

MAY 66.120 MILLION OZ/INITIAL (MUCH SMALLER THIS MONTH)  

JUNE: 110.395 MILLION OZ//MUCH LARGER THAN LAST MONTH

JULY 85.745 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)

AUGUST: 171.43 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE HUGE //2ND HIGHEST ON RECORD

SEPT: 72.705 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THIS MONTH)

OCT: 97.455 MILLION OZ

NOV.  50.050 MILLION OZ 

DEC. 66.140 MILLION OZ//

TOTAL 2023: 1,104.10 MILLION OZ/

JAN: 2.430 MILLION OZ

RESULT: WE HAD A HUGE SIZED INCREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 653  CONTRACTS WITH OUR  LOSS IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX//TUESDAY.,.  THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A HUGE EFP ISSUANCE  CONTRACTS: 1343  ISSUED FOR FEB AND 0 CONTRACTS ISSUED FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) WHICH  EXITED OUT OF THE SILVER COMEX  TO LONDON  AS FORWARDS.  WE HAVE A GOOD INITIAL SILVER OZ STANDING FOR JAN. OF  6.665 MILLION  OZ FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 50,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP AS WELL AS A 200 CONTRACT EX. FOR RISK ISSUANCE FOR 1.0 MILLION OZ //NEW TOTALS;  7.715 MILLION OZ/

NEW STANDING  7.715 million OZ   /// WE HAVE A HUGE SIZED GAIN OF 808 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES DESPITE THE LOSS IN PRICE. THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY:  A HUGE SIZED 1343 CONTRACTS//CONSIDERABLE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED   DURING THE TUESDAY  COMEX SESSION WITH HUGE SHORT COVERINGS FROM OUR SPEC SHORTS.   THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE TUESDAY NIGHT  (1343) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE., .

WE HAD 317 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 1,585,000  OZ

THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.

GOLD//OUTLINE

IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST ROSE BY A FAIR  SIZED 2172 CONTRACTS  TO 500,364 AND CLOSER TO THE RECORD (SET JAN 24/2020) AT 799,733  AND  PREVIOUS TO THAT: (SET JAN 6/2020) AT 797,110.

THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM PRELIMINARY OI TO FINAL OI IN GOLD TODAY:  -removed  318 CONTRACTS

WE HAD A FAIR  SIZED INCREASE  IN COMEX OI ( 2172 CONTRACTS) WITH OUR  $1.50 GAIN IN PRICE//TUESDAY. WE ALSO HAD A RATHER STRONG INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR JAN. AT 8.214 TONNES ON FIRST DAY NOTICE  FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 2800 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING: 8.3017 TONNES // ALL OF..THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR $1.50 GAIN IN PRICE  WITH RESPECT TO TUESDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A STRONG SIZED GAIN  OF 6841 OI CONTRACTS (2.127) PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.

E.F.P. ISSUANCE

THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A STRONG SIZED 4669 CONTRACTS:

The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 500,364

IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A STRONG SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 6841 CONTRACTS  WITH 2172  CONTRACTS INCREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A FAIR SIZED 2490 EFP OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS  TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 6841 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED):  A  GOOD SIZED 2200 CONTRACTS. 

CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES

WE HAD A GOOD SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (4669 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE  FAIR SIZED GAIN IN COMEX OI (2172) //TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 6841 CONTRACTS. WE HAVE ( 1) NOW RETURNED TO OUR FORMER FORMAT OF BANKERS GOING LONG AND SPECULATORS GOING SHORT  ,2.) STRONG INITIAL STANDING AT THE GOLD COMEX FOR JAN AT 8.214 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 2800 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING 8.3017 TONNES.  / 3) ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION AND  CONSIDERABLE TAS LIQUIDATION WITH SOME SHORT LIQUIDATION AT THE LOWER PRICES//    4)  FAIR SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST GAIN/ 5)    FAIR ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///6:  GOOD T.A.S.  ISSUANCE: 2200 CONTRACTS

HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023 INCLUDING TODAY

DEC

ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S GOLD AT J.P. MORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES: (EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF JAN. :

TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 3945 CONTRACTS OR 394,500 OZ OR 12.270 TONNES IN 2 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 1972  EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE  SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS :  THIS MONTH IN 2 TRADING DAY(S) IN  TONNES  12.270 TONNES

TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2022, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES

THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS  12.270/3550 x 100% TONNES  0.338% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION

ACCUMULATION OF GOLD EFP’S YEAR 2021 TO 2023

JANUARY/2021: 265.26 TONNES (RAPIDLY INCREASING AGAIN)

 FEB  :  171.24 TONNES  ( DEFINITELY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN)..

MARCH:.   276.50 TONNES (STRONG AGAIN/

APRIL:      189..44 TONNES  ( DRAMATICALLY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN//GOLD IN BACKWARDATION)

MAY:        250.15 TONNES  (NOW DRAMATICALLY INCREASING AGAIN)

JUNE:      247.54 TONNES (FINAL)

JULY:        188.73 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST:   217.89 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE.

SEPT          142.12 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE ( LOW ISSUANCE)_

OCT:           141.13 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE (LOW ISSUANCE)

NOV:           312.46 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE//NEW RECORD!! (INCREASING DRAMATICALLY)//SIGN OF REAL STRESS//SURPASSING THE MARCH 2021 RECORD OF 276.50 TONNES OF EFP

DEC.           175.62 TONNES//FINAL ISSUANCE//

TOTALS: 2,578.08 TONNES/2021

JAN:2022   247.25 TONNES //FINAL

FEB:           196.04 TONNES//FINAL

MARCH/2022:  409.30 TONNES //FINAL( THIS IS NOW A RECORD EFP ISSUANCE FOR MARCH AND FOR ANY MONTH.

APRIL:  169.55 TONNES (FINAL VERY  LOW ISSUANCE MONTH)

MAY:  247.44 TONNES FINAL//

JUNE: 238.13 TONNES  FINAL

JULY: 378.43 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST: 180.81 TONNES FINAL

SEPT. 193.16 TONNES FINAL

OCT:  177.57  TONNES FINAL ( MUCH SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)

NOV.  223.98 TONNES//FINAL ( MUCH LARGER THAN PREVIOUS MONTHS//comex running out of physical)

DEC:  185.59 tonnes // FINAL

TOTAL: 2,847,25 TONNES/2022

JAN 2023:    228.49 TONNES FINAL//HUGE AMOUNT OF EFP’S ISSUED THIS MONTH!!

FEB: 151.61 TONNES/FINAL

MARCH: 280.09 TONNES/INITIAL (ANOTHER STRONG MONTH FOR EFP ISSUANCE)

APRIL: 197.42 TONNES

MAY: 236.67 TONNES (A VERY STRONG ISSUANCE FOR THIS MONTH)

JUNE: 172.667 TONNES (WEAKER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)

JULY:  151.69 TONNES (WEAKER THAN LAST MONTH)

AUGUST:  195.28 TONNES (A STRONGER MONTH)//FINAL

SEPT: 254.709 TONNES (WILL BE LARGER THAN LAST MONTH AND A STRONG MONTH)

OCT. 248.09 TONNES. LIKE SILVER, THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE A STRONG E.F.P. ISSUANCE.

NOV.   239.16 TONNES//WILL BE STRONG THIS MONTH,

DEC. 213.704 TONNES. A STRONG MONTH//

TOTAL FOR YEAR 2023: 2,569.57 TONNES VS  2578 TONNES LAST YEAR

JAN ’24: 12.270 TONNES

SPREADING OPERATIONS

(/NOW SWITCHING TO GOLD) FOR NEWCOMERS, HERE ARE THE DETAILS

SPREADING LIQUIDATION HAS NOW COMMENCED   AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE  NEW  ACTIVE FRONT MONTH OF DEC. WE ARE NOW INTO THE SPREADING OPERATION OF  GOLD

HERE IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF HOW THE CROOKS FLEECE UNSUSPECTING LONGS IN THE SPREADING ENDEAVOUR ;MODUS OPERANDI OF THE CORRUPT BANKERS AS TO HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR SPREAD OPEN INTERESTS:HERE IS HOW THE CROOKS USED SPREADING AS WE ARE NOW INTO THE  NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF NOV HEADING TOWARDS THE  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEB., FOR  GOLD: AND MARCH FOR SILVER

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST  STARTS TO RISE BUT SO IS THE OPEN INTEREST OF SPREADERS. THE OPEN INTEREST IN WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL ONE WEEK BEFORE FIRST DAY NOTICE OF AN UPCOMING  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH (FEB), AND THAT IS WHEN THE CROOKS SELL THEIR SPREAD POSITIONS BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME OF THE DAY.  THEY WILL USE THE SELL SIDE OF THE EQUATION TO CREATE THE CASCADE (ALONG WITH THEIR COLLUSIVE FRIENDS) AND THEN COVER ON THE BUY SIDE OF THE SPREAD SITUATION AT THE END  OF THE DAY. THEY DO THIS TO AVOID POSITION LIMIT DETECTION. THE LIQUIDATION OF THE SPREADING FORMATION CONTINUES FOR EXACTLY ONE WEEK AND ENDS ON FIRST DAY NOTICE.”

WHAT IS ALARMING TO ME, ACCORDING TO OUR LONDON EXPERT ANDREW MAGUIRE IS THAT THESE EFP’S ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO WHAT ARE CALLED SERIAL FORWARD CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS AND THESE CONTRACTS ARE LESS THAN 14 DAYS.  ANYTHING GREATER THAN 14 DAYS, THESE MUST BE RECORDED AND SENT TO THE COMPTROLLER, GREAT BRITAIN TO MONITOR RISK TO THE BANKING SYSTEM.  IF THIS IS INDEED TRUE, THEN THIS IS A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD AS WE NOW WITNESS A MONSTROUS TOTAL EFP’S ISSUANCE AS IT HEADS INTO THE STRATOSPHERE.

The crooks also use the spread in the TAS  account  (trade at settlement).  They buy the spot TAS (e.g. June) and sell the future TAS two months out (e.g. August). Then they unload the front month (i.e. unload the buy side first so the price of gold/silver falls. This occurs in the middle  of the  front delivery month cycle. They unload the sell side of the equation, two months down the road.  The crooks violate position limits as the OCC refuse to hear our complaints.

First, here is an outline of what will be discussed tonight:

1.Today, we had the open interest at the comex, in SILVER ROSE BY A STRONG SIZED 653  CONTRACTS OI  TO  134,725 AND CLOSER TO THE COMEX HIGH RECORD //244,710(SET FEB 25/2020).  THE LAST RECORDS WERE SET  IN AUG.2018 AT 244,196 WITH A SILVER PRICE OF $14.78/(AUGUST 22/2018)..THE PREVIOUS RECORD TO THAT WAS SET ON APRIL 9/2018 AT 243,411 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS WITH THE SILVER PRICE AT THAT DAY: $16.53). AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE RECORD  WAS ESTABLISHED AT: 234,787 CONTRACTS, SET ON APRIL 21.2017 OVER  5 YEARS AGO.  HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW SET A NEW RECORD LOW OF 114,102 CONTRACTS JULY 3.2023

EFP ISSUANCE  155  CONTRACTS

OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS  AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:

MARCH  155  and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE:  155  CONTRACTS. EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON.  IF WE TAKE THE  COMEX OI GAIN  OF 653 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 155  OI TRANSFERRED TO LONDON THROUGH EFP’S,

WE OBTAIN A GOOD SIZED GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 808 CONTRACTS

THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN  ON THE TWO EXCHANGES  TOTAL 4.570 MILLION OZ 

OCCURRED DESPITE OUR $.09 LOSS IN PRICE …..

END

OUTLINE FOR TODAY’S COMMENTARY

1a/COMEX GOLD AND SILVER REPORT

(report Harvey)

b, ) Gold/silver trading overnight Europe,//GOLD COMMENTARIES

(Peter Schiff)

c) Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens

ii a) Chris Powell of GATA provides to us very important physical commentaries

b. Other gold/silver commentaries

c. Commodity commentaries//

d)/CRYPTOCURRENCIES/BITCOIN ETC

2.ASIAN AFFAIRS//

WEDNESDAY MORNING/TUESDAY  NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 4.97 PTS OR 0.17%  //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 142.14 PTSOR 0.85%          /The Nikkei CLOSED  //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED DOWN 1.40%    /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1473   /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1576 /Oil DOWN TO 70.32 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT  UP AT 76.02/ Stocks in Europe OPENED ALL RED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN  TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE WEAKER

A)NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

outline

b) REPORT ON JAPAN/
OUTLINE

3  CHINA
OUTLINE

4/EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES
OUTLINE

7. OIL ISSUES
OUTLINE

8 EMERGING MARKET ISSUES
9. USA

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1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS

GOLD

 LET US BEGIN:

THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST ROSE  BY A FAIR SIZED 2172 CONTRACTS  TO 500,364 WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF $1.50 WITH RESPECT TO TUESDAY TRADING. WE MUST HAVE HAD ZERO LONG SPEC LIQUIDATIONS IN THE  COMEX SESSION WITH SOME SPEC SHORT COVERINGS 

EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE

WE ARE NOW IN THE NON  ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF JAN..…  THE CME REPORTS THAT THE BANKERS ISSUED A GOOD SIZED  TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS.,

THAT IS 4669  EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: :  FEB 4669 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:

TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 4669 CONTRACTS

ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE LOST THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A STRONG SIZED TOTAL OF 6841  CONTRACTS IN THAT 4669 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS FORWARDS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A  FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 2490 COMEX  CONTRACTS..AND  THIS STRONG GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF $1.50//TUESDAY COMEX.  AS PER OUR NEWBIE TRADE AT SETTLEMENT (TAS) MANIPULATION OPERATION (WHICH CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT HAPPENS DURING MID MONTH IN THE DELIVERY CYCLE), THE CME REPORTS THAT THE TOTAL T.A.S. ISSUANCE FOR TUESDAY NIGHT WAS A GOOD SIZED   2200 CONTRACTS.  THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE BANKERS SOLD OFF THE LONG SIDE OF THE SPREAD WHICH  OF COURSE CONTINUES TO MANIPULATE THE PRICE OF GOLD SOUTHBOUND. (THEY KEEP THE SHORT SIDE OF THE CALENDAR SPREAD WHICH WILL BE LIQUIDATED TWO MONTHS HENCE)//. 

// WE HAVE A LIGHT AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING:   JAN  (8.3856 TONNES)  ( NON  ACTIVE MONTH)

HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT STOOD FOR DELIVERY IN THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS OF 2021-2022:

DEC 2021: 112.217 TONNES

NOV.  8.074 TONNES

OCT.    57.707 TONNES

SEPT: 11.9160 TONNES

AUGUST: 80.489 TONNES

JULY: 7.2814 TONNES

JUNE:  72.289 TONNES

MAY 5.77 TONNES

APRIL  95.331 TONNES

MARCH 30.205 TONNES

FEB ’21. 113.424 TONNES

JAN ’21: 6.500 TONNES.

TOTAL  YEAR  2021 (JAN- DEC): 601.213 TONNES

YEAR 2022:

JANUARY 2022  17.79 TONNES

FEB 2022: 59.023 TONNES

MARCH: 36.678 TONNES

APRIL: 85.340 TONNES FINAL.

MAY: 20.11 TONNES FINAL

JUNE: 74.933 TONNES FINAL

JULY 29.987 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST:104.979 TONNES//FINAL

SEPT.  38.1158 TONNES

OCT:  77.390 TONNES/ FINAL

NOV 27.110 TONNES/FINAL

Dec. 64.000 tonnes

(TOTAL  YEAR 656.076 TONNES)

2023:

JAN/2023:    20.559 tonnes

FEB 2023: 47.744 tonnes

MAR:  19.0637 TONNES

APRIL: 75.676  tonnes

MAY: 19.094 TONNES + 1.244 tonnes of exchange for risk =  20.338

JUNE: 64.354 TONNES

JULY: 10.2861 TONNES

AUGUST: 38.855 TONNES(INCLUDING .6842 EXCHANGE FOR RISK)

SEPT: 15.281 TONNES FINAL

OCT.    35.869 TONNES + 1.665 EXCHANGE FOR RISK =37.0355 tonnes

NOV: 18.7122 TONNES + 16.2505 EX. FOR RISK   = 34.9627 TONNES

DEC. 47.073 + 4.634 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK =  51.707TONNES

TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES

JAN ’24. 8.3856 TONNES

THE SPECS/HFT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT GAINED $1.50) //// BAND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY  SPECULATOR LONGS AS  WE HAD A STRONG SIZED GAIN  OF 6841 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. WE HAD A GOOD T.A.S. LIQUIDATION ON THE FRONT END OF TUESDAY’S TRADING .   THE T.A.S. ISSUED ON TUESDAY NIGHT, WILL BE “PUT INTO THE BANK” TO BE USED AT A LATER DATE AT THE COLLUSIVE CHOOSING OF OUR BANKERS. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED  CONSIDERABLE SPECULATOR SHORT COVERING 

WE HAVE GAINED A TOTAL OI OF 21.26 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL  GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR JAN. (8,214 TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S  2700 OZ QUEUE JUMP (.0898 TONNES)/ ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR GAIN  IN PRICE  TO THE TUNE OF $1.50.  

WE HAD – removed 318 CONTRACTS  TO THE  COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)

NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 6841 CONTRACTS OR 684,100 OZ OR 21.26 TONNES.

Estimated gold volume today:// 243,160 fairl

final gold volumes/yesterday  173,933 dreadful

//speculators have left the gold arena

JAN 3  INITIAL

/ /// THE JAN  2023 GOLD CONTRACT

Gold	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory in oz	nil
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory in oz	4726.20 OZ Brinks 147 kilobars           .
Deposit to the Dealer Inventory in oz	nil
Deposits to the Customer Inventory, in oz	nil oz
No of oz served (contracts) today	437  notice(s) 43,700 OZ 1.3592 TONNES
No of oz to be served (notices)	58  contracts    5800 oz 0.1804TONNES
Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month	2638  notices 263800 oz 8.2054 TONNES
Total accumulative withdrawals of gold from the Dealers inventory this month	NIL oz
Total accumulative withdrawal of gold from the Customer inventory this month	x

0 dealer deposit:

total dealer deposits:  nil oz

customer deposits: 0

we had  1 withdrawals

i) Out of Brinks: 4726 oz (147 kilobars)

total withdrawals 4726 oz (147 kilobarrs) oz

Adjustments; 0

CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR JAN.

For the front month of JANUARY we have an oi of 495  contracts having LOST 28 contracts.  We had 55 notices served on Tuesday, so we gained

27 contracts or an additional 2700 oz will stand for delivery at the comex  

FEB LOST 1603 CONTRACTS FALLING TO 376,803

March gained 26 contracts to stand at 29.

APRIL GAINED 3244 CONTRACTS RISING TO 67,675.

We had  437 contracts filed for today representing  43,700    oz  

Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer account and 18  notices were issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to  437   contract(s) of which 0   notices were stopped (received) by  j.P. Morgan dealer and 45 notice(s) was (were) stopped  ( received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account   and 0 notice(s) received (stopped) by the squid  (Goldman Sachs)

To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for the JAN. /2023. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (2,638 x 100 oz ), to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of  JAN. (495 CONTRACTS)  minus the number of notices served upon today  437 x 100 oz per contract equals  269,600 OZ  OR 8.3856 TONNES 

thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the JAN. contract month:  No of notices filed so far (2,638) x 100 oz +  (495) {OI for the front month} minus the number of notices served upon today (437)  x 100 oz) which equals  269,600 oz standing OR 8.3856 TONNES 

TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR JAN: 8.3856 TONNES WHICH IS GREAT FOR AN INACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR.  

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

COMEX GOLD INVENTORIES/CLASSIFICATION

NEW PLEDGED GOLD:

241,794.285 oz NOW PLEDGED /HSBC  5.94 TONNES

204,937.290 PLEDGED  MANFRA 3.08 TONNES

83,657.582 PLEDGED JPMorgan no 1  1.690 tonnes

265,999.054, oz  JPM No 2 

1,152,376.639 oz pledged  Brinks/

Manfra:  33,758.550 oz

Delaware: 193.721 oz

International Delaware::  11,188.542 oz

total pledged gold: 1,511,832.621   47,02 tonnes

TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD:  20,035,709.24 OZ  

TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 10,253,267.729  (318,91  tonnes).

TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 9,782,441.995 OZ  

REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 8,741.435 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD) 270,01 tonnes

END

SILVER/COMEX

JAN 3/INITIAL

//2023// THE JAN 2023 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL

Silver	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory	NIL oz
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory	4,127.629 oz Delaware Brinks .
Deposits to the Dealer Inventory	597,569.46 OZ ASAHI
Deposits to the Customer Inventory	1,204,329.540  oz ASAHI Brinks
No of oz served today (contracts)	317 CONTRACT(S)    (1,585,000 OZ)
No of oz to be served (notices)	989 contracts  (4,945,000 oz)
Total monthly oz silver served (contracts)	317 Contracts  (1,770,000 oz)
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Dealers inventory this month	NIL oz
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Customer inventory this month

i)  1 dealer  deposit

i) Into ASAHI  597,569.46 oz

total dealer deposit: 597,569.46 oz

i) We had  0 dealer withdrawal

total dealer withdrawals: 0 oz

We had  2 deposits customer account:

i) Into ASAHI 605,855.700 oz

ii) iNTO BRINKS: 598,473.540 OZ

total customer deposits:  1,204,473.540   oz

JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 133.1390  million oz/279.959 million  or 47.67%

Comex withdrawals

out of cnt: 296,201.300 cnt

total withdrawals 296,201.300oz

TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 45.692 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 279.959 million oz

CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR DECEMBER:

silver open interest data:

FRONT MONTH OF JAN. /2023 OI: 1306  CONTRACTS HAVING GAINED 1  CONTRACT(S).  WE HAD 9 NOTICES SERVED ON TUESDAY, SO WE GAINED 10 CONTRACTS OR AN ADDITIONAL 50,000 OZ WILL STAND FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX.

FEB GAINED 3 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 642

MARCH LOST 125 CONTRACTS TO 110,632

TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 317 for 1,585,000  oz

Comex volumes// est. volume today  86,573// RAID/VOLUME

Comex volume: confirmed yesterday 57,574 fair

To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in JAN. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 354 x  5,000 oz = 1,770,000 oz 

to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (1306) and the number of notices served upon today  437  x (5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.

Thus the  standings for silver for the DEC/2023 contract month:  354 (notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of JAN. (1306) – number of notices served upon today (317 )x 500 oz of silver standing for the JAN  contract month equates to 6.715 MILLION OZ.  to which we add our criminal 200 contracts of exchange for physical or 1.0 million oz//new total 7.715 million oz/  

 New total standing: 7.715 million oz.

There are 45,692 million oz of registered silver.

The record level of silver open interest is 234,787 contracts set on April 21./2017 with the price on that day at $18.42. The previous record was 224,540 contracts with the price at that time of $20.44

END

GLD AND SLV INVENTORY LEVELS//

BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE MASSIVE FRAUDS!

JAN 3/WITH GOLD DOWN $29.40  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.90 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.21 TONNES

JAN 2/WITH GOLD UP $1.50  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.11 TONNES

DEC 29/WITH GOLD DOWN $10.25  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.16 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 28/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.35  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 1.45 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 881.71 TONNES

DEC 27/WITH GOLD UP $23.25  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.26 TONNES

DEC 26/WITH GOLD UP $1.25  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 22/WITH GOLD UP $17,85  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 21/WITH GOLD UP $5.10  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT .58 TONNES OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.25 TONNES

DEC 20/WITH GOLD DOWN $3.60  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.67 TONNES

DEC19/WITH GOLD UP $12.15  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.69 TONNES

DEC18/WITH GOLD UP $5.50  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A DEPOSIT OF 173 TONNES INTO THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.69 TONNES

DEC14/WITH GOLD UP $47.35  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A DEPOSIT OF 2.42 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.96 TONNES

DEC13/WITH GOLD UP $3.90  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.89 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 875,65 TONNES

DEC12/WITH GOLD DOWN $0.60  TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. /A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.54 TONNES

DEC11/WITH GOLD DOWN $21.20  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 8/WITH GOLD DOWN $30,80  TODAY: SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // A WITHDRAWAL OF .28 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD/// INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

DEC 7/WITH GOLD DOWN $.20  TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.83 TONNES

DEC 6/WITH GOLD UP $11.70  TODAY:SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.83 TONNES

DEC 5/WITH GOLD DOWN $5.85  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 881.12 TONNES

DEC 4/WITH GOLD DOWN $43.15  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.31 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.82 TONNES

DEC 1/WITH GOLD UP $32.05  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 876.51 TONNES

NOV 30/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.70  TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 878.53 TONNES

NOV 29/WITH GOLD UP $7.20 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 880.55 TONNES

NOV 28/WITH GOLD UP $26.45 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNE

NOV 27/WITH GOLD UP $9,85 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: // / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNES

NOV 24/WITH GOLD UP $11.20 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 882.28 TONNES

NOV 22/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.45 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

NOV 21/WITH GOLD UP $21.65 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD / / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

NOV 20/WITH GOLD DOWN $4.15 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A MAMMOTH DEPOSIT OF 12.98 TONNES INTO THE GLD:/ / // // INVENTORY RESTS AT 883.43 TONNES

GLD INVENTORY: 874.21 TONNES

Now the SLV Inventory/( vehicle is a fraud as there is no physical metal behind them

JAN 3/WITH SILVER DOWN 78 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWALOF 2.294 MILLION OZ OZ FROM THE SLV././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.056 MILLION OZ

JAN 2/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWALOF 915,000 OZ FORM THE SLV././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 437.35 MILLION OZ

DEC  29/WITH SILVER DOWN 29 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: //////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

DEC  28/WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: //////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

DEC  27/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.374 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.265 MILLION OZ

THIS IS THE 3RD STRAIGHT DAY THAT THE SLV HAS ENGAGED IN WITHDRAWALS

DEC  26/WITH SILVER DOWN 14 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.465 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 439.639 MILLION OZ

DEC  22/WITH SILVER UP 0 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.289 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 441.104 MILLION OZ

DEC  21/WITH SILVER DOWN 2 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  20/WITH SILVER UP 28 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  19/WITH SILVER UP 27 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 2.747 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 443.393 MILLION OZ

DEC  18/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.794 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 440.646 MILLION OZ

DEC  14/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.00000 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 441.470 MILLION OZ

DEC  13/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A DEPOSIT OF 10.326 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 444.470 MILLION OZ

DEC  12/WITH SILVER DOWN 5 CENTS TODAY:BIG CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 594,000 OZ FROM THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.144 MILLION OZ

DEC  11/WITH SILVER DOWN 19 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A ////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.735 MILLION OZ

DEC  8/WITH SILVER DOWN 80 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A DEPOSIT OF 1.648 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.735 MILLION OZ

DEC  7/WITH SILVER DOWN 15 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: // //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  6/WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: // //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  5/WITH SILVER DOWN 34 CENTS TODAY:SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.305 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.090 MILLION OZ

DEC  4/WITH SILVER DOWN 90 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.7333 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.395 MILLION OZ

DEC  1/WITH SILVER UP 15 CENTS TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.923 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV// //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.128 MILLION OZ

NOV 30/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY:NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/ //://// //INVENTORY RESTS AT 436.051 MILLION OZ

CLOSING INVENTORY 435.056 MILLION OZ//

PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES

1:Peter Schiff/Mike Maharrey

END

2,c) Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens, John Rubino

END

3. CHRIS POWELL//GATA GOLD COMMENTARIES:

Guy Christopher: The seven biggest lies told (and believed) about gold

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2023-12-31 21:41Section: Daily Dispatches

By Guy Christopher
via Money Metals Exchange, Eagle, Idaho
Tuesday, December 26, 2023

It’s hard to say which lie about gold is the biggest whopper.

Many widely held beliefs about gold are lies — propaganda hammered home to have us believe that the only true measure of wealth is government-issued debt.

Big Lie #1: Gold is a barbarous relic.

Repeated for decades, this misquote of 20th-Century socialist economist John Maynard Keynes perpetuates a lie exploited as an almost biblical prophecy of gold’s demise.

What Keynes wrote in 1923 was “the gold standard is already a barbarous relic.” Big-spender Keynes was advocating legislation to demolish gold’s restrictive power over government spending.

While the classic gold standard (gold backing paper money) no longer officially exists, governments buy and sell gold around the clock. And they hold it in reserve — and have even been building those reserves recently at record rates. …

… For the remainder of the analysis:

https://moneymetalsexchange.substack.com/p/the-seven-biggest-lies-told-and-believed

end

Man found £2 million in gold bars hidden inside Iraqi tank he bought on eBay …

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2024-01-02 16:55Section: Daily Dispatches

… but he got nothing out of it and now they probably already have been rehypothecated a dozen times by the Bank of England and the London Bullion Market Association.

* * *

By Tom Cotterill
Daily Mail, London
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

A military buff who bought a tank on eBay and discovered L2million of gold bars hidden inside says he regrets handing in the hidden treasure. 

Nick Mead discovered the five gold bars stashed inside the diesel tank of the ex-Iraqi Army Type 69, a Chinese copy of the Soviet T-55, back in 2017.

 It is believed the bullion was looted by plundering Iraqi soldiers during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait but forgotten about inside the 36.7-ton armoured beast.

Stunned by the discovery, Mead handed the gold to the authorities. Now, six years later, he has admitted he wished he had kept the hidden booty.  …

… For the remainder of the report:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12907325/I-2million-gold-bars-hidden-inside-Iraqi-tank-bought-eBay-wish-never-handed-didnt-earn-penny.html

* * *

end

4. OTHER GOLD/SILVER //COMMENTARIES//PODCASTS

Gold Prices Predicted To Hit Record Highs Of $2,300 In 2024

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 06:30 AM

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

After prices jumped in 2023, gold is entering 2024 with many experts suggesting the safe haven asset could hit record highs this year.

In 2023, gold prices jumped from around $1,823 per oz. to $2,062 per oz.—an increase of over 13 percent—making it the best year for the yellow metal since 2020. On Dec. 4, gold hit a record-high price of $2,135.40 per oz. For 2024, experts predict gold prices to move higher.

“Following on from a surprisingly robust performance in 2023, we see further price gains in 2024, driven by a trifecta of momentum chasing hedge funds, central banks continuing to buy physical gold at a firm pace, and not least renewed demand from ETF investors,” said Saxo Bank’s Ole Hansen, according to Reuters.

JP Morgan predicts gold to see a “breakout rally” starting in the middle of this year due to Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts. The bank expects gold to hit a peak of $2,300. Meanwhile, UBS projects gold prices to hit $2,150 by the end of this year if the rate cuts were to take place.

Gold saw major ups and downs in 2023, as one event after another affected investor perception. In May, the U.S. banking crisis pushed gold down to a low of $1,810 per oz. by early October. However, the Hamas attack on Israel that month triggered tensions and gold prices have been rising since then.

In November, the SPDR Gold Shares ETF, a popular exchange-traded fund tracking gold, saw net inflows of more than $1 billion, breaking five consecutive months of outflows. This was also the strongest month of net inflow since March 2022,

An Oct. 31 update by the World Gold Council (WGC) revealed that global central banks collectively bought “an astonishing” 800 tons of gold in the first three quarters of 2023. This is a 14 percent increase in gold buying compared with the same period last year.

A May 30 survey published by the organization found that a majority of central banks expect the proportion of their total reserves denominated in gold to increase over the next five years, thus contributing to upside pressure on gold prices.

Gold and Economic Scenarios

The WGC has three different predictions for gold rates this year depending on how the economic scenario plays out, according to its Gold Outlook 2024 report.

If there is a “soft landing” of the U.S. economy, which WGC attributes a 45 to 65 percent probability, the organization expects gold prices to remain “flat with upside potential.”

In the less probable “hard landing” scenario—25 to 55 percent probability—WGC expects gold prices to move “notably higher” and hit a new record high.

If the U.S. economy sees a “no landing” scenario where inflation and economic growth reaccelerates, WGC foresees gold prices to remain flat and face downside pressure. The “no landing” scenario has the lowest probability at just 5 to 10 percent.

“If the no-landing scenario does occur, it could prove initially challenging for gold. While positive economic growth would support consumer demand and higher inflation would increase the need for hedges, it is likely that the combination of higher rates and a stronger US dollar would create a drag, as they did in September 2023,” WGC said in the report.

“But if inflation surged again, it could elicit an even stronger monetary response—leading us back to the spectre of a hard(er) landing further down the line and a strong case for strategic gold allocations.”

In 2024, WGC expects major global elections in the United States, India, European Union, and Taiwan to be a geopolitical risk. As such, “investors’ need for portfolio hedges will likely be higher than normal.”

“The probability of a recession is not insignificant. From a risk-management perspective, this would provide strong support to the case of maintaining a strategic allocation to gold in the portfolio.”

Downside Risks

While many experts are bullish on gold, some advise exercising caution. In an interview with Yahoo Finance last month, Rob Haworth, senior investment strategy director at U.S. Bank Asset Management Group, pointed out that lower interest rates and investor hopes for Fed rate cuts have contributed to surging gold prices.

“A key question for bullish gold investors is whether these trends can be sustained. A still-growing U.S. economy and few signs the Fed is close to considering interest rate cuts are likely to temper near-term enthusiasm for gold.”

Opimus CEO Octavio Marenzi also warned investors against blindly betting money on gold after seeing the recent spike.

“The biggest mistake is sort of chasing the market and [being] a day late into getting the hot investment classes after they’ve had a big rally and a big pop,” he said.

A key factor for gold prices would be the strength of the U.S. dollar. The dollar is typically inversely related to gold prices. As such, a strong dollar could restrict the upside movement of gold prices or even contribute to a decline.

JP Morgan is expecting the U.S. dollar to remain at “elevated levels” in 2024, suggesting that it could even hit “new highs.”

end

5 a. IMPORTANT COMMENTARIES ON COMMODITIES /WHEAT

5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT

END

6.CRYPTOCURRENCY//DIGITAL CURRENCY// COMMENTARIES/

end

1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGS WEDNESDAY MORNING.7:30 AM

ONSHORE YUAN:   CLOSED DOWN AT 7.1473

OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.1576

SHANGHAI CLOSED  UP 4,97 PTS OR 0.17%

HANG SENG CLOSED DOWN 142,14 PTS OR 0.85%

2. Nikkei closed  

3. Europe stocks   SO FAR:   ALL  RED 

USA dollar INDEX UP  TO  102.13 EURO FALLS TO 1.0926 DOWN 15 BASIS PTS

3b Japan 10 YR bond yield:FALLS TO. +.625 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 142.93/JAPANESE YEN NOW RISING AS WELL AS LONG TERM 10  YR. YIELDS RISING //EVENTUALLY THIS WILL BREAK THE JAPANESE CENTRAL BANK

3c Nikkei now  ABOVE 17,000

3d USA/Yen rate now well ABOVE the important 120 barrier this morning

3e Gold DOWN /JAPANESE Yen DOWN  CHINESE ONSHORE YUAN: DOWN//  OFFSHORE: DOWN

3f Japan is to buy INFINITE  TRILLION YEN worth of BONDS. Japan’s GDP equals 5 trillion USA

Japan to buy 100% of all new Japanese debt and NOW they will have OVER 50% of all Japanese debt.

3g Oil DOWN for WTI and DOWN  FOR Brent this morning

3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund DOWN TO +2.0630***/Italian 10 Yr bond yield DOWN to 3.752** /SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD DOWN TO 3.042…**

3i Greek 10 year bond yield UP TO 3.114

3j Gold at $2047.80 silver at: 23.31 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $30.00

3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble DOWN 1 AND 47 /100        roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 91.78//

3m oil into the 70  dollar handle for WTI and 76  handle for Brent/

3n Higher foreign deposits moving out of China//  huge risk of outflows and a currency depreciation. This can spell financial disaster for the rest of the world/

JAPAN ON JAN 29.2016 CONTINUES NIRP. THIS MORNING RAISES AMOUNT OF BONDS THAT THEY WILL PURCHASE UP TO .5% ON THE 10 YR BOND///YEN TRADES TO 142,93//  10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 0.625% STILL ON CENTRAL BANK (JAPAN) INTERVENTION

30 SNB (Swiss National Bank) still intervening again in the markets driving down the FRANC. It is not working: USA/SF this 0.8554 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF:   0.9325 well above the floor set by the Swiss Finance Minister. Thomas Jordan, chief of the Swiss National Bank continues to purchase euros trying to lower value of the Swiss Franc.

USA 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.983 UP 4 BASIS PTS…

USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.124  UP 4 BASIS PTS/

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD:  4.353UP 3 BASIS PTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.77…(TURKEY SET TO BLOW UP FINANCIALLY)

GREAT BRITAIN/10 YEAR YIELD: DOWN 1  BASIS PTS AT 3.6835

end

2.a  Overnight:  Newsquawk and Zero hedge.

US Futures, Treasuries Extend Selloff As Oil Jumps Ahead Of Fed Minutes

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 08:19 AM

The risk off tone that has dominated the 2024 mood so far extended into a second session, and this time in addition to selling in both stocks and bonds, we are seeing crypto join the fray (the reason being attributed to this tweet). US equity futures and global market are experiencing some selling and profit-taking after the recent torrid Santa Rally, as we enter the first of several important macro data days: today the focus will be on ISM Mfg report and the December Fed Minutes. Interestingly, despite the weakness, yesterday’s US session saw a $7.8bn MOC to buy, and in its market intel note this morning (available to pro subscribers), JPM writes that for all the weakness “it does feel like there are buyers below current levels as the SPX struggles to breach 4,800.” That said, as of 7:45am, S&P futures were down 0.4% to 4,765, near yesterday’s session lows; Nasdaq futures dropped 0.7%. Bond yields are higher as we see bonds come for sale alongside stocks globally. 10Y Treasury yields rose to 3.98%, the highest since mid-December and a move above 4% will likely add more volatility to equity markets; the USD extended its gains; Brent jumped to session high around $77, rising form a sub-$75 low after Libya’s Sharara oil field unexpectedly shutdown amid mass protests, removing some 265K bpd in daily output although commodities overall remain mixed on concerns about China’s economy.

In premarket trading, all the megacap tech names are again lower in follow-on selling after yesterday’s AAPL’s downgrade which sent the stock tumbling almost 4%. Here are some other notable premarket movers:

• Ambarella Inc. shares are down 3.5%, after Wells Fargo Securities downgraded the chipmaker to equal-weight from overweight.
• Dyne Therapeutics rose 84% after it announced initial clinical data from Achieve trial in DM1 patients and Deliver trial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.
• Mercury Systems slips 2.3% after Jefferies downgraded the defense company to underperform from hold saying its guidance “is in need of a reset.”
• Wendy’s falls 1.5% after Barclays cuts the fast-food restaurant operator to equal weight from overweight, seeing near-term challenges to accelerating unit and comparable sales growth.

US markets are poised to extend Tuesday’s slump, which saw the S&P 500 close lower by 0.6% and Nasdaq drop 1.7, registering as the biggest global rout since 1999 for the first full day of trading in a year. Wednesday’s data includes the ISM manufacturing report for December and the JOLTS report of job openings for November, followed by minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting. The minutes will be of particular interest for investors because the December meeting was a key catalyst for the sharp rally in Treasuries, after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that policymakers had discussed interest-rate cuts.

“It’s a very heavy data week — we have minutes, we have payroll, we have ISM,” said Adarsh Sinha, Bank of America Corp’s co-head of Asia FX & rates strategy on Bloomberg Television. “It’s natural investors are reducing some risks in some of the heavily crowded trades toward year-end.”

“We do not expect such sharp cuts to be supported by the discussion in the minutes, but we will be on the lookout for any mention of rate cuts, what would trigger them and how soon they might come,” said Karl Steiner, head of analysis at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB.

European stocks have followed their Asian counterparts lower while bonds also add to Tuesday’s selloff. The Stoxx 600 falls 0.6%, led by declines in mining and consumer product shares. Defensive sectors advanced with consumer staples and healthcare outperforming the benchmark Stoxx 600 Index while tech shares lag behind. Here are the biggest European movers:

• Maersk extends gains, rising as much as 6.2% and lifting peers, after it decided to stop its ships from sailing through the Red Sea; Goldman Sachs upgrades the stock to neutral
• Novartis shares rise as much as 4.1% after agreeing a licensing deal with US biotech Voyager Therapeutics, with Vontobel seeing it boosting the Swiss firm’s gene therapy strength
• Atos surges as much as 12% after the French tech firm said it received an offer from Airbus for its cybersecurity and data unit, a deal that could potentially avoid heavy share dilution
• GSK gains as much as 2.8% after being upgraded to buy at Jefferies on near-term risk-reward ahead of potential Zantac class action settlements and misplaced concerns on 2024 growth
• Entain rises as much as 2.7% after appointing Ricky Sandler as a non-executive director with immediate effect. Analysts see the appointment as a positive for the share price
• Ryanair drops as much as 3.7% after the budget airline said the removal of its flights from several online travel agencies would reduce its load factor in the near term
• Wizz Air declines as much as 2.3% after revealing its load factor declined in December from the previous year, with Liberum noting this marks Wizz’s first decline in years
• Ashmore drops almost 5% after Numis downgrades to sell “with no obvious reason to own,” also seeing continued challenges within the wealth/asset management sector

“It’s not entirely surprising to see some of the tech stocks that very much propelled the market higher last year take a bit of a breather,” says Richard Saldanha, global equity fund manager at Aviva Investors. There’s value in sectors such as health care and consumer staples, “where earnings remain resilient and relative valuations are looking increasingly attractive,” Saldanha says. Saldanha notes the backdrop of lower inflation and potential for interest rates to come down from recent peaks should support markets, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty given the geopolitical backdrop and the US elections later this year.

Earlier in the session, in Asia, the MSCI regional benchmark sank 1.2% in the steepest retreat since November, driven by a selloff in technology stocks and as sentiment remains muted amid weakness in China; TSMC, Samsung and Alibaba were the biggest drags. Technology stocks tracked declines among Wall Street peers following a surge in Treasury yields. A gauge of tech stocks in Hong Kong dropped more than 2%. Stocks in Japan remained closed for a holiday. Asian equities have started the year on the back foot after a strong rally in the final quarter of 2023 as investors reconsider the potential scale of rate cuts by major central banks and China’s economic woes continue to weigh.

“Overall sentiment in the region has largely tracked the downbeat handover in Wall Street,” said Jun Rong Yeap, a market analyst at IG Asia Pte. “Focus will remain on economic data out of the US, alongside the Fed minutes, to provide cues on the Fed’s policy outlook.”

In FX, the greenback edged higher for a second day, with the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rising 0.2%. The Japanese yen is the weakest of the G-10 currencies, falling 0.5% versus the dollar with the USDJPY flirting with 143. The euro pared gains as Germany’s unemployment rate rose, while the Japanese yen sank for the second session.

“It’s a very heavy data week — we have minutes, we have payroll, we have ISM — so I think it’s natural investors are reducing some risks in some of the heavily crowded trades toward year-end like short dollar,” said Adarsh Sinha, BofA’s head of Asia FX & rates strategy on Bloomberg Television

In rates, we are selling continued weakness across the board. Treasuries extended Tuesday’s selloff with yields cheaper by 3bp to 5bp across the curve in a bear steepening move. 10-year TSY yields sit around 3.98%, cheaper by 5bps on the day and lagging bunds and gilts by around 4.5bp and 3bp in the sector as Treasuries lead global bonds lower; long-end led weakness steepens 2s10s, 5s30s spreads by 2bp and 1bp on the day

Another busy corporate issuance slate is expected for Wednesday’s session, follows almost $30b pricing Tuesday, while USD/JPY re-testing 143.00 adds to cheapening pressure on cash yields. Session ahead includes ISM manufacturing and JOLTS data. In the two-day pullback this year, long-end UK bonds have been among the hardest hit. Yields on 30-year UK government notes have risen 14 basis points, more than their US and German equivalents. Investors are ditching long-end gilts to free up cash before the UK sells new debt that may have a higher coupon.

Looking at today’s calendar, US economic data includes December ISM manufacturing and November JOLTS job openings (10am). Fed members scheduled to speak include Barkin at 8:30am; FOMC minutes release is scheduled for 2pm. The Federal Reserve will release minutes of its December meeting — when policymakers had surprised markets by signaling a pivot from rate hikes — later Wednesday while US jobless claims, nonfarm payrolls and factory orders are among the data points due by the end of the week.

Market Snapshot

• S&P 500 futures down 0.2% to 4,778.75
• MXAP down 1.0% to 166.42
• MXAPJ down 1.3% to 517.93
• Nikkei down 0.2% to 33,464.17
• Topix up 0.2% to 2,366.39
• Hang Seng Index down 0.8% to 16,646.41
• Shanghai Composite up 0.2% to 2,967.25
• Sensex down 0.7% to 71,399.28
• Australia S&P/ASX 200 down 1.4% to 7,523.20
• Kospi down 2.3% to 2,607.31
• STOXX Europe 600 down 0.3% to 477.24
• German 10Y yield little changed at 2.07%
• Euro little changed at $1.0941
• Brent Futures down 0.8% to $75.32/bbl
• Gold spot down 0.0% to $2,058.56
• U.S. Dollar Index little changed at 102.28

Top Overnight News

• Two of China’s biggest state-owned banks and a leading joint-stock bank have stepped up reviews of smaller lenders over the past couple of months to identify those with poor asset quality and have a high risk of default. The two state-owned banks have decided to reduce interbank lending limits and set shorter maturity periods for smaller peers deemed high risk, said two of the sources. RTRS
• A Chinese Communist Party newspaper has urged the country’s regulators to end their erratic moves against the platform economy, in a sign of growing concern over policy damage to the health of the country’s ailing internet titans. A front page opinion piece published by the Study Times, the mouthpiece of the Central Party School, on Wednesday argued that regulators must stop the practice of swinging between extremes of lax oversight and “overly strict” regulation so that China’s Big Tech firms can have room to grow. SCMP  
• EU regulators will dig deeper into the links between banks and other financial firms such as hedge funds, said the chair of the European Banking Authority, as concerns mount about the potential for contagion from stresses in the wider system. FT
• The EU has added Russia’s state-owned Alrosa, the world’s largest diamond miner, to its sanctions list along with the company’s chief executive Pavel Marinychev. FT
• Oil’s facing a glut this year as production from non-OPEC+ countries like the US runs ahead of demand and traders are skeptical the cartel will be able to implement cuts. BBG
• US national debt tops $34T for the first time, with $1T added in just the last three months. WaPo
• Republican House majority will shrink to 2 following Ohio lawmaker’s early resignation (the resignation will leave the House with 219 Republicans and 213 Dems, which means the GOP can only lose two people on party-line votes). The Hill
• Issuance of convertible debt climbed by 77% last year to $48bn, according to data from LSEG, making it one of the only areas of capital markets to return to pre-pandemic averages after 2022’s market downturn. Experts say the boom in convertibles, a type of bond that can be swapped for shares if a company’s stock price hits a pre-agreed level, is likely to continue this year as companies refinance a wave of maturing debt. FT
• The killing on Tuesday night of a senior Hamas leader marked the biggest hit to the group’s top leadership in years, taking out a key player who was responsible for aligning the Palestinian militant group with Iran and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah. Saleh al-Arouri was killed in Beirut in a suspected Israeli strike, although Israel hasn’t officially claimed responsibility. WSJ
• Manhattan home prices rose for the first time in more than a year, as surging high-end sales propelled the market and lower mortgage rates set the stage for a broader recovery in 2024. Purchases closed at a median of $1.16 million in the fourth quarter, up 5.1% from a year earlier, according to appraiser Miller Samuel Inc. and brokerage Douglas Elliman Real Estate. It was the first annual increase since the third quarter of 2022, the firms’ data show. BBG

A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk

Asia-Pac stocks were mostly lower as sentiment reverberated from Wall Street’s downbeat performance despite the lack of a clear driver, while Japanese markets were away on a market holiday. ASX 200 saw the deepest losses in gold names following the recent surge in the Dollar, while Tech also lagged, mimicking the sectoral performance on Wall Street. KOSPI extended its downside with semiconductor names among the biggest losers – Samsung Electronics tumbled 3% at one point. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were mixed with the former’s losses led by large-cap Hong Kong stocks also listed in the US (JD.com -4.2%, Baidu -3.0%, Alibaba -2.7%), while Mainland China fluctuated between modest gains and losses, but was ultimately cushioned by stimulus speculation in Chinese press.

Top Asian News

• China is expected to persist in reducing interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) throughout 2024, according to the China Securities Journal. Economic Daily reported that additional policies aimed at stabilizing the economy are anticipated to be implemented in China.
• PBoC injected CNY 14bln through 7-day reverse repos at a maintained rate of 1.80% for a net drain of CNY 558bln, according to Reuters.
• Japan reported an earthquake with prelim. magnitude of 5.5, no tsunami warning has been issued after the earthquake, according to NHK.
• Australia PM Albanese said his government would consider new cost-of-living relief measures ahead of the May budget without stoking inflation, according to Reuters.
• Some of China’s large banks tighten interbank lending standard for smaller peers to mitigate credit risk, via Reuters citing sources

European equites, Eurostoxx50 (-0.8%), extend losses in-fitting with the negative risk tone and subdued APAC trade overnight. Pressure which has increased throughout the session despite limited newsflow, though US Futures remain around the APAC low pre-data/minutes. European sectors hold a negative bias; Optimised Personal Care Drug and Grocery is generally lifted by UK supermarkets following a positive Kantar update. Basic Resources suffers from weaker commodity prices. US Equity Futures are lower across the board, though with losses comparably more contained ahead of key US data; RTY (-0.6%) continues yesterday’s underperformance; NQ & ES -0.2%.

Top European News

• Kantar UK Supermarket Update (Dec): Supermarkets saw their highest level of transactions in December since 2019. Grocery price inflation fell to 6.7% in December, its lowest level since April 2022.
• Atos in Early Talks to Sell Cybersecurity Business to Airbus
• Citi’s Manthey Says European Stocks Face Risks After Bullish Run
• German Unemployment Up Less Than Expected After Worker Shortages
• Maersk, Shipping Peers Jump on Red Sea Halt, Goldman Upgrade
• Wizz Air Drops as Load Factor Brings Capacity Concerns: Liberum
• Italy Weighs $1 Billion Package to Boost Electric-Car Sales
• European Council Adds Alrosa, CEO Marinychev to Sanctions List

FX

• DXY is firmer and trades towards the upper end of a 102.07-40 range; traders will await key US data. Thus far, the index has eclipsed the 21-DMA and approaches 21st Dec high (102.45), 102.50, 20th Dec high (102.54), and the 19th, 18th and 15th Dec highs (at 102.63, 102.63 and 102.64 respectively).
• EUR holds around the unchanged mark and trades on either side of 1.0950 after finding support near its 21 DMA at 1.0937.
• The Yen is the G10 underperformer continuing yesterday’s losses as USD/JPY advances to a high of 142.79.
• The Antipodeans are once again divergent, with the Kiwi holding around flat, whilst the Aussie slips; in a reversal of yesterday’s price action, AUD/NZD falls back below 1.08.
• PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1002 vs exp. 7.1512 (prev. 7.0770)

Fixed Income

• USTs are pressured, in-fitting with the broader risk tone with yields bid across the curve as attention turns to FOMC Minutes and speak from Fed’s 2024 voter Barkin.
• Bunds continues yesterday’s losses and overall unreactive to the German unemployment data; though, as the risk tone sours more broadly EGBs have bounced from lows, but Bunds remain shy of 137.00 and Tuesday’s best above that.
• Gilts follow EGB and UST price action with the docket sparse on the UK front; session trough at 101.23 remains comfortably above the prior day’s worst at 101.08.
• Germany sells EUR 3.56bln vs exp. EUR 4.5bln 3.1% 2025 Schatz: b/c 1.82 (prev. 2.48x), average yield 2.44% (prev. 2.64%), retention 20.9% (prev. 18.67%)
• Mexico has placed USD 7.5bln in 5-year, 12-year, and 30-year bonds, according to the Finance Ministry cited by Reuters. Demand for the bond offering reached USD 21.3bln.
• Indonesia has launched 5-year, 10-year, and 30-year Dollar bonds at 4.9%, 5.05%, and 5.45%, respectively, according to the term sheet cited by Reuters

Commodities

• WTI and Brent continue to pullback with the complex taking cues for recent Dollar strength and the overall sour risk tone.
• Spot Gold price action is contained though has tilted slightly lower amid firmer Dollar; Base Metals are lower amid negative sentiment in APAC trade overnight.
• UBS forecasts higher spot crude prices this year. Forecasts Brent recovering to USD 80-90bbl and WTI in the USD 75-85bbl range.
• Indian Oil Minister says domestic firms will invest USD 67bln to bolster nat gas infrastructure by the next 5-6yrs; Says they are purchasing 1.5mln BPD of Russian oil.
• Iraq’s oil exports averaged 3.5mln BPD in December, average price of USD 76.96/bbl, via the Oil Ministry.

Geopolitics

• The US has reportedly reached an agreement with Qatar that extends the American military presence at the biggest base in the Middle East – al Udeid – for another 10 years, sources told CNN’s Marqu.
• US CENTCOM said on January 2, Iranian-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen into the southern Red Sea, according to Reuters. Multiple commercial ships in the area reported the impact of the anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) into the surrounding water, although none have reported any damage.
• A senior Chinese official has stated that the upcoming elections in Taiwan (13th Jan) are an important choice between peace and war, prosperity and recession, according to state media.
• Iranian president is set to visit Turkey on Thursday, according to journalist Aslani.

US Event Calendar

• 07:00: Dec. MBA Mortgage Applications -10.7%
• 10:00: Nov. JOLTs Job Openings, est. 8.82m, prior 8.73m
• 10:00: Dec. ISM New Orders, est. 49.1, prior 48.3
• 14:00: Dec. FOMC Meeting Minutes

DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap

Welcome back and hope you all had a great Christmas and a happy New Year. Since we’ve been away, markets have continued to advance for the most part, with the S&P 500 having now posted 9 consecutive weekly gains for the first time since 2004. However, when it came to the first trading day of 2024 yesterday, markets have fallen back again, with the S&P 500 down -0.57%, whilst the NASDAQ saw a larger -1.63% decline. That decline has continued overnight as well, with the major equity indices in Asia all trading lower.

There have been several factors behind the moves, but an important one was growing scepticism about the chance of near-term rate cuts. For instance, at the end of 2023, futures were fully pricing in a Fed rate cut by March, but after yesterday’s session that had been dialled back to a 87% probability and overnight it has further moved lower to 85%. Likewise at the ECB, the chance of a cut by March has fallen from 71% last Thursday, to 61% yesterday and 59% overnight. Clearly, investors are still pricing in a Q1 rate cut as more likely than not, but there’s been a bit more doubt over the last 48 hours as to whether the aggressive rate cuts priced for 2024 will actually end up happening.

That shift prompted a decent sell-off for sovereign bonds on both sides of the Atlantic, with yields on 10yr Treasuries up +5.0bps to 3.93%. That was particularly evident at the front-end, where the 2yr yield was up +7.0bps to 4.32%. And the effects were clear among other asset classes, sine the dollar index (+0.86%) saw its strongest daily performance since July. Meanwhile in Europe there was a similar pattern, with yields on 10yr bunds (+4.5bps), OATs (+3.9bps) and BTPs (+2.4bps) all rising .

Another factor which dampened sentiment were growing signs of geopolitical risk and the potential impact on supply chains. For instance, yesterday saw the container shipping company Maersk announce that they would be pausing all transit through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden “until further notice”. They had already announced a pause until January 2, but the latest statement didn’t put a date on how long it would last. That follows incidents where commercial vessels have come under attack in the Red Sea, which has already led to significant shipping diversions. Brent crude oil prices had been up by more than 2% earlier in the session, but with the broader decline in risk appetite later in the session, they ended the day down -1.49% at $75.89/bbl .

Elsewhere, the data releases from yesterday didn’t really help matters either. Among others, we had the final manufacturing PMI from the US, which was revised down three-tenths from the flash reading to 47.9. To be fair, the picture looked slightly better in the Euro Area, where the manufacturing PMI was revised up two-tenths, but that still left it at a contractionary 44.4, having now remained beneath the 50 mark since June 2022.

All that meant markets got 2024 off to a rough start, with the S&P 500 (-0.57%) down for a second consecutive session, whilst Europe’s STOXX 600 also fell -0.10%. Big tech stocks led the declines, which meant the NASDAQ (-1.63%) and the FANG+ Index (-2.36%) posted significant losses. And there was a decent widening in credit spreads too, with US HY spreads widening by +10bps to 333bps .

Overnight in Asia, that negative trend has continued this morning, with losses for the KOSPI (-2.10%), the Hang Seng (-1.09%), the CSI 300 (-0.66%) and the Shanghai Comp (-0.26%). I n Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 is also down -1.37%, whilst markets in Japan remain closed for a holiday. US equity futures are pointing lower as well, with those on the S&P 500 down -0.07%.

Looking forward, today should offer some more clues on the rate cut speculation, since we’ve got the FOMC minutes from the December meeting out later. That meeting helped turbocharge the year-end rally, since the median dot from officials pencilled in 75bps of cuts this year, and Chair Powell didn’t push back on the rate cut discussion either. In fact, he said that “we’re very focused on not making that mistake” of keeping policy tight for too long. So all eyes will be on any mentions of rate cuts or easing policy.

As well as the Fed minutes, today will also bring the latest ISM manufacturing report for December, along with the JOLTS report of job openings for November. So far at least, the JOLTS has broadly pointed to an easing in labour demand, but to levels that are still consistent with a soft landing. So it will clearly be a good sign for the economy if that momentum can be maintained. Later in the week, we’ll get the US jobs report for December on Friday. Our US economists are looking for a +150k gain in nonfarm payrolls, with the unemployment rate ticking up slightly to 3.8% .

More broadly as we look to the year ahead, it’s clear that several themes are set to feature on the agenda. A big one will be politics, as there are lots of elections scheduled around the world in 2024. One of the most important will be the US Presidential election on November 5, and the current polling averages from FiveThirtyEight still suggest that Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the clear frontrunners for their party’s nominations. That would set up the first direct re-match in a presidential election since 1956. Moreover, attention is likely to shift onto US politics well ahead of November, as the first primaries are taking place later this month. On the Republican side, the Iowa Caucus is happening on January 15, which is then followed by the New Hampshire primary for both parties on January 23.

Meanwhile on the macro side, a big question we’re watching in 2024 is whether a soft landing can be achieved. Clearly the inflation readings have surprised on the downside of late, but we also know that monetary policy operates with a lag and there are still plenty of vulnerabilities. And even as growth surprised on the upside in 2023, several leading indicators of a recession are still pointing in a more negative direction, such as inverted yield curves, or the fact that Temporary Help Services payrolls in the US (a leading indicator in previous cycles) have kept declining. This is why we called our 2024 World Outlook “The Race Against Time…” (link here), as the question is whether rates can fall and lending standards ease quickly enough for there not to be a funding accident.

And lastly, although there are plenty of things we know are going to happen like elections, most years normally see plenty of events materialise that are unexpected surprises at the start. That’s certainly been the pattern in recent years, not least with 2020, when we had the pandemic and an incredibly sharp economic contraction. Then in 2021, inflation returned in a big way for the first time in decades. In 2022, that was then followed by the fastest rate hikes since the early 1980s, whilst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine meant that geopolitics became a significant factor for markets again. Even in 2023, although there wasn’t a single event that dominated in markets, there were still plenty of surprises that occurred along the way, including the regional banking turmoil in March, major excitement about AI from the spring, central banks staying hawkish, and then a phenomenal year-end rally as hopes mounted about a soft landing and potential rate cuts this year. Let’s see what 2024 has in store for us, but recent years have certainly taught us to expect the unexpected.

Looking at the day ahead now, US data releases include the ISM manufacturing reading for December, along with the JOLTS job openings for November. In Germany, there’s also the unemployment report for December. Meanwhile from the Federal Reserve, we’ll get the minutes from the December FOMC meeting, whilst Richmond Fed President Barkin is speaking.

2 B) NOW NEWSQUAWK (EUROPE/REPORT)

Equities weaker amid a sour risk tone, DXY bid and Crude pressured as markets await key US events – Newsquawk US Market Open

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 06:05 AM

• European bourses post significant losses despite limited fresh newsflow, whilst US Futures are negative albeit to a lower magnitude awaiting key US data
• Dollar is firmer and JPY continues to underperform; Antipodeans diverge as the AUD/NZD cross dips below 1.08.
• Bonds are pressured with overall specifics light as markets await key US events
• Crude continues to pullback along with Gold, suffering from recent strength in the Dollar and the souring tone generally
• Looking ahead, US MBAs, ISM Manufacturing PMI, JOLTs, Australian Services & Composite Final, FOMC Minutes, Fed’s Barkin

More Newsquawk in 3 steps:

1. Subscribe to the free premarket movers reports

2. Listen to this report in the market open podcast (available on Apple and Spotify)

3. Trial Newsquawk’s premium real-time audio news squawk box for 7 days

EUROPEAN TRADE

EQUITIES

• European equites, Eurostoxx50 (-0.8%), extend losses in-fitting with the negative risk tone and subdued APAC trade overnight. Pressure which has increased throughout the session despite limited newsflow, though US Futures remain around the APAC low pre-data/minutes.
• European sectors hold a negative bias; Optimised Personal Care Drug and Grocery is generally lifted by UK supermarkets following a positive Kantar update. Basic Resources suffers from weaker commodity prices.
• US Equity Futures are lower across the board, though with losses comparably more contained ahead of key US data; RTY (-0.6%) continues yesterday’s underperformance; NQ & ES -0.2%.
• Click here and here for the sessions European pre-market equity newsflow, including earnings.
• Click here for more details.

FX

• DXY is firmer and trades towards the upper end of a 102.07-40 range; traders will await key US data. Thus far, the index has eclipsed the 21-DMA and approaches 21st Dec high (102.45), 102.50, 20th Dec high (102.54), and the 19th, 18th and 15th Dec highs (at 102.63, 102.63 and 102.64 respectively).
• EUR holds around the unchanged mark and trades on either side of 1.0950 after finding support near its 21 DMA at 1.0937.
• The Yen is the G10 underperformer continuing yesterday’s losses as USD/JPY advances to a high of 142.79.
• The Antipodeans are once again divergent, with the Kiwi holding around flat, whilst the Aussie slips; in a reversal of yesterday’s price action, AUD/NZD falls back below 1.08.
• PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1002 vs exp. 7.1512 (prev. 7.0770)
• Click here for more details.
• Click here for the Option Expires for the NY Cut.

FIXED INCOME

• USTs are pressured, in-fitting with the broader risk tone with yields bid across the curve as attention turns to FOMC Minutes and speak from Fed’s 2024 voter Barkin.
• Bunds continues yesterday’s losses and overall unreactive to the German unemployment data; though, as the risk tone sours more broadly EGBs have bounced from lows, but Bunds remain shy of 137.00 and Tuesday’s best above that.
• Gilts follow EGB and UST price action with the docket sparse on the UK front; session trough at 101.23 remains comfortably above the prior day’s worst at 101.08.
• Germany sells EUR 3.56bln vs exp. EUR 4.5bln 3.1% 2025 Schatz: b/c 1.82 (prev. 2.48x), average yield 2.44% (prev. 2.64%), retention 20.9% (prev. 18.67%)
• Mexico has placed USD 7.5bln in 5-year, 12-year, and 30-year bonds, according to the Finance Ministry cited by Reuters. Demand for the bond offering reached USD 21.3bln.
• Indonesia has launched 5-year, 10-year, and 30-year Dollar bonds at 4.9%, 5.05%, and 5.45%, respectively, according to the term sheet cited by Reuters.
• Click here for more details.

COMMODITIES

• WTI and Brent continue to pullback with the complex taking cues for recent Dollar strength and the overall sour risk tone.
• Spot Gold price action is contained though has tilted slightly lower amid firmer Dollar; Base Metals are lower amid negative sentiment in APAC trade overnight.
• UBS forecasts higher spot crude prices this year. Forecasts Brent recovering to USD 80-90bbl and WTI in the USD 75-85bbl range.
• Indian Oil Minister says domestic firms will invest USD 67bln to bolster nat gas infrastructure by the next 5-6yrs; Says they are purchasing 1.5mln BPD of Russian oil.
• Iraq’s oil exports averaged 3.5mln BPD in December, average price of USD 76.96/bbl, via the Oil Ministry.
• Click here for more details.

NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINES

• Kantar UK Supermarket Update (Dec): Supermarkets saw their highest level of transactions in December since 2019. Grocery price inflation fell to 6.7% in December, its lowest level since April 2022.

DATA RECAP

• German Unemployment Total NSA (Dec) 2.637M (Prev. 2.606M); Unemployment Total 2.703M (Prev. 2.702M); Unemployment Rate 5.9% vs. Exp. 5.9% (Prev. 5.9%); German Unemployment Change 5.0k vs. Exp. 20.0k (Prev. 22.0k)
• Turkish CPI YY (Dec) 64.77% vs. Exp. 65.1% (Prev. 61.98%); Turkish CPI MM (Dec) 2.93% vs. Exp. 3.13% (Prev. 3.28%)
• Swiss Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 43.0 (Prev. 42.1)

NOTABLE US HEADLINES

• CPCA says Tesla (TSLA) sold 94,139 (prev. 82,432) China-made vehicles in December; Tesla (TSLA) sold 947,742 China-made vehicles in 2023, via Reuters calculations using CPCA data
• Ford (F) is recalling 112,965 vehicles, according to the NHTSA
• Rivian (RIVN) is recalling 7873 2022 R1T and R1S vehicles, via NHTSA
• Click here for the US Early Morning Note.

GEOPOLITICS

• The US has reportedly reached an agreement with Qatar that extends the American military presence at the biggest base in the Middle East – al Udeid – for another 10 years, sources told CNN’s Marqu.
• US CENTCOM said on January 2, Iranian-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen into the southern Red Sea, according to Reuters. Multiple commercial ships in the area reported the impact of the anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) into the surrounding water, although none have reported any damage.
• A senior Chinese official has stated that the upcoming elections in Taiwan (13th Jan) are an important choice between peace and war, prosperity and recession, according to state media.
• Iranian president is set to visit Turkey on Thursday, according to journalist Aslani.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin, U/C, consolidates around USD 45.1k with Ethereum, USD 2.3k, also taking a breather.

APAC TRADE

• APAC stocks were mostly lower as sentiment reverberated from Wall Street’s downbeat performance despite the lack of a clear driver, while Japanese markets were away on a market holiday.
• ASX 200 saw the deepest losses in gold names following the recent surge in the Dollar, while Tech also lagged, mimicking the sectoral performance on Wall Street.
• KOSPI extended its downside with semiconductor names among the biggest losers – Samsung Electronics tumbled 3% at one point.
• Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were mixed with the former’s losses led by large-cap Hong Kong stocks also listed in the US (JD.com -4.2%, Baidu -3.0%, Alibaba -2.7%), while Mainland China fluctuated between modest gains and losses, but was ultimately cushioned by stimulus speculation in Chinese press.
• US equity futures traded sideways with a downside bias but ultimately took a breather from yesterday’s tech-led losses (ES -0.1%).
• European equity futures are indicative of a slightly lower open, with the Euro Stoxx 50 future -0.2% after cash markets closed -0.2% on Tuesday.

NOTABLE HEADLINES

• China is expected to persist in reducing interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) throughout 2024, according to the China Securities Journal. Economic Daily reported that additional policies aimed at stabilizing the economy are anticipated to be implemented in China.
• PBoC injected CNY 14bln through 7-day reverse repos at a maintained rate of 1.80% for a net drain of CNY 558bln, according to Reuters.
• Japan reported an earthquake with prelim. magnitude of 5.5, no tsunami warning has been issued after the earthquake, according to NHK.
• Australia PM Albanese said his government would consider new cost-of-living relief measures ahead of the May budget without stoking inflation, according to Reuters.
• Some of China’s large banks tighten interbank lending standard for smaller peers to mitigate credit risk, via Reuters citing sources

DATA RECAP

• Indian Nikkei Manufacturing PMI (Dec) 54.9 (Prev. 56.0).

2C ASIA AFFAIRS

WEDNESDAY MORNING/TUESDAY  NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 4.97 PTS OR 0.17%  //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 142.14 PTSOR 0.85%          /The Nikkei CLOSED  //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED DOWN 1.40%    /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1473   /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1576 /Oil DOWN TO 70.32 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT  UP AT 76.02/ Stocks in Europe OPENED ALL RED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN  TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE WEAKER

2 d./NORTH KOREA/ SOUTH KOREA/
//

NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

END

2e) JAPAN

JAPAN

3 CHINA

end

CHINA/TAIWAN

end

4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS

GERMANY

Germany’s anti immigration Afd party soars in new polls. Ruling SPD hits lows

(Denes Albert/ReMix)

Germany’s Anti-Immigration AfD Party Soars To New Polling High In Saxony, SPD Hits Historic Low As Elections Loom

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 03:30 AM

Authored by Denes Albert via ReMix News,

The eastern German state of Saxony is presenting new problems for the country’s political establishment, with new polling showing the Alternative for Germany (AfD) reaching a new record high, while the Social Democrats (SPD) would be entirely kicked out of state parliament.

The new poll from the research institute Civey showed the AfD at 37 percent of the vote, rising four points since the last poll four weeks ago. Meanwhile, the SPD would obtain an abysmal 3 percent of the vote. Five years ago, the party still achieved 7.7 percent.

If the left-wing SPD were to achieve such a result, it would mark the first time since the Second World War that the SPD failed to achieve the 5 percent threshold in a federal state, which means it would be entirely removed from parliament. Such a result would place new pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The Christian Democrats (CDU) scored 32 percent, putting them in second place. The CDU, which currently governs the state with the SPD and Greens, would no longer be able to maintain its coalition. If the elections were held today, and the CDU party maintained its self-declared “firewall” against the AfD, it could then only govern with a coalition of the Left party and Greens.

Such a result would place extreme pressure on the CDU, as the party has also traditionally rejected any alliance with the Left Party.

Saxony will hold its elections in approximately eight months, on Sept. 1, 2024, and there are fears from the German political establishment that some eastern states will be ungovernable without including AfD in coalition governments.

In response to the popularity of the AfD, there are now ongoing attempts to ban the party outright, including efforts from CDU MP Marco Wanderwitz, who was defeated by an AfD candidate in his home district.

“We are dealing with a party that seriously endangers our free democratic basic order and the state as a whole,” which is why “it is high time to ban them,” said Wanderwitz during an appearance on ARD’s public television program last year.

…

Read more here…

end

UK/UKRAINE

UK stupidly has blown out all of its military stockpiles arming Ukraine

(zerohedge)

‘Nothing’ Left In UK’s Military Stockpiles After Arming Ukraine: Times Of London

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 02:45 AM

In part of a continuing trend of major Western publications belatedly admitting that all is not well with Ukraine policy and the state the war, The Times of London reported Sunday that the UK has “nothing” left it its own military stockpiles after being among Ukraine’s biggest weapons suppliers for nearly two years of conflict.

British defense officials and European leaders are now busy “cranking through the gears” to ramp up weapons production, the report says, citing an unnamed staffer from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office.

The report also relied on an unnamed Ukrainian source. The dwindled UK stockpile is being reported on at a time that “Britain’s military intelligence chiefs believe Ukraine cannot win the war against Russia in 2024 because it does not have the manpower or the weapons for a big battlefield breakthrough,” The Times wrote.

An internal UK government debate and divide has emerged over the future course of London’s policy, with some arguing that the Western allies simply need more “time” to ramp up arms production.

But one big uncertainty at a moment the West is generally feeling “war fatigue” – according to most public polling among various countries’ citizenry – is the question of who will be in the White House in 2025. European officials are nervous that a Trump victory would spell the end of efforts to fuel the proxy war against President Vladimir Putin.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky is clearly becoming more and more unpopular, even on an international stage. A former Ukrainian official told the Times that he’s losing support because of the immense death toll, but with no end-game or plans for negotiations in sight. The source described there’s growing anger and pushback at the spectacle of men and women being “sent to the front line to die.”

A British source additionally explained to the Times that if the US is forced to take a backseat due to its domestic politics (and with Republicans still holding up Biden’s billions more in defense aid for Kiev), then Europe will have to step up and keep aid flowing.

“Can continental Europe afford to fold just because Trump says no more US dollars? I think most realize that Putin can’t be allowed to win as consequences for European security are grave,” the source said.

Below is an example of the kind of wishful thinking that still exists in Europe, as quoted in the Times report:

Although he did not provide comment on a future US presidency, Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said he was speaking to his counterparts in Europe constantly about the need to back Ukraine in its “darkest hour”.

In comments to The Times after two days of major aerial assaults by both sides, he said: “We need to pull together to help them in a war that will define Europe for decades — both with hardware and also the support and moral leadership.”

But many analysts would view this as a pipe dream given that Washington’s contribution far outweighs Europe’s aid to Ukraine by a massive margin. Likely Europe simply won’t be able to close so large a gap even if European countries have the collective will.

END

LONDON/HAMAS ORGANIZATIONS

Hamas organizations inside London:

Hamas In London

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 02:00 AM

Authored by Robert Williams via The Gatestone Institute,

The pro-Hamas protests in London are not, apparently, as organic and spontaneous as their organizers would like them to seem.

At least four groups with links to Hamas are reportedly behind several of the marches: The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), the Palestinian Forum for Britain, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and the Friends of al-Aqsa. The same groups were behind the largest protest so far, on November 11 in London, where it is estimated that around 300,000 people participated.

Supporting Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organization in the UK, could lead to up to 14 years in prison.

The MAB was co-founded and directed for almost a decade by Muhammad Kathem Sawalha, who in the late 1980s was a Hamas leader in Samaria in the West Bank, where he reportedly “masterminded” Hamas’s terrorist strategy. He fled to the UK in the late 1990s and, incredibly, obtained British citizenship, despite being on Israel’s most-wanted list.

The US Department of Justice named Sawalha as a co-conspirator in the 2004 indictment of Hamas recruiter and financer Muhammad Salah, “for allegedly participating in a 15-year racketeering conspiracy in the United States and abroad to illegally finance terrorist activities in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including providing money for the purchase of weapons… “

“All three defendants allegedly used bank accounts in the United States to launder millions of dollars for disbursement to support Hamas, which has publicly claimed credit for engaging in suicide bombings that resulted in the deaths of Israeli military personnel and civilians, as well as American and other foreign nationals in Israel and the West Bank.”

According to Israeli authorities, his son, Obada Sawalha, is now the MAB’s vice-president.

The Muslim Association of Britain has links to the Muslim Brotherhood — of which Hamas is also an offshoot. A 2015 UK government review of the Muslim Brotherhood reported:

“In the 1990s the Muslim Brotherhood and their associates established public facing and apparently national organisations in the UK to promote their views. None were openly identified with the Muslim Brotherhood and membership of the Muslim Brotherhood remained (and still remains) a secret. But for some years the Muslim Brotherhood shaped the new Islamic Society of Britain (ISB), dominated the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and played an important role in establishing and then running the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). MAB became politically active, notably in connection with Palestine and Iraq, and promoted candidates in national and local elections.”

According to the Telegraph:

“Another of the Muslim Association of Britain’s three directors, Dr Anas Altikriti, co-founded a group called the British Muslim Initiative with a senior commander in Hamas, Mohammed Sawalha, and Azzam Tamimi who has been described as a Hamas ‘special envoy’ in Britain.”

Another group behind the protest, the Palestinian Forum for Britain, is led by Zaher Birawi, who was designated by Israel as a terrorist in 2013. The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center described Birawi as a “Hamas-affiliated Palestinian” in 2017, when Birawi was in charge of the so-called flotillas to Gaza, which he oversaw as part of Hamas’ propaganda effort.

The Meir Amit Center wrote in 2017:

“Birawi was recently interviewed by Felesteen, Hamas’ daily newspaper. He discussed, among other things, the many current difficulties in dispatching flotillas to the Gaza Strip, but tried to minimize their significance and importance. He said the flotillas’ main goal is propaganda aimed at keeping the Palestinians, the Gaza Strip and the ‘siege’ as ‘live’ topics in international public discourse. According to Birawi, the objectives of the flotillas are to defame Israel, and to increase the effect of the political and media campaigns accompanying the flotillas…

“[T]he real aim of the Mavi Marmara was not to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, but rather for propaganda and political capital: to demonstrate support for Hamas, to exert pressure on Israel to unilaterally change its policy of closure on the Gaza Strip; to create sympathy in the media for the suffering of the Palestinians resulting from the ‘siege’ and to deepen Israel’s isolation.”

Birawi met Ismail Haniyeh and other leaders of the terror group in Gaza in 2012.

The real reason for the Mavi Marmara flotilla, of course — the reason Israel stopped it — was not propaganda. Turkey’s supposedly humanitarian relief organization, the IHH, turned out to be secretly carrying weapons to Gaza. Israel had first offered the flotilla to dock in the port of Ashdod for inspection. There appear to be propaganda counter-efforts to suppress information about the attempted arms transfer.

Too often, unfortunately, those many propaganda goals evidently correspond to what the organizations behind the never-ending pro-Hamas protests in London — and around the world — seek to obtain: Creating sympathy for Hamas and the Gazans, demonizing Israel, which is fighting terrorism for all of us so that we will not have to, and increasing pressure for a permanent ceasefire that will enable Hamas to survive.

Two former leaders of the third group behind the protest, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, reportedly met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza in 2012.

The fourth group behind the protests, is the Friends of al-Aqsa (FOA). According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center:

“Is an anti-Israeli NGO established in Britain in 1997… the FOA qualifies Israel’s policy as ‘apartheid’, supports Hamas and the ‘resistance’ (i.e., terrorism), and seeks to put an end to Israel’s existence as the state of the Jewish people under the title of ‘liberation of Palestine’. Similarly to other organizations taking part in the delegitimization effort, the FOA attempts to conceal and play down its real objectives by fine-tuning its rhetoric for Western ears and using such terms as ‘peace in Palestine’, ‘respect for international law’, ‘respect for human rights, and ‘implementation of UN resolutions.'”

FOA’s leader, Ismail Patel, has met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza.

All of the above prompted critics to demand that the protests be cancelled. According to Sky News, half of all Britons wanted the march that took place on Remembrance Day, November 11, to be banned. Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, however, apparently saw no grounds to ban it.

This extremely lax relationship of the British police towards Hamas-affiliated groups in Britain is dangerous to the UK itself.

At the beginning of December, Israel sent personal letters to about 20 European leaders, including the UK, that included evidence of the terrorist activity of Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in European cities. The letter stated:

“Since the [October 7] massacre, calls for violence against Jews worldwide have increased by 120% – a shocking statistic. Unfortunately, Hamas’s bloodlust is not limited to Israel and Jews but also extends to Europe and Christians. I want to remind you that in the past, Hamas members expressed the Islamic intention to conquer Europe…”

Tzur Bar-Oz, Head of the Research and Foreign Relations Division at the Diaspora Affairs Ministry, added in the letter:

“Hamas has been operating for many years worldwide, mainly through covert humanitarian donations. It is a complex network of hatred operating in many countries, including Western and highly democratic ones. This phenomenon must be uprooted and eradicated as soon as possible.”

Uprooting Hamas in the UK anytime in the near future, given the lack of enthusiasm that the Met Police have shown in the wake of the pro-Hamas demonstrations, sadly seems unlikely.

“Speeches at pro-Palestinian rallies in the UK might have glorified terrorism” according to the UK government’s independent reviewer of terrorism.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to his immense credit, as soon as the pro-Hamas demonstrations began in the UK, said:

“Inciting violence, racial hatred, is illegal. People who are acting in an abusive or threatening manner causing distress are breaking the law. The police have the power and the tools that they need to ensure they can stop that from happening and you will see that in full force in the coming days to make sure anyone who breaks the law meets the full force of that law.”

While the Met Police have made some arrests, they have overall allowed the chanting of terrorist slogans to continue at the many weekly protests. On one occasion, police even tried to explain away the meaning of chants of “jihad” that had occurred at one Hizb-ut Tahrir protest:

“The individual has not been arrested with the Met saying the word jihad has ‘a number of meanings’, and specialist counter-terrorism officers had not identified any offences arising from it. Instead, officers spoke to the man to ‘discourage any repeat of similar chanting.'”

In London, it is still appeasement time.

5 RUSSIA//UKRAINE AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS

IRAN/HAMAS//ISRAEL

end

WEST BANK/ISRAEL/

Army says drone strikes Palestinian gunmen during operation near Tulkarem

By EMANUEL FABIAN

The IDF says it has carried out a drone strike against a group of Palestinian gunmen during a raid in the West Bank’s Nur Shams refugee camp.

The large-scale counter-terrorism raid near Tulkarem was launched overnight, and so far troops have questioned dozens of suspects and detained six wanted Palestinians, the IDF says. It says the troops have also seized military equipment.

The drone strike was carried out against a group of Palestinians hurling explosive devices at Israeli troops, the army says. Their conditions are not immediately known.

The IDF says the operation is still continuing at this hour.

In Qalqilya, the military says troops detained another four wanted Palestinians and seized weapons.

Since October 7, troops have arrested more than 2,570 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,300 affiliated with Hamas, according to the IDF.

END

END

ISRAEL/LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH/WEDNESDAY

Israel knocks off 2 more terrorists

(Jerusalem Post)

Hezbollah announces deaths of two terrorists, claims 140 killed since start of war

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJANUARY 3, 2024 15:27

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Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah announced the deaths of two terrorists on Wednesday as the IDF conducted further air strikes against the organization. Abbas Hassan Jamul, from the town of Deir al-Zahrani, and Muhammad Hadi Malek Abid, from Baalbekin, were described as “martyrs on the way to Jerusalem,” a description Hezbollah uses for terrorists who are killed in action against Israel. 

The terror group claims that since the beginning of hostilities between Israel and Hamas after the October 7 massacres, some 140 terrorists have been killed. Israel estimates that figure to be much higher. 

The IDF stated on Wednesday afternoon that it is continuing to target Hezbollah infrastructure with airstrikes, and IDF artillery attacked a group of terrorists attempting to launch rockets into Israel.

END

LEBANON/ISRAEL//HEZBOLLAH

Influential Israeli Politician Urges Army Occupation Of Southern Lebanon For 50 Years

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 11:20 PM

Israel’s influential former defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who has long been known as an outspoken hawk aligned with the hardline political opposition, is calling for the Israeli army to occupy southern Lebanon with a goal toward creating a permanent security buffer zone.

Lieberman is the founder and chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, a right-wing secular nationalist party which is most influential among Israel’s million-plus Russian-speaking immigrant community. Lieberman said in the fresh, controversial comments that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must “close off” a broad swath of southern Lebanon in order to force Hezbollah to relocate north of the Litani river.

He said this must be done even if it means the IDF must occupy Lebanon for 50 years. Hezbollah must “pay in territory” he said, referencing the now daily rocket and drone attacks on northern Israeli communities which forced some 80,000 residents to flee their homes.

“It can’t be that there are entire towns where close to half of the buildings were simply destroyed,” he said during Yisrael Beytenu party’s weekly meeting.

“We will not annex anything, and we will not build settlements, but we will release the territory only when there is a government in Beirut that knows how to exercise its sovereignty.”

“Everything between the Litani and Israel must be under the control of the IDF,” he emphasized. “If Lebanon won’t pay in territory we haven’t done anything.”

Israeli media then cited his words further as follows:

[This buffer zone] could be there “until a government is established in Beirut that is able to exercise its sovereignty over the entire territory” which could take up to 50 years.

But if Israeli forces were to initiate such a plan, it would surely open up a full war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, which in the 2006 Lebanese war was proved a formidable guerilla force against the IDF. 

On Tuesday, Israel conducted a strike against a Hamas office in a Beirut suburb, killing Hamas’s deputy leader abroad Saleh al-Arouri, which marks a major escalation. This has sparked new fears of Hezbollah heightening its attacks, also with the possibility of deepened Iranian involvement against Israel. The Houthis in Yemen, which have been attacking ships in the Red Sea, also warn this act “won’t go unpunished”. 

end

IRAN/ISRAEL//

Suicide bombers attack Soleimani’s burial place. Israel has nothing to do with this.

(Jerusalem Post/Reuters)

Explosions in Iran: 20 killed in blasts near Soleimani’s burial place during ceremony

Iranian state television reported a first and then a second explosion during a ceremony commemorating Qassem Soleimani’s death.

By REUTERSJANUARY 3, 2024 13:55Updated: JANUARY 3, 2024 14:39

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Two explosions killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens near a cemetery in Iran where a ceremony was being held to mark the 2020 death of the country’s top commander Qassem Soleimani in a US drone attack, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday.

Iranian state television reported a first and then a second explosion during the ceremony in the southeastern city of Kerman, saying at least 20 people had been killed.

The semi-official Nournews said “several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery.” A local official was quoted by Iranian state media as saying “It is not yet clear whether the explosions were caused by gas cylinders or a terrorist attack.”

State TV showed Red Crescent rescuers attending to wounded people at the ceremony, where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s death. Some Iranian news agencies said at least 50 people were wounded.

“Our rapid response teams are evacuating the injured… But there are waves of crowds blocking roads,” Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman province Red Crescent told state TV.

This is a developing story.

END

IRAN/TIMES OF ISRAEL/

SAME STORY AS ABOVE:

Iranian official says blasts near Soleimani grave were terrorism

By LAZAR BERMAN

The deputy governor of Kerman province says that the two blasts near the grave of Islamic Republican Guard Corps general Soleimani were acts of terrorism, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.

Sources on the ground are telling local media that the explosions came from suicide bombers in two separate locations, but that has not been confirmed by an official statement.

Initial reports indicated that at least 20 were killed in the blasts and the stampede that followed, but those figures are expected to rise. A Tasnim reporter says that there is a “strong chance” that more than 50 were killed.

END

SAME STORY//.ZEROHEDGE

‘At Least 50 Killed’ After Twin Blasts Rip Through Memorial For IRGC’s Soleimani In Southern Iran

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 08:10 AM

Two explosions close in time to one another ripped through a cemetery in the southern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday, killing scores of people and injuring over 15 others. The initial death toll of 20 was been quickly revised upward, with Reuters and Sky News subsequently reporting, “At least 50 people have been killed at a cemetery in Iran where a ceremony was being held to mark the 2020 assassination of Iran’s top commander Qassem Soleimani, an official has told Reuters news agency.”

Large crowds had been gathered near the grave of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani a day of memorial events marking his death anniversary. The semi-official Nournews initially described that “several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery and relevant authorities are monitoring the situation”.

Videos from the scene show chaos after the two explosions sent people running, which appear to number in the tens of thousands.

A correspondent with Iranian state-run Tasnim has said that the mounting casualty count is “high”. He’s been cited as saying, “There is a strong chance that more 50 people have lost their lives and 50-60 have been injured.”

According to more details via Al Jazeera:

Iranian state media says two explosions have struck a procession marking the anniversary of General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination. The blasts reportedly happened near the slain commander’s gravesite in the city of Kerman.

And very quickly in the aftermath, as casualties are still being rushed to the hospital, an Iranian official has been quoted in state media as saying the blasts in Kerman city were “terrorist attacks”.

This couldn’t come at a worse time and appears possibly connected with events in Gaza as the region already stands on the brink of a major regional war.

Yesterday Israel assassinated the deputy head of Hamas in a drone strike on southern Beirut, and Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is still set to give a major speech later today.

Soleimani was killed on January 3, 2020 when his convoy left Baghdad International Airport. The strike was ordered by then President Trump and likely had the assistance of Israeli intelligence. It was considered essentially an act of war by Tehran, which then lobbed dozens of ballistic missiles onto US bases in Iraq, resulting in Americans injured.

developing…

END

END

HOUTHIS, IRAN/ISRAEL

(JERUSALEM POST)

Houthis fire on a ship near Bab el Mandeb Strait

(Jerusalem Post)

UK agency says explosions reported near ship in Bab el-Mandeb Strait

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — British maritime security agency UKMTO reports explosions near a cargo ship in the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says it has received reports of up to three explosions 1-5 nautical miles from the merchant vessel, which was traveling between the coasts of Eritrea and Yemen.

“Master reports no damage to the vessel and crew are reported safe at present,” the agency, run by Britain’s Royal Navy, says in a brief message. “Authorities are investigating.”rategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.

In recent weeks, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a flurry of drone and missile strikes targeting commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

They say their strikes are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas terrorists.

The Houthis have warned they will target ships sailing in the Red Sea that have links to Israel.

Several missiles and drones have been shot down by US, French and British warships patrolling the area.

According to the Pentagon, the Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of the Red Sea coast, have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks, targeting a dozen merchant ships.

The attacks endanger a transit route that carries up to 12 percent of global trade, prompting the United States to set up a multinational naval task force to protect Red Sea shipping.

END

TIMES OF ISRAEL

same story as above

Houthis fire two missiles at merchant ships in Red Sea

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired two missiles late Tuesday toward merchant ships travelling in the Red Sea near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the US military says following a report by the British maritime security agency UKMTO.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations initially reported explosions near a cargo ship sailing between the coasts of Eritrea and Yemen. “No damage to the vessel and crew are reported safe at present,” the agency, run by Britain’s Royal Navy, said in a brief message.

The US Central Command says Houthi rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the southern Red Sea, where there were multiple commercial ships but “none have reported any damage.”

“These illegal actions endangered the lives of dozens of innocent mariners and continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce,” CENTCOM says on X, formerly Twitter, adding it is the 24th attack against merchant shipping in the area since November 19.

The UN Security Council is set to hold a meeting Wednesday on maintaining international peace and security, which French diplomats said would address the issue of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

END

WEDNESDAY

Yemen’s Houthis say they targeted Red Sea ship bound for Israel

By REUTERSJANUARY 3, 2024 14:27Updated: JANUARY 3, 2024 14:35

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Yemen’s Houthis have “targeted” the CMA CGM Tage container ship bound for Israel, the group’s military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Wednesday.

He added that “any US attack will not pass without a response or punishment.”

END

THIS AFTERNOON:

MY GOODNESS WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG?

US, partners reiterate call for end to Houthi attacks in Red Sea

By REUTERSJANUARY 3, 2024 20:03

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The United States and eleven other countries issues a joint statement on Wednesday reiterating a call for an end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, according to the White House.

“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” said the statement, issued by the U.S. with Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands and New Zealand

end

then:

Nasrallah Says Hezbollah Prepared To Wage ‘No Limit’ War On Israel

BY TYLER DURDEN

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 01:04 PM

Update(1304ET): As is typical of his speeches, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gave no details on the paramilitary group’s next steps, or whether an escalation in the conflict is on the horizon, but he asserted that the killing al-Arouri will not go without punishment, issuing all the usual fresh threats and warnings. He did warn of a ‘no limit’ war.

“If the enemy thinks about waging war against Lebanon, then our fighting will be with no ceiling, with no limits, with no rules. And they know what I mean,” Nasrallah said. “We are not afraid of war. We don’t fear it. We are not hesitant. If we were, we would have stopped at the front.”

He called Israel’s targeting south Beirut the day before, which resulted in the assassination of al-Arouri and some six others, a “dangerous” act.

Earlier in the day Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian struck a similar theme, denouncing the “cowardly terrorist operation.”

“The evil terror machine of this regime in other countries is a real threat to peace and security and a serious alarm for the security of the countries in the region,” he said a Wednesday social media post. State media also underscored, “The Iranian diplomat further noted that Israel’s terrorist operations prove that the occupying regime has failed to reach its objectives in the war in Gaza despite US support.”

* * *

All eyes are on Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and what he’s going to say during his 6pm speech (Beirut time, 11am eastern in US). There were reports yesterday that he canceled the speech in the wake of the Israeli drone assassination of Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri in a southern Beirut neighborhood. But by day’s end Tuesday, it became clear that the speech will go on, which will be his third since the start of the Israel-Gaza war.

Israel’s military now says it is on “high readiness for any scenario” after the killing of Arouri along with six other Hamas operatives. As if things in the region weren’t on edge enough, amid continuing tit-for-tat fighting between Hezbollah and the IDF along the southern Lebanese border, twin explosions rocked the site of memorial events for the death of IRGC General Qasem Soleimani.

Regional analyst Amal Saad was quoted in The Washington Post as saying Israel’s drone strike on Beirut yesterday sent two messages: “One is to Hezbollah: You can’t harbor Hamas operatives anymore. Lebanon is not going to be a sanctuary for Hamas and Islamic Jihad.” And “The second, more obvious message, she said, is to Hamas leaders: that nowhere is safe.” According to more:

Hezbollah’s challenge, she added, will be to respond in a careful and calculated manner “to ensure that Israel understands that you can’t do this again,” but without dragging the country into a full-scale war.

In August, Arouri told the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen channel that the repeated Israeli threats against his life are “part of the price we pay.” The 57-year-old said he had not expected to make it to his current age, and predicted that assassinations and other actions by the Israeli government could push the region into “a comprehensive war.”

Watch the speech live, expected to begin at 11am eastern…

Additionally, the geopolitical analysis site Moon of Alabama comments on what to expect… “Hezbollah must respond carefully to not give Netanyahu a reason for a wider attack on Lebanon.”

The analysis continues, “On the other side the response must be strong enough and soon enough to give Netanyahu some trouble. But what kind of operation he will chose to do is yet unknown. I for one expect an unexpected but serious surprise in a direction that Israel has not foreseen.”

GLOBAL VACCINE/COVID ISSUES

FDA Identified Problems At Moderna Plant Making Substance For COVID Vaccine: Document

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 09:40 PM

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors uncovered problems at a Moderna plant used to manufacture a substance that is part of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, according to a newly released document.

Moderna failed to meet multiple requirements, including rules aimed at minimizing the potential for contamination, according to the document.

FDA inspectors performed inspections at the plant in Norwood, Massachusetts from, Sept. 11 to Sept. 21, visiting nine times in total.

They found that equipment used to manufacture the substance was not cleaned properly before usage, that a mock cleaning done for manufacturing did not adequately simulate the actual process, that written alarm procedures were not followed, and that neither the equipment nor the plant were designed in a way that would make contamination less likely.

Inspectors also learned that Moderna used materials beyond their expiration date.

“There are more than two thousand expired items stored in your … warehouse and cold storage at time of inspection,” Unnee Ranjan, the FDA’s lead investigator, wrote in a summary of the inspections.

The Epoch Times obtained the 6-page document, an FDA Form 483, through a Freedom of Information Act request after the FDA’s media office refused to release it.

The FDA under federal law has the power to inspect facilities and deliver a report setting forth any item produced in a facility that seems to “consist in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance” or “has been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health.”

A Form 483 is a type of agency report containing “observations” that FDA inspectors “deem to be objectionable.” The observations are delivered to help companies comply with federal law and FDA regulations.

The substance in question was used in Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, the company’s sole product available to the public, according to the form.

Moderna released eight batches of the substance as it violated manufacturing rules, FDA inspectors said.

It was not clear whether any of the vaccines distributed commercially contained the substance in question.

“The FDA does not discuss compliance matters, except with the company involved,” an FDA spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.

“Upon receipt of the FDA’s findings, Moderna immediately and comprehensively updated the specific procedures identified and is confident that the actions taken will be satisfactory to regulators,” Moderna said in a statement.

Moderna said all product released by the company was tested and meets product specifications and international regulatory requirements.

Steven Lynn, a former head of the FDA’s Office of Manufacturing and Product Quality who is now a regulatory compliance consultant, said using the drug substance in question was a serious matter but that it was unclear whether the batches were released to consumers.

The FDA has not issued a recall of any Moderna vaccines, according to its recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts database.

In 2021, Japan suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna’s COVID vaccine after contaminates were found in some vials produced by Rovi, a contract manufacturer based in Spain. No manufacturing problems have previously been reported in any of Moderna’s own facilities.

Another part of the FDA report, dated Sept. 21, described how the Norwood facility did not have adequately designed air handling systems to “assure appropriate air quality in the … cleanroom in which the mRNA drug substance is manufactured.”

Inspectors also said they found positive air pressure was not “consistently maintained” between cleanrooms and airlocks and that monitoring data showed the cleanroom pressure turned negative between January and September. That development was “not assessed for potential impact,” they said.

“At face value, it appears multiple controls designed to prevent contamination were deficient,” Mr. Lynn said.

Another recently released document, produced by the nonprofit Informed Consent Action Network on orders from a federal judge, showed the FDA detected in Andover, Massachusetts, issues with the manufacture of a substance used in the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Pfizer said in response it had taken actions to correct the issues.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Dr Paul Alexander

‘Robert Kennedy Jr. Unmasks the ‘Principal Villains’ Behind the COVID Cover-Up’, VNN strong reporting! Bobby Jrs. list are top notch villians & they are in my 33 Horsemen list, but he needs to expand

his list, actually, may have some he ‘KNOWS’…he should consult my list; as I said before, I like Bobby Jr., I think good man, solid, but I think he has been snowed by some in the Freedom Movement

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERJAN 2

READ IN APP

Robert Kennedy Jr. Unmasks the ‘Principal Villains’ Behind the COVID Cover-Up

I admire Kennedy, not interested in you people talking about personality and behavior etc. That’s bullshit, you look at someone by the arc of their full life. I know the guy, I think a true American and will get to his heaven his way, like how you would. I have nothing ill to say on him. I focus on the good he does. I do think some have confused him. They should be on his list but he left them out. Maybe one day he will update his list to make it more reflective of the malfeasance. The ‘other’ players. I don’t seem to see any mRNA technology inventors on his list nor COVID mRNA vaccine makers on his good list and this is the reason for the deaths, no?

END

‘Poster Boy’ For US Military COVID-19 Vax Dies Suddenly

Lt. Col. Jered Little, the “commander of Public Health Activity-Hawaii,” was promoted to boost COVID Vaccine adoption in the military.

DR PANDAJAN 3

READ IN APP

Yet another mysterious death. This time it’s a relatively young and otherwise healthy military man who suddenly and unexpectedly drops dead.

Lt. Col. Jered Little, identified as the “commander of Public Health Activity-Hawaii,” who was widely promoted to boost COVID Vaccine adoption in the military. Regrettably, he died suddenly on November 30, attributed to either a heart attack or stroke.

Arlington, VA mourns the sudden loss of one of its own, Army Lieutenant and Officer Jered Little, who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, November 30, 2023, at the age of 39. The exact cause of his death has not been disclosed, but it is believed that he suffered a heart attack or a stroke.

Video Source

“NATURAL CAUSES”

According to an official statement from the US Army, Jered Little died of “natural causes.” He was found unresponsive by his wife who performed CPR until the paramedics arrived.

Upgrade to paid

Two Drill Sergeants Found Dead at Fort Jackson (in less than 8 days)

December 18, 2023 – Staff Sgt. Zachary L. Melton, 30, was found dead in his car after he failed to report to work.

December 9, 2023 – Staff Sgt. Allen M. Burtram, 34, was also found dead after failing to report to work.

No foul play is suspected in both incidents, investigation is ongoing.

Remember the vaccine was mandated to the military.

973% Increase in Heart Failure

The vaccine is killing our military.

Please consider upgrading your subscription to Dr. Panda’s Substack as a paying or founding member so I can continue to bring you these important truths.

END

COVID face masks (surgical/cloth): there is NO research, NO evidence anywhere that ANY COVID mask worked! NONE! & Miller & Prasad’s research proves what we always knew (good study) that POLITICS drive

the lifting of face masks, NOT COVID-19 cases or hospitalizations; rather it is ones politcial affiliations! ONLY politics was the uncovered driver of dropping (as such instating) masks mandates

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERJAN 3

READ IN APP

‘Changes in Masking Policies in US Healthcare Facilities in the First Quarter of 2023: Do COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, or Local Political Preferences Predict Loosening Restrictions?’

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.11.23292518v1

‘Results We found that the odds of lifting the mask requirement was not associated with COVID-19 cases (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.97 – 1.02, p-value = 0.54), or hospitalizations (OR 1.06 95% CI 0.88-1.27, p-value = 0.33). We found that for every 10% increase in Republican votes in the 2020 presidential election, there was a 1.33 (95% CI 1.07 – 1.64, p-value = 0.01) increase in odds of having lifted masking requirements completely.

Discussion We found that the odds of lifting the face mask requirement in healthcare facilities was not associated with COVID-19 cases or hospitalizations but was associated with county-level political affiliation. Our results raise the concern that public health measures may be increasingly seen as political gestures or a response to local political factors.’

END

END

SLAY NEWS

EVOL NEWS

NEWS ADDICT

LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIES

MICHAEL EVERY/PHIL MAREY/OR OTHER EXECS //RABOBANK

And The Rest Is… ?

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 09:25 AM

By Stefan Koopman, Senior Macro Strategist at Rabobank

It is a new year, the P&L’s are back at zero, and the financial punditocracy is once again invited to identify the risks in store for 2024. However, after a year in which most strategists were proven wrong, many are licking their wounds and only few are daring to make bold predictions. The consensus seems to be just a simple extrapolation of recent trends: yes, some slowdown in global growth, but no major recessions; yes, some pockets of stress here and there, but no macro-credit events; yes, some inflation hiccups, but an underlying trend of relatively pain-free disinflation, and, yes, a dovish shift by the central banks, so please, please buy those assets we’re selling.

While the Global Daily often highlights the global economy’s structural and intractable challenges, the new year does bring grounds for modest optimism. After all, the US avoided a recession and Europe probably experienced only a mild one in 2023. And inflation has not only confounded economists on the way up, but also on the way down, especially in core and services metrics. Moreover, labor markets held resilient through it all. These developments prompted central banks to pause tightening, and if markets dictate, rate cuts may soon follow. Of course, it is tempting for us strategists to balk at the foolishness of the crowd, but potential outcomes last year seemed a lot darker than this.

That said, we also believe that 2024 is likely to serve as a reminder that some of last years’ ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ events are not as rare as portrayed. The global security order is crumbling, with Iran projecting its power in the waters off Yemen and the Israeli strike in Lebanon as the two latest examples. Supply curves of commodities, inputs, intermediates, and final goods remains much more volatile than one would like. Furthermore, Western labor markets will remain structurally tight as demographic shifts, such as aging or outright population decline, accelerate, while increasing immigration is clearly not the panacea once thought. Lastly, but not least importantly, climate change may be progressing even faster than anticipated. These factors will have a greater impact on medium-term growth and inflation (and, therefore, on central bank rate decisions) than they have had for the past few decades.

The year 2024 will also witness a global contest between democracy and autocracy, as countries that account for half of the world’s population go to the polls. This “biggest election year ever” kicks off with Bangladesh this Sunday, but the spotlight has already turned to Taiwan’s presidential vote on January 13. That election comes amid particularly tense Taiwan-China relations, with President Biden pledging to protect Taiwan should Xi’s vows for ”reunification” actually be a euphemism for “invasion”. President Biden will of course also face his own challenge from his predecessor Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House in an election that will have global implications, especially for the US-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific. And on that note, what about the elections in Pakistan, India, Iran, or Indonesia? Or the numerous elections in Africa, where foreign powers are again competing for influence on the continent, with the United States and its Western allies trying to counter Russia’s and China’s economic and security ties.

Europe will also undergo several political transitions in 2024, as some of its key leaders and parties face uncertain  futures. The UK’s Tories look set to lose their long-held majority to the opposition Labour Party, as the public grows dissatisfied with the economy, the countless scandals, and the crisis in the National Health Service. Meanwhile, the Tories’ pet project Brexit has visibly downgraded the country’s standing in international relations and trade. Even though a Labour government will seek to align more closely with the European Union on a variety of levels and topics, don’t count on any big formal commitments.

The European Parliament will hold elections of its own in June. The polls suggest here that the far-right Identity and Democracy group, which includes Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland, France’s Rassemblement National and Italy’s Lega, will make significant gains. If Trump also returns to power in the US, this could again strain the transatlantic relations that have started to improve under Biden. It will certainly hamper EU-US cooperation on the war in Ukraine.

Speaking of which, the Russian presidential election may be the one with the most predictable outcome, but will still be worth watching. While Putin is set to win another term in March, the vote breakdown may reveal the level of his support and whether the Russian public still backs his war. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, it is unclear if the planned 2024 presidential vote will take place while the country is under martial law, though the current leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will run for another term.

So, rate cuts in 2024? Well, probably. The rest, however, is politics.

END

7//OIL ISSUES//NATURAL GAS ISSUES//ELECTRICAL GRID ISSUES// RENEWABLE ENERGY ISSUES//USA AND GLOBE

Oil Jumps After Libya’s Sharara Oil Field Shut Down By Protesters; Terrorist Attack In Iran

WEDNESDAY, JAN 03, 2024 – 09:54 AM

After sliding to fresh multi-week highs yesterday despite a burst of geopolitical risks and adverse escalations – almost as if the intern in charge of the White House oil trading desk was only left with a sell button – WTI rebounded after briefly sliding below $70 this morning and traded near session highs, reversing all of yesterday’s losses after a Bloomberg report that Libya’s Sharara oil field would be shuttered due to protests. The previously noted news that over 100 people have been killed in Iran in a terrorist attack near the grave of former IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani, in a terrorist attack only led to further gains.

As OilPrice notes, after false rumors of the closure of the giant Libyan Sharara oil field on Tuesday, a letter from Libya’s National Oil Company on Wednesday confirmed the shutdown of one of Libya’s most important oil fields.

According to Libya’s Al-Ahrar disgruntled protestors took to the field on Wednesday morning stating that the field would not be re-opened until their demands and those of the entire region of Fezzan in Southern Libya would be met.

In talks with Libya’s Al-Ahrar TV, spokesman Abu Bakr Abu Shreya of protest group the Fezzan Gathering Association demanded better services and development of Southern Libya.

Fears are that the protests may spread to the nearby 60,000 bpd El Feel field.

Sharara produces around 270kb/d, out of Libya’s total 1.2mb/d total output; the last time the field saw a short disruption for the last time in July of 2023 when protests erupted following the arrest of an official who tried to become the boss of Libya’s central bank.

During a period of relative stability following the truce between the rivaling parties in 2020, Libya’s crude oil production has risen to around 1.2 million barrels per day, and Libya’s state oil firm has plans to ramp up production to 2 million bpd by 2030 according to Minister of Oil and Gas Mohamed Oun.

While these disruptions may be relatively short-lived, they will be a reminder that the relative stability in Libya in 2023 has not been the norm in recent years. Libyan production fell below 700kb/d for a couple months in 2022, collapsed for most of 2020, and has been very volatile for years. Oil markets will focus on delivery of the new OPEC+ cuts, on potential risk of disruption from the widening conflict in the region, and on understanding the potential for more of the positive supply surprises we saw last year. However, Libya could be another important variable.

END

8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//

ARGENTINA/TERRORISTS/IRANIAN/SYRIAN//IRAQI

Argentina arrests three from Lebanon, Syria in Maccabi Games terror plot

This planned attack came multiple months after an Iraqi national was arrested for lurking outside of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, shortly after a series of bomb threats.

By JOANIE MARGULIESJANUARY 3, 2024 11:31Updated: JANUARY 3, 2024 11:51

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Police in Argentina have arrested three people for suspicion of planning a terrorist attack at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Buenos Aires, according to police reports from Argentina.

The Argentine Federal Police (PFA) arrested three men from Syria and Lebanon, in Buenos Aires and the metropolitan area town of Avellaneda.

The three men were reportedly waiting for a 35-kilogram package to arrive from Yemen, related to their planned attack. According to the PFA, the package was addressed to the home of one of the three men.

Why would the Jewish community in Buenos Aires be the target of a planned terror attack?

During this time, the Pan-American Maccabi games are underway in Buenos Aires. The games are expected to bring together around 4,000 Jewish athletes and members of the Jewish community from North, Central, and South America. This event has caused security officials in Argentina to pay extra attention to safety and security matters for attendees.

Police also paid extra attention to the security of the event following suspicions regarding email threats and suspicious people lurking around the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

In October, an Iraqi national who was reportedly being investigated for falsifying Argentine documents was arrested after he was seen lurking outside of the embassy, carrying out phone conversations the same week that the embassy received a series of bomb threats.

One of the three suspects arrived in Argentina from Syria on different flights from his counterparts. The Syrian national was traveling with additional passports from both Venezuela and Colombia, also donning his name, news outlets in Argentina reported.A

Though two were arriving from Lebanon the three men reportedly arrived on separate international flights to Buenos Aires.

END

YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS WEDNESDAY MORNING 7;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING

EURO VS USA DOLLAR:  1.0926 DOWN .0015 

USA/ YEN 142.93 UP 0.757  NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN  STILL FALLS//

GBP/USA 1.2626 UP  .0004

USA/CAN DOLLAR:  1.3347 UP .0026 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 26 BASIS PTS)

 Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED UP 4.97 PTS OR  0.17%

 Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 142.14 PTS OR 0.85% 

AUSTRALIA CLOSED DOWN  1.40%   // EUROPEAN BOURSE:  ALL RED 

Trading from Europe and ASIA

I) EUROPEAN BOURSES:  ALL RED 

2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG DOWN 142.14 PTS OR 0.85%

/SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 4.97 PTS OR 0.17%

AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED DOWN  1,40% 

(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED  

INDIA’S SENSEX  IN THE RED

Gold very early morning trading: 2043.15

silver:$23.24

USA dollar index early WEDNESDAY  morning: 102,3  UP 24 BASIS POINTS FROM TUESDAY’s CLOSE.

WEDNESDAY  MORNING NUMBERS ENDS

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And now your closing WEDNESDAY NUMBERS 11: 30 AM

Portuguese 10 year bond yield: 2.795%  UP 1  in basis point(s) yield

JAPANESE BOND YIELD: +0.625% DOWN 0 AND  0//100   BASIS POINTS /JAPAN losing control of its yield curve/

SPANISH 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.014 UP 0  in basis points yield

ITALIAN 10 YR BOND YIELD 3.717 UP 2 points in basis points yield ./ THE ECB IS QE’ ING ITALIAN BONDS (BUYING ITALIAN BONDS/SELLING GERMAN BUNDS)

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD: 2.0275  DOWN 3 BASIS PTS

END

IMPORTANT CURRENCY CLOSES FOR  WEDNESDAY  

Closing currency crosses for day /USA DOLLAR INDEX/USA 10 YR BOND YIELD/1:00 PM

Euro/USA 1.0904 DOWN  0.0037 or 37  basis points

USA/Japan: 143.57 UP 1.381 OR YEN DOWN 138 basis points/

Great Britain/USA 1.2628 UP .0007  OR 7  BASIS POINTS //

Canadian dollar DOWN .0029 OR 29 BASIS pts  to 1.3349

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The USA/Yuan,  CNY: closed    ON SHORE  CLOSED    (DOWN) …7.1512

THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE:    (YUAN CLOSED (DOWN)…. (7.1713)

TURKISH LIRA:  29.78 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//ON DEATH WATCH

the 10 yr Japanese bond yield  at +0.625…VERY DANGEROUS

Your closing 10 yr US bond yield UP 3 in basis points from FRIDAY at  3.976% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%) very problematic

 USA 30 yr bond yield  4.135 UP 5  in basis points   ON THE DAY/12.00 PM

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.3623  UP 3 BASIS PTS.

Your  12:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates:  WEDNESDAY: CLOSING TIME 12:00 PM

London: CLOSED DOWN 39.19 PTS OR .51%

German Dax :  CLOSED DOWN 230.97 PTS OR 1.38%

Paris CAC CLOSED DOWN 119.00 PTS OR 1.58%

Spain IBEX CLOSED DOWN 128.70 PTS OR 1.28%

Italian MIB: CLOSED DOWN 423.79 PTS OR 1.39%

WTI Oil price  72.74   12: EST

Brent Oil:  78.33 12:00 EST

USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE ///   AT:  90.00;   ROUBLE DOWN 1 AND  64//100      

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.2753 DOWN 3  BASIS PTS

UK 10 YR YIELD: 3.6935 UP 3  BASIS PTS

CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM

Euro vs USA: 1.0924  DOWN   0.0018   OR 18 BASIS POINTS

British Pound: 1.2666 UP .0044   or 44 basis pts

BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD:  3.639%  DOWN 6 BASIS PTS//

JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 0.625%

USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 143.06 UP 0.0089 //YEN DOWN 89  BASIS PTS//

USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.3350 UP 0.0029 CDN dollar DOWN 29   basis pts)

West Texas intermediate oil: 73.04

Brent OIL:  78.46

USA 10 yr bond yield DOWN 1  BASIS pts to 3.918%  

USA 30 yr bond yield DOWN 1  BASIS PTS to 4.070%

USA 2 YR BOND: DOWN 1 PTS AT  4.333%

USA dollar index: 102.16 UP 27  BASIS POINTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.79 (GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/

USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE:  90.00 UP 0  AND  36/100 roubles

GOLD  2042,50 3:30 PM

SILVER: 23.02 3:30 PM

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: DOWN 284,85 PTS OR 0.76%

NASDAQ DOWN 175,45 PTS OR 1.06%

VOLATILITY INDEX: 14.04 UP .84 PTS 6.36%

GLD: $189.13 DOWN 1.59 OR 0.83%

SLV/ $21.06 DOWN .59 OR 02.72%

end

USA AFFAIRS

TODAY’S TRADING IN GRAPH FORM

END

MORNING  TRADING//

end

AFTERNOON TRADING

TUCKER CARLSON

II USA DATA.

US Debt Hits A Record $34.001 Trillion

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 10:32 PM

The US Treasury has a morbid habit of revealing big, round numbers of debt around major calendar milestones, and the new 2024 year was no different because according to the latest Treasury Daily Statement published after the close today and reflecting the US Treasury’s financial statements as of Dec 29, 2023, total US debt as of the end of the year was – drumroll – just over $34 trillion for the first time ever, or $34,001,493,655,565.48 to be precise.

Since this is a topic we have covered more or less daily for our 15 year existence, we don’t need to say much suffice to show a chart of total US debt since zerohedge launched in Jan 2009, when total US debt was only $10.6 trillion. We sure have gone a long way since then.

Some context: US debt increased by…

• $1 trillion in the past 3 months
• $2 trillion in the past 6 months
• $4 trillion in the past 2 years
• $11 trillion in the past 4 years

… and so on. You get the exponential picture. At this point everyone knows how this ends – certainly the CBO does…

… but since there is no way to reverse the catastrophic outcome, there is no point in even talking about it. At best, one may only prepare for the inevitable hyperinflationary outcome, which would be good news to what is now over $1 trillion in interest expense: after all, someone has to devalue the currency all that interest is payable in.

And since there is no longer a way out, we may as well joke about it so consider this: in the third quarter when US GDP supposedly grew at a 4.9% annualized rate – hardly the stuff of recessions – rising $547 billion in nominal (not real) dollars, the US budget deficit increased by a whopping $622 billion.

This not only explains where US “growth” has come from, but begs the question just how much debt will be needed when the US falls into an official recession.

Or actually not, because at this point the best anyone can do is polish the brass on the titanic while waiting for the inevitable, captures so vividly by the following endgame chart.

III  USA ECONOMIC COMMENTARIES

Costs soar at California hospitals due to influx to illegal immigration

(zerohedge)

California Hospitals Slammed As Illegal Immigration Costs Soar

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 09:00 PM

Authored by Brad Jones and John Fredricks via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Some hospitals in Southern California are struggling with an influx of illegal immigrants amid the border crisis, while American patients are enduring longer wait times for doctor appointments due to a nursing shortage in the state, according to two health care professionals.

A health care worker at a hospital in Southern California, who asked not to be named for fear of losing her job, told The Epoch Times that “the entire health care system is just being bombarded” by a steady stream of illegal migrants in recent years.

Some migrants get hurt crossing the desert or injured climbing the border wall, while others are injured in accidents, especially when too many occupants are packed into one vehicle, said the health care worker.

Severely injured illegal migrants are often rescued by helicopter and flown to trauma centers in Southern California, she said.

“They’re falling off the wall,” she said. “They’re always flown. They’re never put in the back of an ambulance.”

With a typical helicopter rescue costing around $30,000, without factoring in the costs of medication and medical staff at the hospitals, “who pays for that?” she asked.

“Our health care system is so overwhelmed, and then add on top of that tuberculosis, COVID-19, and other diseases from all over the world,” she said.

Total U.S. apprehensions of illegal and inadmissible aliens in fiscal year 2023—from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023—were 3.2 million. In fiscal year 2022, it was more than 2.7 million. Counting “known gotaways”—those who Border Patrol agents record but don’t catch—more than 8 million illegal immigrants have entered the country in less than three years under the Biden administration.

A Mercy Air helicopter in Imperial, Calif., on Dec. 6, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Language Barrier

Illegal migrant patients are usually accompanied by their sponsors who advocate for them, but language barriers still pose a problem for doctors and other hospital staff, said the health care worker.

“Not everybody can speak the languages of these patients,” she said. “That’s another burden.”

Hospitals need to hire either translators or staff that can speak all the languages of the patients crossing the border from dozens of different countries, she said.

“Of course, there’s nothing wrong with learning another language or having people that can accommodate their health care,” she said. “Nobody wants to see somebody in pain or hurting in need of medicine. But, at the same time, it’s at the expense of others.”

The “others,” she said, are American patients, as well as taxpayers who are ultimately footing the bill.

Patients often have their doctor’s appointments “pushed back,” to accommodate the medical needs of illegal migrants, the health care worker said.

“They get in a lot quicker than our Veterans Affairs [VA] and retired military patients. They get in a lot faster, and they get the best care—probably better care than the VA patients do,” she said.

Typically, VA patients usually wait months to be seen by a specialist while illegal migrants who just crossed the border are seen the same week, she said.

“I’ve seen that firsthand,” she said. “We hear it from VA patients all day, every day.”

When Border Patrol agents bring patients to the hospitals, there is an “air of secrecy” that follows them.

“No one is allowed to talk to the media or public about why they are there or how they got there,” she said. “We keep them in this bubble of protection, which is the wrong approach. We should let the public know.”

The government is using “patient privacy” as a shield to hide what they’re doing.

“Patient privacy is a priority in the health care field, but when it comes to illegals, it’s branching off into elitism or a protected class,” she said.

ICE Detention Facility

An experienced doctor in Southern California, who spoke to The Epoch Times on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said the influx of illegal migrants to San Diego and Imperial counties is “just outrageous” and the burden of care on hospitals is “overwhelming.”

He also said he is concerned about the secrecy surrounding non-government organizations, or NGOs, that are being paid to provide services to illegal migrants.

“Where’s the transparency?” he asked. “There’s been no transparency.”

The doctor said in 2020, at the outset of the pandemic, he was involved in a planned government contract for COVID testing, but it was canceled at the last minute.

“We started testing and treating patients and then … they kicked us out,”he said. “They said your contract has been terminated and replaced with some company that was from out of the area. So, they’re not even using local contractors … which takes away money, resources, and jobs from our community.”

Amid a statewide shortage of primary care doctors and nurses, the doctor said three nurse practitioners he trained at his practice were recruited with better pay and benefits to work at the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) detention center in El Centro, Calif.

“It’s a huge place, and so there are lots of resources being used at that facility. A lot of nurse practitioners are being pulled from us,” he said. “It’s really hard to get doctors out in our area, so we have a lot of nurse-practitioners that help physicians in the community because they can see patients and prescribe medications.”

Increasingly, more patients are going to urgent care clinics because they can’t get in to see their primary care doctors, he said.

“There is a huge shortage of primary care in Imperial County,” he said. “Appointment times are weeks to months out.”

“Border cities are having to deal with the influx without having the resources. When you take from the resources that are currently available, you’re depriving the community of those resources,” the doctor said. “The unintended result is it backs up the system.”

Illegal immigrants pass through a gap in the U.S. border wall to await processing by Border Patrol agents in Jacumba, Calif., on Dec. 7, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Disease and Injuries

Tuberculosis (TB) patients, for example, can tie up hospital beds for month depending on the severity of infection, the doctor said.

“You can’t let them out, because it’s a public health issue, so they’re staying in the hospital. We had a patient stay for six months for full treatment, and the government is paying for all of it,” he said. “TB in the United States is pretty much gone except for in isolated border towns, but the rates in Imperial County are higher than I’ve ever seen anywhere, because of the influx from illegal migration.”

According to the Harvard Medical School’s Center for Global Health delivery, California’s Imperial County has reported an incidence of 38 TB cases per 100,000 people, nearly 10 times higher than the national average in the U.S., while Mexicali, Mexico—just across the border—has an incidence of 100 cases per 100,000, one of the highest rates in North America.

The center also indicates the number of TB cases are probably underreported, stating that “with more robust detection efforts, it’s likely that these rates would be much higher.”

Aside from TB and measles, sexually transmitted diseases such as, gonorrhea, syphilis, measles, and AIDS are on the rise, said the doctor.

“Very rarely do you see syphilis anymore, but cases have gone up,” he said.

Illegal migrants also need treatment for injuries from lacerations from razor wire,” the doctor said.

“They cut their hands and legs when they’re jumping the fence. They usually put a jacket or something over the razor wire, but sometimes it comes through,” he said.

Because so many medical professionals and resources have been tapped to treat illegal migrants, American patients, including military veterans have been neglected, the doctor confirmed.

“It takes forever for these VA patients to get seen at the clinic. It’s months to get appointment. There is very limited care for the veterans out here,” he said. “The VA program has been neglected as a result of having to put more money into funding for the ICE detention centers.”

Toll on Border Patrol Agents

The doctor, who also treats Border Patrol agents, said their job-related injuries “have gone through the roof.” He’s also noticed an increase in the number agents with mental health problems related to stress and anxiety.

Many agents say they’ve been taken out of the field to act as immigration processing clerks rather than doing what they were trained to do: patrol the border, he said.

“They’re really frustrated. They’re not being listened to. They’re not getting the resources they need. They feel like their hands are tied. And, they’re being silenced,” he said. “They’ve become processing agents, rather than really trying to catch the bad guys—the criminals and the drugs.”

The agents also witness the aftermath of heinous crimes, including the abuse and rape of women and girls at the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

“A lot of the girls coming across—there’s a good percentage of them that have been abused during the trek. We’ve seen a few of them. We’re talking young girls—12 years old, 13 years old—pregnant from the journey. It’s extremely sad,” he said. “And so that takes a toll … kids coming up by themselves, unaccompanied minors. You can see the human trafficking side of all of this as well. It does happen quite frequently.”

Suicides among agents have also increased. In 2022, 14 agents took their own lives, more than any other year since U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began tracking these deaths.

“Working long hours and responding to high-stress situations, our men and women in green and blue are being pushed to their breaking point every single day,” said U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzalez in a Dec. 15 press release.

Between 2007 and 2022, CBP lost 149 people to suicide, which is “among the highest rates compared to other law enforcement agencies.”

Costs of Illegal Immigration

According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a nonprofit organization that pushes for changes in immigration policy, the cost of health care for illegal immigrants in California through Medi-Cal was approximately $4.8 billion per year in 2022.

FAIR estimated the total federal medical costs for illegal immigration at more than $23.1 billion in 2022 and pegged the costs to cover unpaid hospital bills for uninsured illegal migrants at about $8.2 billion.

The total cost of illegal immigration in California was around $22.8 billion annually for education, health care, law enforcement, criminal justice system costs, welfare, and other expenditures. By comparison, the annual cost of illegal immigration in Texas in 2022 was $9.9 billion. In California, the taxpayer cost per immigrant in 2023 was $7,074 compared to Texas at $4,466.

The FAIR study estimates the gross cost of illegal immigration in the United States is $183 billion annually, up more than 35.7 percent since 2017. The cost incurred for each illegal migrant, including their U.S.-born children, has increased to $8,776 annually.

FAIR says its report covers “the full fiscal impact of illegal immigration,” and “includes the contributions of illegal aliens to the economy.”

“These include tax payments made directly to state and local jurisdictions, the federal government, as well as excise, property, and sales taxes. However, these receipts fall far short of covering the expenses incurred due to illegal immigration. Taxes paid by illegal immigrants only covered around 17.2 percent of the costs they created for American citizens,” the report states.

When the taxes paid by illegal aliens are factored in, the net cost of illegal immigration to U.S. taxpayers is $150.7 billion, according to FAIR.

As of June 2023, FAIR estimates about 16.8 million illegal migrants live in the U.S., an increase of 1.3 million since January 2022 and a 2.3 million increase since the end of 2020, indicating the illegal migrant population increased 16 percent nationwide in the first two-and-a-half years of the Biden administration.

“Illegal immigration’s annual net burden on the economy, now more than $150 billion, is greater than the annual GDP output of 15 U.S. states,” according to FAIR.

Ira Mehlman, a FAIR spokesman, told the Epoch Times that on top of the staggering costs of illegal immigration—with 12,600 illegal migrants crossing the border on Dec. 19 alone, the highest on record for a single day—the Biden administration is “playing Russian roulette with the safety and security of the American public.”

“They’re simply ignoring laws. The law explicitly says that if you were in the country illegally, you are subject to deportation, and Mayorkas has said no, just being in the country, in and of itself, is not sufficient to remove somebody,” he said. “We all expect that there will be some incompetence in government and maybe even neglect, but now what we’re seeing is overt sabotage of our immigration laws by people who were sworn to uphold those laws.”

At a press conference on Dec. 21, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre downplayed the border crisis, telling reporters the record number of illegal migrants at the southern border isn’t unusual.

“What we’re seeing here at the border, the migration flow, increased migration flows, certainly, it ebbs and flows,“ she said. “And we’re at a time of the year where we’re seeing more at the border, and it’s not unusual. This is an immigration system that has been broken for decades, and the president has taken this very seriously to try to do more.”

A Veteran’s View

Robert Hammond, a cancer patient and former Marine in Santa Ana, Calif., who retired early from his job as a school teacher because of his health, told The Epoch Times he was exposed to toxic chemicals in the water when he was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Mr. Hammond said he has seen doctor appointments for veterans, including his own, pushed back for months because of the border crisis.

He said he questions the Biden administration’s sense of priorities when it “coddles people who break our laws to come here, and gives them money, food, housing, clothing, [and] free medical,” but then “turns its back” on not only veterans but all American citizens.

“The people who are responsible for this are more interested in seeing us veterans die. That’s how I feel. They don’t want us because they know we won’t vote for them.” he said. “But, the people who are coming in illegally, well, there’s a good chance that they’ll vote for them. We are disposable.”

The money spent on illegal migrants should be used for better health care and cancer research to improve the quality of life of American citizens, he said.

Mr. Hammond said he’s also concerned about national security, considering the surge in suspected terrorists who have entered the country illegally during the border crisis.

END

New York and San Francisco

These two cities have the heaviest CRE office debt loads

(zerohedge)

NYC & SF Dominate The US Cities With The Heaviest CRE Office Debt-Loads

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 08:40 PM

With a combination of high interest rates and a slow return to office towers, the commercial real estate sector faces further declines as the new year begins. One of the most significant challenges facing office tower owners will be either repaying the full value of the loan or finding an institution, such as a regional bank, willing to offer refinancing. 

According to a new report by the Financial Times, which references data from the Mortgage Bankers Association, $117 billion in CRE office debt needs to be repaid or refinanced this year. Much of this debt is concentrated in major cities such as Manhattan, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

“It’s going to be a very difficult environment to be getting loans from the institutions that typically give these loans. That’s the bottom line, “Andrew Metrick, the Janet L. Yellen Professor of Finance and Management and director of the Yale Program on Financial Stability, recently said at the Alumni Real Estate Association Conference. 

The challenging environment can be attributed to several factors, including regional bank stress due to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, First Republic, and Signature Bank, among others, in the first half of 2023. The situation worsens for building owners because regional and community banks make up most of the CRE lending space. Additionally, the Federal Reserve’s most aggressive interest rate hiking cycle in decades has significantly increased the cost of borrowing.

Moody’s Analytics estimates about 605 office towers with mortgages will need financing this year. Of that, about 224 will have trouble refinancing – either because the property values have plunged and there is too much debt or perhaps a high vacancy rate. 

Meanwhile, stress is emerging as new Trepp data shows delinquencies on office loans financed by commercial mortgaged-backed securities topped 6% at the end of November, up from 1.7% a year earlier. 

Even with the low default rates, the potential losses on these loans are in the billions of dollars. A recent study by a group of US economists found that 40% of office loans on bank balance sheets were valued less than the loan amount, posing a risk for regional banks. 

“People should realize that regional banks are still very much exposed to the troubles in commercial real estate,” said Leo Huang, head of commercial real estate at Ellington Management.

Over the next three to four years, about two-thirds of the CRE space will require refinancing. With property values plunging and significantly higher interest rates, default rates will likely continue surging, causing even more trouble for exposed regional banks. 

CRE office turmoil is far from over. 

END

IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and  PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM

END

FREIGHT ISSUES/USA

END

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

end

USA// COVID//VACCINE/

Over 200 Service Members, Veterans Pledge To Hold Military Leaders Accountable For Vaccine Mandate

TUESDAY, JAN 02, 2024 – 06:20 PM

Authored by J.M. Phelps via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

More than 200 active service members and veterans have signed an open letter seeking accountability over the alleged harm caused by the Department of Defense’s (DOD) implementation of the now-rescinded COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The open letter, published on Jan. 1, is directed to the American people, but names specific senior military leaders who the signers claim enabled lawlessness and betrayed the Constitution.

Some of the leaders specifically named in the letter include former and current joint chiefs of staff, service academy commandants, service inspectors general, and service surgeon generals.

The signatories state, “In the coming years, thousands within our network will run for Congress and seek appointments to executive branch offices, while those of us still serving on active duty will continue to put fulfilling our oaths ahead of striving for rank or position.

“For those who achieve the lawful authority to do so, we pledge to recall from retirement the military leaders who broke the law and will convene courts-martial for the crimes they committed.”

A number of the signatories are veterans who are now running for Congress and state-level political offices. These veterans also pledged to introduce legislation to seek accountability by reducing the alleged perpetrators’ retirement income to zero.

Many of the 231 signers of the letter are still on active duty. Several said they are taking on significant personal risk to stand up for what they believe in and to defend their unalienable rights that they feel have been trampled.

The Epoch Times spoke to Robert A. Green, Jr., an active duty Navy Commander and author of “Defending the Constitution Behind Enemy Lines.” As the author of the open letter, he employed the framework and phrasing of Thomas Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence to address what he described as the current crisis of trust in the country’s military.

He and the other signatories hope to “rebuild trust through accountability” and signed the open letter as a way to emulate the founding fathers when they mutually pledged to each other their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor in the Declaration of Independence.

“Where our situation departs from the signers of the Declaration of Independence is that we do not seek separation,” Cmdr. Green said. “We do not want to be separated from the Constitution nor from what was handed down to us at so great a cost. Instead of separation, we want restoration through accountability.”

As a result, he said, the letter may be more appropriately called a “Declaration of Military Accountability.”

Bradley Miller, a former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who previously served as a battalion commander in the 101st Airborne Division, said the allusions to the Declaration of Independence in the letter are “deliberate and meaningful.” According to him, the signatories of the letter “believe that we have suffered a long train of abuses that has come to a head with the unlawful COVID-19 shot mandate.”

“We would be negligent in our duty to uphold our oaths to the Constitution as well as negligible in our loyalty to our countrymen if we permitted the continued demise of one of our most hallowed institutions,” Mr. Miller said.

“For the senior leaders named, and for the thousands who were not named but who are equally complicit, I hope this [letter] is a wake-up call,” Cmdr. Green said. He went on to note that at the highest levels of military leadership, the decision-making processes are largely comprised of risk analysis and risk mitigations.

“Due to the Feres Doctrine [which prohibits service members from suing the federal government for wrongful injury or death], and the inappropriate deference paid to the Department of Defense by the legislative and judicial branches of our government, our senior leaders have rarely felt any personal risk for their decisions,” he said.

Cmdr. Green hopes the letter solidifies that “personal financial and legal risk is now part of the analysis our senior military leaders must take before deciding on policies that have implications for service members’ constitutional rights.”

Story continues below advertisement

Pledging to Seek Restoration

For Mr. Miller, the letter represents “a pledge that we, the signatories, have made with one another and also to the American people, that we will not stand idly by as our military self-destructs.”

Because of their faith in God, love of country, and oath to the Constitution, he said, “We consider it our duty to lawfully resist the concerted efforts of current military leadership to destroy the institution that has been entrusted to their charge.”

Mr. Miller said the country is witnessing “the wholesale destruction, from within, of one of our oldest and most important national institutions.” For him, “It’s not that our armed forces have decided to stand by neutral as our nation faces an onslaught of threats, but has instead become one of the greatest perpetrators in attacking the cultural fabric that has kept our republic together for two and a half centuries.”

According to Mr. Miller, the U.S. military has “a unique mission: the American people expect the people to carry out violence on its behalf.” In a series of questions, he said: “How can the people trust an institution to ethically carry out its mission if it wantonly violates the law? How can the American people trust a military that has harmed its own members, and rather than acknowledge that harm, doubles down by insisting that its course was lawful, productive, and necessary?”

The signatories are demanding “unequivocal acknowledgment of the unlawful nature of the COVID-19 shot mandate” and the harm it has caused, he said. “We demand full accountability for those responsible for perpetrating this deliberate disaster on our service members, their families, and by extension the nation, [and] we demand, inasmuch as possible, complete restitution for those harmed by this criminal activity.” Without this “complete reckoning,” he said, “our military will not recover from this ongoing nightmare.”

Mr. Miller emphasized he and the others are not advocating violence. Rather, he said, “We emphatically decry the physical and moral violence that has been inflicted on service members and their families through the unlawful mandate of these harmful injections.”

“We brook no interest in circumventing the law, [but] demand strict adherence to the law,” he said. “To this very end, we will tirelessly pursue the restoration of justice to our wayward armed forces.”

Fighting for Hope

Lt. Col. Carolyn Rocco has served over 20 years in the Air Force. For her, the letter serves two purposes. First, she said it is “a promise to the American people that there are service members who understand the significance of their oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.’”

Having encountered people who have expressed “feelings of hopelessness for our country’s survival,” she hopes the letter will encourage Americans to “have faith that all hope has not been lost at a time when many see the steady collapse of morals, character, and justice among politicians and military leaders alike.” According to her, “courage is contagious,” and she hopes the letter motivates the people of America.

Second, Lt. Col. Rocco said, the letter is “a way to inform the military leaders that the elephant in the room—the negative effects of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate—is not going away until accountability is had.”

“While many want to sweep it under the rug and press on as if the last two years did not happen,” she said, “that is not how it’s going to go, unfortunately.” She cited the lowest recruiting numbers since the 1970s as “evidence of the disaster the DOD is in.”

Senior leaders of the military, she said, were warned about “the grave dangers a vax mandate would have on the force,” but these warnings were ignored. “Making a public proclamation might make them realize this is a serious issue that will not be ignored.”

“Trust has been broken, and moral, emotional, and physical damage has been done,” Lt. Col. Rocco said. “The tens of thousands of us who were directly impacted, as well as our communities who witnessed the atrocity known as the DOD COVID-19 vaccine mandate, are the ones who are encouraging those we love to not join the military until it returns to an institution of honor and morals and becomes apolitical once again.”

“That will not happen until a formal and public apology is made, acknowledging what was done to thousands of service members was immoral, unethical, and unlawful,” she said.

“Those of us who signed this memo have made a promise to each other, as well as to the airmen, guardians, soldiers, sailors, marines, coasties, and American people, that we will not stop fighting for truth, justice, and most of all, accountability,” she said.

Cmdr. Green and Lt. Col. Rocco emphasized that their views don’t reflect those of the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of the Air Force. Officials at the Pentagon didn’t respond by press time to requests by The Epoch Times for comment.

end

SWAMP STORIES

END

THE KING REPORT

The King Report January 3, 2024 Issue 7151

Independent View of the News

Israeli strike in Lebanon kills senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri http://reut.rs/3tJ5Tte   @AFP: Lebanese state media says four killed in Israeli drone strike on Hamas office in Beirut Hamas TV on Tuesday announced the “assassination” by Israel of the militant group’s deputy head in Beirut.  A high-level security official there told AFP that Saleh al-Aruri was killed along with his bodyguards in the southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hamas ally Hezbollah.   @TheMessenger: Hamas leader assassinated in Beirut was chief architect of Oct. 7 attack   @CNBCJou: Geopolitics: Big escalation in Lebanon today, with local media reporting a drone attack on a Hezbollah heavy area of Beirut.  So far, the military exchanges had been limited to the south.   Axios’s @BarakRavid: A senior Israeli official told me Israel is preparing for a significant retaliation by Hezbollah for the Arouri assassination including by launching long range missiles on targets in Israel   Iran dispatches warship to Red Sea after U.S. sinks Houthi small boats https://t.co/DK5BB0GvNB   Gold starts 2024 brightly on Fed rate cut bets, Red Sea worries https://t.co/OLX3YpUF5K   Apple Tumbles on Barclays Downgrade Over Cooling iPhone Demand Barclays analyst Tim Long slashed Apple from “Equal-Weight” to “Underweight” with a slight downshift in price target, from $161 to $160. The price target indicates Long expects a 17% share decline this year.   “We expect reversion after a year when most quarters were missed, and the stock outperformed,” Long said. Tens of billions of dollars in stock buybacks could explain four quarters of revenue declines but rising share price…  https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/apple-downgraded-cooling-iphone-demand   ESHs vacillated between modest gains and losses during Asian trading.  The flat trading ended after China’s 2 ET close.  Traders then bought ESHs for the expected rally, and pump & dump, for the 3 ET European opening.  ESHs hit a daily high of 4828.00 at 3:32 ET.  The dump then drove ESHs lower.   After a modest rebound ended at 5:51 ET, ESHs commenced a tumble that took ESHs to a daily low of 4773.25 at 10:38 ET.  ESHs rallied to 4797.25 at 12:40 ET and then rolled over.  After sinking to a new daily low of 4765.50 at 15:07 ET, the late manipulation pushed ESHs to 4788.50 at 15:59 ET.   The DJIA rallied due to feverish buying in healthcare stocks: Amgen, Merck, Walgreens, J&J, and United Health.  Verizon also rallied sharply.  The worse DJIA stocks: Intel, Apple, Boeing, Salesforce, Microsoft, and IBM.  This looks like defensive equity allocation.   USHs opened soft on Monday night and intractably sank until they hit a daily low of 123 8/32 (-1 22/32) at 8:21 ET.  USHs bounced to 124 8/32 at 10:00 ET and then rolled over and went flat thereafter.   While there might have been defensive asset allocation on Tuesday, the sharp decline in US bonds implies there was also strong liquidation of US debt vehicles.   When stocks rally on the first day of the year, which is usually the case, Wall Street shills proclaim, “As the first day of the year goes, so goes the first week of the year.  As the first week of the year goes, so goes the remainder of the year.”  When the first day of the year is negative, Wall Street shills are silent.   Positive aspects of previous session The DJIA gained 25.50; the DJUA rallied 12.59 points Someone juiced ESHs from 4772.00 at 15:47 ET to 4788.50 at 15:59 ET JPM jumped 1.2% for a record high close   Negative aspects of previous session USHs sank as much as 1 22/32 The equity liquidation that appeared last week intensified on the 1st day of 2024 The NY Fang+ Index (-2.36) got eviscerated; Nasdaq -1.63% and the Nasdaq 100 -1.68%   Ambiguous aspects of previous session Who has been doing aggressive equity liquidation? The dollar soared   First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Down; Last Hour: Up   Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 4739.94 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 4754.33; 4722.67   Biden continues bleeding support from key voter groups as Dems sound alarm over 2024: poll Biden’s support among Black voters has fallen to just 63%, down from the 92% that Pew Research Center data shows he won in the 2020 presidential election, while his support among Hispanic voters is down to 34% from 59%.  Additionally, Biden trails former President Donald Trump, his likely Republican opponent, 37%-33%, among voters under the age of 35…  https://t.co/An2Ku1N2wO   Chinese energy exec tied to Hunter Biden participated in Patrick Ho bribery scheme, court files say CEFC China Energy would eventually funnel millions of dollars to the Bidens, but Zang was never charged, and the Justice Department has yet to explain why. https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/cefc-no-2-who-helped-manage-partnership-hunter-biden-participated   Biden Admin Watered Down Vetting Process for Chinese Illegal Immigrants, Email Shows (Why?  10% for The Big Guy?)  https://t.co/rFD4BoTPBc   Today – As we stated in yesterday’s missive: “Though the usual suspects have been trying to goose stocks the past three sessions, someone has been liquidating into the rallies.  Traders will try to ascertain ASAP if the equity liquidation that appeared on Wednesday through Friday is present or absent.”   The dam broke on Tuesday.  The equity liquidation that appeared after Christmas finally overwhelmed buyers on Tuesday.  Traders will be cautious about buying stocks on the equity liquidators are gone.   ESHs are -0.50; USHs are +1/32; and Feb AU is -4.00 at 20:07 ET.   Expected economic data: Dec ISM Mfg. 47.2; Nov JOLTS Job Openings 8.863m; Dec Wards Total Vehicle Sales 15.49m; Richmond Fed Pres Barking 8:30 ET, FOMC 12/13 Meeting Minutes 24:00 ET   S&P 500 Index 50-day MA: 4512; 100-day MA: 4452; 150-day MA: 4444; 200-day MA: 4358 DJIA 50-day MA: 35,378; 100-day MA: 34,800; 150-day MA: 34,671; 200-day MA: 34,326 (Green is positive slope; Red is negative slope)   S&P 500 Index – Trender trading model and MACD for key time frames Monthly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4026.83 triggers a sell signal Weekly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4482.88 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender is positive; MACD is negative – a close below 4703.38 triggers a sell signal Hourly: Trender and MACD are negative – a close above 4769.06 triggers a buy signal   @paulsperry_: DOJ prosecutor who just dropped the (Dem) campaign financing charges vs Sam Bankman-Fried is tied to OBAMA FOUNDATION thru his wife. Biden-appted US Attorney Damian Williams is also former SOROS fellow who clerked for AG Garland & was an aide to ex-DNC chair McAuliffe   South Korean Opposition Leader Is Stabbed Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, was stabbed in the neck in the city of Busan. No information about his condition was immediately available. https://t.co/Y7sSthdQai   @business: Claudine Gay will step down as president of Harvard University, according to the Harvard Crimson (Obama and his acolytes take a huge loss!  Will Penny Pritzker now resign?)   @libsoftiktok: In her resignation letter, Claudine Gay, disgraced former President of Harvard, blamed racism for her resignation. I would expect nothing less from a diversity hire. DEI is poison. It must be eradicated from our institutions.  https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1742263878078333053

GREG HUNTER  

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