JAN 8//GOLD CLOSED DOWN $16.85 TO $2026.85//SILVER CLOSED DOWN 8 CENTS TO $23.12/PLATINUM CLOSED DOWN $17.05 TO $947.45 WHILE PALLADIUM CLOSED DOWN $38.80//ISRAEL VS HAMAS UPDATES/WEST BANK UPDATES//LEBANON VS ISRAEL (HEZBOLLAH ) UPDATES//IRAN VS WEST UPDATES//UKRAINE VS RUSSIA UPDATES//COVID UPDATES/VACCINE INJURIES/DR PAUL ALEXANDER/SLAY NEWS ETC//SWAMP STORIES FOR YOU TONIGHT///
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.
363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 2 624 H BOFA SECURITIES 1 657 H MORGAN STANLEY 8 661 C JP MORGAN 6 737 C ADVANTAGE 2 1
TOTAL: 10 10 MONTH TO DATE: 2,778
JPMorgan stopped 6/10 contracts.
FOR JAN.:
GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR JAN/2023. CONTRACT: 10 NOTICES FOR 1000 OZ or 0.03111 TONNES
total notices so far: 2778 contracts for 277,800 oz (8.6407 tonnes)
FOR JANUARY:
SILVER NOTICES 1 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 5,000 OZ/
total number of notices filed so far this month : 516 for 2,580,000 oz
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END
BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES
GLD
WITH GOLD DOWN $16.85
INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD/ : / HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.61 TONNES FROM THE GLD. /
INVENTORY RESTS AT 869.60 TONNES
SLV//
WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS AT THE SLV// HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1,602,000 OZ INTO THE SLV
INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.
CLOSING INVENTORY: 434.370 MILLION OZ
Let us have a look at the data for today
SILVER//OUTLINE
SILVER COMEX OI FELL BY A HUGE SIZED 1182 CONTRACTS TO 131,285 AND FURTHER FROM THE RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020 AND THIS HUGE SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR GAIN OF $0.20 IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX ON FRIDAY. WE HAD A MINOR LONG LIQUIDATION BUT WITH CONSIDERABLE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION (ALSO MINOR SHORT COVERING ) AT THE COMEX SESSION. WE HAD A HUGE 1380 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 FRIDAY NIGHT: 1305CONTRACTS. 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 UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT ROSE BY $0.20), BUT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING SOME SILVER LONGS AS WE HAD A FAIR SIZED LOSS OF 532 OI CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.
WE MUST HAVE HAD:
A VERY STRONG SIZED 650 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 5,000 OZ QUEUE. JUMP NEW TOTALS 5.830 MILLION OZ//
//NEW STANDING FOR SILVER IS THUS 5.830 MILLION OZ
//HUGE SIZED COMEX OI LOSS/ VERY STRONG SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI) HUGE SIZED NUMBER OF T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 1305 CONTRACTS)/
I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL – REMOVED – 211CONTRACTS //
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS JAN ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF JAN
TOTAL CONTRACTS for 5 days, total 4567 contracts: OR 22.835MILLION OZ (913 CONTRACTS PER DAY)
TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR: 22.835 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 ’24: 22.835 MILLION OZ
RESULT: WE HAD A HUGE SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 1182CONTRACTS DESPITE OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX//FRIDAY.,. THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A STRONG EFP ISSUANCE CONTRACTS: 650 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 5,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP //NEW TOTAL 4.830 MILLION OZ TO WHICH WE ADD EX. FOR RISK ISSUANCE/PRIOR FOR 1.0 MILLION OZ //NEW TOTALS; 5.830 MILLION OZ/
NEW STANDING 5.830 million OZ /// WE HAVE A FAIR SIZED LOSS OF 321OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES DESPITE THE GAIN IN PRICE. THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY: A HUGE SIZED 1305CONTRACTS//HUGE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED DURING THE FRIDAY COMEX SESSION/RAID// WITH SOME SHORT COVERINGS FROM OUR SPEC SHORTS. THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE FRIDAY NIGHT (1305) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE., .
WE HAD 1 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 5,000 OZ
THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.
GOLD//OUTLINE
IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR SIZED 1372 CONTRACTS TO 494,673 AND FURTHER FROM 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 444 CONTRACTS
WE HAD A FAIR SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI ( 1372 CONTRACTS) DESPITE OUR $0.80 GAININ PRICE//FRIDAY. 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 1000 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING: 8.780 TONNES // ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR $0.80 GAIN IN PRICE WITH RESPECT TO FRIDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 1020 OI CONTRACTS (3,172)PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.
E.F.P. ISSUANCE
THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A FAIR SIZED 2392CONTRACTS:
The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 494,673
IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A FAIR SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 1020 CONTRACTS WITH 1072 CONTRACTS DECREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A FAIR SIZED 2392EFP OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 1464 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED): A FAIR SIZED 1020 CONTRACTS.
CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES
WE HAD A FAIR SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (2392CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE FAIR SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI (1372) //TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 1464 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 1000 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING 8.780 TONNES. / 3) ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION AND HUGE TAS LIQUIDATION WITH ZERO SHORT LIQUIDATION// 4) FAIR SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST LOSS/ 5) FAIR ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///6: FAIR T.A.S. ISSUANCE: 1445CONTRACTS
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023 INCLUDING TODAY
JAN.
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: 14,760 CONTRACTS OR 1,476,000OZ OR 45.91 TONNES IN 5 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 2952 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS : THIS MONTH IN 5 TRADING DAY(S) IN TONNES 45/91 TONNES
TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2022, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES
THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS 45.91/3550 x 100% TONNES 1.29% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
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: 45.91 TONNES (WILL EQUAL LAST MONTH’S ISSUANCE)
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 FELL BY A HUGE SIZED 1182CONTRACTS OI TO 131,285 AND FURTHER FROM 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 650 CONTRACTS
OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:
MARCH 650 and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 650 CONTRACTS. EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON. IF WE TAKE THE COMEX OI LOSS OF 1182 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 650 OI TRANSFERRED TO LONDON THROUGH EFP’S,
WE OBTAIN A FAIR SIZED LOSS OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 321CONTRACTS
THUS IN OUNCES, THE LOSS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES TOTAL 1.605 MILLION OZ
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//
MONDAY MORNING/SUNDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 41.64 PTS OR 1.42% //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 310,88 PTS OR 1.88% /The Nikkei CLOSED //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED DOWN 0.54% /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1623 /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1702 /Oil DOWN TO 71.78 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT UP AT 76.78/ Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL RED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE WEAKER
1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS
GOLD
LET US BEGIN:
THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR SIZED 1372 CONTRACTS TO 494,673 DESPITE OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF $0.80 WITH RESPECT TO FRIDAY TRADING. WE MUST HAVE HAD ZERO LONG SPEC LIQUIDATIONS IN THE COMEX SESSION WITH FEW SPEC SHORT COVERINGS. THIS OCCURRED WITH MAMMOTH GOLD VOLUME ACTIVITY. FRIDAY’S VOLATILITY WAS SOMETHING TO BE BEHOLD.
EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
WE ARE NOW IN THE NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF JAN..… THE CME REPORTS THAT THE BANKERS ISSUED A STRONG SIZED TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS.,
THAT IS 2392 EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: : FEB 2392 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:
TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 2392CONTRACTS
ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A FAIR SIZED TOTAL OF 1020 CONTRACTS IN THAT 2392 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS FORWARDS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A FAIR SIZED LOSS OF 1372 COMEX CONTRACTS..AND THIS FAIR GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF $0.80//FRIDAY 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 FRIDAY NIGHT WAS A FAIR SIZED 1445 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 (8.780 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
DEC. 47.073 + 4.634 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK = 51.707TONNES
TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES
JAN ’24. 8.780 TONNES
THE SPECS/HFT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT GAINED $0.80) //// AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SPECULATOR LONGS AS WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF1020TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. WE HAD A STRONG T.A.S. LIQUIDATION ON THE FRONT END OF FRIDAY’S TRADING . THE T.A.S. ISSUED ON FRIDAY 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 3.172PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR JAN. (8,214 TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 18,200 OZ QUEUE JUMP (.1181 TONNES)/ ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE TO THE TUNE OF $0.80.
WE HAD – REMOVED XXX CONTRACTS TO THE COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)
NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 1020 CONTRACTS OR 102,000 OZ OR 3.172 TONNES.
Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month
2778 notices 277,800 oz 8.6407 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: 7330.428 oz (228 kilobars)
total withdrawals 7330.428 oz
Adjustments; 0
CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR JAN.
For the front month of JANUARY we have an oi of 55 contracts having LOST 72 contracts. We had 82 notices served on Friday, so we gained 10 contracts or an additional 1000 oz will stand for delivery at the comex
FEB LOST 6753 CONTRACTS FALLING TO 352,564
March gained 154 contracts to stand at 237.
APRIL GAINED 4529 CONTRACTS RISING TO 85,116.
We had 10 contracts filed for today representing 1000 oz
Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer account and 0 notices were issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to 10 contract(s) of which 0 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 6 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 (2,778 x 100 oz ), to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (55 CONTRACTS) minus the number of notices served upon today 10 x 100 oz per contract equals 282,300 OZ OR 8.780 TONNES
thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the JAN.contract month: No of notices filed so far (2,778) x 100 oz + (55) {OI for the front month} minus the number of notices served upon today (10) x 100 oz) which equals 282,300oz standing OR 8.780 TONNES
TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR JAN: 8.780 TONNES WHICH IS GREAT FOR AN INACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR.
TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD: 20,029,150.920 OZ
TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 10,253,553.330 (318,93 tonnes).
TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 9,782,924.280 OZ
REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 8,741,725 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD) 271.90 tonnes
END
SILVER/COMEX
JAN 8/INITIAL
//2023// THE JAN 2023 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL
Silver
Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory
NIL oz
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory
641,062.219 oz CNT Manfra
.
Deposits to the Dealer Inventory
nil OZ
Deposits to the Customer Inventory
805,360.668 oz
Brinks CNT Delaware
No of oz served today (contracts)
1 CONTRACT(S) (5,000 OZ)
No of oz to be served (notices)
450 contracts (2,250,000 oz)
Total monthly oz silver served (contracts)
516 Contracts (2,580,000 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) 0 dealer deposit
total dealer deposit: nil oz
i) We had 0 dealer withdrawal
total dealer withdrawals: 0 oz
We had 3 deposits customer account:
i) Into Brinks 299,504.350 oz
ii) Into CNT 488,111.140 oz
iii) inro Delaware: 17,745.178 oz
total customer deposits 805,360.668 oz
JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 133.1390 million oz/281.312 million or 47.34%
Comex withdrawals
i)out of Manfra 570,836.539 oz
ii) Out of CNT: 70,225.680 oz
total withdrawals 641,062.219oz
TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 41.911 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 281.312 million oz
CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR DECEMBER:
silver open interest data:
FRONT MONTH OF JAN. /2023 OI: 441 CONTRACTS HAVING LOST 9 CONTRACT(S). WE HAD 10 NOTICES SERVED ON FRIDAY, SO WE GAINED 1 CONTRACTS OR AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 OZ WILL STAND FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX
FEB LOST 1 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 635
MARCH LOST 2100 CONTRACTS TO 105,550
TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 1 for 5,000 oz
Comex volumes// est. volume today 647,792// fair/raid
Comex volume: confirmed yesterday 66,231 good raid
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 516 x 5,000 oz = 2,580,000 oz
to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (451) and the number of notices served upon today 1 x (5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.
Thus the standings for silver for the DEC/2023 contract month: 516 (notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of JAN. (451) – number of notices served upon today (1 )x 500 oz of silver standing for the JAN contract month equates to 4.830 MILLION OZ. to which we add our exchange for RISK of 1.0 million oz//new total 5.830 million oz/
New total standing: 5.830 million oz.
There are 41.911 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 8/WITH GOLD DOWN $16.85 TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.61 TONNES FROM THE GLD. INVENTORY RESTS AT 869.60 TONNES
JAN 5/WITH GOLD UP $0.80 TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.21 TONNES
JAN 4/WITH GOLD UP $7.60 TODAY: NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:///. // INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.21 TONNES
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: 869.60 TONNES
Now the SLV Inventory/( vehicle is a fraud as there is no physical metal behind them
JAN 8/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 1,602,000 OZ INTO THE SLV//:././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 434.370 MILLION OZ
JAN 5/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A DEPOSIT OF 916,000 OZ INTO THE SLV//:././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.972 MILLION OZ
JAN 4/WITH SILVER UP 5 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/:././/////INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.056 MILLION OZ
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
I think that the Fed is going to be doing everything it can to try to reelect Biden, or whoever may run if Biden does not. I think it’s clear that that’s what’s going to happen.”
The President has the power to nominate the Federal Reserve chair, making this authority a crucial factor in shaping the Fed’s decisions. As a result, the Fed chairman, in this case, Powell, is incentivized to align with the President.
This isn’t necessarily a left-wing bias (although, Powell and the left-wing establishment enjoy a cozy relationship). The Fed chairman’s alignment with the President transcends party lines:
It really doesn’t matter the party affiliation of the Fed chairman… What matters is who is in the White House at the time. Because the Fed chairman always wants to play ball with whichever administration is in power.”
That’s just how the game works.
Outside administrations are okay with this, because the quid pro quo relationship benefits the new administrations as well.
Peter calls this the unwritten rule:
And I don’t think outside administrations hold a grudge, because basically what happens is the Fed is going to try to help reelect whoever is in office. And so, if the opposing party wins, now the Fed is on their side. They’re not really going to call them out or get mad at them for helping the past president when now they’re the president and now the Fed has got their back. That’s kind of the unwritten rule. The Fed always favors the incumbent. Now why? It’s the incumbent that can renominate them.”
But this time, Powell is even more likely to support Biden, because there is bad blood between Powell and Trump:
Because even though Trump appointed Powell initially, he criticized Powell repeatedly when he was president…Powell pretty much knows that his job ends with a Trump presidency. Trump is not going to renominate Powell. I think there’s a lot of bad blood there between Powell and Trump. He knows his job is on the line, too, so that’s another reason to really try to help Biden get elected.”
Plus, with the tight race and weak economic conditions, Biden’s success heavily relies on Powell’s support.
I expect the Fed to act in an election year where the basic economy is very weak. And everybody is trying to pretend that it’s great and trying to convince the public that the economy is booming. The Fed is going to be a big part of that deception. The only hope Biden has of pulling this off is with the cooperation of the Fed. If he doesn’t get that cooperation there’s no chance.”
Fed intervention to support a Biden reelection is just one of several other reasons why Peter thinks 2024 could be a horrible year for the dollar.
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:
Gold still outshines stocks and bonds since the turn of the century
Submitted by admin on Sat, 2024-01-06 22:32Section: Daily Dispatches
By William Watt Dow Jones, New York via Morningstar, Chicago Saturday, January 6, 2024
Stocks outpaced gold in 2023, but the yellow metal still has posted stronger annualized returns since the turn of the century, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices
No yield, no dividend, no problem?
That appears to be the case for gold when it comes to its performance against both stocks and bonds as the calendar flips ever deeper into the 21st century.
— from S&P Dow Jones Indices shows the relative performance of the yellow metal, as measured by Dow Jones Commodity Index Gold, versus the S&P 500 SPX, between Dec. 31, 1999, and Dec. 29, 2023.
Unlike some stocks, gold — like other commodities — pays no dividends. Unlike bonds, it pays no coupon. That’s often described as raising the opportunity cost of holding gold versus assets that produce some sort of yield. Still, DJCI Gold, which is designed to track the market via futures contracts (GC00), has outpaced both since the turn of the millennium.
Going back to the start of the century, DJCI Gold produced a 7.8% annual return, compared to a 7% return for the S&P 500 during that time, said Brian Luke, head of commodities, real and digital assets at S&P Dow Jones Indices, in a blog post this week.
Adjusting for volatility, gold has provided slightly better risk-adjusted returns than stocks, with a Sharpe ratio of 0.48 versus 0.45 for equities, Luke wrote. The ratio compares the return on an investment with its risk.
Bonds aren’t even close when it comes to annualized returns. The iBoxx USD Overall Index, which measures investment-grade government and corporate bonds, has seen an average return of 4.1% since 1999, according to Luke, though its Sharpe ratio is slightly better at 0.89.
To be sure, stocks played catchup in 2023, with the S&P 500’s stellar 26.3% return easily besting both bonds and commodities, including gold. The overall commodity index, the S&P GSCI, saw a return of negative 4.3%, with S&P GSCI Grains falling 15% last year and S&P GSCI Livestock flat amid falling inflation.
Gold, however, solidly outpaced the broader commodity index in 2023, with futures hitting a record high in December as DJCI gold posted a 12.8% return for the year.
Looking at 2024: Extreme Event Risk and Gold’s Open Rise
Egon von Greyerz January 6, 2024
Egon von Greyerz and Matthew Piepenburg, insights into 2024
In this opening MAMChat for 2024, Matterhorn Asset Management principles, Egon von Greyerz and Matthew Piepenburg, take a sober look ahead at a macro environment riddled with undeniable event-risk—from geopolitics and asset bubbles to debased currencies and distrusted global leadership. None of these facts are pretty, yet they point the way to protective thinking as well as open appreciation in precious metal markets for the coming year.
Egon opens with a sober analysis of geopolitical risks emanating from the Ukraine and Middle East to inflamed election cycles in socially fractured nations like the UK and U.S. An obvious pell-mell of both predictable and unpredictable events in any of these areas can and will have headline-making impact on our personal and financial security. In addition to such geopolitical vulnerabilities, investors are crawling toward open market, currency and rate market risks. As Egon reminds, the temporary and rate-cut-driven euphoria in bloated stock markets can easily and inevitably lead to disaster in a setting of undeniable risk asset bubbles and increasingly distrusted sovereign bonds like the UST.
Matthew sees similar ripple effects in global markets, all of which emanate from absurd debt levels across the globe in general and from within the US in particular. The increasingly obvious gap between fantasy (“resilient markets” or “transitory/defeated inflation”) and cold reality is getting harder to ignore or politically white-wash. Gold, despite the traditional headwinds of positive real rates, rising yields or a relatively strong USD, has been making record highs because the world is openly distrustful of US Dollars, IOUs and failed foreign policy.
Matthew highlights the record-breaking levels of central bank gold purchasing and UST dumping as clear signals of this distrust. In addition, the obvious weaponization of the mainstream media to hide open lies from within the CDC, the DOJ and other US agencies have truncated American credibility. Even recent attempts to weaponize the 14th Amendment to manipulate the democratic process (however messy) have tarnished US credibility in the wake of disastrous foreign policy failures from Afghanistan to Kiev, and all in the backdrop of an historically embarrassing leadership vacuum at the White House.
Turning specifically to the subject of physical gold, Egon and Matthew trace gold’s cyclical price moves and place the same into the current context of the foregoing (and enhanced) event risks. Despite rising by 8X against the major currencies since Matterhorn was founded, gold, as well as its use and power in a backdrop of monetary policy failures, remains misunderstood by the majority of investors.
As the same central banks which destroyed fiat money are now stacking physical gold, precious metals are currently and uniquely poised for significant moves north to not only serve as wealth preservation assets, but also as wealth enhancement assets. In this backdrop, Egon and Matthew further remind that the despite the critical importance of understanding WHY investors should own gold, it is equally important to understand WHERE and HOW gold should be held (and not held) in a setting of objective banking, currency, market and political risk.
end
5 a. IMPORTANT COMMENTARIES ON COMMODITIES /WHEAT
5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT
1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGSMONDAY MORNING.7:30 AM
ONSHORE YUAN: CLOSED DOWN AT 7.1623
OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.1702
SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 41.64 PTS OR 1.42%
HANG SENG CLOSED DOWN 310.88 PTS OR 1.88%
2. Nikkei closed
3. Europe stocks SO FAR: MOSTLY ALL RED
USA dollar INDEX UP TO 102.20 EURO RISES TO 1.0941 UP 9 BASIS PTS
3b Japan 10 YR bond yield:RISES TO. +.608 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 144.59/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 UP TO +2.2040***/Italian 10 Yr bond yield UP to 3.896** /SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD UP TO 3.198…**
3i Greek 10 year bond yield UP TO 3.304
3j Gold at $2023.40 silver at: 22.96 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $30.00
3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble DOWN 0 AND 46 /100 roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 91.41//
3m oil into the 71 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 144,59// 10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 0.608% 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 0.8514 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF: 0.9315 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: 4.053 UP 2 BASIS PTS…
USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.216 UP 2 BASIS PTS/
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.402 UP 1 BASIS PTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.89…(TURKEY SET TO BLOW UP FINANCIALLY)
GREAT BRITAIN/10 YEAR YIELD: UP 4 BASIS PTS AT 3.865
end
2.a Overnight: Newsquawk and Zero hedge.
Futures, Oil Drop Extending Ugly Start To The Year
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 08:15 AM
US stock futures dipped on Monday and Treasury yields gained as traders jostled for position in the wake of last week’s selloff coupled with at very confusing jobs report which was strong at the headline level and a disaster when looked closer. As of 7:40am ET, S&P 500 futures declined 0.1% with Boeing retreating almost 8% after a fuselage section on a 737 Max 9 aircraft ejected during a flight over the weekend, leading to another FAA-mandated grounding of the aircraft. Spirit AeroSystems, which installed the panel, slumped 21%. European stocks followed declines in Asia. The dollar was flat, bitcoin reversed earlier losses and and oil slid almost 3% after Saudi Arabia cut official selling prices for all regions amid persistent weakness in the market.
In premareket trading, the most notable mover was Boeing whose shares fell 8.4% after a panel blew out on a brand-new Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight, causing a temporary grounding of some 737 Max jets. Analysts saw need for greater focus on quality control if both Boeing and key supplier Spirit AeroSystems wanted to ramp up production, though hoped that a fix for the issue would be found quickly. Here are some other notable movers:
DoorDash gains 2.3% after Jefferies upgraded the online food-delivery company to buy from hold on expectation the company will double its Ebitda in the next two years. Increased advertising penetration and lower losses in international restaurant delivery will drive the gains, it predicts.
Harpoon Therapeutics shares surge 104% in premarket trading after Merck was reported to be in advanced talks to acquire the cancer drugmaker.
PulteGroup shares fell 1.5% after the homebuilder was downgraded to neutral from buy at Citi, with analysts citing valuation and the company’s business model in a falling rates scenario.
Crocs rises 7.6% after the footwear company’s boosted revenue forecast for the full year topped the average analyst estimate.
Dell Technologies climbs 2.3% after JPMorgan upgraded the computer company to overweight.
DoorDash gains 3.6% after Jefferies upgraded the online food-delivery company to buy on expectations that the firm will double its Ebitda in the next two years.
Genesco tumbles 16% after the footwear and accessories retailer cut its year adjusted earnings per share forecast.
Harpoon Therapeutics surges 110% after Merck was reported to be in advanced talks to acquire the cancer drugmaker.
Lululemon slips 1% after the sportswear maker’s raised fourth-quarter revenue outlook lagged behind the average analyst estimate at the midpoint of the forecast range.
Moderna rises 1% after product sales for 2023 modestly beat analyst estimates.
Axonics gains 21% after Boston Scientific entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the medical technology company.
Markets are looking for direction after mixed US economic data on Friday capped a week that saw global equities sink the most since October on speculation the Federal Reserve was in no rush to reduce interest rates. Further catalysts may come from the US inflation print due Thursday and the earnings season kicking off Friday with US financial names including JPMorgan and Citigroup Inc.
“Multiples are already priced at rich levels,” BNP Paribas analysts including Calvin Tse and Sam Lynton-Brown wrote in a note. “With the probability of a disappointment in full-year earnings elevated, we believe that downside risks outweigh upside ones.”
Elsewhere, yields on US Treasuries reversed earlier declines and were back to Friday’s closing level of 4.05%. Some traders are unfazed by the recent pullback, seeing it as a chance to seize on elevated yields before the Fed starts driving down rates. The dynamic was on display Friday, when bond prices dipped after the Labor Department reported that job growth unexpectedly accelerated last month. But the selloff was curtailed because buyers swooped in as 10-year Treasury yields neared 4.1%, the highest since mid-December.
Energy names lead a selloff in European stocks, tracking a drop in oil after Saudi Arabia cut its official selling prices by more than analysts expected. The Stoxx 600 is down 0.2% having snapped a seven-week win streak on Friday with energy, real estate and mining stocks the biggest laggards. German factory orders rose much less than anticipated in November, a discouraging sign for Europe’s largest economy, data showed on Monday. Here are the most notable European movers:
ASML gains as much as 1.4% after Kepler Cheuvreux upgrade, saying the chip equipment giant is positioned to benefit from new chipmaking facilities and the rising use of AI-centric devices.
Airbus rises as much as 1.6% after carriers across the globe pulled Boeing’s 737 Max 9 model from service after a fuselage section on a brand-new Alaska Airlines jet blew out during a flight.
Novartis gains as much as 0.6% after its Scemblix drug showed positive results at week 48 of an ongoing late-stage trial for newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.
HSBC rises as much as 0.8% after Citi opens a positive catalyst watch ahead of results.
Drax soars as much as 7.8% after the Telegraph reported this weekend that the UK government is set to approve a multibillion-pound carbon capture project for the UK energy company this week.
Argenx rises as much as 5% after preliminary 4Q sales for the biotech firm’s Vyvgart medication beat the average analyst estimate.
Shell falls as much as 2.5%, after the company said profits from buying and selling oil products and chemicals will be lower in the fourth quarter.
TotalEnergies drops as much as 2.1%, as part of a pullback in energy stocks, after Saudi Arabia cut official selling prices for all regions, underscoring a worsening outlook.
Galp declines as much as 4.7% after Morgan Stanley cut its and Equinor’s ratings late Friday as part of a broader industry downgrade
Earlier in the session, Asia stocks fell, weighed by Chinese and Hong Kong shares as concerns over the country’s regulatory developments in the technology space and the broader economy’s growth persisted. The MSCI Asia Pacific Excluding Japan Index slipped as much as 0.8%, with Tencent and Alibaba among the biggest drags. The tech selloff weighed on the broader benchmarks on the mainland and Hong Kong, with a gauge of Chinese stocks listed in the city poised to close at its lowest level in more than a year. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index closed down 2.3%, led by a selloff in technology shares. Sentiment remains quite negative in China, Nomura Group analysts including Chetan Seth in Singapore wrote in a client note. “There have been more signs of support for the economy, but equity investors still do not appear convinced,” they said.
In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is flat. The Japanese yen tops the intraday G-10 rankings, rising 0.2% versus the greenback. The Taiwan dollar gained after falling in the previous five sessions as bets on the Federal Reserve interest rate-cuts eased after a robust jobs report Friday.
In rates, treasuries were unchanged despite a drop in their European counterparts. US 10-year yields reversed 2bps of earlier losses and last traded around 4.05% with WTI futures down almost 3% into early US session; in 10-year sector bunds and gilts underperform Treasuries by 3.5bp and 4bp on the day ahead of this week’s supply. It’s a busy week for sovereign debt supply includes Treasury auctions and European Union 5- and 10-year offerings, while Italy, Belgium, Ireland and Spain are possible candidates for syndicated bond sales. Data highlights this week include US CPI and PPI. Treasury auctions resume Tuesday with $52b 3-year notes, followed by $37b 10- and $21b 30-year sales Wednesday and Thursday
In commodities, Brent crude fell below $77 a barrel, after rising 2.2% last week. State producer Saudi Aramco lowered its flagship Arab Light price to Asia by a more-than-expected $2 a barrel due to persistent weakness in the global crude market. Its pricing is the lowest since November 2021. Gold resumed its slide after whipsawing moves at the end of last week, with a recent rebound in the dollar and US bond yields posing a threat to the precious metal’s appeal.
Looking at today’s calendar, US economic data includes December New York Fed 1-year inflation expectations (11am) and November consumer credit (3pm); December CPI and PPI are ahead this week. Fed members scheduled to speak include Bostic at 12:30pm; Barr, Williams and Kashkari are slated to appear later this week
Market Snapshot
S&P 500 futures down 0.4% to 4,716.00
MXAP down 0.7% to 164.75
MXAPJ down 1.0% to 510.68
Nikkei up 0.3% to 33,377.42
Topix up 0.6% to 2,393.54
Hang Seng Index down 1.9% to 16,224.45
Shanghai Composite down 1.4% to 2,887.54
Sensex down 0.9% to 71,368.41
Australia S&P/ASX 200 down 0.5% to 7,451.55
Kospi down 0.4% to 2,567.82
STOXX Europe 600 down 0.7% to 473.03
German 10Y yield little changed at 2.18%
Euro down 0.2% to $1.0925
Brent Futures down 1.2% to $77.85/bbl
Gold spot down 0.8% to $2,028.73
U.S. Dollar Index up 0.19% to 102.60
Top Overnight News
China has detained an executive of Evergrande’s vehicle unit, threatening to further complicate the outlook for the restructuring of the world’s most indebted property group.
China’s chip industry comes under further scrutiny in Washington as a bipartisan group of lawmakers call on the White House to take steps aimed at countering Beijing’s growing footprint in making older-generation semiconductors. WSJ
The Israeli military says it has successfully destroyed Hamas as an organized fighting force in northern Gaza and has shifted its focus to the center and south of the battered territory in a fresh stage of its war against the Palestinian militant group. FT
Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets in northern Israel Saturday morning, a move analysts called a “symbolic response” to the recent assassination of a Hamas official in Lebanon rather than a significant escalation. NYT
Obama has expressed concern to Biden about the state of the president’s 2024 reelection campaign, warning that Trump will be a formidable opponent. WaPo
Dallas Fed President Logan warned that easing financial conditions could require the Fed to hike rates further. Logan also hinted at slowing the pace of QT during her Sat speech (“given the rapid decline of the ON RRP, I think it’s appropriate to consider the parameters that will guide a decision to slow the runoff of our assets. In my view, we should slow the pace of runoff as ON RRP balances approach a low level”). Dallas Fed
Congressional leaders announced a bipartisan deal on top-line spending levels for the current fiscal year, lessening the chances of a partial shutdown on Jan. 20. The move clears the way for the Senate and House to work out detailed spending bills. BBG
Boeing fell ~10% premarket as carriers pull the 737 Max 9 model after a door-shaped panel on a brand-new Alaska Airlines jet blew out. The FAA grounded 171 planes. The problem on the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 plane was likely a manufacturing error and not a design flaw (SPR/Spirit manufactured and initially installed the fuselage part in question). BBG
NVDA faces a problem in China as customers there don’t want to buy its new degraded chips (Nvidia has degraded the performance of its chips for the Chinese market that firms like Alibaba, Tencent, and others, are seeking alternatives). WSJ
Consensus expects 4Q profits for the aggregate S&P 500 index will grow by 3% year/year. Analysts have not entered a quarterly reporting season with positive S&P 500 EPS growth expectations since 3Q 2022. EPS growth estimates for 4Q create a higher bar for positive surprises compared with recent quarters (-7% ahead of 1Q, -9% in 2Q, 0% in 3Q) when results beat expectations by 4 pp on average. Nonetheless, Goldman expects S&P 500 firms in aggregate will benefit from continued strong economic growth and subsiding input cost pressures and beat consensus forecasts. GIR
A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk
APAC stocks gradually deteriorated following a muted start and last Friday’s post-data whipsawing stateside with Japanese participants absent for Respect for the Aged Day and markets awaiting this week’s key inflation data releases. ASX 200 declined as initial gains in energy, resources and financials were overshadowed by losses in miners and tech. KOSPI was initially underpinned by strength in Samsung Electronics after its unit showcased a line-up of various foldable displays, although the gains were later faded amid geopolitical tensions after North Korea conducted a third day of artillery firing on Sunday. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were pressured amid shadow banking woes and geopolitical frictions, with the losses in Hong Kong exacerbated by tech selling and as China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle shares slumped following the arrest of its vice chairman.
Top Asian News
China’s State Council issued guidelines on improving operating budget systems for state-owned capital.
US lawmakers reportedly push to defuse China’s dominance of older-generation chips with House panel leaders reported to have sent a letter to the Commerce and Trade Secretaries urging action including possible tariffs, according to WSJ.
China is to sanction five US defence manufacturers regarding US arms sales to Taiwan, according to Bloomberg.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said they detected three Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.
US intelligence sees a less likelihood that Chinese President Xi will contemplate major military action in the coming years due to several examples of the impact of graft and corruption in China’s Rocket Forces, according to Bloomberg.
Sony (6758 JT) is reportedly set to call off the USD 10bln Zee (ZEEL) merger, according to Bloomberg citing sources.
European equities, Stoxx600 -0.2%, on the backfoot amid a cautious risk tone; the FTSE 100 -0.3% underperforms amid broad based losses in the Energy space. European sectors are mainly in the red; though Airbus (+1.7%) lifts Industrial Goods & Services whilst Energy and Basic Resources are hampered by downbeat commodity benchmarks. US Equity Futures (ES, -0.2%) are modestly lower, in-fitting with the broader risk tone in APAC and early European trade; Boeing (-8.4%) slumps after the FAA directed over 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to be grounded for inspection.
Top European News
UK’s RMT trade union said strike action on the London Underground planned for this week was suspended after the union made progress in discussions with TFL, according to Reuters.
British employers increased pay and regained some of their appetite for hiring in December, according to a survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
Germany’s GDL train drivers’ union called for a rail strike in Germany on January 10th-12th, according to Reuters.
EU Council President Michel will run in the election for the European Parliament in June and will leave his post in mid-July if elected, according to an interview with De Standard.
FX
DXY is choppy and within a tight range between 102.32-62 with little upside resistance until 103.00.
EUR is a touch softer and towards the bottom of a 1.0924-52 range and unreactive to mixed German data.
JPY is the G10 outperformer, starting the week on firmer footing after hefty selling in the prior week; resides just shy of its 144.92 peak.
Antipodeans are softer against the Dollar alongside losses in Chinese stocks overnight.
PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1006 vs exp. 7.1499 (prev. 7.1029)
Czech Central Bank Vice Governor Zamrazilova said interest rate cuts will continue in relation to the decline in inflation and that a faster decline could lead to larger than 25bps lowering steps, according to Reuters.
Fixed Income
USTs are contained given an absence of overnight trade owing to the Japanese holiday. Little by way of specific newsflow aside from weekend commentary from Fed’s Logan.
Bunds began the session on the backfoot and overall unreactive to mixed German data; recently Bunds have edged higher in tandem with peers.
Gilts lag against its European peers with action largely a continuation of last week’s moves as markets scale back the magnitude of easing expected across 2024 from the BoE.
Commodities
WTI and Brent (-2.2%) continue to edge lower amid the firmer Dollar and broader risk aversion in early European trade; Saudi Aramco slashed its OSPs further hampering the complex.
Precious metals are falling victim to the firmer USD with Base Metals also suffering from the downbeat risk tone; XAU falls below USD 2050/oz and under its 21 DMA at 2035/oz.
Saudi Arabia cut its February light crude OSP to Asia by USD 2/bbl from January to a premium of USD 1.50/bbl over Oman/Dubai quotes which is a 27-month low, while it set light crude OSP to NW Europe at a premium of USD 0.90/bbl over ICE Brent settlement and light crude OSP to the US at a premium of USD 5.15/bbl over ASCI, according to Reuters.
Qatar set February marine crude OSP at Oman/Dubai minus USD 0.75/bbl and set land crude OSP at Oman/Dubai minus USD 0.75/bbl, according to Reuters.
Libya’s NOC declared a force majeure in the Sharara oil field effective on Sunday due to its closure by protesters and said that negotiations are ongoing to resume production as soon as possible.
“Report on an attack on the Al-Omar oil facility in eastern Syria, where there is an American presence”, according to Walla News’ Elster
Geopolitics
Israel said it has destroyed Hamas as a fighting force in northern Gaza and that the war is moving into a fresh phase with a more targeted focus on the centre and south of the Palestinian enclave, according to FT. It was separately reported that Israel’s military chief of staff asserted there would be ongoing military operations in Gaza throughout the entire year, while PM Netanyahu instructed to prepare for a return of residents to the Gaza town of Sderot by February 4th, according to Al Arabiya.
Hezbollah said it hit an Israeli observation post with 62 rockets as a preliminary response to the killing of Hamas’s deputy chief.
Qatar’s PM said the killing of a senior Hamas official on Tuesday has affected Qatar’s efforts to negotiate between Hamas and Israel, but Qatar continues to negotiate.
US Secretary of State Blinken said this is a moment of profound tension in the region and conflict could easily metastasize, while he added that they will continue to defend maritime security in the region after Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Jordan’s King Abdullah warned US Secretary of State Blinken of the catastrophic repercussions of the continuation of the war in Gaza and said Washington should put pressure on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, according to a royal court statement.
EU foreign policy chief Borrell said it is ‘absolutely necessary’ to avoid Lebanon being dragged into a regional conflict and no one will win from a regional conflict, while he visited Saudi Arabia to discuss steps toward peace in the region.
French Foreign Minister Colonna said she told her Iranian counterpart that the risk of regional conflagration has never been greater, while she added that Iran and proxies must immediately stop their destabilising actions, according to Reuters.
US Central Command said an unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Yemen was shot down in self-defence by USS Laboon in international waters of the southern Red Sea which was in the vicinity of multiple commercial vessels, according to Reuters.
Russia launched a large-scale air assault on several Ukrainian regions with all of Ukraine under air raid alerts, according to Ukraine’s military cited by Reuters.
South Korea’s military said North Korea fired shots on Sunday into the sea north of Yeonpyeong Island, while it urged North Korea to cease military activity raising tensions near the border and said North Korea’s provocation will face an overwhelming response.
North Korea’s army said it conducted a coastal artillery firing drill on Sunday and that the drill did not pose any threat to the enemy. There was also a prior report that North Korean leader Kim’s sister said North Korea did not fire artillery shells but instead detonated explosives and she warned that the army would launch a ‘baptism of fire’ at any provocation, according to state media.
US Event Calendar
11:00: Dec. NY Fed 1-Yr Inflation Expectat, prior 3.36%
15:00: Nov. Consumer Credit, est. $9b, prior $5.13b
Central Bank speakers
12:30: Fed’s Bostic Speaks on the Economic Outlook
DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap
I’m off to Helsinki today where yesterday it was -26C, with a wind chill factor of -32C. Today it’s supposed to be slightly warmer so happy days. I’ve been going there every year at this time for probably 25 years and it’s a marvel that everything works as normal regardless of the weather.
As I pack my thermals and take the plunge, the week after payrolls is usually a quieter one for data but this week the orientation of the calendar means we have US CPI this Thursday as an exception to this rule it’s hard to look much beyond this over the next few days but before we preview it, review a payrolls report on Friday that was much weaker under the surface than the headlines, and finally look back on a fascinating first week of the year, let’s quickly summarise the rest of the global highlights for the week ahead.
In the US Friday’s PPI is the next most important release but we also have consumer credit and the latest NY Fed 1yr inflation expectations survey today and the international trade balance tomorrow. There is a decent list of Fed speakers that you’ll see in the week ahead diary at the end but if you want want more detail of their biases ahead of their speeches, Brett Ryan’s US week ahead here gives a good overview. We also have 3, 10 and 30-yr Treasury auctions Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday which will be interesting given the first set back in bonds in a couple of months. Before we leave the US, note that US earnings season unofficially starts on Friday with the release of several big financials’ Q4 results (including JPM, Citi, BoA and Blackrock). Elsewhere, important inflation numbers are also released in China on Friday with the country still battling with deflation. Japanese wages and the Tokyo CPI tomorrow will also be of note.
In Europe it will be relatively quiet with the German trade balance and factory orders today and industrial production tomorrow. At the Eurozone level, there will be a number of sentiment indicators today as well. Otherwise, notable economic data includes industrial production (Thursday) and retail sales in Italy, as well as industrial production in France (both Wednesday). The UK monthly GDP report for November is also out on Friday.
Now onto US CPI on Thursday. Our economists expect headline CPI (+0.26% forecast vs. +0.10% previously. Consensus at 0.2%) to come in roughly in line with core (+0.28% vs. +0.28%. Consensus at +0.3%). This would equate to 3.9% and 3.3% YoY, a tenth ahead of consensus. We were at 4.0% and 3.1% last month. So core is not yet breaking through 3% on the downside and the 3 and 6m annualised rates are also likely to stay slightly above this mark.
Asian equity markets are most trading lower this morning. The Hang Seng Tech Index (-3.3%) is the standout and is heading towards its lowest level since November 2022. The latest moves are being exacerbated by fears of tighter gaming regulation rules. This in turn is weighing on the Hang Seng (-2.04%), the Shanghai Composite (-0.91%) and the CSI (-0.89%). Elsewhere, the KOSPI (-0.31%) is also losing ground with markets in Japan closed for a public holiday. Outside of Asia, S&P and NASDAQ futures are both down around -0.1% with DOW futures -0.37% likely influenced by Boeing after the inflight blowout in the Alaska Airline’s 737 Max 9 fuselage over the weekend.
There is no trading of USTs in Asia on account of the Japanese holiday but futures prices are slightly lower. Yesterday US congressional leaders agreed on a $1.6 trillion top-line federal spending level deal that will reduce the risk of a government shutdown later this month. Elsewhere on Saturday Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan created some attention by suggesting that given we no longer live in a world where Fed liquidity is super abundant, there may be a case for slowing the pace of QT. This follows a similar mention in the FOMC minutes last week so the debate is moving that way at the moment.
Looking back at last week now, markets had a challenging start to the New Year, as the strong late 2023 rally lost steam. Risk assets regained some composure on Friday but bonds continued to lose ground.
Friday saw significant rates volatility amid mixed signals from the December payrolls and the services ISM print in the US. The headlines of the jobs report painted a solid picture, with stronger headline payrolls (+216k vs +173k expected), the unemployment rate staying at 3.7% (vs 3.8% expected) and average hourly earnings rising +0.4% on the month (vs +0.3% expected). That said, other details were some somewhat softer with -71k of payroll revisions for the previous two months, a decline in the average working week (34.3 vs 34.4 previous) and with unemployment rate stability coming thanks to a decline in the participation rate (62.5% vs 62.8%) after -673k supposedly left the labour force (surely unlikely). Indeed the household survey showed a loss of -686k jobs, the largest since the first April 2020 lockdowns. This follows gains of +586k the previous month so its hard to believe these spot numbers in isolation although the momentum is certainly trending lower for the household survey.
If that mess of a data release wasn’t enough, 90 minutes later, we had a clear disappointment in the December services ISM. The headline index fell from 52.7 to 50.6 (vs 52.5 expected), its weakest in seven months, and with a dramatic decline in the employment subcomponent from 50.7 to 43.3, which is its weakest level since the initial Covid disruption in 2020. So sowing some doubts over the resilience of the US economy even if the numbers again look unbelievable taken at face value.
Having closed at 4.00% on Thursday, 10yr Treasury yields almost touched 4.10% immediately after the payrolls print on Friday, before soon reversing and trading as low 3.95% after the services ISM. However, the bond sell-off dominated in the end, with the 10yr closing at 4.05% (+4.6bps), its highest level since the December FOMC. Over the week, the 10yr yield was up +16.7bps, its largest rise in 11 weeks. The 2yr yield was up +13.1bps to 4.38% (-0.4bps Friday). The front-end outperformance on Friday came as the weak ISM saw the chances of a rate cut being priced by March inch up from 69% to 73% (but still down from being fully priced in a week earlier).
European rates saw a similar sell-off last week, with 10yr bund yields up +13.4bps over the week to 2.15%, their highest level in nearly a month (+3.2bps Friday). OATs (+13.9bps) and BTPs (+15.3bps) saw slightly larger sell-offs during the week. But it was gilts that led the bond sell-off in Europe, with the 10yr yield up +25.0bps over the week (+6.0bps Friday) helped by several stronger data releases. When it comes to ECB pricing, the chances of a 25bp cut by March fell to 49% on Friday, down from 65% at the start of the week.
Broad equity weakness saw the S&P 500 post a weekly decline of -1.52% after nine consecutive weekly gains. It did see a slight recovery on Friday (+0.18%) after falling for the first three trading days of the year. The equity weakness included an unusual pattern of major underperformance for both tech stocks and small caps, with the NASDAQ (-3.25%) and Russell 2000 (-3.75%) indices both seeing their worst weeks since September. The Russell 2000 has now declined for six sessions in a row since its recent peak on December 27, after rising by an impressive +26.2% over the previous two months. Back in Europe, the Stoxx 600 fell -0.27% on Friday, but saw a more modest decline over the course of the week (-0.54%). Credit also lost ground, with US high yield spreads up +30bps over the week to 353bp (-7bps Friday), their largest weekly rise since the banking stress last March.
One of the few assets to see a strong performance last week was the US dollar, with the broad dollar index (+1.06%) having its best week since July. In the commodity space, oil prices also gained amid a supply outage in Libya and ongoing risks over shipping via the Red Sea – with Brent up +2.23% to $78.76/bbl (+1.51% Friday) and WTI up +3.01% to $73.81/bbl (+2.24% Friday).
Lets see what week 2 brings!
2 B) NOW NEWSQUAWK (EUROPE/REPORT)
Equities and crude lower amid a broader downbeat risk tone; Boeing (-8.4%) shares sink on grounding – Newsquawk US Market Open
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 06:20 AM
European and US Futures are modestly lower, amid the broader negative risk tone
Boeing -8.5% pre-market after the FAA ordered a grounding/inspection of 737 Max 9 operated by US airlines
Dollar holds within a tight range; Antipodeans lag & JPY bid in-fitting with the risk-averse environment
Bonds divergent, with Treasuries holding around flat whilst Bunds dip lower
Crude is markedly lower alongside base metals, hampered by a firmer Dollar and the tone
Looking ahead, US Employment Trends, Consumer Credit, NY Fed Survey of Consumer Expectations, Japanese All Household Spending & Tokyo CPI, Speech from Fed’s Bostic, Earnings from Brunello Cuccinelli.
2. Listen to this report in the market open podcast (available on Apple and Spotify)
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EUROPEAN TRADE
EQUITIES
European equities, Stoxx600 -0.2%, on the backfoot amid a cautious risk tone; the FTSE 100 -0.3% underperforms amid broad based losses in the Energy space.
European sectors are mainly in the red; though Airbus (+1.7%) lifts Industrial Goods & Services whilst Energy and Basic Resources are hampered by downbeat commodity benchmarks.
US Equity Futures (ES, -0.2%) are modestly lower, in-fitting with the broader risk tone in APAC and early European trade; Boeing (-8.4%) slumps after the FAA directed over 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to be grounded for inspection.
Alaska Air (ALK) temporarily grounded all of its Boeing (BA) 737-9 aircraft following the mid-air window blowout on Friday, while the FAA ordered a temporary grounding and inspection of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by US airlines which affects 171 aircraft worldwide and said the planes will remain grounded until it is satisfied that they are safe. Furthermore, it was also reported that Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) had manufactured and installed the plug door involved in the incident.
Click here and here for the sessions European pre-market equity newsflow, including earnings.
DXY is choppy and within a tight range between 102.32-62 with little upside resistance until 103.00.
EUR is a touch softer and towards the bottom of a 1.0924-52 range and unreactive to mixed German data.
JPY is the G10 outperformer, starting the week on firmer footing after hefty selling in the prior week; resides just shy of its 144.92 peak.
Antipodeans are softer against the Dollar alongside losses in Chinese stocks overnight.
PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1006 vs exp. 7.1499 (prev. 7.1029)
Czech Central Bank Vice Governor Zamrazilova said interest rate cuts will continue in relation to the decline in inflation and that a faster decline could lead to larger than 25bps lowering steps, according to Reuters.
USTs are contained given an absence of overnight trade owing to the Japanese holiday. Little by way of specific newsflow aside from weekend commentary from Fed’s Logan.
Bunds began the session on the backfoot and overall unreactive to mixed German data; recently Bunds have edged higher in tandem with peers.
Gilts lag against its European peers with action largely a continuation of last week’s moves as markets scale back the magnitude of easing expected across 2024 from the BoE.
WTI and Brent (-2.2%) continue to edge lower amid the firmer Dollar and broader risk aversion in early European trade; Saudi Aramco slashed its OSPs further hampering the complex.
Precious metals are falling victim to the firmer USD with Base Metals also suffering from the downbeat risk tone; XAU falls below USD 2050/oz and under its 21 DMA at 2035/oz.
Saudi Arabia cut its February light crude OSP to Asia by USD 2/bbl from January to a premium of USD 1.50/bbl over Oman/Dubai quotes which is a 27-month low, while it set light crude OSP to NW Europe at a premium of USD 0.90/bbl over ICE Brent settlement and light crude OSP to the US at a premium of USD 5.15/bbl over ASCI, according to Reuters.
Qatar set February marine crude OSP at Oman/Dubai minus USD 0.75/bbl and set land crude OSP at Oman/Dubai minus USD 0.75/bbl, according to Reuters.
Libya’s NOC declared a force majeure in the Sharara oil field effective on Sunday due to its closure by protesters and said that negotiations are ongoing to resume production as soon as possible.
“Report on an attack on the Al-Omar oil facility in eastern Syria, where there is an American presence”, according to Walla News’ Elster
UK’s RMT trade union said strike action on the London Underground planned for this week was suspended after the union made progress in discussions with TFL, according to Reuters.
British employers increased pay and regained some of their appetite for hiring in December, according to a survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
Germany’s GDL train drivers’ union called for a rail strike in Germany on January 10th-12th, according to Reuters.
EU Council President Michel will run in the election for the European Parliament in June and will leave his post in mid-July if elected, according to an interview with De Standard.
DATA RECAP
German Industrial Orders M/M (Nov) 0.3% vs. Exp. 1.0% (Prev. -3.7%, Rev. -3.8%); excluding large-scale -0.6% M/M
German Imports MM SA (Nov) 1.9% vs. Exp. 0.2% (Prev. -1.2%); German Exports MM SA (Nov) 3.7% vs. Exp. 0.3% (Prev. -0.2%); German Trade Balance, EUR, SA (Nov) 20.4B vs. Exp. 17.9B (Prev. 17.8B)
EU Sentix Index (Jan) -15.8 vs. Exp. -15.5 (Prev. -16.8)
EU Retail Sales YY (Nov) -1.1% vs. Exp. -1.5% (Prev. -1.2%, Rev. -0.8%); MM (Nov) -0.3% vs. Exp. -0.3% (Prev. 0.1%, Rev. 0.4%)
EZ Economic Confidence 96.4 (exp. 94.2), Consumer Confidence -15.0 (prev. -15.1), via European Commission
Swiss CPI YY (Dec) 1.7% vs. Exp. 1.5% (Prev. 1.4%); MM (Dec) 0.0% vs. Exp. -0.2% (Prev. -0.2%)
NOTABLE US HEADLINES
Fed’s Logan (2026 voter) said the Fed should slow the pace of the asset runoff as the overnight reverse repurchase balances approach a low level, while they need to maintain sufficiently restrictive financial conditions. Logan said a premature easing of financial conditions could allow demand to pick back up and shouldn’t rule out another rate increase given the recent easing in financial conditions.
US House Speaker Johnson said congressional leaders reached a spending level deal in which the topline figure for FY24 is USD 1.6tln, while President Biden said the deal moves the US a step closer to preventing a government shutdown and reflects funding levels that he negotiated with both parties, according to Reuters.
US President Biden stated via X that he looks forward to delivering the State of the Union speech on March 7th.
Former President Trump plans to keep the 21% corporate tax rate if he is elected which is a shift from a previous desire to lower it to 15% and wants to make permanent the 2017 individual tax cuts that he enacted, according to Bloomberg.
Indonesia temporarily grounds Boeing (BA) 737-9 Max, according to the Ministry cited by Bloomberg
Nvidia (NVDA) in Q2 2024 reportedly plans to start mass production of its AI chip designed for China which comply with US export rules, according to Reuters sources; initial production will be limited
Israel said it has destroyed Hamas as a fighting force in northern Gaza and that the war is moving into a fresh phase with a more targeted focus on the centre and south of the Palestinian enclave, according to FT. It was separately reported that Israel’s military chief of staff asserted there would be ongoing military operations in Gaza throughout the entire year, while PM Netanyahu instructed to prepare for a return of residents to the Gaza town of Sderot by February 4th, according to Al Arabiya.
Hezbollah said it hit an Israeli observation post with 62 rockets as a preliminary response to the killing of Hamas’s deputy chief.
Qatar’s PM said the killing of a senior Hamas official on Tuesday has affected Qatar’s efforts to negotiate between Hamas and Israel, but Qatar continues to negotiate.
US Secretary of State Blinken said this is a moment of profound tension in the region and conflict could easily metastasize, while he added that they will continue to defend maritime security in the region after Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Jordan’s King Abdullah warned US Secretary of State Blinken of the catastrophic repercussions of the continuation of the war in Gaza and said Washington should put pressure on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, according to a royal court statement.
EU foreign policy chief Borrell said it is ‘absolutely necessary’ to avoid Lebanon being dragged into a regional conflict and no one will win from a regional conflict, while he visited Saudi Arabia to discuss steps toward peace in the region.
French Foreign Minister Colonna said she told her Iranian counterpart that the risk of regional conflagration has never been greater, while she added that Iran and proxies must immediately stop their destabilising actions, according to Reuters.
US Central Command said an unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Yemen was shot down in self-defence by USS Laboon in international waters of the southern Red Sea which was in the vicinity of multiple commercial vessels, according to Reuters.
Russia launched a large-scale air assault on several Ukrainian regions with all of Ukraine under air raid alerts, according to Ukraine’s military cited by Reuters.
South Korea’s military said North Korea fired shots on Sunday into the sea north of Yeonpyeong Island, while it urged North Korea to cease military activity raising tensions near the border and said North Korea’s provocation will face an overwhelming response.
North Korea’s army said it conducted a coastal artillery firing drill on Sunday and that the drill did not pose any threat to the enemy. There was also a prior report that North Korean leader Kim’s sister said North Korea did not fire artillery shells but instead detonated explosives and she warned that the army would launch a ‘baptism of fire’ at any provocation, according to state media.
CRYPTO
Bitcoin holds around the USD 44k, whilst Ethereum, -1.1%, is a touch softer on the session.
US House Majority Whip Emmer says “If the second Trump administration takes place, the president will be a lot more friendly to the crypto industry”, via Politico.
Click here for the newsquawk analysis on Bitcoin ETF prospects.
APAC TRADE
APAC stocks gradually deteriorated following a muted start and last Friday’s post-data whipsawing stateside with Japanese participants absent for Respect for the Aged Day and markets awaiting this week’s key inflation data releases.
ASX 200 declined as initial gains in energy, resources and financials were overshadowed by losses in miners and tech.
KOSPI was initially underpinned by strength in Samsung Electronics after its unit showcased a line-up of various foldable displays, although the gains were later faded amid geopolitical tensions after North Korea conducted a third day of artillery firing on Sunday.
Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were pressured amid shadow banking woes and geopolitical frictions, with the losses in Hong Kong exacerbated by tech selling and as China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle shares slumped following the arrest of its vice chairman.
NOTABLE HEADLINES
China’s State Council issued guidelines on improving operating budget systems for state-owned capital.
US lawmakers reportedly push to defuse China’s dominance of older-generation chips with House panel leaders reported to have sent a letter to the Commerce and Trade Secretaries urging action including possible tariffs, according to WSJ.
China is to sanction five US defence manufacturers regarding US arms sales to Taiwan, according to Bloomberg.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said they detected three Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.
US intelligence sees a less likelihood that Chinese President Xi will contemplate major military action in the coming years due to several examples of the impact of graft and corruption in China’s Rocket Forces, according to Bloomberg.
Sony (6758 JT) is reportedly set to call off the USD 10bln Zee (ZEEL) merger, according to Bloomberg citing sources.
2C ASIA AFFAIRS
MONDAY MORNING/SUNDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 41.64 PTS OR 1.42% //Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 310,88 PTS OR 1.88% /The Nikkei CLOSED //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED DOWN 0.54% /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN AT 7.1623 /OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.1702 /Oil DOWN TO 71.78 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT UP AT 76.78/ Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY 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
end
4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS
EU/ECB/
end
FRANCE
END
5 RUSSIA//UKRAINE AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
ISRAEL/HAMAS
Israel now concentrates in Southern Gaza
(Jerusalem Post)
‘Slow and exhausted’: On the ground with the IDF in southern Gaza
Further missions deeper into Khan Yunis lie ahead, but the destruction of Hamas governance in Gaza, as seen from the ground, appears to be proceeding steadily apace.
Israel’s military operates in the Gaza Strip during a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, on November 27, 2023(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)
About four kilometers from Nir Oz, into the Gaza Strip, lies the Palestinian town of Khirbet Khuza’a in the Khan Yunis governorate.
Gilad, a battalion commander in the Fifth Infantry Brigade, explains that “it is from there that the terrorists set out on October 7. We need to be the ones to go there. We planted the flag of Nir Oz on the municipal building there. Our mission is to create a buffer zone so that the residents can return home.”
Khirbet Khuza’a is the 5th Infantry’s current center of operations. The brigade, a reserve formation, traces its history back to the Givati Brigade in the 1948 war.
Reporting from Gaza
Gilad, a major in the reserves and a corporate lawyer in civilian life, was mobilized on October 7, along with the rest of the brigade.
“We came down to the border area on October 8; it looked like a battlefield. During the first week, we were helping to clear up – whatever was needed, even surreal activities like milking cows. Then, after one and a half weeks, we joined the brigade in defense from Nahal Oz to Re’im. We then went into Beit Hanun, after the ceasefire, for two weeks, to create the buffer zone there, and now we’re doing the same thing in Khuza’a.”
The ride from Nir Oz to Khuza’a on Wednesday was short. The kibbutz was one of the hardest hit on October 7, with 46 of its 400 residents murdered and another 71 taken hostage. People from Khirbet Khuza’a followed the Hamas men on the day of the massacre, took part in the looting, and worse. “We’re closing the circle,” Gilad tells me.
Inside Khirbet Khuza’a, the tempo of operations is notably different from what I witnessed in Shejaia further north just a few weeks ago. When we moved, it was only locked down in APCs. In Khuza’a, the pace is more deliberate. The 5th brigade established its area of control, and is methodically destroying the ‘terror infrastructure,’ both inside the houses and beneath them, infrastructure that is tightly woven into the fabric of civilian life.
THE BRIGADE has found weapons consignments in both schools and homes. The tunnels are the main issue; it is painstaking work to dismantle them – locating the shafts under the ever-present threat of contact with Hamas gunmen.
An IDF soldier secures a tunnel underneath Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in the northern Gaza Strip, November 22, 2023. (credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
Shai, a company commander in the Brigade, described a reality of constant psychological tension for the infantry soldiers operating in the forward units, across the eerie, ruined urban landscape of southern Gaza: “We see writing on the walls in Hebrew, and body parts strewn about. You see someone 200 meters in front of you, and you don’t know if it’s a civilian or a trap. The danger is all around you, nowhere is safe. So we’ve had to learn to think differently. We’re used to the situation of ‘We’ve been fired on – charge forward’, but here it is different. They study, and learn, and here we can be fired on from 360 degrees around us. It’s a change we need to internalize.
“It’s exhausting work,” he continued. “For the first hour, you are primed and ready; for the second hour, you’re already exhausted. You have to find ways to keep your motivation. You are exhausted, but you understand the importance of the mission. And of course, we know that we could be in uniform again in two or three months, given the situation in the North.”
The 5th Brigade’s commander, Col. Tal Koritzky, explained that in “every second house here, we find weapons, we also come across looted items from the Kibbutz, children’s toys and other personal items.” Koritzky, a moshavnik from western Galilee, is one of the few regular soldiers in this brigade of reservists.
Koritzky spoke from one of the ruined houses of Khirbet Khuza’a; gunfire sounded a few hundred meters away.
One of the battalions engaged in a clash with Hamas fighters in the area, and all under the presence and threat of the tunnels, the main mission.
“Our mission is clear. I’m a fighter, not a politician. We’re here with each other, from all over the country, from all kinds of different backgrounds, ‘Am Yisrael’ at its best,” said Koritzky.
Shai, the company commander, said as we left that it is “worth remembering that if we won’t go in, no one will. There isn’t another IDF to take over.”
On the short journey back to Nir Oz, the southern Gaza mission crystallized for me: through a gaping hole, I could see the border fence from October 7. “We are here from the first second, and we will be here until the last so that life for the residents in the Gaza border communities can return as much as possible to how it was before.”
This is how the war in southern Gaza is: Slow, exhausting, Sisyphean work, gradually clearing out the Hamas structures to create a buffer zone along the border.
Further missions deeper into Khan Yunis lie ahead, but the destruction of Hamas governance in Gaza, as seen from the ground, appears to be proceeding steadily apace. Go to the full article >>
end
What took them so long?
(Jerusalem Post)
UN experts demand accountability for sexual torture during Hamas attacks
Israel has previously criticized the global body for not doing enough to address the issue as part of a bid to get greater recognition for the alleged crimes.
By REUTERSJANUARY 8, 2024 15:37Updated: JANUARY 8, 2024 16:58
The aftermath of Hamas attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the hardest-hit communities in the October 7 onslaught by Hamas, on October 27, 2023.(photo credit: Gil Yaari/Flash90)
UN experts on Monday demanded accountability for sexual violence against Israeli civilians during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, saying that mounting evidence of rapes and genital mutilation point to possible crimes against humanity.
Israeli authorities have opened an investigation into possible sexual crimes during the most deadly attack on Israel in its history.
The statement referred to allegations of sexual torture, including rape and gang rape as well as mutilations and gunshots to genital areas.A PROTEST against the sexual violence committed in the October 7 massacre – and the international silence afterward – takes place outside UN Headquarters in New York City earlier this month. (credit: YAKOV BINYAMIN/FLASH 90)
“These acts constitute gross violations of international law, amounting to war crimes which, given the number of victims and the extensive premeditation and planning of the attacks, may also qualify as crimes against humanity,” the experts said.
“Each and every victim deserves to be recognized, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or sex, and our role is to be their voice,” they added.
Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva welcomed the statement
“The whole international community must fully recognize the brutal and terrorist nature of Hamas and the responsibility of those who have been shielding them for years, including the Palestinian Authority,” it said.Advertisement
The two experts on torture and on executions – Alice Jill Edwards and Morris Tidball-Binz – have raised the issue with Hamas authorities, they said.
They have also written to Israel’s government and called for cooperation with their investigators.
LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH/ISRAEL//SATURDAY
Fighting between the two is escalating
(Times of Israel)
Hezbollah fires dozens of rockets in ‘initial response’ to killing of Hamas leader
Salvo of more than 40 missiles sets of alarms in 90 Israeli communities; no injuries reported in strikes that targeted Mount Meron area; IDF hits terror infrastructure in response
Plumes of smoke near Mount Meron after sirens sound in some 90 communities near the northern border, January 6, 2024. (Screen grab used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
ISRAEL //HEZBOLLAH
60 plus rocket strikes against Israel
(zerohedge)
Hezbollah Strikes Israel Intel Base With 60+ Rockets As “Initial Response” To Hamas Leader Assassination
SATURDAY, JAN 06, 2024 – 09:00 PM
Hezbollah on Saturday initiated what it announced as “an initial response” to Israel’s assassination by drone of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri, which happened in a south Beirut neighborhood last week.
The Lebanese paramilitary group backed by Iran unleashed large salvos of missiles that bombarded military bases as well as communities in northern Israel (many of which have long been evacuated), triggeringalert sirens among some 90 towns and settlements.
The Israel Defense Forces in a follow-up statement said some 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon at the Mount Meron area in particular, which contains a crucial IDF base which reportedly has overseen Israeli operations against Syria.
Hezbollah indicated it launched 62 “various types of missiles”against the Meron air control base as part of Saturday’s retaliatory attacks, however, Israel said there were no casualties in the aftermath.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah-linked Almayadeen news service has said that the targeting of Meron Base is a first of the conflict, and is of huge significance:
Located just 8 kilometers from Lebanon’s southern border, “Meron” Base overlooks the Lebanese towns of Rmeish, Yaroun, and Maroun al-Ras in the central sector. It occupies the summit of Mount Jarmaq in northern occupied Palestine, making it the highest peak within the occupied territories.
Sitting at an altitude of approximately 1200 meters above sea level, the base sprawls across an area of up to 150,000 square meters, with a substantial portion of the surrounding areas believed to be under its control for military and intelligence purposes.
According to the Resistance statement released today, “Meron” primarily serves as an aerial surveillance center.
It is the sole facility responsible for managing and controlling air operations toward Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Cyprus, as well as the northern part of the eastern Mediterranean Sea basin. Moreover, this base acts as a central hub for electronic warfare interference in the mentioned directions, staffed by a significant number of elite Israeli officers and soldiers.
Hezbollah has already since Oct.7 been targeting and degrading Israel’s vast military communications infrastructure along the Lebanese border, often publishing videos of these attacks.
It is as yet unknown the degree of damage that Meron base may have suffered, and Israel is likely to keep this under wraps even if the damage is extensive.
Saturday’s escalation was met with swift reaction from the European Union, which urged restraint:
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Saturday that it was “imperative” to avoid a regional escalation in the Middle East.
“It is absolutely necessary to avoid Lebanon being dragged into a regional conflict,” he said, also warning Israel that “nobody will win from a regional conflict”.
“We are seeing a worrying intensification of exchange of fire across the Blue Line,” he added, referring to the current demarcation line between the two countries, a frontier mapped by the United Nations that marks the line to which Israeli forces withdrew when they left south Lebanon in 2000.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah had vowed to retaliate for the killing of Hamas political deputy head Saleh Arouri in a Friday speech, while also saying he won’t negotiate ceasefire with Israel until it ceases attacking Gaza.
IDF published clips of its airstrikes on southern Lebanon Saturday:
Later in the day Saturday, the IDF said it launched multiple airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in response, and released footage showing attacks on buildings and rural sites said to include a “terrorist squad, launch site, military buildings and terrorist infrastructure.”
END
LEBANON/ISRAEL
Israel strikes a top general, Jawad, in Lebanon
(Jerusalem Post)
Hezbollah senior commander killed in alleged Israeli drone strike
It was unclear if Jawad, a reportedly significant figure within Hezbollah, had been killed as part of ongoing exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah or whether he was specifically targeted.
Wissam al-Tawil, known as Jawad, a key operations commander in southern Lebanon(photo credit: VIA WALLA/SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)
Hezbollah and foreign media reports claimed on Monday that the IDF killed Wissam al-Tawil, known as Jawad, a key operations commander in southern Lebanon, in an air strike in Khirbat Salem, Lebanon.
It was unclear if Jawad, a reportedly significant figure within Hezbollah, had been killed as part of ongoing exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah or whether he was specifically targeted.
If he was specifically targeted, the attack would seem to be part of a series of recent escalations.
From October 8 until early December, Hezbollah attacked Israel with rockets and anti-tank missiles, but only close to the northern border, to show solidarity with Hamas, and the IDF tended to respond proportionately.
In early December, the IDF ramped up its “responses” to start destroying much of Hezbollah’s forces or assets within firing range of the northern border.
Israeli artillery unit firing shells towards Lebanon near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, January 4, 2024. (credit: Ayal Margolin/Flash90)
Just six days after assassination of senior Hamas commander in Beirut
It would also mark the second major assassination on Lebanese soil in less than a week, following the killing of Hamas’s Deputy Chief of Staff Saleh al-Arouri, the senior Hamas official, in a strike in Beirut last Tuesday.
In response to that strike, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets on Saturday and significantly damaged an important piece of the IDF’s air defense capabilities in the North.
If the IDF intentionally killed Jawad, it could be the latest response to that Hezbollah attack. Early reactions suggested Hezbollah itself could escalate even further.
Smoke billows above buildings after an alleged Israeli strike on the outskirts of Damascus on November 22, 2023. (AFP)
Israel has been carrying out an unprecedented wave of deadly strikes in Syria targeting Iranian weapons shipments to its regional proxies, Reuters reports.
Citing six sources, including a Syrian military intelligence officer and a commander in the regional alliance backing Damascus, Reuters says that the intensification of its campaign in Syria took place after the October 7 Hamas massacre.
Israel has been striking trucks, infrastructure and operatives more frequently in more deadly strikes, according to the anonymous sources. Israel has abandoned the “rules of the game,” they say.
“They used to fire warning shots – they’d hit near the truck, our guys would get out of the truck, and then they’d hit the truck,” says the commander.
“Now that’s over. Israel is now unleashing deadlier, more frequent air raids against Iranian arms transfers and air defense systems in Syria. They bomb everyone directly. They bomb to kill.”
end
SYRIA/ISRAEL/HAMAS
TIMES OF ISRAEL
IDF says it killed Hamas official in Syria responsible for firing rockets at northern Israel
Illustrative: Footage purported to show a strike on the Aleppo airport in Syria, October 14, 2023. (Screenshot: X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The IDF says it has eliminated a Hamas official in Syria who was responsible for launching rockets at northern Israel in recent weeks.
In a statement, the IDF says Hassan Akasha was killed in the southern Syrian town of Beit Jinn. It does not elaborate on how he was killed.
It says he was behind several rocket attacks from Syria on the north on behalf of Hamas.
territory. We will continue to act against any threat,” the IDF adds.d it is responsible for any action that emanates its territory. We will continue to act against any threat,” the IDF adds.y EMANUEL FABIAN
WEST BANK/ISRAEL/SATURDAY
Policewoman killed in a bomb attack in Jenin
(Jerusalem Post)
Policewoman killed, 3 injured by bomb in Jenin; 7 Palestinians killed in airstrike
IDF helicopter strikes cell of Palestinian gunmen hurling explosives at troops during attempt to evacuate wounded Border Police officers
Border Police officer Sgt. Shay Germay, killed in a counterterror operation in Jenin, West Bank on January 7, 2024. (Israel Police)
A Border Police officer was killed and three others wounded by a roadside bomb, and seven Palestinians were killed in an airstrike during a raid overnight Saturday in the northern West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp.
Sgt. Shay Germay, 19, was in a vehicle hit by a roadside bomb during the raid, along with three of her comrades. One was seriously wounded, while the other officers two were lightly hurt, according to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.
In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and police said forces entered Jenin for a counterterrorism operation, when an explosive device planted on the side of a road hit the Border Police vehicle.
The IDF said that during the evacuation of the wounded officers, an attack helicopter carried out an airstrike against a group of Palestinian gunmen who were hurling explosives at troops.
“Six terrorists were killed in the strike,” the IDF said on Sunday morning.
The Palestinian Authority health ministry said a total of seven people were killed in the strike, with one succumbing to his wounds later on Sunday.
This image from video shows the moment a Border Police vehicle was targeted by a roadside bomb in the West Bank city of Jenin, January 7, 2024. (Screenshot: Telegram)
A local wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Border Police vehicle.
Israeli troops have carried out dozens of raids in and around Jenin in recent months. Israel says that the PA has lost control of areas of the northern West Bank, allowing terror groups to entrench themselves and launch attacks on Israelis on both sides of the Green Line.
Border Police officer Sgt. Shay Germay, killed in a counterterror operation in Jenin, West Bank on January 7, 2024. (Israel Police)
In mid-December, the IDF carried out a major 60-hour counterterrorism operation in Jenin and adjacent refugee camps, in which troops scanned hundreds of buildings, arrested 60 wanted Palestinians, and seized 50 weapons and hundreds of explosive devices.
The military said the troops also found more than 10 tunnel shafts during the raid, along with seven labs used to manufacture explosive devices, and five war rooms used by local terror operatives to monitor IDF operations.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since Hamas’s October 7 massacres, which saw thousands of terrorists burst across the border from the Gaza Strip by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing over 240 hostages of all ages — mainly civilians. In response to the deadliest attack in the country’s history, Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas from the Gaza Strip, where the terror group has ruled since 2007, and return the hostages.
Weapons seized by the IDF following a 60-hour operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, December 14, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)
Since October 7, troops have arrested more than 2,600 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,300 affiliated with Hamas. According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, some 300 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time.
Based on military estimates, the vast majority of those killed since October 7 were shot during clashes amid arrest raids.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
END
WEST BANK/MONDAY
Israeli security forces arrest 17 terror suspects.
(Jerusalem Post)
Israeli security forces arrest 17 terror suspects in overnight West Bank raids
Israeli forces from the IDF, the Shin Bet, and Border Police arrested 17 terror suspects throughout the West Bank overnight and confiscated many weapons, the IDF said in a statement on Monday.
Reserve soldiers operated in the towns of Azzun and Ni’lin, arresting ten wanted persons and confiscating weapons, the statement said. During the operation in Azzun, explosive devices found in a vehicle were destroyed. In Nablus, forces arrested three wanted persons and confiscated weapons.
The wanted persons were transferred to security forces for further investigation. There were no casualties among Israeli forces.
More than 2,600 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the West Bank since the beginning of the war. Approximately 1,300 of those have been associated with Hamas.Go to the full article >>
HOUTHIS/USA/IRAN/THE WEST
USA warship downs a Houthi drone. However, Biden must act by landing in Yemen and destroy the Houthis
(Jerusalem Post)
US Warship Downs Houthi Drone Over Red Sea “In Self-Defense”
SATURDAY, JAN 06, 2024 – 04:55 PM
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced yet another intercept of a launch out of Yemen which had targeted commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
CENTCOM described that the Saturday incident saw the USS Laboon guided-missile destroyer down a drone over the Red Sea, after it came near near several commercial ships in international waters.USS Laboon in a prior live-fire exercise, via Flickr/US Navy
There were no casualties or damage to ships from the “unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” according to the US statement.
Further, the military statement suggests that US warships may have been targeted by the drone, given it says the USS Laboon shot the inbound drone down “in self-defense”.
The Biden administration has previously been accused of downplaying that there’s actually been attempted Houthi attacks directly on American warships and naval assets. This would of course be an act of war, and the White House is said to be belatedly drawing up plans to hit back at Houthi launch positions, in an offensive manner (and not just defensive intercepts).
This hasn’t happened yet, as the US is apparently pursuing a policy of restraint, not wanting a bigger regional war to break out with Iran, which has long backed the Houthis.
But the contradiction is that Washington has done nothing to impose any kind of limits or conditions on Gaza’s air campaign, which has resulted in unprecedented Palestinian civilian deaths.
Meanwhile the Pentagon has issued a lot of ‘final warnings’ as Red Sea attacks have persisted weekly & now daily…
The Houthis say their ‘war on Red Sea shipping’ and on Israel itself will continue so long as Israel drops bombs on Gaza civilians. Meanwhile things have only escalated across the region, including Iran-backed militant attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria.
These attacks across Iraq-Syria have led to an escalation in the Pentagon response, which most recently saw a very high-ranking and influential Iraqi militia leader killed. This has enraged the Iraqi government in Baghdad, given the commander, identified as Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, had been integrated with national forces, and was considered a key ally.
Below is a policy note exploring the implications of the growing tit-for-tat in the region, via Peter Tchir’s Academy Securities.
* * *
What has Happened:
Yesterday [Jan.11], a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad killed Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, who was deputy head of operations for the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), a network of Iran-backed militia groups.
Since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7th, there have been over 100 attacks on U.S. and allied forces in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed militia forces.
Iraq’s prime minister, who had the backing of Iran-aligned factions and militias when elected, called the attack “unjustified” and a “dangerous escalation and a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”
On Tuesday, as reported in our previous SITREP, a suspected Israeli drone attack killed Saleh al-Arouri (Hamas deputy leader) in Beirut.
In addition, an Israeli strike on Wednesday night killed a Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon and Israel has warned of more significant military action if a diplomatic deal is not reached to pull Hezbollah forces away from the Lebanese border.
Finally, the U.S., the UK, and other key allies issued “a final warning” to the Houthi rebels this week to cease its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea or face consequences.
Why it Matters:
“First, it’s important to understand that deterrence is the product of three factors: capability, will, and the adversary’s perception of those capabilities and that will. If the first two factors are missing—or inordinately low—or the adversary doesn’t believe that the U.S. has the will to use their capabilities, then deterrence fails. This is the current situation. The proof is in the actions that commercial shipping companies have taken in halting their transit of the Red Sea. We have warships in the region—capability—but if we’re not going to use them to ensure free movement through the Red Sea—will—and the adversary believes that we won’t use them—perception—then we won’t be successful in deterring further aggression on the part of the Houthis and Iran. A strong response to the initial Iranian-backed Houthi attacks could have prevented this situation (i.e., strikes against the Houthi command & control apparatus, launch, storage, and maintenance sites). The solution is that we should stop just shooting down arrows and kill the archers. But the Biden administration has been hesitant to address the source of these attacks over concerns of escalation. Which raises a second point—escalation has already occurred—it was initiated by the Iranians, Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian proxy groups.” – General David Deptula
“General Deptula lays it out nicely. Only comment I’d add is that the U.S. must produce a full array of attack options (both arrows and archers) that will punish Iranian proxies where they currently enjoy sanctuary. That is not an expansion of the current state of affairs; it is appropriate and would meet every legal prescription of proportionality. Not surprisingly, Iran is overreaching. The Iranian leadership, specifically the IRGC leadership, must know with certainty that their only sanctuary is within the borders of Iran.” – General Spider Marks
“General Deptula’s deterrence formula is how a great power imposes its will on a lesser power through military means. The current U.S. approach is not working, considering the continued attacks on U.S. forces in the region and the disruption of commerce through the Red Sea. The U.S. is failing to deter Iran and its proxy forces, and its deterrence strategy must be reset. The U.S. foreign policy is allowing bad actors to challenge the international order. The U.S. needs to escalate its response in compliance with international law to de-escalate the situation. How quickly and with how much force must be calibrated per General Marks’ salient points of proportionality and self-defense.” – General Robert Walsh
“While there is always the risk of a miscalculation that leads to escalation, I think that these recent events, while linked to multiple ongoing conflicts (many that predate 7 October), are not necessarily indicative of irreversible momentum toward broader escalation. Each participant (Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Houthis, or the U.S.) can adjust the rheostat as desired. These events could continue to play out as transactional, but limited in scope and scale, and are not indicative that a broader conflict is imminent or inevitable. I would not look at these as fully coordinated events, but rather as transactional. I’m not surprised to see ISIS claim the attacks in Iran which do not follow suit with how Mossad would traditionally strike in Iran proper. While it may seem counterintuitive given the strikes in Gaza, the Israeli government has been relatively surgical in their actions with respect to Iran to minimize casualties/collateral damage.
A possibly unanticipated outcome is that we may see a policy shift in Iraq. A deliberate strike in Baghdad has drawn the ire of the current regime (not that they haven’t complained during previous strikes) and may be enough for Iraq to consider a reduction (if not an elimination) of the U.S. military presence in Iraq. Lately, there is more being written in the news and opinion pieces about the risk to U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq and questioning the mission. Another factor is whether the U.S. is willing to begin to strike Houthi infrastructure should maritime attacks continue. All that said, I would assess with moderate confidence that none of the nation states are looking to expand the conflict into a direct war and will continue to measure their responses. Where the U.S. is struggling is how to establish deterrence.” – General Robert Ashley
“The U.S. desires to de-escalate, not escalate, but the challenge is that the same military response can be used to achieve both results. There are plenty of historical examples of U.S. administrations aggressively addressing such threats, resulting in Iran (and others) choosing to back down due to the sudden and high costs that they have incurred. Aggressive action (sinking ships, shooting down aircraft, and killing forces attacking civilian targets) may be our best chance to de-escalate Iran’s actions. It is doubtful that Iran will back down without a serious punch in the nose.” – General Mastin Robeson
“The bottom line is that escalation will occur by proxies if we don’t change our response and reset our deterrence level. We don’t have the initiative and many allies are not joining our efforts to deter Houthi strikes against shipping. They also see that our policy and posture are not working. The strike in Baghdad is a response that may have unintended consequences. It is possible that the Iraqis can expel or reduce U.S. forces in Iraq which could have a major impact on counterterrorism operations ongoing in Iraq and Syria. If we want an effective deterrent at this point, we will need to increase our response to attacks at a 1-1 level.” – General Frank Kearney
Please see (link) and attached PDF for full report.
end
When will the idiot Biden act by landing in Yemen and destroying the Houthis
(zerohedge)
Shipping Giant Halts Container Ship Sails To Israel
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 08:50 AM
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have targeted commercial vessels with drones and missiles passing through the southern Red Sea. They say the attacks on ships destined for Israel are in solidarity with Palestinians and to facilitate humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. As a result, one major shipping company has had enough of the disruptions and decided to halt sails to Israel to avoid being attacked on the critical waterway that connects to the Suez Canal.
Bloomberg reports that Chinese state-owned shipping giant Cosco suspended all container ship transits through the Red Sea to Israel. This is to avoid being attacked.
The head of the Israeli Chambers of Commerce, Amir Shani, said Cosco informed him of the decision today. A source told Bloomberg that Cosco bookings to Israel will end next week.
Major shipping companies, such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, suspended container ship sailings through the Red Sea in recent weeks. This has forced shippers to re-route cargo to the Cape of Good Hope, adding 1-2 weeks to sails plus additional costs. Longer sails have reduced container capacity, which has sent shipping rates surging higher.
So far, shippers have diverted more than $200 billion in trade over the last several weeks.
As of Monday morning, there are no container ships with destinations for Europe and North America in the Red Sea.
However, Bloomberg noted a “majority of oil and gas tankers continue to transit the Red Sea despite ongoing attacks, although some vessels have taken diversions to avoid the route.”
Still, the critical waterway that’s responsible for 10-12% of global seaborne trade by volume is still a highly contested area. Yet more evidence of the Pentagon’s Operation Prosperity Guardian mission to police the Red Sea is failing.
As of yesterday, over 130 hostages are being held in Gaza.
That’s over ninety days in captivity for the 132 abducted on October 7th that have not yet been released yet. They join the four Israelis who have been held in captivity in Gaza since 2014.
The depravity of this is unbearable. The IDF continues to do everything in its power to bring them home – that is one of the core objectives of this war, alongside making sure that Hamas can never pull off a repeat of the October attack. Some of these efforts have been publicized; many have not.
I do want to point out that the number of hostages actually went up yesterday. As the IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said yesterday:
“Three Israeli citizens, who until now were defined as missing persons, are now recognized as hostages. This decision was made following the completion of search and investigation operations in Israel and after examining all plausible scenarios and the information we have.”
And we’re not stopping our efforts to bring them home. Keep reading for more. But first…
Thanks for reading Mission Brief from LTC Richard Hecht (Official IDF Substack)! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Supporting the soldiers fighting to bring the hostages home
Ground forces have been operating in Gaza Strip for months, fighting in what may be the most complex urban environment in the world. Hamas’s terrorist tactics – exploiting Gaza’s residents as human shields while fighting – has taken a toll.
While on the front lines, the soldiers receive any and all support they may need. One of the most impressive of these is IDF’s Unit 669 , which you may have learned about in our podcast interview.
Unit 669 is the IDF’s emergency search and rescue unit…and together with the soldiers from Unit 5515 and the IAF’s Helicopter Rescue Squadron, they have evacuated over 1,000 wounded soldiers during the war, sometimes under the most dangerous conditions.
Dozens of Unit 669 squads operate as an integral part of the infantry brigades.
They are both the rescue force and the initial medical treatment unit, working in tight coordination with ground forces during live combat conditions to evacuate wounded soldiers, extract them from the line of fire, and, when necessary, prepare improvised field helipads so that the unit’s airborne teams can evacuate the wounded to hospitals.
The soldiers in 669 train for every situation you could possibly imagine, providing real-time support in every adrenalin-rush movie thriller scenerio you can imagine. And the soldiers are better for it.
Check out what their nighttime operations look like in Gaza:
Appreciate this update? Please share it with other people who you think would enjoy it too.
Of course, Unit 669 is just one of the units operating in Gaza.
Last week, the 179th Brigade, Shayetet 13 and the Yahalom Unit, the special combat engineering unit that has played such a prominent role in addressing the underground infrastructure in Gaza, completed a targeted raid on a major Hamas terrorist compound in the central Gaza Strip, right near the coast.
The forces identified a number of tunnel shafts connected to a network of Hamas terror tunnels many hundreds of meters long. The soldiers then identified other shafts connected to a broader underground network…protected by booby-trapped blast doors.
So they went inside.
There, the soldiers found a weapons manufacturing site, complete with tooling, cooling fans, explosives, and other materials used to extend the range of Hamas’ rockets – the same rockets that have been fired relentlessly at Israel.
After completing the raid, the tunnel network was destroyed by the engineering forces of the 99th Division and the Yahalom Unit. Again, the pictures and videos really need to be seen to understand the magnitude of these tunnels.
Quote of the Day
Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi in northern Israel (January 3, 2023):
I know that there is a trained, prepared, ready force, with a lot of spirit. And we are going with that, that’s our security, we don’t have anything stronger than that.
Operational update
In response to ongoing attacks on northern Israel, on Friday IAF fighter jets conducted strikes in the areas of Ayta ash Shab and Majdal Zun in Lebanon. Targets included Hezbollah terror infrastructure, including a military post and a site where Hezbollah terrorists operated.
Over the past day, IDF air, ground and naval forces targeted over 100 targets in Gaza including operational command centers and military sites, along with launch pads and compounds where terrorist infrastructure and weapons were stored. Forces identified launch pads used for firing rockets at Israeli territory from Khan Yunis and struck the launch pads, killing a number of the operatives during engagements with terrorists in the area
An armed terrorist cell attempted to attack an IDF tank in Bureij. In response, an IDF drone and IDF troops pursued the terrorists, then directing an IDF fighter jet to strike the compound where the terrorist cell was hiding.
Yesterday, the Islamic Jihad’s Chief of Operational Staff in the Northern Gaza Strip, Mamdouh Lolo, was killed in a targeted strike as part of a joint IDF and ISA operation. I’m attaching a video of the strike below.
Here’s to a quiet weekend for our forces on all fronts.
Richard
UKRAINE/RUSSIA
There is an oft reported saying “do not poke the bear” (Putin). Ukraine is not adhering to it.
(zerohedge)
Ukraine Again Targets Crimea & Belgorod In Large-Scale Drone & Missile Attacks
SATURDAY, JAN 06, 2024 – 02:35 PM
At a moment the front lines are at a standstill and Ukraine is suffering severe manpower and ammunition supply woes, its military continues high-risk attacks on Russian territory, including two days of missile and drone launches on Crimea. Russia in return has been unleashing even harsher retaliatory strikes in Ukrainian cities, as it warned it would do.
The Russian military has said Saturday it deflected a fresh missile attack on Crimea, having shot down four inbound Ukrainian missiles overnight. The day prior, Russia downed 36 attack drones over the peninsula, a defense ministry statement also said.Aftermath of latest shelling on Russian city of Belgorod, via Telegram.
However, Kiev said some of its projectiles made it through the anti-air measures, with Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of Ukraine’s air force, announcing on social media: “Saki airfield! All targets have been shot!” – in reference to the Russian airbase in western Crimea. Ukraine’s military also said it targeted a command post near Sevastopol.
Air raid sirens have been sounding in various border regions of Russia stretching back to Thursday:
Air alerts were heard over the Russian oblasts of Krasnodar and Belgorod, as well as temporarily occupied Crimea, on Jan. 4 as Russia’s aggressive war on Ukraine increasingly hits closer to home in Russia.
Russia claimed nearly 50 drones were used in the separate attacks, with explosions heard in occupied Crimea and Belgorod, and reports of injuries in Belgorod.
In the latest direct hit on a residential neighborhood in Belgorod city, two Russian civilians were injured by shelling. Belgorod Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram, “According to preliminary data there are two injured: one man has shrapnel wounds to the forearm, and another has shrapnel wounds to the shin.”
“Windows were shattered in several apartments and more than 30 vehicles were damaged because of a shell explosion near an apartment building,” according to regional media. “One house suffered roof damage and a car was damaged.”
Russia has throughout nearly two years of war warned that countries externally supplying weapons to Ukrainian forces would be treated as direct participants in the conflict if their weapons are found to be used against Russia. The US in particular has been the biggest supplier of heavy weaponry, followed by NATO and EU countries.
Moscow has all the while underscored the proxy war nature of the conflict and showdown with NATO, but so far a WW3-style escalation has been narrowly avoided, but this worst case scenario certainly looms large. This especially as President Putin has lately charged that Ukraine is using Western advanced weapons systems to directly target Russian cities and territory.
end
ROBERT h
GLOBAL VACCINE/COVID ISSUES
BC Arbitration Ruling in Favour of Unvaccinated Workers Could Mean End of Vaccine Mandate: Former AG | The Epoch Times
a spectrum of illness; it’s becoming clearer that governments in US, Canada etc. have covered up role of childhood vaccines in causing autism, an autism spectrum; features of autism spectrum disorder
He told DOJ lawyers that the vaccines do, can cause autism…exceptions that it could! In a subset of children, he said vaccines can cause autism….in a subset of kids, vaccine induced fever and immune stimulation, can cause progressive brain disease with features of autism spectrum disorder.
integration that could damage the genome! Ladapo: “we have a vaccine that multiple studies have found the people who take it become at increased risk of contracting the disease they took it against”
Calls on both sides of Atlantic for the Duke of York to face prosecution after unsealed documents make more claims of sexual assault’; What? IMO, anyone engaging in PEDOPHILIA like him, MUST be HUNG!
I call for the death penalty if it is shown that Prince Andrew abused under-aged girls, that is rape! He must face capital punishment! Any pedophile like him and he is a pedophile! Lets dig deeper, publish all names, shame them, punish them in courts of law, with judges and juries and if proven 100%, hang them! I will donate rope and wood!
‘Prince Andrew has been reported to the police by an anti-monarchy campaign group after allegations of sexual assault were made against him in unsealed court documents.
I have listened of Vig for years now and I realized in COVID, he is well read and brilliant! He understands the fraud and the deadliness of the COVID vaccines! Imagine an archbishop!
urgent serious investigation & the players may shock us; I am of the school to hang them all! read 2nd’s latest for it is so very interesting! Credit to Clandestine’s Newsletter (originator), support
‘The below is an excellent companion piece to last week’s article which alluded to the fact that Epstein & Co. were involved in the PSYOP-19 “pandemic,” and associated slow kill bioweapon “vaccines:”
Alexander COVID News-Dr. Paul Elias Alexander’s substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
France Raises Alarm over ‘Very Disturbing’ Spike in Sudden Deaths of BabiesREAD MORE…
LATEST NEWS:
Second batch of Jeffrey Epstein-related court documents revealedRead more…Hillary Clinton Makes Head Turning Move on X After Husband Bill Busted in Epstein DocsRead more…Famous Actors Named in Epstein DocumentsRead more…BREAKING: Bill Clinton Threatened Vanity Fair For Writing Sex Trafficking Pieces On ‘Good Friend’ Jeffrey EpsteinRead more…B-1 bomber crashes while landing at Ellsworth AFB Thursday nightRead more…New Book Claims Members of Joe Biden’s Team See Vice President Kamala Harris as a ‘Joke’ and Shut Her Out of MeetingsRead more…What You Need to Know About the Epstein Files with Roger StoneRead more…New Epstein Documents Reveal Details About Convicted Pedophile’s ‘Blackmail’ OperationColorado Secretary of State certifies 2024 presidential primary election ballot, Trump to appear on ballotRead more…Despite US Supreme Court appeal, Trump certified as candidate on Colorado GOP ballotRead more…Brand new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max loses WINDOW in mid-airRead more…Disney Ignored Sexual Assault, Pattern of Abuse by Top Executive, Lawsuit AllegesRead more…CNN Story About Massachusetts and Illinois ‘Voters’ Who Want Trump Off the Ballot Leaves Out One Key DetailRead more…Lauren Boebert Celebrates ‘Wins’ For the Constitution and Our Republic After Trump Placed on Colorado Primary BallotRead more…Joe Biden Claims in Campaign Speech That ‘Democracy is on the Ballot,’ Tom Cotton Responds: ‘Audacious!’Read more…Read more…
Iowa Mass Shooter Identified as LGBTQ Activist Dylan ButlerWhile the mainstream media and terrorism “experts” continue to tell Americans that the greatest threat facing America is “far right extremists,” another shocking reported mass shooting has led to a far-left suspect that is being described as an LGBTQ activist.READ THE FULL REPORT
MICHAEL EVERY/PHIL MAREY/OR OTHER EXECS //RABOBANK
END
7//OIL ISSUES//NATURAL GAS ISSUES//ELECTRICAL GRID ISSUES// RENEWABLE ENERGY ISSUES//USA AND GLOBE
Saudi Arabia get the picture perfectly: persistent weakness causes them to cut oil prices
(zerohedge)
Oil Plunges After Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Prices For February Amid “Persistent Weakness”
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 09:50 AM
Oil is plunging this morning, sending WTI on the verge of sliding below $70…
… after Saudi Arabia reduced the price of its crude oil for February delivery for all buyers amid what Bloomberg dubbed “persistent weakness”, rather than just Asian ones as it has done before.
State producer Saudi Aramco reduced its flagship Arab Light price to Asia by $2 to $1.50 a barrel above the benchmark. That’s bigger than a $1.25 a barrel reduction estimated in a Bloomberg survey of refiners and traders.
Interestingly, Aramco also cut the price for North American buyers by the same amount, while in previous price adjustments it has cut these prices more modestly according to OilPrice. For European buyers, Aramco cut February prices by between $1.50 and $2 per barrel.
“Saudi crude is still relatively more expensive compared to other regional crude. But we are happy enough to see such prices, making it much more affordable for us,” a source from a refinery in North Asia told Reuters in comments on the news.
The news outlet noted that the price cut is the deepest in 13 months and suggests a softer Asian market for crude. A month ago, a survey by Bloomberg among refiners suggested Aramco will cut prices amid intensified competition for the Asian market and cheaper crude from the United States and Europe, as well as Guyana.
Oil from the US had become especially attractive as an alternative to Middle Eastern crudes as Brent crude came near parity with the Dubai benchmarks against with these crudes are prices. The cause of that unusual development was OPEC production cuts.
Meanwhile, just two months ago, Aramco raised the prices of its crude for most of its buyers. For Asian buyers, this was the fifth price increase for the flagship Arab Light in a row as Saudi Arabia curbed output to stimulate higher prices.
OPEC agreed at the end of last year to reduce production of oil this quarter by 2.2 million barrels daily. So far, this has not prompted any worry about short supply, keeping prices relatively stable. Many traders seem to believe that even a cut of 2.2 million bpd—if all comply—would be enough to offset greater supply from non-OPEC producers.
END
8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//
ARGENTINA/
END
YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS MONDAY MORNING 7;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING
EURO VS USA DOLLAR: 1.0941 UP .0009
USA/ YEN 144.59 UP 0.252 NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN STILL FALLS//
GBP/USA 1.2706 DOWN .0006
USA/CAN DOLLAR: 1.3384 UP .0060 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 60 BASIS PTS)
Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED DOWN 41.64 PTS OR 1.42%
Hang Seng CLOSED DOWN 310.88 PTS OR 1.88%
AUSTRALIA CLOSED DOWN 0.54% // EUROPEAN BOURSE: MOSTLY ALL RED
Trading from Europe and ASIA
I) EUROPEAN BOURSES: MOSTLY ALL RED
2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG DOWN 110.65 PTS OR 0.66%
/SHANGHAI CLOSED DOWN 41.64 PTS OR 1.42%
AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED DOWN 0.54%
(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED
INDIA’S SENSEX IN THE RED
Gold very early morning trading: 2020.00
silver:$22.89
USA dollar index early MONDAY morning: 102,20 UP 7 BASIS POINTS FROM FRIDAY’s CLOSE.
The USA/Yuan, CNY: closed ON SHORE CLOSED (DOWN) …7.1568
THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE: (YUAN CLOSED (DOWN)…. (7.1652)
TURKISH LIRA: 29.90 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//ON DEATH WATCH
the 10 yr Japanese bond yield at +0.608…VERY DANGEROUS
Your closing 10 yr US bond yield DOWN 5 in basis points from FRIDAY at 3.991% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%) very problematic
USA 30 yr bond yield 4.165 DOWN 4 in basis points ON THE DAY/12.00 PM
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.343 DOWN 5 BASIS PTS.
Your 12:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates: MON
DAY: CLOSING TIME 12:00 PM
London: CLOSED DOWN 18.93 PTS OR .45%
German Dax : CLOSED DOWN 17.55 PTS OR 0.11%
Paris CAC CLOSED DOWN 25.76 PTS OR 0.35%
Spain IBEX CLOSED DOWN 20.10 PTS OR 0.20%
Italian MIB: CLOSED UP 44.45 PTS OR 0.15%
WTI Oil price 73.76 12: EST
Brent Oil: 78.63 12:00 EST
USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE /// AT: 91.31; ROUBLE DOWN 0 AND 6//100
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.1430 UP 2 BASIS PTS
UK 10 YR YIELD: 3.8145 UP 2 BASIS PTS
CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM
Euro vs USA: 1.0956 UP 25 0.0025 OR 25 BASIS POINTS
British Pound: 1.2751 UP .0039 or 39 basis pts
BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD: 3.799% DOWN 4 BASIS PTS//
JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 0.608%
USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 144.15 DOWN 0.156 //YEN UP 16 BASIS PTS//
USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.3354 UP 0.0030 CDN dollar DOWN 30 basis pts)
West Texas intermediate oil: 731.05
Brent OIL: 76.39
USA 10 yr bond yield DOWN 3 BASIS pts to 4.009%
USA 30 yr bond yield DOWN 3 BASIS PTS to 4.149%
USA 2 YR BOND: DOWN 2 PTS AT 4.370%
USA dollar index: 101.98 DOWN 15 BASIS POINTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 29.88 (GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/
USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE: 91.15 UP 0 AND 20/100 roubles
GOLD 2027,25 3:30 PM
SILVER: 23.09 3:30 PM
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: UP 216.80 PTS OR 0.58%
NASDAQ UP 343.90 PTS OR 2.11%
VOLATILITY INDEX: 13.09 DOWN .26 PTS 1.95%
GLD: $187.87 DOWN 1.48 OR 0.78%
SLV/ $21.13 DOWN .08 OR 0.38%
end
USA AFFAIRS
Bitcoin & Big-Tech Burst Higher Amid Bloodbath In Boeing & Black Gold
Tech (and Discretionary) sectors outperformed today while the only red sector was Energy which was hammered as crude crumbled…
Source: Bloomberg
‘Magnificent 7’ stocks soared higher today, erasing 75% of the losses for the year…
Source: Bloomberg
‘Most Shorted’ stocks squeezed hard today, erasing around half of the YTD losses to Friday’s close…
Source: Bloomberg
Retail favorite (meme stocks) rallied hard today…
Source: Bloomberg
The dollar limped lower on the day but held above Friday’s whiplash lows…
Source: Bloomberg
Bitcoin exploded higher today amid growing anticipation of the SEC’s imminent approval of a spot ETF…
Source: Bloomberg
That sent the largest cryptocurrency to its highest since March 2022 – before all the existential crisis (TerraUSD, FTX, 3AC etc) struck…
Source: Bloomberg
And Ethereum underperformed, now at its weakest since April 2021…
Source: Bloomberg
Despite the dollar weakness – and Fed dovishness – spot gold prices declined, but found support at $2020, near the top of the FOMC-day spike…
Source: Bloomberg
But the big news was in black gold as WTI crashed to a $70 handle…
Finally, the ‘good’ news for Biden is that the lower oil prices have pulled the price of Regular Gasoline at the pump to its lowest since May 2021…
Source: Bloomberg
…but that’s still 37% higher than when Biden came into office.
ODAY’S TRADING IN GRAPH FORM
END
MORNING TRADING//
end
AFTERNOON TRADING
TUCKER CARLSON
Tucker Carlson interviews Bret Weinstein….
“The Death Toll Of A Global War”: Bret Weinstein And Tucker Discuss COVID Vaccine, WHO’s Authoritarian Plans For Humanity
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 05:11 AM
Tucker Carlson sat down with evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein (brother of Eric Weinstein), where the two dissected the intricate web of narratives surrounding COVID-19, the pharmaceutical industry, and global shifts in governance and public health policy.
According to Weinstein, opposition to the ‘official’ COVID narratives is like taking on Goliath – with competent and courageous experts in various fields being aggressively censored during the pandemic. This led to the formation of a “Dream Team” of dissenters.
“I call the force that we’re up against Goliath. Goliath made a terrible mistake and made it most egregiously during COVID, which is it took all of the competent people, all of the courageous people, and it shoved them out of the institutions where they were hanging on. And it created in so doing, the Dream Team. It created every player you could possibly want on your team to fight some historic battle against a terrible evil,” he said, suggesting that the Dream Team is uniquely qualified to fight against those who botched the pandemic response with deadly consequences.
Weinstein also discussed the demonization of alternative treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, and suggested that there have been 17 million deaths from the COVID-19 vaccine.
“So I’m not a math genius, but one in eight hundred shots times billions is a lot of people…..17 million deaths from the COVID vaccine?” asked Tucker. “Just for perspective. I mean, that’s like the death toll of a global war.”
To which Weinstein replied: “Yes, absolutely. This is a great tragedy of history. So that proportion. And amazingly there is no way in which it’s over. I mean, we are still apparently recommending these things for healthy children.”
Weinstein and Carlson also discussed what they perceive as a global power shift orchestrated through public health policies. They discussed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) proposed pandemic preparedness plan, expressing concerns over potential overreach and infringement on national sovereignty. Weinstein warned of a “turnkey totalitarian planet,” with the WHO positioned to dictate unprecedented controls over nations and their citizens.
And subscribers to Tuckercarlson.com can watch the entire one hour interviewhere.
II USA DATA
END
III USA ECONOMIC COMMENTARIES
Bipartisan agreement of a 1.66 trillion spending bill to avert shutdown
(zerohedge)
Speaker Johnson Announces $1.66 Trillion Bipartisan Package To Avert Shutdown
SUNDAY, JAN 07, 2024 – 06:05 PM
House Speaker Mike Johnson told colleagues on Sunday that Congressional negotiators have reached a topline spending figure to avert a federal government shutdown on Jan. 19 for some government agencies, and Feb. 2 for others.
According to a Sunday “Dear Colleague” letter, the topline deal – which mostly adheres to a deal reached between the White House and former speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), limits discretionary spending to $1.66 trillion overall. It also secures $16 billion in additional spending cuts vs. the McCarthy deal, and is around $30 billion less than what Senate Democrats wanted.
“This represents the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade,” wrote Johnson, adding “As has been widely reported, a list of extra-statutory adjustments was agreed upon by negotiators last summer. The agreement today achieves key modifications to the June framework that will secure more than $16 billion in additional spending cuts to offset the discretionary spending levels.”
Breaking it down, the deal sets aside $886.3 billion for defense spending, $772.7 billion in domestic discretionary spending, and rescinds $6.1 billion in coronavirus emergency spending authority. The deal also accelerates $20 billion in cuts from the $80 billion IRS funding allocated under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
“The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities,” President Biden’s staff said in a statement assigned to the 81-year-old. “It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring. It rejects deep cuts to programs hard-working families count on, and provides a path to passing full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies.”
House Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a statement in support of the new agreement.
“It will also allow us to keep the investments for hardworking American families secured by the legislative achievements of President Biden and Congressional Democrats,” the pair said. “Finally, we have made clear to Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats will not support including poison pill policy changes in any of the twelve appropriations bills put before the Congress.”
Let’s see if this sticks…
Johnson and the Democrats’ biggest challenge will be House conservatives, who have opposed earlier debt ceiling agreements over a lack of spending offsets.
That said, this agreement is separate from funding for Israel and Ukraine – a growing sticking point among some Republicans.
As Mike Shedlock from MishTalk.com noted on Saturday, many problems remain.
What’s the Real Deadline?
January 19 is less than two weeks away. The real deadline is allegedly February 3.
Since Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is not incessantly yapping over this, I suspect the real deadline is further away.
Republicans can always punt with another “temporary” and “clean” continuing resolution. And that would not surprise me in the least. It would buy everyone time to avoid budget cuts that would kick in on April 30.
But eventually, it will come down to my long-stated beliefs, expressed below.
Expect More of This for More of That
The Republican hard-line House Freedom Caucus won’t accomplish anything because there is not enough of them and they are not even united on what they want.
Some want funding for Israel but that is conveniently lumped with funding for Ukraine which they generally don’t want.
H.R.2 is a nonstarter. As a result, there will be some Republican holdouts who will not vote for whatever Speaker Mike Johnson concocts with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
If any bill passes in the House, it will be with Democrat support. The Freedom Caucus will howl.
The only question is how big this final boondoggle is.
END
IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM
END
FREIGHT ISSUES/USA
END
VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
end
USA// COVID//VACCINE
Anybody who now takes the shot should have their head read
(zerohedge)
The AARP Just Told Its 38 Million Members To Get An 8th (Yes, Eighth!!) Shot Of mRNA
The lobbying group for older Americans just told its nearly 38 million members to “hustle” for another Covid jab, even if they have already had five boosters.
See for yourself. The following question-and-answer column ran in the organization’s December “AARP Bulletin”:
AARP is open to anyone 50 or older.
The column does not specify a narrower or higher age range for its recommendation.
Thus it implies that even a 50-year-old who has not already had six “Covid boosters” needs to “catch up” with another immediately.
Keep in mind that someone who has had “five Covid boosters” has actually received seven mRNA jabs – the initial two-shot primary vaccination regimen, followed by five boosters.
Thus AARP is suggesting its members should be taking their eighth jab of mRNA in the last three years.
Yet scientists have essentially no safety data beyond a third shot, much less a fourth or more, and thus no way of knowing if the risks of repeated mRNA dosing rise with each shot.
AARP’s unbelievably bad advice doesn’t end there.
The column then goes on to tell members that “the most recent shot, which was released in September 2023, isn’t actually a booster. It’s a new vaccine that targets the latest variants.”
A what-now? A new vaccine?
Wow.
Guess it must have gone through the randomized trials that are required in the United States for any new drug or vaccine.
No?
Let’s just call it a new vaccine anyway, since our elderly readers have gotten kinda suspicious of the failure of the Covid shots they’ve already taken.
But the article ends on a happy note: Researchers are even working on a combined COVID-flu vaccine, so a few years from now, a single shot from your doctor or pharmacy may be all you need to protect yourself fully…
If the side effects from the 23 mRNA jabs you’ve taken by then don’t kill you first!
They are starting to pay up for the criminal activity
(ZEROHEDGE)
GWU To Pay $5.4 Million In Covid Lawsuit Over Online-Only Instruction
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 06:50 AM
Many American colleges are suffering from a different kind of “long Covid” — as they’re fighting off breach-of-contract lawsuits for forcing students into online-only instruction in March 2020 as pandemic hysteria swept the nation.
The latest victim of the litigation wave is one of the country’s most expensive schools: George Washington University has agreed to pay $5.4 million to former students who sued the DC institution after it suddenly turned into a glorified version of the University of Phoenix. The school not only nixed almost all in-person instruction, but also banned in-person events and meetings. Tuition alone costs $64,700 for the current academic year at GW. Counting room, board and other expenses, the total estimated cost of attendance is $85,740.Last year, GW dropped its Colonials athletics nickname in favor of “Revolutionaries;” those who are wary of surging campus Marxism shuddered (George Washington University photo)
Four plaintiffs will receive $10,000 each, and the rest of the money will be disbursed as a measly $193 tuition refund for other students who were similarly cheated in the 2020 spring semester. Eligible students can file objections and exclude themselves from the class action suit up until March 11, and thereby retain the power to file suits of their own. They’ll also have an opportunity to make a statement about the settlement’s fairness an an April 2 hearing. Plaintiffs attorneys stand to receive $1.78 million.
The school isn’t contrite. “The proposed Settlement Agreement is not an admission of wrongdoing by GW,” the university said in a notice to students. “GW denies all allegations of wrongdoing and disclaims all liability with regard to all claims in the Lawsuit.” A spokeswoman went even further, saying the school is proud of its rapid move to online-only instruction.
Amusingly, among those cheering on GW’s settlement is one of the school’s very own law professors. John Banzhaf, who’s been called “the king of class action lawsuits,” had warned colleges that they were inviting litigation by fundamentally altering the university experience while charging the same price. As US District Judge Jose Martinez wrote in an October 2020 ruling against Barry University, “This is kind of like purchasing a Cadillac at full price and receiving an Oldsmobile.”
The GW suit was filed in 2020, dismissed by the DC District Circuit in 2021, but revived by the US Court of Appeals in 2022. Meanwhile, hundreds more lawsuits are in flight across the country. As Inside Higher Ed explains…
Most allege that the university defendant breached a contract with its students—either express or implied—by taking tuition and enforcing payment obligations without upholding its end of the “college-experience” bargain, while some add claims for unjust enrichment and conversion as well.
Many were filed in 2020, but others continue sprouting. While a great many schools have a litigation sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, others have already paid a price, with at least one shelling out multiples of what GW is poised to pay. In 2022, Columbia agreed to a $12.5 million settlement, to cover reimbursement for lack of access to the school’s libraries, gyms and other campus assets. Cornell did much better, settling in September for $3 million. Penn is on the hook for $4.5 million. Joe Biden alma mater Delaware will pay $6.3 million.
America’s colleges are bracing for an enrollment cliff that will see a steep decline in high school graduates starting in 2025. With those clouds gathering, paying out millions of well-deserved dollars will be all the more painful for these colleges. The suits will not only benefit collegiate victims of 2020’s madness — they should also incentivize administrators to think twice before mindlessly bending to the guidance of the “public health” establishment.
END
SWAMP STORIES
Hunter Biden Contempt Resolutions Introduced In House
MONDAY, JAN 08, 2024 – 11:00 AM
House Republicans on Monday introduced contempt resolutions against Hunter Biden, recommending that he be held in Contempt of Congress for failing to comply with subpoenas and appear for testimony in front of the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees on Dec. 13.
Hunter, who was handsomely compensated for doing nothing on the board of Ukrainian energy giant Burisma (right before his father strong armed the Ukrainians into firing their chief prosecutor – who was investigating Burisma), skipped out on his closed-door deposition, and instead said he would only appear for public testimony – where questions would be far more limited.
According to the committees, “Biden has violated federal law, and must be held in contempt of Congres.”
The committees said they want to get information from Hunter Biden to determine whether his father, President Joe Biden, was involved in any bribery schemes, abused his positions of political power as president or vice president, or knowingly participated in any scheme to enrich himself or his family, including through contact with foreign entities. –Just the News
Few people expected Hunter to testify in the deposition. The evidence against him is overwhelming, as shown in his second federal indictment on tax charges. He and his uncles were allegedly engaged in one of the largest influence-peddling operations in history involving millions of dollars from various foreign sources. Hunter simply could have done what prior witnesses have done: Go in and take the Fifth. That is what attorney and former IRS official Lois Lerner did — twice — when House Republicans wanted to ask her about the Obama administration targeting conservative groups.
It was a no-brainer that someone appears to have radically over-thought on the Hunter Biden legal team.
Hunter can now be held in contempt of Congress. That will force the hand of Attorney General Merrick Garland, who aggressively pursued Trump figures for contempt, including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. Despite some of us writing to the contrary, Bannon claimed his lawyers told him he did not have to appear before a House committee. He was swiftly charged and convicted by Garland’s prosecutors.
In this instance, the contempt case would go to the U.S. Attorney in D.C., Matthew Graves, who previously declined to assist in bringing tax charges against the president’s son. Yet by pulling a Bannon, Hunter now faces the expectation in many circles that he will get the full Bannon treatment from Garland.
end
THE KING REPORT
The King Report January 8, 2024 Issue 7154
Independent View of the News
On Friday, ESHs traded modestly higher but flat during Nikkei trading. After Japan closed, ESHs commenced a decline that took ESHs from a high of 4736.50 to 4711.25 at 6:36 ET. The rally for the US December Employment Report then commenced.
ESHs rallied to 4724.00 at 8:17 ET. ESHs then plunged to 4702.25 because December NFP was +216k (171k expected), the Unemployment Rate fell to 3.7% (3.8% consensus), and wages increased 0.4% m/m & 4.1% y/y (o.3% m/m & 3.9% y/y expected).
But because Team Obama-Biden has been fudging economic data for a couple years, November and October NFP was revised 71k LOWER! October was revised down by 45k, to +105k, and November was down 26k to +173k. ‘Employed’ (Household Survey) sank by 683k (largest decline since 2020)!
ESHs and USHs, which traded similarly to ESHs, soared after traders recognized the jobs report details were horrid. ESHs went nearly vertical, hitting 4741.00 at 9:34 ET. The USH rally was more muted.
Ironically, Team Obama-Biden’s bogus economic stats might prevent Team Obama-Biden lackeys on the Fed from cutting rates. Yes, Alanis, this is ironic; ‘rain on your wedding day’ is not ironic.
The ESH and USH rallies got second boosters when the December ISM Services Index declined to 50.6 from 52.7. 52.5 was consensus. Services Employment plunged to 43.3 from 50.7; 51.0 was consensus. New Orders sank to 52.8 from 55.5; 56.1 was expected.
@Lavorgnanomics: Excluding the pandemic, ISM services employment is at its lowest level since August 2009. Who said the jobs market is strong? If ISM employment is accurate, simple regression analysis says jobs should be falling around 200k per month. #recession
@Econ_Parker : In the history of the ISM Services Employment index (dating back to 1997) there are only 3 other periods with a larger plunge: Nov ’08: Worst monthly job losses of GFC Feb ’14: Severe winter storms pinched job growth Mar-Apr ’20: Pandemic Lockdowns This certainly bears watching closely, as it is quite unusual for such a move to occur without significant corresponding weakness in job growth / layoffs.https://twitter.com/Econ_Parker/status/1743393021347889579
Establishment Survey Highlights (Summary Table B) Mfg 6k, Construction 17k, Private education & health services 74k, Leisure & hospitality 40k, Govt 52k Dec 2022 Seasonal Adjustment -809k; Dec 2023 Seasonal Adjustment -996k (Table B-1) Dec 2022 Birth/Death Model jobs -37k; Dec 2023 B/D jobs -52k https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cesbd.htm
Household Survey Highlights (Summary Table A) Employed -683k, Civilian Labor Force -676k, Unemployed +6k, Labor Force Participation Rate 62.5% (62.8% prior & expected), Not in Labor Force +864k
@Geiger_Capital: Full-Time Workers: 1.5 million; Part-Time Workers: 762K… A new record high number (8.565m) of Americans are now working multiple jobs to get by. https://t.co/H9XR596uML
@Convertbond: USA Full-Time Jobs, -3 million in six months: Dec: 132.5m, June: 135.8m *BLS employment, Bloomberg data. We have lost more than three million full-time jobs in the USA since June while spending $6.5T ($1.7T deficit spending) annually in Washington. Let that sink in.
@TonyNashNerd: BLS is pulling jobs forward from previous prints to make the current release look good, then revising those previous prints down. Repeat. Every month.
Renowned economist David Rosenberg @EconguyRosie: Time to stop trading off the payroll data. The downward revisions in 2023 totaled an epic 443k. More than 40% of payroll growth in 2023 didn’t even come from the survey but from the fairy-tale ‘Birth-Death’ model.
@charliebilello: The US Unemployment Rate has now been below 4% for 23 straight months, the longest streak since the late 1960s. https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1743266955203666151 (Yet some experts see a half dozen rate cuts on the horizon.)
Bloomberg Markets @markets: A top aide to President Joe Biden said there are growing signs Americans are feeling the strong economic conditions that have been showing up in the data for months, reconciling a disconnect between indicators and surveys of sentiment. (Consumer checkbooks vs Team Biden fraud)
The BLS is changing its methodology for both the Household Survey starting with its January 2024 report that will be released on February 2, 2024. “Effective with the release of The Employment Situation for January 2024 on February 2, 2024, new population controls will be used in the household survey estimation process. These new controls reflect the annual update of population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau…” https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
The BLS: “Effective with the release of The Employment Situation for January 2024 on February 2, 2024, nonfarm payroll employment, hours, and earnings data from the establishment survey will be revised to reflect the annual benchmark process and updated seasonal adjustment factors. Not seasonally adjusted data beginning with April 2022 and seasonally adjusted data beginning with January 2019 are subject to revision…” (New adjustments to jobs data for the upcoming 2024 Election!)
ESHs hit a peak of 4760.25 at 11:16 ET. They then sank to 4721.75 at 13:17 ET. After a rebound to 4745.50 at 14:10 ET, ESHs sank to 4719.75 at 15:32 ET. The late manipulation pushed ESHs to4739.00 at 15:55 ET. ESHs then eased lower into the NYSE close.
USHs hit a high of 123 7/32 at 10:39 ET, +12/32 for the day & +1 30/32 from 121 9/32 low. USHs were 121 30/32 (-1 1/32 for the day) at the NYSE close.
Restaurant owner breaks down how inflation causes him to charge nearly $16 for BLT: ‘It’s incredible’ – The wholesale cost for the popular sandwich is only $5 according to Will, but the need to cover operational expenses is what caused the meal that was once $12.99 three years ago, to become $15.99 today… https://t.co/l0USQzjhbi
December Eurozone CPI rose to 2.9% y/y from 2.4%. Though 2.9% was expected, the rebound in EZ inflation weighed on EZ stocks and ESHs.
Positive aspects of previous session Stocks rallied modestly led by Fangs that rallied moderately
Negative aspects of previous session Bonds declined sharply.
Ambiguous aspects of previous session Is any US economic data issued by the federal government accurate?
First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Up;Last Hour: Up
Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 4700.28 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 4721.49; 4682.11
@BenBradleyTV: United files a flight plan for a potential move of its corporate headquarters from Chicago to Denver. It’s not a done deal; but the airline is clearly keeping its options open.
@stclairashley: Hey @united. On July 29, a United plane was nearly totaled after a hard landing. Who was flying that aircraft? Was the co-pilot a former flight attendant who was FIRED and then rehired through United’s DEI program despite being on a list to not return to United?Am I correct that this individual failed multiple trainings including simulator training? Am I also correct that United has covered up this DEI disaster and many others? Was the #2 at the Denver hiring center also onboarded through DEI? Did she or did she not change fail grades for DEI hires because “it makes the numbers look bad”? Did the instructor who failed this co-pilot ask corporate why they passed him?
Fauci’s returning to Congress — will he continue his COVID coverup? Fauci will sit early next week for two days of depositions to explain his role in funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology, his efforts to debunk the “lab leak” theory, COVID mandates and federal censorship… When Fauci was deposed in late 2022 for the Missouri v. Biden lawsuit on federal censorship, he claimed 174 times “I don’t recall” — including about damning and quite memorable emails he sent… Fauci spearheaded one of the most brazen coverups in recent history. The US government had been financing gain-of-function bat research at the Wuhan Institute… https://nypost.com/2024/01/04/opinion/faucis-returning-to-congress-will-he-continue-his-covid-coverup/
@rawsalerts on Friday: North Korea has fired over 200 artillery shells near South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island,prompting immediate evacuation orders. Residents, numbering roughly 2,000 people living on the island, have been instructed to seek shelter.
@BloombergAsia: US intelligence indicates that Xi Jinping’s military purge came amid widespread corruption that undermined his efforts to modernize China’s armed forces
Chinese shadow bank Zhongzhi files for bankruptcy The worsening woes at Zhongzhi, a major player in China’s $3 trillion shadow banking sector — roughly the size of the French economy — add to worries that the country’s property debt crisis is spilling over into the broader financial sector. The company, which has sizable exposure to China’s real estate sector, apologized to its investors in a letter in November that said it was heavily insolvent with up to $64 billion in liabilities… https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/business/chinese-shadow-bank-zhongzhi-bankrupcty/index.html
FAA temporarily grounds all Boeing 737 MAX 9s after panel blew off Alaska Airlines flighthttps://trib.al/K8GILm6
Speaker Johnson and Dem Sen Schumer have negotiated a ‘topline’ $1.66T spending (FY 2024) deal that would avert a January 20 government shutdown. GOP House conservatives are livid with the sellout.
Today – Traders will play or the Monday Rally. Bulls will be emboldened because stocks are oversold on a trading basis and there is no economic news due until December CPI is released on Thursday.
ESHs are +5.50; USHs are -6/32; and Feb AU is +2.40 at 20:03 ET. Atlanta Fed Pres Bostic at 12:00 ET
S&P Index 50-day MA: 4540; 100-day MA: 4458; 150-day MA: 4453; 200-day MA: 4369 DJIA 50-day MA: 35,640; 100-day MA: 34,866; 150-day MA: 34,760; 200-day MA: 34,405 (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 4494.54 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender and MACD are negative – a close above 4783.04 triggers a buy signal Hourly: Trender and MACD are negative – a close above 4720.96 triggers a buy signal
@ABC: The U.S. Supreme Court said it would consider the appeal of former Pres. Trump’s disqualification from the Colorado GOP primary ballot. The court set oral arguments for… Feb. 8.
Trump will appear on Colorado primary ballot, state official confirms Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold on Friday confirmed that former President Donald Trump will appear on the Republican primary ballot after the Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal of a Colorado Supreme Court ruling disqualifying him. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/trump-will-appear-colorado-primary-ballot-state-official-confirms
@JonathanTurley: Dozens of Democratic members have already called for the disqualification of up to 126 Republican colleagues under the same sweeping theory used against Trump. These efforts could easily place this country on a slippery slope to political chaos. https://t.co/LJiIm56WUa
Gov. Ron DeSantis Threatens to Remove Joe Biden from Florida Election Ballot https://t.co/Ca9mdfW3dS
Missouri official threatens to remove Biden from 2024 presidential ballot in retaliation for Trump https://t.co/xgJ9Ghaio5
WaPo: Obama, worried about Trump, urges Biden circle to bolster campaign – shared his thoughts about the reelection campaign during a private lunch with Biden at the White House… Obama grew “animated” in discussing the 2024 election and former president Donald Trump’s potential return to power… https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/06/obama-biden-meeting-campaign-2024/
How Obama held secret lunch meeting with Biden to urge him to be ‘more aggressive’ – as he ‘fears Trump is more formidable’ than president realizes https://t.co/G183FV2C9p
Obama is extremely anxious and troubled because Trump has vowed to get those that have wronged him – and Team Obama will be at the top of his list.
US lawyer for Burisma retroactively registers as a foreign agent as impeachment inquiry escalates The law firm’s registration confirms key parts of the story of Viktor Shokin’s ouster, including that there was an active investigation into Burisma by the Ukrainian government. At this time, first son Hunter Biden served on the Burisma board and worked with American firm Blue Star Strategies to “close down” the investigation into the company. Biden’s involvement in these efforts have raised questions about whether he violated FARA by his actions… https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/lawyer-burisma-retroactively-registers-foreign-agent-impeachment
@wendyp4545: The reason why they refuse to charge Hunter on a FARA violation is because it will pull Obama, Joe Biden along with john Kerry’s step son Chris and Devon Archer into the earliest of Hunter’s foreign deals with China that Obama’s administration approved.
The same Team Obama-Biden geniuses that had The Big Guy trumpet and run on ‘Bidenomics’ have now pivoted to running on January 6 fear mongering. It’s a transparent diversion from Joe’s pitiful record.
@TelegraphNews: Biden warns US democracy could fall if Trump returns to White House
@Oilfield_Rando: The Democrat strategy going into 2024 is to remind their voters that burning hatred for Republicans is more important than all the destruction being caused by Democrats.
Biden calls Trump ‘loser’ fairy-tale villain — while likening self to George Washington Speaking near Washington’s 1777-1778 winter encampment at Valley Forge outside Philadelphia, Biden went scorched earth on both the likely Republican nominee and his allies in Congress, claiming the latter group “abandoned democracy” after “we nearly lost America” during the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021… Biden tore into Trump repeatedly during the roughly half-hour speech — accusing his predecessor of intentionally using the violence of the Capitol riot as a tactic to remain in power and even likening his rival — not for the first time — to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler… Trump fired back, telling Fox News Digital that “because of his gross incompetence, Joe Biden is a true threat to democracy.” “This is not a time for us to have a mentally challenged president,” the former president said, adding that “the only insurrection is the insurrection that is taking place at our border where he is allowing millions of people from parts unknown to invade our country at a level far worse than even a military invasion.”… “The protection and preservation of American democracy will remain as it has been the central cause of my presidency,” Biden went on before turning his wrath on Trump’s allies in Congress… https://nypost.com/2024/01/05/news/biden-calls-trump-loser-fairy-tale-villain-likens-self-to-george-washington/
@charliekirk11: Joe Biden brags in his J6 doomer speech that his DOJ has targeted 1,200 J6ers, convicted 900, and sentenced them to 840 years in prison. He wants his political opponents afraid this can happen to them too. What a sick man. https://t.co/7Hq75IGrYw
@RNCResearch: BIDEN (whose party is attempting to remove President Trump from the ballot): “We must be clear: democracy is on the ballot!”https://t.co/9QsEbbVxfS
@RichardGrenell: When Democrats say “threat to Democracy” they mean “threat to Democrats. Everyone knows this…
@RNCResearch: Biden, after an angry speech on “democracy,” comes back to yell, “I UNDERSTAND POWER!“https://t.co/c9UxB7KDuN GOP Sen. @TomCottonAR: Biden is trying to throw his opponent in prison, his DOJ is targeting Catholics & concerned parents, and his allies are trying to take Trump off the ballot. Yet he’s lecturing us that “democracy is at stake” in 2024. Audacious!
@ggreenwald: It’s obviously a sign of desperation when a politician is reduced to screaming “My Opponent is a Nazi!” this way — US discourse is now a big fight over who is Hitler — but it’s extra bizarre coming from someone who spent 2 years arming Nazi battalions: Joe Biden is so deeply and passionately devoted to the urgency of Democracy that he’s doing everything possible to imprison his leading opponent, criminalize his movement, and (as federal courts found) censor the internet. But his anti-democratic measures are to save Democracy.
@charliekirk11: Law professor Jonathan Turley eviscerates Biden’s “Democracy is on the ballot” farce: “His own party is trying to strip ballots of Donald Trump’s name, to prevent people who want to vote for what appears to be the leading candidate for the presidency.” “When he talks about the freedom of speech, that the Biden Administration is the most anti-free speech administration since John Adams. His administration has carried out what a federal court called an Orwellian censorship program with the help of social media companies.” https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1743393666662838632
Nice save, Jill! First lady rushed to embrace zoned-out Biden, 81, after he finished speech, then went into trance-like state on-stage Joe Biden, 81, seemed zoned-out at the conclusion of his first campaign speech of 2024 on Friday night at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania After finishing his speech, Biden turned to leave the stage, only to be intercepted by his wife, first lady Jill Biden who rushed up to him Jill Biden then attempted to guide her husband off the stage only for him to unexpectedly turned back to the crowd and resume speaking… https://t.co/JFpt4auCXV
GOP Sen. @BasedMikeLee: Biden loves democracy so much he’s willing to prosecute and seek to disqualify his principal opponent. Is that what he means when he says “I UNDERSTAND POWER”?
@RNCResearch: After two weeks of vacation and a 32-minute speech, Biden is back in Delaware for a weekend respite. He was VERY confused upon landing. https://t.co/OLi8EqBeqD
Biden mocked for appearing confused after anti-Trump speech: ‘Lost again’ https://t.co/KhUYnCwrVD
Joe Biden campaign volunteers are quitting in “droves” – A group of Biden’s reelection campaign staff said in a letter that volunteers are upset with his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
@NvrBackDown24: Trump, who is not a resident of Iowa, says he will participate in the caucus and his staff will teach him how. The Trump campaign previously claimed this type of activity was fraudulent.
Democrats’ star J6 witness waived attorney privilege, opening door for GOP inquiry, memos show Congressional Republicans looking into Cassidy Hutchinson’s key testimony to J6 committee’s final reports now have evidence she changed her story midway through the probe… “Cassidy Hutchinson tried to explain her dramatic changes in testimony by blaming her initial lawyer Stefan Passantino. Our discovery of Cassidy’s errata sheet showing just how substantially her story changed, raises serious concerns about her credibility. Until now, her version of the story was the only one,”… https://justthenews.com/government/congress/satdemocrats-star-j6-witness-waived-attorney-privilege-opening-door-gop-inquiry
@ABC: Nikki Haley said she was joking when she commented to a New Hampshire crowd that they would have an opportunity to “correct” the results of the Iowa caucuses. https://t.co/EINsx7dhRF
@DeSantisWarRoom: “I never once said Hillary Clinton was an inspiration,” Nikki Haley told a group of Iowans this morning. The problem? Haley has repeatedly said Hillary Clinton inspired her to run for office. ROLL THE TAPE. https://t.co/DznhPgIZ8z
@AnnCoulter: Haley’s ACTUAL defense of forgetting to mention slavery as a cause of the Civil War: “I had black friends growing up.” It’s almost as if donors want someone they can control, not someone who is remotely qualified to be student council president.
@SonofHas: Potentially brutal gaffe by @NikkiHaley: “The structure of [the primary] is really amazing. Iowa starts it. YOU CHANGE PERSONALITIES, you go into New Hampshire.”…You change personalities??? https://t.co/B2BcoowwuU
@JayneZirkle: President Trump Doesn’t Hold Back on Nikki Haley In Iowa: “She opposed my Border Wall, she condemned my strong border policies, and in 2016, she stabbed the Republican Party in the back by siding with Barack Obama against the Trump Travel Ban.”
@DeSantisWarRoom: Nikki Haley tells Iowans who felt insulted by her comments to take a chill pill: “That’s the problem with politics — people take it all so seriously.” https://t.co/W0bRiG9gTW
Nikkie Haley appears to be Kamala Harris without the cackling and juvenile giggling.
Epstein allegedly invoked 5th Amendment 500 times during deposition, skirted questions about Clintonhttps://t.co/XKWLCWEdls
Now HILLARY Clinton is named in Epstein papers, as Virginia Roberts-Giuffre’s lawyers suggest her and Bill’s foundation may have bankrolled Ghislaine Maxwellhttps://t.co/ZjT8CyDoLh
@toddstarnes: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized for complications from an elective medical procedure since New Year’s Day. The Pentagon kept that information secret — until late Friday night. Why the secrecy?
@ckubeNBC: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was in the intensive care unit while hospitalized this week. Deputy Secretary Hicks assumed his duties while she was vacationing in Puerto Rico. https://t.co/OvzDidVzWX
GOP Rep. @michaelgwaltz: If the Secretary of Defense is hospitalized the military chain-of-command needs to know, especially with heightened tensions in the Middle East. For weeks American sailors & service members have been attacked by Iran-backed proxies. Who was providing authorization for strikes and communicating orders from the president? Key authorities are delegated from the President only to the SecDef. Were those authorities passed on?… Why, upon receiving this authority from Austin, did Deputy Secretary Hicks not come back immediately from Puerto Rico? Did the President know she was there? Did the combatant commanders and the service secretaries know there was a new chain of command?…
DOD second in command told of Austin’s hospitalization 2 days after taking over some of his duties https://t.co/FFs6AgC5HV
@ChayaRaichik10: This is a pretty insane scandal. The Secretary of Defense was out of commission laying in a hospital and nobody at the DOD knew.He instructed his staff to lie and say he was working from home. What is he hiding? What if something critical had happened during that time?…
What else is not being conveyed to The Big Guy and why? Is Obama being informed?
@AnnCoulter: No one would be defending the Jan 6 riot if it hadn’t been preceded by 8 months of BLM & antifa burning down the country without consequence.
Black voters in Chicago vow to flip city red over migrant, crime crises: ‘Time for us to make a change’https://t.co/0YQjXxoHHy
@TonyClimate: I’m not interested in generic excuses for data tampering. I want to hear specific details about how @NOAA determined they should alter the data at tens of thousands of individual thermometers. This fraud is not science – it is propaganda designed to mislead the public. https://twitter.com/TonyClimate/status/1743669825317294486
@libsoftiktok: Remember when a mentally ill dude shot up a school in Iowa and then he turned out to be trans and the story disappeared?
@BillAckman: I guess @MIT Chairman Gorenberg did not like it when I outed him for apparent tax fraud using @MIT’s donor advised fund. By doing so, he put at risk MIT’s tax-exempt status. The mainstream media failed to report on the thread below. They might want to take a closer look now… https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1743445041362649342?s=02
@WSJ: Elon Musk’s use of drugs—including LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms and ketamine—has made some Tesla and SpaceX leaders worry about potential risk to his companies. https://on.wsj.com/48IxIkf
Renowned geopolitical and financial cycle expert Charles Nenner has been warning of a huge war cycle that happens every 120 years or so. With Tiawan/China and Russia/Ukraine and Israel and the Middle East conflicts, we are clearly in this huge war cycle. Nenner also says we are simultaneously entering a huge financial down cycle that could easily turn into the Greatest Depression–ever. Neither of these cycles can be stopped. Nenner explains, “The problem is everywhere. You may remember we said 10 years ago that the biggest problem for the United States is going to be internal. There is a huge problem. Nobody knows what to do anymore, and people are afraid to speak up. . . . History says if you are not allowed to say certain things, then you stop thinking certain things. This is what is written in the book ‘1984.’ . . . . So, this is the end of what is going on in the United States. I think America is lost, but it is not a surprise. The Dutch ruled for 250 years, and then the Spanish, Portuguese came, and then the English came. Every big society ends, more or less, after 250 years, and now it’s the United States. . . . People are talking about new systems. They think Marxism is good, but it did not work because the people who did it before made mistakes. If you don’t wake up, this is what you are going to get, and that is a communist Marxist situation.”
So, is there nothing that can be done to save America? Nenner says, “The cycle is turning down, and people ask is there anything you can do? You cannot do anything about it. The question is what can you do? You have summer and then you have winter . . . if you know winter comes after summer, you can buy a coat. I have predicted all these war situations, and out of the blue they are here. There is nothing you can do about it.”
Where does Donald Trump fit in? Nenner says, “Trump is going to be the winter coat. I think he can make it less bad. If this continues the way it is, then we are going downhill very fast. I think Trump is coming back.”
Nenner says interest rates are not going down until summer. He likes gold longer term, but it has not bottomed yet. The stock market is in for at least a 30% fall in the next few months, and the country will fall into a deep recession after the halfway point in 2024. Yes, it could turn into the greatest depression ever because there is astronomical debt. Nenner thinks the wild card is a multifront war that has already started. Be warned as Nenner thinks it can spin out of control at any time. War gets much worse before it gets better. Nenner also is warning about a huge wave of terrorism coming to America with the wide-open southern border.
There is much more in the 45-minute interview.
Join Greg Hunter of USAWatchdog.com as he goes One-on-One with renowned cycle analyst and financial expert Charles Nenner for 1.06.24.
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