GOLD PRICE CLOSED UP $11.70 TO $2003.70

SILVER PRICE UP 56 CENTS TO $22.90

Gold ACCESS CLOSED 1990.45

Silver ACCESS CLOSED: 22.33

this week is China’s golden week so physical demand will be slow. It will dramatically pick up starting tomorrow Friday.

Bitcoin morning price:, 52,261 UP 456 DOLLARS

Bitcoin: afternoon price: $51,803 UP 6 dollars

Platinum price closing $892.40 UP $17.95

Palladium price; $940.00 UP $78.10

END

SHANGHAI GOLD PREMIUM 78 DOLLARS/COMEX GOLD

SHANGHAI GOLD (USD) FUTURES – QUOTES

Last Updated 15 Feb 2024 09:14:12 AM CT

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.

Last Updated 15 Feb 2024 09:14:11 AM CT.

Market data is delayed by at least 10 minutes.

MONTH	LAST	CHANGE	PRIOR SETTLE	OPEN	HIGH	LOW	UPDATED
FEB 2024 SGUG4	–	–	2075.2	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
MAR 2024 SGUH4	–	–	2085.7	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
APR 2024 SGUJ4	–	–	2085.6	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
MAY 2024 SGUK4	–	–	–	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
JUN 2024 SGUM4	–	–	2097.2	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
AUG 2024 SGUQ4	–	–	2097.8	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
OCT 2024 SGUV4	–	–	2098.4	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
DEC 2024 SGUZ4	–	–	2099.0	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024
FEB 2025 SGUG5	–	–	–	–	–	–	08:50:01 CT 15 Feb 2024

About this Report

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

4: 15 PM ACCESS

*CANADIAN GOLD: $2,699.40 UP 3.90 CDN dollars per oz( * NEW ALL TIME HIGH 2,795.90 CDN DOLLARS PER OZ//DEC 1 2023)

*BRITISH GOLD: 1590,90 UP 4.67 pounds per oz// *(NEW ALL TIME HIGH//CLOSING///1655.17 BRITISH POUNDS/OZ) OCT 2/2023

*EURO GOLD: 1860.91 UP 5.20 euros per oz //* (ALL TIME CLOSING HIGH: 1903.75 EUROS PER OZ//DEC 1.2023)

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EXCHANGE: COMEX

EXCHANGE: COMEX
CONTRACT: FEBRUARY 2024 COMEX 100 GOLD FUTURES
SETTLEMENT: 1,992.900000000 USD
INTENT DATE: 02/13/2024 DELIVERY DATE: 02/15/2024
FIRM ORG FIRM NAME ISSUED STOPPED

167 C MAREX 1
363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 33
435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 3
624 H BOFA SECURITIES 215
657 C MORGAN STANLEY 2
661 C JP MORGAN 12 5
686 C STONEX FINANCIA 3
690 C ABN AMRO 3 7
737 C ADVANTAGE 4
880 H CITIGROUP 96
905 C ADM 5
991 H CME 77

TOTAL: 233 233
MONTH TO DATE: 16,760

JPMorgan stopped 1285/1638 contracts.

FOR FEB.:

GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR FEB/2024. CONTRACT: 1638 NOTICES FOR 163,800 OZ or 5.0949 TNNES

total notices so far: 18,398 contracts for 1,839,800 Oz (57.225 tonnes)

FOR FEBRUARY:

SILVER NOTICES 0 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR nil OZ/

total number of notices filed so far this month : 1066 for 5,330,000 oz

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END

BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES//THEY ARE NOW RAIDING GLD AND SLV FOR PHYSICAL

GLD

WITH GOLD UP $11.70//

INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD/ : HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A MASSISVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.88 TONNES

INVENTORY RESTS AT 839.04 TONNES

SLV//

WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER UP 56 CENTS AT THE SLV//

SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV AGAIN: A WITHDRAWAL OF 457,000 OZ FROM THE SLV/

INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.

CLOSING INVENTORY: 437.158 MILLION OZ

Let us have a look at the data for today

SILVER//OUTLINE

SILVER COMEX OI FELL BY A STRONG SIZED 795 CONTRACTS TO 151,749 AND FURTHER FROM THE RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020 AND THIS FAIR SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR GAIN OF $0.24 IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX ON WEDNESDAY. WE HAD ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION AT THE COMEX SESSION AND SOME SHORT COVERING AS THE OPEN INTEREST ROSE. WE HAD A HUMONGOUS 998 T.A.S ISSUANCE AND THESE WILL BE USED FOR MANIPULATION LATER THIS MONTH/AS WELL AS TODAY. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CROOKS NEED A HIGHER SILVER T.A.S. TO CARRY ON THEIR CROOKED MANIPULATION.

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 WEDNESDAY NIGHT: 998 CONTRACTS. DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THE CROOKS HAVE VIOLATED POSITION LIMITS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TAS ISSUED HAVE A VALUE OF ZERO (AS TO POSITION LIMITS FOR OUR CROOKED BANKERS). THE PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THAT THE CROOKS DO NOT LIQUIDATE THE TAS TOGETHER BUT SELL THE BUY SIDE FIRST AND THEN LIQUIDATE THE SELL SIDE TWO MONTHS HENCE. IT IS OBVIOUS MANIPULATION TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE BUT IT NATURALLY FELL ON DEAF EARS WITH OUR REGULATORS (OCC) WHEN THEY RECEIVED OUR COMPLAINTS. IT THUS LOOKS LIKE THE FED (GOV’T) IS BEHIND ALL OF THESE TRADES.

WE HAVE NOW SET ANOTHER RECORD LOW AT 114,102 CONTRACTS ///JULY 3.2023// OUR BANKERS WITH THE HELP OF SPECULATORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY TRADERS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT ROSE BY $0.24), AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SILVER LONGS AS WE HAD A TINY SIZED GAIN OF 40 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.

WE MUST HAVE HAD:

A VERY STRONG SIZED 835 ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 3.535 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE) ACCOMPANYING A STRANGE 89 CONTRACT ISSUANCE FOR EX. FOR RISK FOR 445,000 OZ ON FIRST DAY NOTICE/ FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 10,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP //NEW TOTAL RISES TO; 6.98 MILLION OZ

//NEW STANDING FOR SILVER IS THUS 6.97 MILLION OZ

/ HUGE SIZED COMEX OI GAIN/STRONG SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI) HUMONGOUS SIZED NUMBER OF T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 4237 CONTRACTS)/

I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL -REMOVED 298 CONTRACTS //

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

TOTAL CONTRACTS for 11 days, total 6000 contracts: OR 30.000 MILLION OZ (545 CONTRACTS PER DAY)

TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR: 30.00 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 : 78.655 MILLION OZ//

FEB /2024 : 30.000 MILLION OZ.

RESULT: WE HAD A GOOD SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 795 CONTRACTS WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX//WEDNESDAY.,. THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A STRONG EFP ISSUANCE CONTRACTS: 835 ISSUED FOR MARCH 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 FEB. OF 3.535 MILLION OZ ACCOMPANIED BY FIRST DAY NOTICE OF 445,000 OZ EX. FOR RISK FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 10,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP //NEW TOTAL REMAINS THE SAME AT 6.98 MILLION OZ

NEW STANDING 6.98 MILLION OZ /// WE HAVE A HUMONGOUS GAIN OF 998 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES WITH THE GAIN IN PRICE. THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY: A HUMONGOUS SIZED 998 CONTRACTS//HUGE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED DURING THE WEDNESDAY COMEX SESSION/// WITH LITTLE SHORT COVERING FROM OUR SPEC SHORTS (OPEN INTEREST ROSE) . THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT (988) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE//PROBABLY TODAY., .

WE HAD 0 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR nil 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 1640 CONTRACTS TO 419,084 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 88 CONTRACTS

WE HAD A FAIR SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI ( 1640 CONTRACTS) WITH OUR $2.75 LOSS IN PRICE//WEDNESDAY. WE ALSO HAD A RATHER LARGE INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR FEB. AT 49.773 TONNES ON FIRST DAY NOTICE ACCOMPANIED BY FIRST DAY NOTICE : 55,400 OZ EX. FOR RISK //THUS INITIAL STANDING FOR FEB: 51.494 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S MONSTER 170,600 OZ QUEUE JUMP //NEW TOTAL OF GOLD STANDING: 60.093 TONNES // ALL OF THIS HAPPENED DESPITE OUR $2.75 LOSS IN PRICE WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 3793 OI CONTRACTS (11.797) PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.

E.F.P. ISSUANCE

THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A STRONG SIZED 5433 CONTRACTS:

The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 419,172

IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A FAIR SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 3793 CONTRACTS WITH 1640 CONTRACTS DECREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A STRONG SIZED 5,433 EFP OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 3705 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED): A STRONG SIZED 3103 CONTRACTS.

CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES

WE HAD A STRONG SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (5433 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE FAIR SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI (1640) //TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 3705 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 FEB. AT 49.773 TONNES PLUS FIRST DAY NOTICE OF 1.723 TONNE OZ EX. FOR RISK FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 170,600 OZ QUEUE JUMP //NEW STANDING 60.093 TONNES. / 3) ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION // 4) FAIR SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST LOSS/ 5) STRONG ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///6: GOOD T.A.S. ISSUANCE: 3103 CONTRACTS

HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023-2024 INCLUDING TODAY

FEB.

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

TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 39,744 CONTRACTS OR 3,974,400 OZ OR 123.62 TONNES IN 11 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 3613 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS : THIS MONTH IN 11 TRADING DAY(S) IN TONNES 123.62 TONNES

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

THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS 123.62/3550 x 100% TONNES 3.48% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION

ACCUMULATION OF GOLD EFP’S YEAR 2021 TO 2023

JANUARY/2021: 265.26 TONNES (RAPIDLY INCREASING AGAIN)

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

MARCH:. 276.50 TONNES (STRONG AGAIN/

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

MAY: 250.15 TONNES (NOW DRAMATICALLY INCREASING AGAIN)

JUNE: 247.54 TONNES (FINAL)

JULY: 188.73 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST: 217.89 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE.

SEPT 142.12 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE ( LOW ISSUANCE)_

OCT: 141.13 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE (LOW ISSUANCE)

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

DEC. 175.62 TONNES//FINAL ISSUANCE//

TOTALS: 2,578.08 TONNES/2021

JAN:2022 247.25 TONNES //FINAL

FEB: 196.04 TONNES//FINAL

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

APRIL: 169.55 TONNES (FINAL VERY LOW ISSUANCE MONTH)

MAY: 247.44 TONNES FINAL//

JUNE: 238.13 TONNES FINAL

JULY: 378.43 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST: 180.81 TONNES FINAL

SEPT. 193.16 TONNES FINAL

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

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

DEC: 185.59 tonnes // FINAL

TOTAL: 2,847,25 TONNES/2022

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

FEB: 151.61 TONNES/FINAL

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

APRIL: 197.42 TONNES

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

JUNE: 172.667 TONNES (WEAKER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)

JULY: 151.69 TONNES (WEAKER THAN LAST MONTH)

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

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

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

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

DEC. 213.704 TONNES. A STRONG MONTH//

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

JAN ’24: 291.76 TONNES (WILL BE MUCH GREATER THAN LAST MONTH.//3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EX FOR PHYSICAL)

FEB’24: 123.62 TONNES (SHOULD BE A WEAKER ISSUANCE MONTH)

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 FEB. 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 GOOD SIZED 795 CONTRACTS OI TO 152,047 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 835 CONTRACTS

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

MARCH 835 and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 835 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 795 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 835 OI TRANSFERRED TO LONDON THROUGH EFP’S,

WE OBTAIN A TINY GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 40 CONTRACTS

THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES TOTAL 0.20 MILLION OZ

OCCURRED DESPITE OUR $.24 GAIN IN PRICE …..

END

OUTLINE FOR TODAY’S COMMENTARY

1a/COMEX GOLD AND SILVER REPORT

(report Harvey)

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

(Peter Schiff)

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

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

b. Other gold/silver commentaries

c. Commodity commentaries//

d)/CRYPTOCURRENCIES/BITCOIN ETC

2.ASIAN AFFAIRS//

THURSDAY MORNING/WEDNESDAY NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED XXX //Hang Seng CLOSED XXX /The Nikkei CLOSED UP 454.62 PTS OR 1.21% //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 0.79% /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed XXXX

//OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED UP TO 7.2188 /Oil DOWN TO 76.04 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 81.08/ Stocks in Europe OPENED ALL GREEN// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING XXXX LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING XXXXX AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE STRONGER

A)NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

outline

b) REPORT ON JAPAN/
OUTLINE

3 CHINA
OUTLINE

4/EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE

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

7. OIL ISSUES
OUTLINE

8 EMERGING MARKET ISSUES
9. USA

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

GOLD

LET US BEGIN:

THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR SIZED 1640 CONTRACTS TO 419,172 WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF $2.75 WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY TRADING.

EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE

WE ARE NOW IN THE ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEB..… 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 5433 EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: : APRIL 5433 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:

TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 5433 CONTRACTS

ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A FAIR SIZED TOTAL OF 3793 CONTRACTS IN THAT 5433 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 3793 COMEX CONTRACTS..AND THIS GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED DESPITE OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF $2.75 WEDNESDAY 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 WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAS A GOOD SIZED 3103 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/T.A.S. SPREAD WHICH WILL BE LIQUIDATED IN DAYS HENCE//.

// WE HAVE A STRONG AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING: FEB (60.093 TONNES) ( ACTIVE MONTH)

HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT STOOD FOR DELIVERY IN THE PRECEDING 24 MONTHS OF 2021-2023:

DEC 2021: 112.217 TONNES

NOV. 8.074 TONNES

OCT. 57.707 TONNES

SEPT: 11.9160 TONNES

AUGUST: 80.489 TONNES

JULY: 7.2814 TONNES

JUNE: 72.289 TONNES

MAY 5.77 TONNES

APRIL 95.331 TONNES

MARCH 30.205 TONNES

FEB ’21. 113.424 TONNES

JAN ’21: 6.500 TONNES.

TOTAL YEAR 2021 (JAN- DEC): 601.213 TONNES

YEAR 2022:

JANUARY 2022 17.79 TONNES

FEB 2022: 59.023 TONNES

MARCH: 36.678 TONNES

APRIL: 85.340 TONNES FINAL.

MAY: 20.11 TONNES FINAL

JUNE: 74.933 TONNES FINAL

JULY 29.987 TONNES FINAL

AUGUST:104.979 TONNES//FINAL

SEPT. 38.1158 TONNES

OCT: 77.390 TONNES/ FINAL

NOV 27.110 TONNES/FINAL

Dec. 64.000 tonnes

(TOTAL YEAR 656.076 TONNES)

2023:

JAN/2023: 20.559 tonnes

FEB 2023: 47.744 tonnes

MAR: 19.0637 TONNES

APRIL: 75.676 tonnes

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

JUNE: 64.354 TONNES

JULY: 10.2861 TONNES

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

SEPT: 15.281 TONNES FINAL

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

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

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

TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES

JAN ’24. 22.706 TONNES

FEB. ’24: 60.093 TONNES (INCLUDES 1.723 TONNES EX. FOR RISK)

THE SPECS/HFT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT LOST $2.75 //// BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SPECULATOR LONGS AS WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 3,793 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES. WE HAD A STRONG T.A.S. LIQUIDATION ON THE FRONT END OF WEDNESDAY’S TRADING . THE T.A.S. ISSUED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WILL BE “PUT INTO THE BANK” TO BE USED AT A LATER DATE AT THE COLLUSIVE CHOOSING OF OUR BANKERS.

WE HAVE GAINED A TOTAL OI OF 11.524 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR FEB. (49.773 TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE ALONG WITH AN EXCHANGE FOR RISK FOR 1.7235 TONNES. THIS WAS FOLLOWED WITH TODAY’S 170,600 OZ QUEUE JUMP (5.306 TONNES//NEW TOTAL STANDING 60.093: ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE TO THE TUNE OF $2.75

WE HAD -REMOVED 88 CONTRACTS TO THE COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)

NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 3793 CONTRACTS OR 379,300 OZ OR 11.797 TONNES.
estimated volume today 203,755 fair

final gold volumes/yesterday 210,643 fair

//speculators have left the gold arena

FEB 15 INITIAL FEB GOLD

/ /// THE FEB 2024 GOLD CONTRACT

Gold	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers* Inventory in oz*	nil
Withdrawals from Customer* Inventory in oz*	482.265 oz JPMorgan 15 KILOBARS .
Deposit to the Dealer* Inventory in oz*	nil oz
Deposits to the Customer* Inventory, in oz*	nil
No of oz served (contracts) today	1638 notice(s) 163,800 OZ 5.0949 TONNES
No of oz to be served (notices)	368 contracts 36,800 oz 1.144 TONNES
Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month	18,398 notices 1,839,800 oz 57.225 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 deposits:

total dealer deposits: nil oz

total customer withdrawals: 1

i) Out of JPMorgan: 482.265 oz (15 kilobars)

we had 0 customer deposits

Adjustments: 3 dealer to customer

a) Out of Brinks 1,060.983 oz

b) Out of JPMorgan 10,513.377 oz

c) Out of Manfra 964.53 oz

CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR FEB.

For the front month of FEBRUARY we have an oi of 2006 contracts having GAINED 1493 contracts. We had 213 notices filed on Wednesday, so we gained 1706 contracts or an additional 170,600 oz will stand for delivery at the comex as they took delivery at the comex

We also had 554 notices filed under exchange for risk on first day notice for a total of 55,400 oz or 1.723 tonnes to which must be added to the delivery cycle.

Thus initial standing for gold for February is 50.136 tonnes + 1.723 tonnes = 51.859 tonnes. This was followed with today’s queue jump of 170,600 oz for 5.306 tonnes//New standing 58.37 tonnes + 1.723 tonnes = 60.093 TONNES

March gained 421 contracts to stand at 2640

APRIL lost 5000 CONTRACTS FALLING TO 331,615.

We had 1638 contracts filed for today representing 163,800 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 1638 contract(s) of which 0 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 1283 notice(s) was (were) stopped ( (received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account

To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for the FEB. /2024. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (18,398 x 100 oz ), to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB. (2006 CONTRACTS) minus the number of notices served upon today 1638 x 100 oz per contract equals 1,876,600 OZ OR 58.37 TONNES + 1.723 Ex for Risk/prior = 60.093 tonnes

thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the FEB. contract month: No of notices filed so far (18,398) x 100 oz + (2006) {OI for the front month} minus the number of notices served upon today (1638) x 100 oz which equals 1,876,600 oz (58.37 TONNES) + 54,400 oz (1.723 TONNES) ex. for risk/prior// NEW total standing OR 60.093 TONNES

TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR FEB: 60.093 TONNES WHICH IS GREAT FOR AN ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

COMEX GOLD INVENTORIES/CLASSIFICATION

NEW PLEDGED GOLD:

241,794.285 oz NOW PLEDGED /HSBC 5.94 TONNES

204,937.290 PLEDGED MANFRA 3.08 TONNES

83,657.582 PLEDGED JPMorgan no 1 1.690 tonnes

265,999.054, oz JPM No 2

1,152,376.639 oz pledged Brinks/

Manfra: 33,758.550 oz

Delaware: 193.721 oz

International Delaware:: 11,188.542 oz

total pledged gold: 1,401,068.091 43.579 tonnes

TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD: 18,470,354.669 OZ

TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 8,629,232.026 (268.40 tonnes).

TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 9,841,122.643 OZ

REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 7,228,164 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD) 224.82 tonnes

END

SILVER/COMEX

FEB 15/INITIAL

//2024// THE FEB 2024 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL

Silver	Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers* Inventory*	NIL oz
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory	1,187,152.400oz Asahi CNT Delaware .
Deposits to the Dealer* Inventory*	nil OZ
Deposits to the Customer Inventory	613,437.300 oz Asahi Delaware
No of oz served today (contracts)	0 CONTRACT(S) (nil OZ)
No of oz to be served (notices)	241 contracts (1,205,000 oz)
Total monthly oz silver served (contracts)	1066 Contracts (5,330,000 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 2 deposits customer account:

i) Into Asahi: 601,472.900 oz

ii) Into Delaware 2964.400 oz

total customer deposits 613,437.300 oz

JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 129.806 million oz/278.213 million or 46.72%

adjustment: 0

Comex withdrawals: 3

i) Out of Asahi 584,759.600 oz

ii) Out of CNT 601,391.25 oz

iii) Out of Delaware: 1001.550 oz

total withdrawal: 1187,192.400 oz

TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 42.868 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 278.213 million oz

CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR DECEMBER:

silver open interest data:

FRONT MONTH OF FEB. /2023 OI: 241 CONTRACTS HAVING GAINED 2 CONTRACT(S). WE HAD 0 NOTICES FILED ON WEDNESDAY SO WE GAINED 2 CONTRACTS OR AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 OZ OF SILVER CONTRACTS WILL STAND FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX

MARCH LOST 4271 CONTRACTS TO 73,348

APRIL SAW A GAIN OF 19 CONTRACT TO STAND AT 47

MAY SAW A GAIN OF 3246 CONTRACTS UP TO 59,097

TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 0 for NIL oz

Comex volumes// est. volume today 108,601 huge

Comex volume: confirmed yesterday 99,672 huge//

To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in FEB. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 1066 x 5,000 oz = 5,330,000 oz

to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB. (241) and the number of notices served upon today 0 x (5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.

Thus the standings for silver for the FEB/2024 contract month: 1066 (notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of FEB. (241) – number of notices served upon today (0 )x 500 oz of silver standing for the FEB contract month equates to 6.5350 MILLION OZ. + .445 MILLION OZ EX. FOR RISK PRIOR//NEW TOTAL 6.9700 MILLION OZ

New total standing: 6.9800 million oz.

There are 42.868 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!

FEB16/WITH GOLD UP $11.70 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/INVENTORY RESTS AT 841.92 TONNES

FEB14/WITH GOLD DOWN $2.75 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/INVENTORY RESTS AT 841.92 TONNES

FEB13/WITH GOLD DOWN $20.15 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/INVENTORY RESTS AT 841.92 TONNES

FEB12/WITH GOLD DOWN $4.80 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A STRONG WITHDRAWAL OF 1.74 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 841.92 TONNES

FEB9/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.60 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A STRONG DEPOSIT OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 843.66 TONNES

FEB8/WITH GOLD DOWN $2.70 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.47 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 842.22 TONNES:

FEB7/WITH GOLD UP $0.40 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.04 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 847.69 TONNES:

FEB6/WITH GOLD UP $8.50 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/ / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 851.73 TONNES:

FEB5/WITH GOLD DOWN $9.85 TODAY SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF .58 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 851.73 TONNES:

FEB 2/WITH GOLD DOWN $17.95 TODAY SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF .58 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 851.15 TONNES:

FEB 1/WITH GOLD UP $5.00 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 851.15 TONNES:

JAN 31/WITH GOLD UP $16.40 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 852.88 TONNES:

JAN 30/WITH GOLD UP $6.50 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.16 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 854.89 TONNES:

TOTAL IN LAST 18 DAYS WITHDRAWAL OF 14.12 TONNES

JAN 29/WITH GOLD UP $8.70 TODAYHUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.88 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 856.05 TONNES

JAN 26/WITH GOLD DOWN $0.10 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 858.93 TONNES

JAN 25/WITH GOLD UP $2.50 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 858.93 TONNES

JAN 24/WITH GOLD DOWN $9.75 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: / //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 858.93 TONNES

JAN 23/WITH GOLD UP $3.95 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.02 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD/ //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 858.93 TONNES

JAN 22/WITH GOLD DOWN $6.00 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD/ //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 860.95 TONNES

JAN 19/WITH GOLD UP $8.15 TODAY:NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD //://INVENTORY RESTS AT 862.10 TONNES

JAN 18/WITH GOLD UP $14.85 TODAY:HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//://INVENTORY RESTS AT 862.10 TONNES

JAN 17/WITH GOLD DOWN $23.25 TODAY: BIG CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A DEPOSIT OF .549 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD.;//://INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.40 TONNES

JAN 12/WITH GOLD UP $31.65 TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD; A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.61 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD//://INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.99 TONNES

GLD INVENTORY: 841.92 TONNES

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

FEB 15/WITH SILVER UP 56 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 437.615 MILLION OZ

FEB 14/WITH SILVER UP 24 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 437.615 MILLION OZ

FEB 13/WITH SILVER DOWN 60 CENTS TODAY SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A SMALL WITHDRAWAL OF 0.504 MILLION OZ OZ OUT OF THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 437.615 MILLION OZ

FEB 12/WITH SILVER UP 14 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.921 MILLION OZ OZ OUT OF THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.119 MILLION OZ

FEB 9/WITH SILVER DOWN 4 CENTS TODAY SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A SMALL DEPOSIT OF 600,000 OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 440.040 MILLION OZ

FEB 8/WITH SILVER UP 29 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 439.994 MILLION OZ

FEB 7/WITH SILVER DOWN 18 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 4.04 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV///INVENTORY RESTS AT 439.994 MILLION OZ//LAST 9 DAYS: 10.7598 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

FEB 6/WITH SILVER UP 11 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: /INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.144 MILLION OZ//LAST 9 DAYS: 10.7598 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

FEB 5/WITH SILVER DOWN 32 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.345 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.144 MILLION OZ//LAST 8 DAYS: 10.7598 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

FEB 2/WITH SILVER DOWN 50 CENTS TODAY SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.58 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.489 MILLION OZ//LAST 7 DAYS: 14.105 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

FEB 1/WITH SILVER UP 7 CENTS TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.19 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.947 MILLION OZ//LAST 6 DAYS: 10.3018 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

JAN 31/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.7438 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 440.137 MILLION OZ//LAST 5 DAYS: 9.1118 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

JAN 30/WITH SILVER DOWN 5 CENTS TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.876 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 442.699 MILLION OZ//LAST 4 DAYS: 7.368 MILLION OZ WITHDRAWAL

JAN 29/WITH SILVER UP $.37 TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.105 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 444.575 MILLION OZ

JAN 26/WITH SILVER DOWN $0.03 TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.556 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /INVENTORY RESTS AT 446.680 MILLION OZ

JAN 25/WITH SILVER UP $0.03 TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.831 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // /

INVENTORY RESTS AT 448.236 MILLION OZ

JAN 24/WITH SILVER UP $0.44 TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: ANOTHER DEPOSIT OF 1.375 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 450.067 MILLION OZ

JAN 23/WITH SILVER UP $0.21 TODAY MEGA CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 16.201 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV(FAIRY TALES) // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 448.694 MILLION OZ

JAN 22/WITH SILVER DOWN $0.45 TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 458,000 OZ OUT OF THE SLV // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 432.493 MILLION OZ

JAN 19/WITH SILVER DOWN $0.11 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 458,000 OZ OUT OF THE SLV // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 432.493 MILLION OZ

JAN 18/WITH SILVER UP $0.13 TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 432.951 MILLION OZ

JAN 17/WITH SILVER DOWN $0.38 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 779,000 OZ FROM THE SLV.: // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.500 MILLION OZ

JAN 16/WITH SILVER DOWN $0.08 TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.500 MILLION OZ

JAN 12/WITH SILVER UP $0.62 TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // //INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.500 MILLION OZ

CLOSING INVENTORY 437.616 MILLION OZ//

PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES

1:Peter Schiff/Mike Maharrey

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

END

3. CHRIS POWELL//GATA GOLD COMMENTARIES: daily Dispatches

4. OTHER GOLD COMMENTARIES/PODCASTS

END

5 a. IMPORTANT COMMENTARIES ON COMMODITIES /

END

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

END

6.CRYPTOCURRENCY//DIGITAL CURRENCY// COMMENTARIES/

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

ONSHORE YUAN: CLOSED

OFFSHORE YUAN: UP TO 7.2188

SHANGHAI CLOSED

HANG SENG CLOSED

2. Nikkei closed UP 454.62 OR 1.21%

3. Europe stocks SO FAR: ALL GREEN

USA dollar INDEX DOWN TO 104.45 EURO RISES TO 1.0745 UP 13 BASIS PTS

3b Japan 10 YR bond yield: FALLS TO. +.715 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 150.03/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 UP /JAPANESE Yen UP CHINESE ONSHORE YUAN: XXX// OFFSHORE: UP

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

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

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

3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund DOWN TO +2.292***/Italian 10 Yr bond yield DOWN to 3.8150* /SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD DOWN TO 3.230…**

3i Greek 10 year bond yield DOWN TO 3.292

3j Gold at $1998.15 silver at: 22.71 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $30.00

3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble DOWN 0 AND 63 /100 roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 91.98//

3m oil into the 77 dollar handle for WTI and 82 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 150.03// 10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 0.715% 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 0.8825 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF: 0.9484 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: 4.225 DOWN 4 BASIS PTS…

USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.387 DOWN 5 BASIS PTS/

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.555 DOWN 2 BASIS PTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 30.74…(TURKEY SET TO BLOW UP FINANCIALLY)

GREAT BRITAIN/10 YEAR YIELD: UP 1 BASIS PTS AT 4.0565

end

2.a Overnight: Newsquawk and Zero hedge

Futures Rise Ahead Of Flood Of Economic Data

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 08:15 AM

Tuesday’s post-hot CPI dump now seems like a distant bad dream as US equity futures continued their rebound, following a tech fueled rally on Wednesday that drove the S&P 500 back above 5,000. As of 8:05am, S&P 500 futures were up 0.1%, also approaching pre-CPI levels; Nasdaq futures were as usual even stronger, rising 0.2% Europe’s Stoxx 600 index surged to the highest in more than a month. WTI crude oil futures are down 0.8% on heels of 1.6% drop Wednesday, following a bearish report by the IEA which predicts lower demand growth than supply growth in 2024. Today’s macro focus is on Retail Sales and Jobless data amid the barrage of data which includes import/export price indexes, Empire State manufacturing and Philadelphia Fed business outlook surveys, January industrial production, December business inventories, February NAHB housing market index and December TIC flows. A weaker print in retail sales – which our preview suggested is coming – and claims may continue the rally in bonds, potentially pushing the Equity rotation that began last week (paused with CPI) farther. There are also three Fedspeakers today.

In premarket trading, Cisco fell 4% after the maker of computer networking equipment slashed its full-year forecast, and announced it would lay off 5% of its workforce, prompting more questions about this chimeric earnings renaissance thanks to AI which has yet to come. Here are some other notable premarket movers:

Albemarle falls 4% after the lithium producer gave pricing guidance that disappointed Wall Street.
AppLovin jumps 22% after the mobile app marketing platform reported robust fourth-quarter earnings.
Fastly falls 21% after the infrastructure software company gave a revenue forecast that was weaker than expected.
JFrog jumps 18% after the software development company reported fourth-quarter results that beat expectations.
Manchester United falls 15% as the Friday deadline for billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s tender offer nears.
Nu Skin plummets 24% after the beauty and wellness company failed to meet first-quarter revenue guidance expectations and cut its quarterly dividend.
Paramount Global slips 4% after a filing from Berkshire Hathaway showed the firm had reduced its stake in the media company.
SoundHound AI soars 84% after Nvidia filed a 13F indicating that it holds a stake in the company. The chipmaker also disclosed a stake in Nano-X Imaging and Recursion Pharmaceuticals.
Nano-X Imaging +56%, Recursion Pharmaceuticals (RXRX) +21%
Twilio slides 11% after the software company issued first-quarter revenue guidance that was slightly weaker than anticipated.
Yeti declines 12% after its adjusted earnings per share forecast for the year missed the average analyst estimate.

Wednesday’s powerful rebound, fueled by a wave of dip buyers, showed that investors should avoid making hasty conclusions on the back of a single data point, according to Julian Emanuel, chief equity strategist at Evercore ISI.

“The clear implication of what we’ve seen in the last few days is don’t trade the numbers,” Emanuel said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “If you traded CPI after the number, you’re already far underwater given the bounceback we had yesterday. Thinking about the last 40 years you make money by buying pullbacks.”

To be sure, mostly favorable earnings reports have been a boon for investors hammered by Tuesday’s hotter-than-expected US inflation reading and disappointed they may have to wait longer for interest rate cuts. Treasuries also rebounded as investors braced for more economic reports that could help determine the Federal Reserve’s rate path. Data due later include initial jobless claims, industrial production and retail sales which BofA’s card spending data suggests will be a big miss to expectations.

“The ‘hot’ inflation data do not change our base case for a soft landing,” said Solita Marcelli at UBS Global Wealth Management. “But we are continuing to monitor the incoming data and the start of rate cuts could be delayed should the economic prints remain strong.”

European stocks rose for a second day, with the Stoxx trading at session highs up 0.9%, although the FTSE 100 has struggled to keep pace after the UK slipped into a mild recession in the second half of 2023. European bourses were sharply higher, with autos leading the gains, buoyed by Stellantis’ buyback announcement, while energy stocks are the biggest laggards. Here are the biggest European movers:

Stellantis shares rise as much as 4.9%. Bernstein says the carmaker’s planned €3 billion share buyback program and its higher dividend are “encouraging.”
Pernod Ricard shares rise as much as 6.3% after the cognac maker’s 1H recurring operating income met estimates, while it posted a lower-than expected decline in organic growth.
DSM-Firmenich shares rise as much as 15% after the specialty chemicals company announced plans to separate its Animal Nutrition & Health and posted a 4Q Ebitda beat.
Legrand shares gain as much as 4.4% after the French electrical devices manufacturer posted another solid set of results, with free cash flow as the highlight, according to Morgan Stanley.
Genmab shares surge as much as 12%, the most intraday since March 2020, after the Danish biotech firm reported results and said it will repurchase up to 190,000 shares.
Renault shares rise as much as 5.1% after the French car company generated far more cash than expected, allowing it to bolster its balance sheet and hike its dividend.
Centrica shares gain 6.1% after the UK utility reported results which analysts said were boosted by strength in the commodity-exposed Energy division, although otherwise in line.
Tomra shares surge as much as 26%, the most since Dec. 1993, following a “solid” fourth-quarter beat by the Norwegian recycling systems maker.
Kerry Group shares fall as much as 6.1%, the most in almost two years, after the ingredients company missed expectations in 2023 and issued disappointing guidance for the year ahead.
Gecina shares fall as much as 5.5% following results that saw an acceleration in the decline of property valuations.
Verallia shares drop as much as 3% after fourth-quarter results that Citi says missed expectations, as continued destocking offset pricing increases by the glass bottle manufacturer.
Embracer shares slump as much as 14% after the video-game company said it’s unlikely to reach its net debt reduction target by end of March.

Earlier in the session, Asian stocks rose with Japan stocks shaking off worse-than-expected GDP numbers and Hong Kong overcomes early declines. The Aussie slips and bonds rise after a lower-than-forecast jobs number. Hong Kong’s tech gauge leads the city’s gainers, rising 0.6%. In Japan, the Nikkei adds 1% and is rapidly approaching its all time high set in 1989 even as a recession strikes…

… while the Topix underperforms, climbing 0.2%. Indonesia’s stocks rise as Prabowo Subianto looks poised to win the nation’s election. In currencies, the Aussie dips to the day’s low of 64.78 US cents while the yen rises slightly, adding 0.2% after the nation’s GDP contracted versus an expected gain. JGBs rise.

In FX, the Bloomberg dollar index dropped, while the concurrent slide of two major G-10 countries in recession had opposite effects on their currencies: Japan’s yen shrank while the pound slumped, and was the weakest G-10 currency, falling 0.1% versus the greenback. The yen climbed for a second day, paring some of the US CPI-induced weakness earlier this week that spurred verbal warnings from Japanese authorities. The Aussie steadied following an earlier dip driven by soft jobs data, which brought forward RBA rate cut bets. The yen fluctuated earlier after data showed Japan’s gross domestic product contracted at an annualized pace of 0.4% in the final three months of last year, shrinking for a second quarter and prompting some BOJ watchers to push back bets on when the negative interest rate policy will end

“With verbal interventions from the authorities, concerns about the real action prevail in the market, making it hard for market players to test the dollar-yen’s upside,” said Tsutomu Soma, a bond and currency trader at Monex Inc. “However, the downside is also limited to some extent because even if the BOJ scraps negative rate policy, wide yield gap still remains as it will be very cautious to lift the rate from zero.”

In rates, treasuries rise as investors look ahead to a busy US data calendar that includes retail sales and industrial production. Gains for Treasury futures during Asia session and European morning trim yields by 2bp to 4bp across the curve and leave 2s10s, 5s30s spreads slightly flatter on the day, as the surge in yields sparked by January CPI data Tuesday drew dip-buyers and continues to be unwound. 10-year TSY yields are around 4.225% is ~3bp richer on the day, outperforming bunds and gilts in the sector by ~1bp; front-end Treasuries lag slightly, flattening 2s10s, 5s30s spreads by 1bp and 0.5bp on the day, partially unwinding Wednesday’s steepening move. US session features a heavy economic data calendar including retail sales, weekly jobless claims and industrial production.

In commodities, oil prices decline, with WTI falling 0.7% to trade near $76.10. Spot gold adds 0.2%. Bitcoin rises ~1% to trade above $52,000.

Bitcoin (+0.9%), continues its advances, but has so far found resistance around the $52.5k level. Ethereum currently just shy of USD 2.8k. Bitcoin ETF inflows continued apace if modestly off yesterday’s record high.

Finally looking to the day ahead, in terms of US data we get January retail sales and import/export price indexes, February Empire State manufacturing and Philadelphia Fed business outlook surveys and weekly jobless claims data (8:30am), January industrial production (9:15am), December business inventories, February NAHB housing market index (10am) and December TIC flows (4pm). Elsewhere, we got UK Q4 GDP (which unexpectedly joined Japan in sliding into recession), Eurozone December trade balance, Canada January housing sales and December manufacturing sales. We will be hearing from the ECB’s Lane and Nagel, and the BoE’s Greene and Mann. Finally, earning releases include Applied Materials, Deere, Stellantis, DoorDash, DraftKings, and Roku.

Market Snapshot

S&P 500 futures up 0.1% to 5,025.00
STOXX Europe 600 up 0.5% to 487.85
MXAP up 0.9% to 169.07
MXAPJ up 1.0% to 516.53
Nikkei up 1.2% to 38,157.94
Topix up 0.3% to 2,591.85
Hang Seng Index up 0.4% to 15,944.63
Shanghai Composite up 1.3% to 2,865.90
Sensex up 0.3% to 72,033.24
Australia S&P/ASX 200 up 0.8% to 7,605.72
Kospi down 0.3% to 2,613.80
German 10Y yield little changed at 2.32%
Euro little changed at $1.0735
Brent Futures little changed at $81.55/bbl
Brent Futures little changed at $81.53/bbl
Gold spot up 0.1% to $1,994.80
U.S. Dollar Index down 0.10% to 104.62

Top Overnight News

Japan’s Q4 GDP falls short as the country unexpectedly slips into recession (GDP in Q4 came in -0.4% vs. the Street +1.1%). RTRS
TSMC surged the most in more than three years on AI prospects, propelling Taiwan’s benchmark index to a record. BBG
While most containerships are making detours around the conflict-affected Red Sea, experts say container freight rates, which had initially soared, are showing signs of easing. “We believe that the worst is behind us,” said Philip Damas, managing director at British maritime research consultancy Drewry. “Now we are into a second phase where it will be easier for exporters to manage and organize, and also where the spot rates are going to come down significantly after the early phase.” Nikkei
ECB’s Lagarde says inflation is moving in the right direction, but the central bank requires additional data before implementing rate cuts. RTRS
UK economy falls into recession in 2nd half of 2023, with Q4 GDP undershooting expectations (-0.3% vs. the Street -0.1%) although the Dec numbers (GDP, industrial production, and manufacturing production) came in above plan. RTRS
The looming Israeli military plans to invade Rafah have exacerbated tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the Biden administration, which has grown increasingly frustrated with its attempts to rein in Israel’s military campaign. WSJ
Israel on Wednesday launched its longest and heaviest attack on neighboring Lebanon since the start of the Gaza war, striking several locations in the south, killing at least three Hezbollah fighter and seven civilians, and raising further the specter of war between the two long-standing enemies. WaPo
Deere (-4% premkt) downgraded its annual profit outlook as falling crop prices lower demand for equipment. Cisco also fell 4% premarket after slashing its full-year forecast and announcing plans to cut about 5% of its workforce. BBG
Crude will potentially be in surplus this year as demand growth loses steam and supplies from outside OPEC+ continue to swell, the IEA said. The agency stuck to its 2024 demand growth forecast of 1.2 million barrels a day while forecasting non-OPEC+ supplies to rise by 1.6 million b/d, led by the US and Brazil. BBG

A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk

APAC stocks mostly took impetus from the rebound on Wall St after the Fed downplayed the recent CPI report. ASX 200 was led higher by a rally in tech and real estate but with upside capped by disappointing jobs data. Nikkei 225 climbed back above the 38,000 level and printed a fresh 34-year high with the index largely unfazed by the surprise contraction in Q4 GDP which showed that Japan’s economy entered into a technical recession. Hang Seng traded rangebound amid quiet newsflow and the continued absence of mainland participants

Top Asian News

Japan’s Cabinet Office said 2023 nominal GDP undershoots Germany’s to become the world’s fourth largest economy in dollar-denominated terms and that weak domestic demand for clothing and eating out caused a decline in private consumption.
Japan’s Economy Minister Shindo said consumer spending lacks strength and capex is taking time to realise, while he added the government aims to achieve wage increases that surpass inflation, leading to consumption growth. The government also aims to boost the potential growth rate by promoting domestic investment and aims to realise a virtuous cycle of wage increase and economic growth.
Monetary Authority of Singapore official said monetary policy is appropriate and the next policy statement is scheduled for April. MAS also noted there are continuing uncertainties on growth and inflation which it is monitoring the implications of quite closely.
RBA Governor Bullock said the global economy held up better than initially expected and had been worried about hard landings and recessions, while she added they are in a good position to get inflation down in a reasonable amount of time.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, when asked about GDP, says they will mobilise all available policies to achieve higher growth and wage increases that exceed inflation

European bourses, Stoxx600 (+0.5%) began the session entirely in the green and continued to extend throughout the European morning. The CAC 40 (+0.9%) incrementally outperforms after a slew of strong results from heavyweight names within the index. European sectors hold a positive tilt with Autos parked at the top of the pile, assisted by gains in Renault (+5.5%), with Industrials also benefitting from post-earning strength in Safran (+3.6%) and Schneider Electric (+3.2%). US Equity Futures (ES +0.1%, NQ +0.1%, RTY +0.9%) are modestly firmer, though with clear outperformance in the RTY, as it continues the prior day’s outperformance. Cisco (-5.5%) reported generally strong metrics, though did provide soft guidance. Goldman Sachs on European Stocks: raises 12-month Stoxx 600 target to 510 (prev. 500; last close 485). upgrade Travel & Leisure to Overweight from Neutral; upgrade Consumer Products & Services to Overweight from Neutral; downgrade Energy to Neutral from Overweight; downgrade Utilities to Underweight from Neutral.

Top European News

Goldman Sachs cuts the UK’s 2024 GDP growth forecast to 0.4% (prev. 0.6%)
ECB President Lagarde says “the latest data confirm the ongoing disinflation process and is expected to bring us gradually further down over 2024 as the impact of past upward shocks fades and tight financing conditions help to push down inflation”. New framework will most likely compromise bond portfolio and lending operations; we will be done with framework review in a couple months. “Last thing I want is hasty decision and then inflation rises again”.
ECB’s de Cos says bank’s projections foresee inflation to continue falling; still need some time on the exact timing of rate cut
Germany’s DIHK: German Co’s expect economy to shrink in 2024 and GDP to contract by 0.5%; 35% of surveyed Co’s expect business to worsen in next 12m, 14% expect improvements. Bad sentiment in German economy is rising. Expects inflation of 2.7% exports to grow by 0.5%, private consumption spending to grow by 0.5% in 2024. 57% of Co’s see economic policy framework in Germany as business risk. 33% of German Co’s plan to decrease investments in Germany, 24% plan investment expansions.
Maersk (MAERSB DC) says as security risks remain highly elevated, vessels previously bound to transit area continue to be diverted south via Cape of Good Hope.

Earnings

Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO) – Q2 2024 (USD): Adj. EPS 0.87 (exp. 0.84), Revenue 12.8bln (exp. 12.71bln); to cut about 5% of global workforce. KEY METRICS: Networking revenue 7.08bln (exp. 7.16bln). Security revenue 973mln (exp. 956.8mln). Collaboration revenue 989mln (exp. 966mln). Adj. gross margin 66.7% (exp. 65.7%). Adj. operating margin 33% (exp. 32.1%). FY24 GUIDANCE: Revenue 51.5-52.5bln (prev. 53.8-55.0bln, exp. 54.33bln). Adj. EPS 3.68-3.74 (prev. 3.87-3.93, exp. 3.87). Q3 GUIDANCE: Revenue 12.1-12.3bln (exp. 13.1bln). Adj. EPS 0.84-0.86 (exp. 0.92). Adj. gross margin 66-67% (exp. 65.8%). Adj. operating margin 33.5-34.5% (exp. 33.8%). Shares -5.5% in pre-market trade
Airbus (AIR FP) – Q4 (EUR): Adj. EBIT 2.21bln (exp. 2.26bln). Revenue 22.9bln (exp. 22.5bln), sees 2024 deliveries about 800 planes (exp. 826). Co. is to propose a special dividend of EUR 1/shr. Sees 2024 adj. EBIT between 6.5-7bln (exp. 7.15bln). On widebody aircraft, the Co. continues towards a monthly rate of 4 aircraft for the A330 in 2024 and rate 10 in 2026 for the A350. Co. assumes no additional disruptions to the world economy, air traffic, the supply chain, the Company’s internal operations, and its ability to deliver products and services. (Airbus) Index Weightings: CAC 40 (4.8%), Euro Stoxx 50 (2.6%), Stoxx 600 (0.8%). Shares -1% in European trade
Pernod Ricard (RI FP) – H1 (EUR): Sales 6.59bln (exp. 6.58bln), Net 1.57bln (exp. 1.43bln), Operating Profit 2.14bln (prev. 2.42bln), FCF 301mln. FY24 Outlook: Broadly stable net sales in H2 vs H1. EUR 300mln buyback for the year, EUR 150mln completed in H1. (Newswires) Shares +3.8% in European trade
Renault (RNO FP) – FY23 (EUR): Net 2.32bln (exp. 3.52bln), Revenue 52.38bln (exp. 52.88bln). Proposes 1.85 dividend (exp. 1.37). FY24 Operating Margin view of “at least” 7.5%, FY24 FCF view “at least” 2.5bln. (Newswires) Shares +7.5% in European trade
Schneider Electric (SU FP) – FY23 (EUR): adj. EBITA 6.41 (exp. 6.03bln, prev. 6.02bln Y/Y), Revenue 34.2bln (exp. 36.04bln, prev. 35.9bln Y/Y). Guides initial FY24 adj. EBITA organic +8-12%, organic sales +6-8%, Adj. EBITA margin +40-60%. CFO does not expect to implement big increases this year. (Newswires)
Safran (SAF FP) – FY23 (EUR): Adj. Revenue 23.2bln (exp. 23.3bln), Op. 3.17bln (prev. 2.41bln Y/Y), Op margin 13.6% (exp. 13.8%). Guides initial FY24 adj. recurring op. close to 4bln, adj. revenue 27.4bln (exp. 26.69bln), FCF 3bln. Expects M&A activity to accelerate. (Newswires) Shares +2.5% in European trade
Stellantis (STLAM IM/STLAP FP) – H2 (EUR): Net Revenue 91.176bln (exp. 91.1bln). Adj. Operating Income 10.217bln (exp. 9.54bln; -10% Y/Y). Adj. Operating Margin 11.2% (prev. 14.4% in H1). Co. plans a EUR 3bln open market share buyback program this year. OTHER METRICS: Dividend proposed of EUR 1.55 per common share, increase of approximately 16% compared to prior year, pending shareholder approval. Industrial free cash flows of EUR 12.9bln; +19% Y/Y. LEV sales up 27% in 2023, with PHEVs at 1 in U.S. and #2 for LEVs in US 21% increase in global BEV sales in 2023. OUTLOOK The Company is reiterating a minimum commitment of double-digit adjusted operating income (AOI) margin in 2024. Shares +4.5% in European trade

USD is steady ahead of a deluge of US data. For now, a test of 105.00 in the index is yet to materialise after yesterday’s 104.97 peak. If 105.00 goes, there is clean air until 105.73 which was the November 14th peak.
EUR has picked up from yesterday’s 1.0695 YTD trough in light of EZ-specific newsflow, and unreactive to ECB Lagarde. Upside sees the 10DMA at 1.0755 and 100DMA at 1.0794 ahead of the 1.08 mark.
GBP is softer vs. the USD as GDP data sees the UK enter into a technical recession. Cable printed a low of 1.2543 but stopped short of yesterday’s 1.2536 trough.
JPY is firmer vs. the USD despite soft Japanese GDP metrics. Pullback could be a combination of technical factors after the pair ran out of steam at 150.88 as well as increased jawboning from Japanese officials.
AUD a touch firmer vs. the USD despite disappointing jobs data overnight. AUD/USD has made a high of 0.6501 but is yet to materially clear the level or test the pre-US CPI peak of 0.6537.

Fixed Income

Gilts are firmer after the regions GDP print sparked a dovish gap-up of 49 ticks to a 98.29 open before extending to a 98.59 peak. Overall, the data was dovish but is unlikely to have any significant impact on the BoE’s calculus for the first cut.
USTs are in-fitting with price action seen in Gilts/Bunds; specifics light into a busy afternoon agenda; usual weekly data and Fed’s Waller the highlights. As it stands, USTs at the top-end of 110-00+ to 110-10 bounds while the yield curve is slightly flatter.
Bunds are firmer in tandem with Gilts. Currently up to 134.18 at best, but have since retreated back beneath 134.00 as newsflow slows with Chief Economist Lane the afternoon highlight.
Spain sells EUR 5.896bln vs exp. EUR 5-6bln 2.50% 2027, 3.50% 2029 and 2.35% 2033 Bono
France sells EUR 11.992bln vs exp. EUR 10.5-12bln 2.50% 2027, 2.75% 2029 and 0.00% 2031 OAT

Commodities

Crude is subdued following the large inventory builds in the prior session. Markets are seemingly putting more weight on the demand implications of recession as opposed to the supply concerns from expanding geopolitics. Currently, Brent holds just above USD 81.00/bbl.
Upward biases across precious metals following the recent pullback in the Dollar, yields and amidst the heightened geopolitical landscape; XAU found intraday support close to its 100 DMA (1,990.35/oz).
Base metals are mostly firmer albeit with mild gains amid the slight pullback in the Dollar after Fed officials downplayed the recent hot US CPI report.
IEA OMR: 2024 global oil demand growth downgraded by 200k BPD to 1.22mln BPD (prev. 1.24mln); says global oil demand growth is losing momentum, with pace of expansion set to decelerate from 2.3mln BPD last year, in part due to China. With the robust outlook for non-OPEC+ supply, our balances suggest a slight build in inventories in 1Q24 despite the extension and deepening of OPEC+ supply curbs. From 2Q24 onwards, continuation of this strength could leave OPEC+ pumping above requirements for its crude oil if extra voluntary cuts are unwound in the second quarter.
Iran sets the March Iranian light crude OSP to Asia at Oman/Dubai + USD 1.75/bbl

Geopolitics: Middle East

Australia, New Zealand and Canada issued a joint statement that they are gravely concerned by indications Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah which would be catastrophic, while it was added that an immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.

Geopolitics: Other

US informed Congress and European allies of new intelligence regarding Russian nuclear capabilities although they do not pose an urgent threat to the US and are related to attempts by Russia to develop a space-based weapon, according to sources cited by Reuters.
US Treasury Secretary Yellen said Russian President Putin will continue to threaten other countries if the US is not supportive of Ukraine, while she urged US House members to approve the supplemental funding bill with aid for Ukraine and said US national security is at stake. Furthermore, she said Trump’s remarks on NATO and Russia were highly irresponsible and could undermine national security.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi said North Korea is strengthening surprise attack capabilities by launching missiles from various platforms such as from submarines to trucks, according to Reuters.

US Event Calendar

08:30: Jan. Import Price Index YoY, est. -1.3%, prior -1.6%
- Jan. Import Price Index MoM, est. 0%, prior 0%
08:30: Jan. Export Price Index YoY, prior -3.2%
- Jan. Export Price Index MoM, est. -0.1%, prior -0.9%
08:30: Feb. Initial Jobless Claims, est. 220,000, prior 218,000
- Feb. Continuing Claims, est. 1.88m, prior 1.87m
08:30: Jan. Retail Sales Advance MoM, est. -0.2%, prior 0.6%
- Jan. Retail Sales Ex Auto MoM, est. 0.2%, prior 0.4%
- Jan. Retail Sales Control Group, est. 0.2%, prior 0.8%
08:30: Feb. Philadelphia Fed Business Outl, est. -8.1, prior -10.6
08:30: Feb. Empire Manufacturing, est. -12.5, prior -43.7
09:15: Jan. Industrial Production MoM, est. 0.2%, prior 0.1%
- Jan. Manufacturing (SIC) Production, est. 0%, prior 0.1%
- Jan. Capacity Utilization, est. 78.8%, prior 78.6%
10:00: Dec. Business Inventories, est. 0.4%, prior -0.1%
10:00: Feb. NAHB Housing Market Index, est. 46, prior 44
16:00: Dec. Total Net TIC Flows, prior $260.2b

Central Bank speakers

13:15: Fed’s Waller Gives Remarks on Dollar’s International Role
19:00: Fed’s Bostic Speaks on Outlook, Policy

DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap

The last 24 hours have been surprisingly calm after the turmoil of the previous session. 2yr US yields rallied back -8.0bps after rising +18.3bps the day before, encouraged by some dovish Fed speak. 10yr yields fell -5.8bps after the +13.5bps spike the previous session while December 2024 Fed pricing increased +8.9bps after a full 25bps had been taken out on Tuesday. The S&P 500 closed +0.96% higher, retracing nearly three-quarters of Tuesday’s losses.

Today we have a busy day of US data with retail sales the highli ght. So we will see if that continues to encourage volatility ahead of an important US PPI tomorrow, as some of its subcomponents inform forecasts for the core PCE number later this month. As Chicago Fed President Goolsbee reminded markets yesterday, the Fed’s inflation goal is based on the core PCE number, and not CPI. In addition, some of the strong services CPI drivers we saw in Tuesday’s print do not enter the PCE calculation and are instead taken from the PPI. A known dove, Goolsbee also stated “inflation can be [a] bit higher and still on track to 2%” and that he does not “support waiting until inflation at 2%” before the Fed cuts.

Whether he represents the views of the rest of the committee is open to some debate given his dovish history but for yesterday it was enough to calm the market to some degree as an additional +8.9bps of cuts were priced in by the Fed’s December meeting and we saw a notable -8.0bps and -5.8bps rally in 2 and 10yr yields. But there was little change in the market’s expectation of the timing of the first cut, with the first full 25bps still priced in for the June meeting.

Over in Europe, markets also modestly raised their expectations of ECB rate cuts, with +5.8bps more of cuts priced in by year-end. 10yr bund yields fell -5.7bp s, while OATs (-6.5bps) and BTPs (-9.0bps) outperformed.

In US equities, the S&P 500 rose by +0.96%, reversing much of Tuesday’s -1.37% decline and closing back above the 5,000 mark. The Russell 2000 (+2.44%) was the outperformer after the rout the day before that saw it experience its worst day (-3.96%) since June 2022, when the Fed made a late surprising move to guide the market to a 75bps hike. The NASDAQ rose +1.30%, with the Magnificent 7 (+1.53%) effectively erasing their -1.54% decline the previous day. A notable milestone was Nvidia (+2.46%) overtaking Alphabet’s (+0.55%) market capitalisation, to become the third largest company at $1.825trn. This comes only one day after the semiconductor company topped Amazon (+1.39% yesterday). Nvidia’s rise spearheaded a rally for the wider semiconductor sector, as the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index gained +2.18%. My CoTD yesterday discussed what happened next to all the top 5 companies in the S&P 500 over the last 60 years. See it here for more.

In the Eurozone, in terms of data we had the second print of Q4 GDP. As is typical, this was confirmed at the stagnant (0.0%) flash reading, but the details pointed to still solid (+0.3% qoq) employment growth in Q4. We also had the December industrial output, which posted at +2.6% month-on-month (vs -0.2% expected), but this upside was mostly due to distorted Ireland data. Against this backdrop, the STOXX 600 climbed +0.50%.

After the strong beat in US inflation on Tuesday, the downside surprise in UK CPI for January was a support for market from the early stages in Europe. UK CPI rose 4.0% year-on-year (vs 4.1% expected), and core by 5.1% (vs 5.2% expected).Services inflation rose 6.5%, lower than both consensus estimates (6.8%) and the BoE’s expectations (6.6%). But this is still a tenth higher than December’s print, and BoE’s Bailey confirmed yesterday this result is “not compatible with 2% target”. Yields on 10yr gilts still fell -10.5bps and the FTSE 100 rose +0.75%. Shortly after you read this, we will have the results of the Q4 GDP report for the UK. Our UK economist expects the UK slipped into a marginal technical recession in the second half of last year. Read the preview here.

Overnight in Asia, we had the preliminary Japanese Q4 GDP results, which came in below expectations at -0.4% quarter-on-quarter (vs 1.1% expected), up from -2.9% in Q3. See our economist’s thoughts on the number here. There is now a high likelihood Japan is in a technical recession, and markets pared back expectations of rate hike bets, with the expected probability of a 10bps hike by April falling from 73% to 69%. Japanese equities were little fazed, with the Nikkei 225 up +0.96% as I type with a weaker Yen and tech driving the gains.

The Hang Seng index is also enjoying the risk-on sentiment, rising +0.43%. The Taiwanese TAIEX is up +2.78% as I type, having briefly touched an intraday record high, supported by an increase in the share price of semiconductor juggernaut Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (+8.00%). Elsewhere, the Korean Kospi is trading down -0.15%. US equities futures are flat, whilst 10yr Treasury yields are down a further -2.0bps in the Tokyo session.

Briefly on commodities, US crude oil inventories rose by 12.02mn barrels, the greatest increase since December, and the second consecutive week of gains. This sent Brent crude tumbling -1.41% to $81.60/bbl yesterday after previously trading up on the day. WTI crude fell -1.58% to $76.64/bbl. Both are down an additional third of a percent this morning.

Finally to the day ahead, in terms of US data we have January retail sales, industrial production, capacity utilization, February Philadelphia Fed business outlook, NAHB housing market index, Empire manufacturing index, December net TIC flows, business inventories and weekly jobless claims. Elsewhere, we get UK Q4 GDP, Eurozone December trade balance, Canada January housing sales and December manufacturing sales. We will be hearing from the ECB’s Lane and Nagel, and the BoE’s Greene and Mann. Finally, earning releases include Applied Materials, Deere, Stellantis, DoorDash, DraftKings, and Roku.

2 B) NOW NEWSQUAWK (EUROPE/REPORT)

Equities firmer, GBP softer and Bonds lifted post-GDP; US Retail Sales, IJC & Central Bank speak due – Newsquawk US Market Open

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 06:01 AM

European bourses are firmer, with outperformance in the CAC 40 after several strong results; US equity futures firmer to a slightly lesser degree, though the RTY continues to outperform
Dollar is around flat, GBP softer and JPY firmer as the regions enter a technical recession
Bonds are firmer after UK GDP data, numerous speakers ahead
Crude is subdued in a continuation of price action yesterday; base metals are generally firmer amid the constructive risk tone
Looking ahead, US NY Fed Manufacturing, US Export & Import Prices, IJC, Philly Fed data, US Retail Sales, Comments from ECB’s Lane, BoE’s Greene & Mann, RBNZ’s Orr & Fed’s Waller, Supply from US, Earnings from Deere.

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EUROPEAN TRADE

EQUITIES

European bourses, Stoxx600 (+0.5%) began the session entirely in the green and continued to extend throughout the European morning. The CAC 40 (+0.9%) incrementally outperforms after a slew of strong results from heavyweight names within the index.
European sectors hold a positive tilt with Autos parked at the top of the pile, assisted by gains in Renault (+5.5%), with Industrials also benefitting from post-earning strength in Safran (+3.6%) and Schneider Electric (+3.2%).
US Equity Futures (ES +0.1%, NQ +0.1%, RTY +0.9%) are modestly firmer, though with clear outperformance in the RTY, as it continues the prior day’s outperformance. Cisco (-5.5%) reported generally strong metrics, though did provide soft guidance.
Goldman Sachs on European Stocks: raises 12-month Stoxx 600 target to 510 (prev. 500; last close 485). upgrade Travel & Leisure to Overweight from Neutral; upgrade Consumer Products & Services to Overweight from Neutral; downgrade Energy to Neutral from Overweight; downgrade Utilities to Underweight from Neutral.
Click here and here for the sessions European pre-market equity newsflow, including earnings from Safran, Schneider Electric, Airbus and more.
Click here for more details.

FX

USD is steady ahead of a deluge of US data. For now, a test of 105.00 in the index is yet to materialise after yesterday’s 104.97 peak. If 105.00 goes, there is clean air until 105.73 which was the November 14th peak.
EUR has picked up from yesterday’s 1.0695 YTD trough in light of EZ-specific newsflow, and unreactive to ECB Lagarde. Upside sees the 10DMA at 1.0755 and 100DMA at 1.0794 ahead of the 1.08 mark.
GBP is softer vs. the USD as GDP data sees the UK enter into a technical recession. Cable printed a low of 1.2543 but stopped short of yesterday’s 1.2536 trough.
JPY is firmer vs. the USD despite soft Japanese GDP metrics. Pullback could be a combination of technical factors after the pair ran out of steam at 150.88 as well as increased jawboning from Japanese officials.
AUD a touch firmer vs. the USD despite disappointing jobs data overnight. AUD/USD has made a high of 0.6501 but is yet to materially clear the level or test the pre-US CPI peak of 0.6537.
Click here for more details.

FIXED INCOME

Gilts are firmer after the regions GDP print sparked a dovish gap-up of 49 ticks to a 98.29 open before extending to a 98.59 peak. Overall, the data was dovish but is unlikely to have any significant impact on the BoE’s calculus for the first cut.
USTs are in-fitting with price action seen in Gilts/Bunds; specifics light into a busy afternoon agenda; usual weekly data and Fed’s Waller the highlights. As it stands, USTs at the top-end of 110-00+ to 110-10 bounds while the yield curve is slightly flatter.
Bunds are firmer in tandem with Gilts. Currently up to 134.18 at best, but have since retreated back beneath 134.00 as newsflow slows with Chief Economist Lane the afternoon highlight.
Spain sells EUR 5.896bln vs exp. EUR 5-6bln 2.50% 2027, 3.50% 2029 and 2.35% 2033 Bono
France sells EUR 11.992bln vs exp. EUR 10.5-12bln 2.50% 2027, 2.75% 2029 and 0.00% 2031 OAT
Click here for more details.

COMMODITIES

Crude is subdued following the large inventory builds in the prior session. Markets are seemingly putting more weight on the demand implications of recession as opposed to the supply concerns from expanding geopolitics. Currently, Brent holds just above USD 81.00/bbl.
Upward biases across precious metals following the recent pullback in the Dollar, yields and amidst the heightened geopolitical landscape; XAU found intraday support close to its 100 DMA (1,990.35/oz).
Base metals are mostly firmer albeit with mild gains amid the slight pullback in the Dollar after Fed officials downplayed the recent hot US CPI report.
IEA OMR: 2024 global oil demand growth downgraded by 200k BPD to 1.22mln BPD (prev. 1.24mln); says global oil demand growth is losing momentum, with pace of expansion set to decelerate from 2.3mln BPD last year, in part due to China. With the robust outlook for non-OPEC+ supply, our balances suggest a slight build in inventories in 1Q24 despite the extension and deepening of OPEC+ supply curbs. From 2Q24 onwards, continuation of this strength could leave OPEC+ pumping above requirements for its crude oil if extra voluntary cuts are unwound in the second quarter.
Iran sets the March Iranian light crude OSP to Asia at Oman/Dubai + USD 1.75/bbl
Click here for more details.

NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINES

Goldman Sachs cuts the UK’s 2024 GDP growth forecast to 0.4% (prev. 0.6%)
ECB President Lagarde says “the latest data confirm the ongoing disinflation process and is expected to bring us gradually further down over 2024 as the impact of past upward shocks fades and tight financing conditions help to push down inflation”. New framework will most likely compromise bond portfolio and lending operations; we will be done with framework review in a couple months. “Last thing I want is hasty decision and then inflation rises again”.
ECB’s de Cos says bank’s projections foresee inflation to continue falling; still need some time on the exact timing of rate cut
Germany’s DIHK: German Co’s expect economy to shrink in 2024 and GDP to contract by 0.5%; 35% of surveyed Co’s expect business to worsen in next 12m, 14% expect improvements. Bad sentiment in German economy is rising. Expects inflation of 2.7% exports to grow by 0.5%, private consumption spending to grow by 0.5% in 2024. 57% of Co’s see economic policy framework in Germany as business risk. 33% of German Co’s plan to decrease investments in Germany, 24% plan investment expansions.
Maersk (MAERSB DC) says as security risks remain highly elevated, vessels previously bound to transit area continue to be diverted south via Cape of Good Hope.

DATA RECAP

UK GDP Prelim QQ (Q4) -0.3% vs. Exp. -0.1% (Prev. -0.1%); Modest dovish reaction; Click here for more details.
UK GDP Estimate YY (Dec) 0.0% vs. Exp. 0.3% (Prev. 0.2%, Rev. -0.3%); GDP Estimate MM (Dec) -0.1% vs. Exp. -0.2% (Prev. 0.3%, Rev. 0.2%); GDP Prelim YY (Q4) -0.2% vs. Exp. 0.1% (Prev. 0.3%, Rev. 0.2%); GDP Est 3M/3M (Dec) -0.3% vs. Exp. -0.1% (Prev. -0.2%)
UK Industrial Output YY (Dec) 0.6% vs. Exp. -0.4% (Prev. -0.1%, Rev. 0.1%); Industrial Output MM (Dec) 0.6% vs. Exp. -0.1% (Prev. 0.3%, Rev. 0.5%)
UK Goods Trade Balance GBP (Dec) -13.989B GB vs. Exp. -14.9B GB (Prev. -14.189B GB, Rev. -15.125B GB); Goods Trade Bal. Non-EU (Dec) -3.319B GB (Prev. -2.838B GB, Rev. -3.747B GB)
UK Manufacturing Output YY (Dec) 2.3% vs. Exp. 0.6% (Prev. 1.3%, Rev. 1.9%); Manufacturing Output MM(Dec) 0.8% (Prev. 0.4%, Rev. 0.8%)
UK Construction O/P Vol MM (Dec) -0.5% vs. Exp. -0.2% (Prev. -0.2%, Rev. -0.7%); Construction O/P Vol YY (Dec) -3.2% vs. Exp. -1.4% (Prev. 0.9%, Rev. -0.7%)
UK Business Invest QQ Prelim (Q4) 1.5% (Prev. -3.2%, Rev. -2.8%); Business Invest YY Prelim (Q4) 3.7% (Prev. 2.3%, Rev. 2.6%)
UK Services YY (Dec) 0.1% vs. Exp. 0.5% (Prev. 0.1%, Rev. -0.3%); Services MM (Dec) -0.1% vs. Exp. -0.2% (Prev. 0.4%, Rev. 0.2%)
Swiss Producer/Import Price YY (Jan) -2.3% (Prev. -1.1%); Producer/Import Price MM (Jan) -0.5% (Prev. -0.6%)
Spanish CPI MM Final NSA (Jan) 0.1% vs. Exp. 0.1% (Prev. 0.1%); CPI YY Final NSA (Jan) 3.4% vs. Exp. 3.4% (Prev. 3.4%)
Italian Global Trade Balance (Dec) 5.614B EU (Prev. 3.889B EU); Trade Balance EU (Dec) -2.75B EU (Prev. -2.385B EU)

EARNINGS

Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO) – Q2 2024 (USD): Adj. EPS 0.87 (exp. 0.84), Revenue 12.8bln (exp. 12.71bln); to cut about 5% of global workforce. KEY METRICS: Networking revenue 7.08bln (exp. 7.16bln). Security revenue 973mln (exp. 956.8mln). Collaboration revenue 989mln (exp. 966mln). Adj. gross margin 66.7% (exp. 65.7%). Adj. operating margin 33% (exp. 32.1%). FY24 GUIDANCE: Revenue 51.5-52.5bln (prev. 53.8-55.0bln, exp. 54.33bln). Adj. EPS 3.68-3.74 (prev. 3.87-3.93, exp. 3.87). Q3 GUIDANCE: Revenue 12.1-12.3bln (exp. 13.1bln). Adj. EPS 0.84-0.86 (exp. 0.92). Adj. gross margin 66-67% (exp. 65.8%). Adj. operating margin 33.5-34.5% (exp. 33.8%). Shares -5.5% in pre-market trade
Airbus (AIR FP) – Q4 (EUR): Adj. EBIT 2.21bln (exp. 2.26bln). Revenue 22.9bln (exp. 22.5bln), sees 2024 deliveries about 800 planes (exp. 826). Co. is to propose a special dividend of EUR 1/shr. Sees 2024 adj. EBIT between 6.5-7bln (exp. 7.15bln). On widebody aircraft, the Co. continues towards a monthly rate of 4 aircraft for the A330 in 2024 and rate 10 in 2026 for the A350. Co. assumes no additional disruptions to the world economy, air traffic, the supply chain, the Company’s internal operations, and its ability to deliver products and services. (Airbus) Index Weightings: CAC 40 (4.8%), Euro Stoxx 50 (2.6%), Stoxx 600 (0.8%). Shares -1% in European trade
Pernod Ricard (RI FP) – H1 (EUR): Sales 6.59bln (exp. 6.58bln), Net 1.57bln (exp. 1.43bln), Operating Profit 2.14bln (prev. 2.42bln), FCF 301mln. FY24 Outlook: Broadly stable net sales in H2 vs H1. EUR 300mln buyback for the year, EUR 150mln completed in H1. (Newswires) Shares +3.8% in European trade
Renault (RNO FP) – FY23 (EUR): Net 2.32bln (exp. 3.52bln), Revenue 52.38bln (exp. 52.88bln). Proposes 1.85 dividend (exp. 1.37). FY24 Operating Margin view of “at least” 7.5%, FY24 FCF view “at least” 2.5bln. (Newswires) Shares +7.5% in European trade
Schneider Electric (SU FP) – FY23 (EUR): adj. EBITA 6.41 (exp. 6.03bln, prev. 6.02bln Y/Y), Revenue 34.2bln (exp. 36.04bln, prev. 35.9bln Y/Y). Guides initial FY24 adj. EBITA organic +8-12%, organic sales +6-8%, Adj. EBITA margin +40-60%. CFO does not expect to implement big increases this year. (Newswires)
Safran (SAF FP) – FY23 (EUR): Adj. Revenue 23.2bln (exp. 23.3bln), Op. 3.17bln (prev. 2.41bln Y/Y), Op margin 13.6% (exp. 13.8%). Guides initial FY24 adj. recurring op. close to 4bln, adj. revenue 27.4bln (exp. 26.69bln), FCF 3bln. Expects M&A activity to accelerate. (Newswires) Shares +2.5% in European trade
Stellantis (STLAM IM/STLAP FP) – H2 (EUR): Net Revenue 91.176bln (exp. 91.1bln). Adj. Operating Income 10.217bln (exp. 9.54bln; -10% Y/Y). Adj. Operating Margin 11.2% (prev. 14.4% in H1). Co. plans a EUR 3bln open market share buyback program this year. OTHER METRICS: Dividend proposed of EUR 1.55 per common share, increase of approximately 16% compared to prior year, pending shareholder approval. Industrial free cash flows of EUR 12.9bln; +19% Y/Y. LEV sales up 27% in 2023, with PHEVs at 1 in U.S. and #2 for LEVs in US 21% increase in global BEV sales in 2023. OUTLOOK The Company is reiterating a minimum commitment of double-digit adjusted operating income (AOI) margin in 2024. Shares +4.5% in European trade

NOTABLE US HEADLINES

Fed’s Barr (voter) said January data was stronger than expected for both jobs and inflation, while he added the Fed is looking at the totality of numbers and a lack of historical parallels makes current monetary policy decisions difficult. Barr also stated that data suggests the Fed is on a good path but it is still early to say there will be a soft landing, while he added that they are seeing liquidity pressures in the banking system today and that CRE pressures seen today are more “old-fashioned” risks banks typically face.
Fed’s Bowman (voter) did not comment on monetary policy in pre-prepared remarks (07:00GMT/02:00EST).

GEOPOLITICS

MIDDLE EAST

Australia, New Zealand and Canada issued a joint statement that they are gravely concerned by indications Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah which would be catastrophic, while it was added that an immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.

OTHER

US informed Congress and European allies of new intelligence regarding Russian nuclear capabilities although they do not pose an urgent threat to the US and are related to attempts by Russia to develop a space-based weapon, according to sources cited by Reuters.
US Treasury Secretary Yellen said Russian President Putin will continue to threaten other countries if the US is not supportive of Ukraine, while she urged US House members to approve the supplemental funding bill with aid for Ukraine and said US national security is at stake. Furthermore, she said Trump’s remarks on NATO and Russia were highly irresponsible and could undermine national security.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi said North Korea is strengthening surprise attack capabilities by launching missiles from various platforms such as from submarines to trucks, according to Reuters.

CRYPTO

Bitcoin (+0.9%), continues its advances, but did find resistance around the USD 52.5k level. Ethereum currently just shy of USD 2.8k.

APAC TRADE

APAC stocks mostly took impetus from the rebound on Wall St after the Fed downplayed the recent CPI report.
ASX 200 was led higher by a rally in tech and real estate but with upside capped by disappointing jobs data.
Nikkei 225 climbed back above the 38,000 level and printed a fresh 34-year high with the index largely unfazed by the surprise contraction in Q4 GDP which showed that Japan’s economy entered into a technical recession.
Hang Seng traded rangebound amid quiet newsflow and the continued absence of mainland participants.

NOTABLE HEADLINES

Japan’s Cabinet Office said 2023 nominal GDP undershoots Germany’s to become the world’s fourth largest economy in dollar-denominated terms and that weak domestic demand for clothing and eating out caused a decline in private consumption.
Japan’s Economy Minister Shindo said consumer spending lacks strength and capex is taking time to realise, while he added the government aims to achieve wage increases that surpass inflation, leading to consumption growth. The government also aims to boost the potential growth rate by promoting domestic investment and aims to realise a virtuous cycle of wage increase and economic growth.
Monetary Authority of Singapore official said monetary policy is appropriate and the next policy statement is scheduled for April. MAS also noted there are continuing uncertainties on growth and inflation which it is monitoring the implications of quite closely.
RBA Governor Bullock said the global economy held up better than initially expected and had been worried about hard landings and recessions, while she added they are in a good position to get inflation down in a reasonable amount of time.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary, when asked about GDP, says they will mobilise all available policies to achieve higher growth and wage increases that exceed inflation

DATA RECAP

Japanese GDP QQ (Q4) -0.1% vs. Exp. 0.3% (Prev. -0.7%, Rev. -0.8%); GDP QQ Annualised (Q4) -0.4% vs. Exp. 1.4% (Prev. -2.9%, Rev. -3.3%)
Singapore GDP QQ (Q4 F) 1.2% vs Exp. 1.4% (prev. 1.4%, Rev. 1.3%); GDP YY (Q4 F) 2.2% vs Exp. 2.5% (prev. 2.8%)
Australian Employment (Jan) 0.5k vs. Exp. 30.0k (Prev. -65.1k); Unemployment Rate (Jan) 4.1% vs. Exp. 4.0% (Prev. 3.9%)

2C ASIA AFFAIRS

THURSDAY MORNING/WEDNESDAY NIGHT

SHANGHAI CLOSED XXX //Hang Seng CLOSED XXX /The Nikkei CLOSED UP 454.62 PTS OR 1.21% //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 0.79% /Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed XXXX

2 d./NORTH KOREA/ SOUTH KOREA/

NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA

END

2e) JAPAN

JAPAN

END

3 CHINA

CHINA/

END

4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS

SPECIAL THANKS TO ROBERT H FOR PROVIDING THIS FOR US;

A MUST VIEW:

END

ITALY/CNN

My goodness: the left is getting crazier by the minute:

(CNN/Watson)

Migrant Gang Rape Of Child In Italy Prompts CNN To Worry About “Far-Right”

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 06:30 AM

Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news,

After a group of migrants gang-raped a 13-year-old girl in Italy, CNN responded by expressing concern about how it might help the “far-right.”

Yes, really.

The girl was raped in front of her boyfriend in a public park in the Sicilian city of Catania.

The seven suspects are all Egyptian migrants and three were under the age of 18.

In reporting the story, CNN’s main focus was to worry about how the incident, which is just “the latest in a string of shocking sexual attacks in the country,” might increase political support for the right-wing.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

A 13-year-old girl was gang-rapęd by 7 illegals and this is how CNN covers it:

12:32 PM · Feb 11, 2024

6.5M Views

“Last month’s alleged gang rape in Catania has become not only a symbol of violence against women in the country, but a cause célèbre for Italy’s far-right government,” wrote CNN’s Barbie Latza Nadeau.

Respondents pointed out that the news network was literally ‘fulfilling the meme’ made famous by Norm MacDonald.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

@AuronMacintyre

They did the meme

Quote

CTV News

@CTVNews

Feb 11

An alleged gang rape shocks Italy, and provides fodder for an ascendant far right

https://ctvnews.ca/world/an-alleged-gang-rape-shocks-italy-and-provides-fodder-for-an-ascendant-far-right-1.6764424?cid=sm%3Atrueanthem%3A%7B%7Bcampaignname%7D%7D%3Atwitterpost%E2%80%8B&taid=65c8c27e88998b0001e20640&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter…

5:09 PM · Feb 11, 2024

2M Views

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget

Eighth Century Woodchipper

@BonifaceOption

“He told me, ‘I think worst thing about the migrant gang rape thing is it provides fodder for the far-right.’” “And I disagreed.” “You disagree with that?” “I thought it was the raping.”

Quote

CTV News

@CTVNews

Feb 11

An alleged gang rape shocks Italy, and provides fodder for an ascendant far right

5:06 PM · Feb 11, 2024

247.9K Views

Others expressed their disgust.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

The CNN piece also highlighted “a scathing op-ed in the right-leaning newspaper Il Giornale” because it accurately pointed to the fact that mass migration is driving sexual crimes across Europe.

“Why are these individuals, without any requirement to access international protection, still in Italy and have not been subject to expulsion?” the editors wrote.

As we previously highlighted, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called for people convicted of violent sexual offences to be chemically castrated in response to the gang rape of the 13-year-old girl.

end

5 RUSSIA//UKRAINE AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS

IRAN

Major sabotage as the main gas pipeline explodes

(zerohedge)

Major Gas Pipeline Explosion In Iran Deemed ‘Terrorist Sabotage’

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 02:45 AM

In the overnight hours reports emerged of two explosions along Iran’s main south-north gas pipeline network. At least one of the massive fires that resulted was caught on video, which widely circulated, leading to speculation over whether it was an accident or attack.

Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji later in the day said the blasts were caused by sabotage, but did not name any suspects or possible external entity responsible. He also called it a “terrorist act”.

“This terrorist act of sabotage occurred at 1 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning (2130 GMT Tuesday evening) in the network of national gas transmission pipelines in two regions of the country,” Owji said.

He described that area settlements had suffered gas outages, but there were no mention of casualties as a result of the pipeline blasts which occurred in central Iran, near the city of Borujen.

According to Deutsche Welle, “Owji pointed to a similar incident in 2011, which he called an act of sabotage, that temporarily cut gas to four different regions of the country.” And according to more details of the fallout:

Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, reported early Thursday that the targeted pipeline is the main conduit for transporting natural gas from refineries in the Persian Gulf to major cities including Tehran, Esfahan, and Mashhad.

These explosions resulted in the closure of roads in the surrounding areas for hours, forcing residents of neighboring villages to spend hours on the streets due to fear as large flames engulfed the surrounding areas. Reports indicate that the sound of explosions and the glow of flames were visible within a radius of 60 kilometers, leading to the gas supply being cut off to dozens of villages.

Videos of the aftermath showed flames expanding high into the air…

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

@AryJeay

A section of Iran’s natural gas pipeline (pipeline 65) exploded near the city of Borujen. Firefighters are at the location. No injuries. The nature of the event is not clear as it’s getting investigated. The fire will expand as long as there is gas.

0:14

5:58 PM · Feb 13, 2024

113.3K Views

“A subsequent fire occurred following the blast, according to the Borujen governor. The firefighters and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene of the incident. Sources report that the incident left no casualties,” Iranian news outlet Mehr reported.

Hours after the reports first emerged, an official cited in IRNA said the fires had been put out and the country’s gas network successfully stabilized.

As for possible culprits, naturally at this tense moment of major conflict centered on Gaza, Israeli intelligence is a prime suspect. There are also armed Iranian opposition groups, such as the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), or else Sunni jihadi groups from the border areas, which have committed such attacks in the past.

END

ISRAEL/HAMAS/GAZA/KHAN YOUNIS/

Israel launches an operation inside Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital trying to retrieve bodies of Israeli hostages as well as kill Hamas terrorists

(Jerusalem Post)

IDF launches op in Gaza’s Nasser Hospital to retrieve hostages’ bodies

The goal of the IDF operation is to reach Hamas terrorists, including those suspected of involvement in the October 7 massacre, the military also stated.

By ALEX WINSTONFEBRUARY 15, 2024 13:36Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2024 13:37

Israeli soldiers operate in a school, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the Gaza Strip, February 8, 2024 (photo credit: REUTERS/DYLAN MARTINEZ) — Israeli soldiers operate in a school, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the Gaza Strip, February 8, 2024(photo credit: REUTERS/DYLAN MARTINEZ)

https://trinitymedia.ai/player/trinity-player.php?

The IDF has launched a targeted operation within Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, aiming to apprehend Hamas terrorists and recover the bodies of hostages, the military revealed on Thursday.

The goal of the IDF operation is to reach Hamas terrorists, including those suspected of involvement in the October 7 massacre, the IDF stated.

In a Thursday briefing, IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated, “Sadly, we know that some hostages are no longer alive. We are committed to finding and returning the bodies of those hostages in Gaza.

“We have credible intelligence from a number of sources, including from released hostages, indicating that Hamas held hostages at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis and that there may be bodies of our hostages in the Nasser hospital facility,” Hagari continued.

Palestinians seen outside Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, November 24, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/SALEH SALEM)

The IDF has officially contacted the director of Nasser Hospital, calling for the immediate cessation of all Hamas terrorist activity from within the hospital and the immediate evacuation of all Hamas terrorists from within.”Because Hamas terrorists are likely hiding behind injured civilians inside Nasser hospital right now and appear to have used the hospital to hide our hostages there too, the IDF is conducting a precise and limited operation inside Nasser hospital. This sensitive operation was prepared with precision and is being conducted by IDF special forces who underwent specified training.”Advertisement

Hamas’s use of hospitals and civilian infrastructure

Hamas carried out an attack against IDF soldiers in Khan Yunis from Nasser Hospital in January, substantiating IDF claims that hospitals are part of the civilian infrastructure used as covers for Hamas.

“As was proven with the Shifa Hospital; Rantisi Hospital; Al Amal Hospital; and many other hospitals across Gaza, Hamas systematically uses hospitals as terror hubs,” Hagari continued.

“According to intelligence assessments and information we gathered on the ground, over 85% of major medical facilities in Gaza have been used by Hamas for terror operations.”

Hagari concluded that, “A key objective as defined by our military mission is to ensure that the Nasser hospital continues its important function of treating Gazan patients.”

END

Same story as above,

(Times of Israel)

Troops raid Khan Younis hospital in hunt for remains of hostages

Military cites ‘credible evidence’ captives were brought to Nasser medical center, highlights its efforts to keep facility functioning for patients

By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW
and AGENCIESToday, 2:47 pm

IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip, in a handout image published February 15, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

The Israel Defense Forces raided the main hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday saying it had reasonable information hostages were likely held there and the bodies of some captives may still be in the complex.

The operation came a day after thousands of people sheltering in the complex left the premises at Israel’s urging, with fighting raging near the hospital in Khan Younis, which has been the main target of Israel’s offensive against Hamas in recent weeks.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military has “credible intelligence” that Hamas held hostages at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, and there may be bodies of hostages currently hidden there.

“Since the Hamas massacre of October 7th, the IDF has been operating to fulfill its mission of dismantling Hamas and bringing our hostages home,” Hagari said in an English-language video statement.

“Sadly, we know that some hostages are no longer alive. We are committed to finding and returning the bodies of those hostages in Gaza,” he said.

The IDF in a separate statement said that it detained several suspects at Nasser Hospital. It also added that troops were looking for Hamas terrorists at the hospital, including those who participated in the October 7 onslaught.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said Israel launched a “massive incursion” on the hospital with heavy shooting that wounded many of the displaced people who had sheltered there.

Israel has been carrying out operations in Gaza to topple the Hamas regime and recover the hostages who have been held captive in Gaza since October 7, when Hamas led a devastating cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted 253 others. Of the half or so who have not been freed, 29 are considered to be no longer alive.

Hamas is also holding two Israelis who entered the Strip nearly a decade ago, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014.

“We conduct precise rescue operations — as we have in the past — where our intelligence indicates that the bodies of hostages may be held,” Hagari said in his statement.

He said the IDF has “credible intelligence from a number of sources, including from released hostages, indicating that Hamas held hostages at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and that there may be bodies of our hostages in the Nasser Hospital facility.”

“As was proven with the Shifa Hospital, Rantisi Hospital, Al Amal Hospital, and many other hospitals across Gaza, Hamas systematically uses hospitals as terror hubs,” Hagari said.

Israel has provided evidence showing that Hamas used those facilities for its operations, which would make them legitimate targets under international law.

Palestinians fleeing the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Khan Younis arrive at Rafah, Gaza Strip, February 14, 2024. AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

Hagari said that according to the IDF’s intelligence assessments, over 85 percent of “major medical facilities” in Gaza have been used by Hamas for terror activity.

“Because Hamas terrorists are likely hiding behind injured civilians inside Nasser Hospital right now and appear to have used the hospital to hide our hostages there too, the IDF is conducting a precise and limited operation inside Nasser Hospital,” he said.

“This sensitive operation was prepared with precision and is being conducted by IDF special forces who underwent specified training,” Hagari noted.

He stressed that “a key objective as defined by our military mission is to ensure that Nasser Hospital continues its important function of treating Gazan patients.”

Workers and staff unload medical aid delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, on December 9, 2023, amid continuing battles between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by AFP)

While displaced Gazans sheltering on hospital grounds were ordered to leave, Hagari said that over the previous few days the army had made it clear to hospital staff that “there is no obligation for patients or staff to evacuate the hospital.”

“We have doctors and Arabic-speaking IDF officers on the ground to communicate to the staff and patients inside the Nasser hospital. Our message to them is clear: We seek no harm to innocent civilians. We seek to find our hostages and bring them home. We seek to hunt down Hamas terrorists wherever they may be hiding,” he added.

In addition, the IDF has facilitated the transfer of medical supplies, oxygen tanks, and fuel for electricity to the hospital in recent days, “to ensure its essential functions continue uninterrupted,” he said.

Hagari said the IDF has been urging other Gazans, in Arabic, by phone and via loudspeakers, “to move away from the danger that Hamas puts them in — via a humanitarian corridor we opened for this purpose. For the purpose of protecting uninvolved civilians in Gaza.”

However, health authorities in Gaza claimed Thursday that alleged Israeli fire had killed a patient and wounded six others inside the medical center.

Video of the aftermath of an alleged Israeli strike hours before the hospital raid showed medics scrambling to wheel patients on stretchers through a corridor filled with smoke or dust. A medic used a cellphone flashlight to illuminate a darkened room where a wounded man screamed out in pain as gunfire echoed outside. The Associated Press could not authenticate the videos but they were consistent with its reporting.

BREAKING: LIVE VIDEO OF MOMENT ORTHOPAEDIC DEPT AT NASSER HOSPITAL IN KHAN YUNIS ATTACKED

8:29 PM · Feb 14, 2024

426K Views

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Dr. Khaled Alserr, one of the remaining surgeons at Nasser Hospital, told the AP that the seven patients hit early Thursday were already being treated for past wounds. On Wednesday, a doctor was lightly wounded when a drone opened fire on the upper stories of the hospital, he said.

“The situation is escalating every hour and every minute,” he said.

The IDF said Wednesday that it had opened a secure corridor for displaced people to leave the hospital but would allow doctors and patients to remain there. Videos circulating online showed scores of people walking out of the facility on foot carrying their belongings on their shoulders.

The military had ordered the evacuation of Nasser Hospital and surrounding areas last month. But as with other health facilities, medics said patients were unable to safely leave or be relocated, and thousands of people displaced by fighting elsewhere remained there. Palestinians say nowhere is safe in the besieged territory, as Israel continues to carry out strikes in all parts of it.

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“People have been forced into an impossible situation,” said Lisa Macheiner of the aid group Doctors Without Borders, which has staff in the hospital.

“Stay at Nasser Hospital against the Israeli military’s orders and become a potential target, or exit the compound into an apocalyptic landscape where bombings and evacuation orders are a part of daily life.”

Negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release have seen little progress in recent days.

The war has wrought massive destruction in the Gaza Strip, with more than 28,000 people killed, according to Gaza-based Hamas health officials. That figure cannot be independently verified and includes some 10,000 Hamas terrorists Israel says it has killed in battle and as a consequence of the terror groups’ own rocket misfires. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October 7.

END

UPDATES: NASSER HOSPITAL

IDF airs new footage of operations in Khan Younis, says troops killed or detained dozens of operatives

By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOWToday, 5:05 p

Troops of the Commando Brigade operate in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, in a handout image published by the IDF on February 15, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF releases new footage of the elite Maglan and Egoz commando units operating in the western part of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the IDF, the troops have killed many Hamas operatives and detained dozens more, including some who participated in the October 7 onslaught.

The IDF says the commandos also raided the homes of relatives of senior Hamas officials, which had been used by the terror group to fight against Israeli troops.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-airs-new-footage-of-operations-in-khan-younis-says-troops-killed-or-detained-dozens-of-op

END

ISRAEL/HAMAS//NASSER HOSPITAL

(TIMES OF ISRAEL)

IDF: Dozens of terror suspects nabbed at Nasser hospital; ambulance driver participated in Oct. 7

By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW

Today, 8:53 pm

Terror suspects nabbed at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in this photo handout by the IDF, February 15, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in an evening press conference says troops have detained dozens of terror suspects at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis.

The IDF has been searching the hospital following intelligence information that hostages were previously held there, and that there may be bodies of hostages still hidden in the medical center.

Among those detained at the hospital include a Hamas ambulance driver who participated in the October 7 onslaught, another suspect who admitted to having taken part in the attacks, and a PFLP operative, according to Hagari.

He also says troops found weapons, including explosives and mortars, within the hospital premises. Last month, a rocket was fired from Nasser Hospital at troops in Gaza.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-spokesperson-says-troops-detain-dozens-of-terror-suspects-at-khan-younis-hospital

The IDF says Hamas maintains a command room, an intelligence and interrogation complex, and a police station at Nasser Hospital.

The IDF also releases footage from the interrogation of a captured Hamas operative, who says that at least 10 hostages were held at Nasser Hospital.

Released hostages have also testified that they were held at the hospital, according to Hagari.

ISRAEL/HAMAS GAZA CITY

Hamas commander killed by IDF held murdered hostage in hospital

Ahmad Ghoul was involved in the October 7 massacre of southern Israeli towns and, following his return to the Gaza Strip, held Marciano hostage inside the Shifa Hospital.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFFFEBRUARY 15, 2024 10:58Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2024 18:1

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, February 15, 2024 (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) — Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, February 15, 2024(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

https://trinitymedia.ai/player/trinity-player.php?

The IDF and Shin Bet on Thursday announced the targeted killing of a commander in Hamas’s Shati Battalion who held IDF soldier Noa Marciano hostage in the Gaza Strip.

Ahmad Ghoul was involved in the October 7 massacre of southern Israeli towns and, following his return to the Gaza Strip, held Marciano hostage inside the Shifa Hospital, where she was murdered.

Ghoul was killed in a targeted drone strike in Gaza City on Wednesday.

IDF soldier Noa Marciano who was killed while being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) — IDF soldier Noa Marciano who was killed while being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

IDF launches attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza City, Khan Yunis

Israeli ground and air force units targeted numerous Hamas terrorists as IDF operational activity in the Gaza Strip continues, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced on Thursday.

The Israeli Air Force carried out several strikes throughout the Gaza Strip as part of their coordination with ground forces. The operation destroyed several underground and military infrastructure targets, as well as Hamas-deployed rocket launchers.

IDF troops operating in Gaza, February 15 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) — IDF troops operating in Gaza, February 15 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Combat soldiers from the Nahal Brigade eliminated several terrorists in central Gaza, including a Hamas commander.

In addition, Israeli naval and artillery units were able to stop a squad of terrorists nearing IDF troops in the area.Advertisement

In northern Gaza, the IDF 215th Brigade planned and carried out targeted assassinations in and around Gaza City. Israeli troops killed 15 Hamas terrorists, among them a Hamas security official as well as terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre.

Weapons caches found

IDF commandos continued to eliminate and raid terrorist targets in the Khan Yunis area and found weapons, explosives, and other military equipment belonging to terrorist groups. As part of another operation in Khan Yunis, troops from the 646th Brigade identified enemy targets and directed aircraft to attack and eliminate the terrorists.

Soldiers from the 7th Brigade operated in the western region of Khan Yunis were able to eliminate terrorists through sniper fire and tank shelling. The IDF troops raided several targets in the area, where they found Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition, and explosives.

END

Gazan journalist says Hamas uses civilians as human shields

Saftawi says it’s the first time in a decade that he’s been able to speak on this publicly.

IDF soldiers clear a tunnel in the Gaza Strip (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) — IDF soldiers clear a tunnel in the Gaza Strip(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Gaza-based journalist Jehad Saftawi said on Tuesday that the Hamas terrorist organization indeed uses civilians as human shields in the war against Israel.

“Hamas terrorists used my family and hundreds of our neighbors as human shields. Hamas continues to hold the people of Gaza captive,” Saftawi posted on X. “There should be no reconstruction of my family’s home while a stockpile of weapons lies underneath.

“Goals rather than causes are what is behind Hamas’s masterminds’ wars. The case for removing Hamas is not to fuel escalation but to prevent it, which is why they should never be allowed to retake control of Gaza,” he continued to say. Saftawi then admitted that it was the first time in more than 10 years that he’s “been able to speak about this publicly,” stating that it’s “a cry for realignment for our Palestinian society as well as an appeal to the international community.”

In a piece he wrote for Time magazine, the Palestinian journalist began by saying that the terrorist organization “built tunnels beneath my family’s home in Gaza. Now it lies in ruin.” He also states that it’s been seven years since he escaped Gaza, and later fled to the United States.

Saftawi added that Gaza has been “dominated by terrorist chaos” since Hamas’s takeover of the Strip, stating that the terrorist organization “has continued to normalize violence and militarization in every aspect of public and private life in Gaza.”Residential buildings, destroyed in Israeli strikes during the conflict, lie in ruin, amid a temporary truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in southern Gaza City November 26, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/BASSAM MASOUD)

How Hamas commandeers homes for terrorism

The journalist described how, while his family’s home was under construction, masked men built an underground structure under the home, telling him that the structure would remain sealed unless there was an Israeli ground invasion. Then the room would be used to store weapons.

“In the years since my family or their neighbors heard sounds or movements from time to time,” wrote Saftawi. “They wondered sometimes if there really were tunnels, if they were active. My family was too afraid to speak about this with anyone, so it was our secret. It felt shameful even though we knew we were deeply opposed to whatever Hamas had done on the other side of that cement slab.”

Saftawi’s family evacuated south shortly after October 7 and since then his house and neighborhood have been turned into ruins.

“I may never know if the house was destroyed by Israeli strikes or fighting between Hamas and Israel. But the result is the same. Our home, and far too many in our community, were flattened alongside priceless history and memories,” wrote the journalist.

“This is the legacy of Hamas. They began destroying my family home in 2013 when they built tunnels beneath it. They continued to threaten our safety for a decade—we always knew we might have to vacate at a moment’s notice. We always feared violence. Gazans deserve a true Palestinian government, which supports its citizens’ interests, not terrorists carrying out their own plans. Hamas is not fighting Israel. They’re destroying Gaza,” concluded Saftawi.Go to the full article >>

end

ISRAEL /HAMAS/RAFAH

IDF kills Hamas commander who took part in Oct. 7 attack, guarded hostage who was later killed

By EMANUEL FABIAN

The IDF and Shin Bet say that a Hamas commander who participated in the October 7 onslaught was eliminated in an airstrike yesterday.

Ahmed Ghoul was a commander in Hamas’s Shati Battalion, the IDF and Shin Bet say in a joint statement.

The statement says Ghoul, after returning to Gaza following the massacre in southern Israel, was responsible for guarding hostage Cpl. Noa Marciano, who was later killed by Hamas at Shifa Hospital.

Her body was recovered by the IDF.

END

ISRAEL/.HAMAS/UNRWA

Erdan slams UN as ‘terror-excusing, Hamas-promoting’ organization

By LAZAR BERMAN

Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan is the latest official to blast UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths for saying that Hamas “is not a terrorist group,” calling the international body “a terror-excusing, Hamas-promoting, victim-blaming organization.”

“The UN’s pro-Hamas stance is finally exposed on live TV,” says Erdan on X.

“Is the brutal murder of hundreds of civilians, not terror?” Erdan asks. “Is the systematic rape of women not terror? Is attempting Jewish genocide not terror?”

Erdan says that “this is the UN: a terror-excusing, Hamas-promoting, victim-blaming organization that has lost every ounce of credibility. Nothing said by the UN can be trusted or accepted.”

Turning to Griffiths, Erdan writes in his tweet, “You are no ‘humanitarian.’ Sadly, you are a terror collaborator.”

END

USA/HAMAS /HOSTAGES

GOP senators submit resolution calling for US military force to rescue hostages in Gaza

By JACOB MAGID

Three hawkish Republican senators have submitted a resolution calling on US President Joe Biden to use American military force to rescue the hostages in Gaza.

The purely symbolic initiative, which is understood to have no chance of passing, is being pushed by Sens. Rick Scott, Tom Cotton and Roger Wicker.

“The president has the authority and the responsibility to consider the use of all appropriate tools at his disposal to secure their safe release. It is past time to bring them all home,” Scott says in a statement.

END

ISRAEL/HAMAS/FBI

why on earth send the idiot Wray to Israel?

(Jerusalem Post)

FBI chief makes unannounced trip to Israel, meets counterparts and Tel Aviv-based agents

By AFPToday, 3:51 am

FBI Director Christopher Wray, testifies during a Congressional committee hearing in Washington, January 31, 2024. (Julia Nikhinson/AFP)

WASHINGTON — The director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation made an unannounced trip to Israel to meet with the country’s law and intelligence agencies as it fights a bloody war in Gaza, the FBI says.

Christopher Wray also met with FBI agents based in Tel Aviv, according to a statement from the bureau, stressing the importance of their work on Palestinian terror group Hamas and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He reiterates the FBI’s support of Israel in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

“The FBI’s partnership with our Israeli counterparts is longstanding, close, and robust, and I’m confident the closeness of our agencies contributed to our ability to move so quickly in response to these attacks, and to ensure our support is as seamless as possible,” Wray is quoted as saying in the statement.

Wray’s “key focus” is the FBI’s efforts against foreign organizations praising the attacks on Israel and threatening to attack the United States, both abroad and at home, the bureau statement says.

It says the FBI “has and will continue to be responsive to requests” from Israel for support.

END

ISRAEL HEZBOLLAH/LEBANON.

more updates/Israel strikes into the heart of Lebanon

Times of Israel

i)Israel attempts to retrieve bodies of hostages in Gaza, strikes Lebanon

Netanyahu to Biden: I want a hostage deal, but Hamas’s demands are a non-starter • Canada, Australia, New Zealand call for immediate ceasefire

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a mosque in Rafah, February 12, 2024 (photo credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA) — Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a mosque in Rafah, February 12, 2024(photo credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA

2. Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, military says

By REUTERSFEBRUARY 15, 2024 13:35

Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2024 14:

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Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in south Lebanon on Thursday, the IDF said.

It said it also hit Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Labbouneh earlier in the day, as well as a Hezbollah military structure in Taybeh overnight.Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Thursday morning, with reports suggesting a missile fell close to a hospital in Safed.

end

ISRAEL/LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH

Senior Hezbollah commander among the dead in those IDF strikes

(Times of Israel)

Senior Hezbollah commander said among dead in IDF strikes on southern Lebanon

Ali Muhammad al-Debes, 48, a reported Hezbollah commander who was killed in an IDF strike on February 14, 2024 (Hezbollah

Hezbollah commander said among 10 dead in Israeli strike inLebanon

By AGENCIES

Ali Muhammad al-Debes, 48, a reported Hezbollah commander who was killed in an IDF strike on February 14, 2024 (Hezbollah)

A Hezbollah commander, two other terror group members, and seven civilians were killed in an Israeli strike in south Lebanon, a security source said Thursday, clarifying the death toll from a raid a day earlier.

The same Hezbollah commander had previously been targeted and wounded in an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanon town of Nabatiyeh a week earlier, the security source says, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

At the time of the initial strike, he was identified by media reports as Abbas al-Debes. Hezbollah’s announcement today identifies him as Ali Muhammad al-Debes, 48.

Media reports say he was responsible for Palestinian affairs in the Hezbollah terror group.

end

Update: (Jerualem Post)

Israel kills Hezbollah special forces commander who led Meggido terror attack

Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in south Lebanon on Thursday, the IDF said.

By YONAH JEREMY BOBFEBRUARY 15, 2024 13:35Updated: FEBRUARY 15, 2024 16:04

https://player.jpost.com/public/player.html?

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The IDF on Thursday publicly took credit for assassinating two senior Hezbollah terrorists and a third minor player, including the mastermind of the March 2023 Megiddo terror attack, which stunned the country at the time.

One of those killed by the IDF, senior Hezbollah Radwan commander Ali Muhammad al-Dabs, was the mastermind of that terror plot and also managed significant aspects of the Lebanese terror group’s attacks on Israel since October 7.

The second Hezbollah operative killed by the IDF was his deputy Hassan Ibrahim Issa, and the third Hezbollah member’s identity was reported by local outlet An-Nahar as Hussein Ahmed Aqeel.

Part of what was unusual was the IDF taking public credit for the assassinations. The IDF has only taken public credit in a minority of the assassinations of top Hezbollah officials, usually leaving hints but not wanting to antagonize the group into risking a larger conflict.

Hezbollah attacks IDF Northern Command

However, following Hezbollah’s attacks on the IDF Northern Command, Safed, and an IDF base near Meron, Israel has significantly upped the stakes.

On Wednesday, the IDF struck targets deeper into Lebanon than it has compared to the rest of the war and also struck a much wider number of areas than it typically has when retaliating.

Moreover, earlier Thursday, Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in south Lebanon. Advertisement

It said it also hit Hezbollah infrastructure in the area of Labbouneh earlier in the day, as well as a Hezbollah military structure in Taybeh overnight.

This made the assassinations later Thursday at least the third major round of attacks by the IDF since the latest escalation started, and made it clear that the IDF is being bolder in trying to deter Hezbollah from firing deeper into Israel as well as to convince the terror group to move its forces back to around the Litani River.

Top Israeli officials to date have conditioned returning around 80,000 northern residents to their homes near the border with Lebanon on moving Hezbollah’s forces away from the border by negotiations or a larger war, if necessary.

END

TIMES OF ISRAEL/NEWS

IDF raids Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, says evidence hostages were held there, bodies might be inside * Ministers angrily reject reports of US peace plan

By TOI STAFFToday, 4:21 am

Ali Muhammad al-Debes, 48, a reported Hezbollah commander who was killed in an IDF strike on February 14, 2024 (Hezbollah)
Civil defense and rescue workers remove rubble from a building that was hit Wednesday night by an Israeli airstrike, in Nabatiyeh town, south Lebanon, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip, in a handout image published February 15, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
Hamas terrorists who were caught during the October 7th massacre and during the IDF operation in the Gaza Strip, seen at a courtyard in a prison in southern Israel, February 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Palestinians fleeing the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Khan Younis arrive at Rafah, Gaza Strip, February 14, 2024. AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

END

ISRAEL/LEBANON/HEZBOLLAH

Hezbollah not happy that a chief commander was killed and they have vowed revenge

(Times of Israel)

Hezbollah vows revenge after 10 civilians said killed in south Lebanon strikes

IDF reports fresh bombardments of terror sites after heavy retaliatory attacks a day earlier kill 3 Hezbollah members, but also multiple people from 2 families in Nabatieh, Sawana

By AGENCIESToday, 1:12 pm

Rescuers check a building targeted overnight by an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on February 15, 2024. (Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP)

BEIRUT — Ten civilians and three Hezbollah terrorists were killed by Israeli strikes on villages across southern Lebanon on Wednesday, a hospital director and Lebanese security sources said, as the terror group vowed to “make Israel pay.”

Israel said it carried out the widespread strikes in response to a Hezbollah rocket attack on an army installation and city in northern Israel that killed an IDF soldier and injured eight others.

The bombardments marked the deadliest day in more than four months of cross-border exchanges, further raising fears of a broader conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group. Israeli bombardments continued Thursday, with the terror group announcing another three members killed, on top of the three killed Wednesday.

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.

The dead in Lebanon included at least three children, sources said.

In the village of Sawana, a woman and her two children were killed in an Israeli strike, two security sources said.

A strike on a building in Nabatieh killed seven members of a family, according to the state-run National News Agency. The dead were identified as apartment owner Hussein Berjawi, his wife, two daughters, his sister a niece and a grandson.

The agency said the Israeli strike, carried out by “a drone with a guided missile,” caused severe damage to the three-story apartment building, warning it could collapse and reporting damage to nearby buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure.

Neighbor Hussein Badir said he and other neighbors had rushed to the street to dig through the rubble. He said the family was “decent and respectable” and “not involved in anything.”

An AFP correspondent at the scene said authorities had cordoned off the area.

At least three Hezbollah fighters were killed in separate strikes Wednesday, according to the group and security sources.

Civil defense and rescue workers remove rubbles from a building that was attacked Wednesday night by an Israeli airstrike, in Nabatieh town, south Lebanon, February 15, 2024. (Mohammed Zaatari/AP)

Hassan Fadlallah, a senior Hezbollah official and member of parliament, said on Thursday that Israel would face reprisal for the strikes.

“The enemy will pay the price for these crimes,” Fadlallah told Reuters when asked about the Iran-backed group’s reaction.

Despite the threat, the Israel Defense Forces said it was continuing to strike dozens of Hezbollah sites in south Lebanon Thursday, including rocket launching positions, buildings, and other infrastructure used by the terror group in the Wadi Saluki area.

The IDF said it also hit sites used by the terror group earlier Thursday and late Wednesday in Labbouneh and Taybeh.

Hezbollah said later that three members had been killed in the strikes, bringing its death toll since fighting began in October to 199.

Wednesday’s strikes came in response to rocket barrages from Lebanon on Wednesday morning that killed Staff Sgt. Omer Sarah Benjo, 20, and wounded eight others in and near the Galilee city of Safed. Hezbollah did not claim the attack.

Staff Sgt. Omer Sarah Benjo, who was killed in a rocket attack from Lebanon on Safed on February 14, 2024 (IDF)

A day earlier, a woman and her teen son were seriously injured when they were hit by a rocket in Kiryat Shmona, closer to the border with Lebanon.

“As we have made clear time and time again, Israel is not interested in a war on two fronts. But if provoked, we will respond forcefully,” said government spokesperson Ilana Stein.

“The current reality, where tens of thousands of Israelis are displaced and cannot return to their homes, is unbearable. They must be able to return home and live in peace and security.”

A total of 11 unguided Grad rockets were fired in the attack Wednesday, according to military assessments.

Nine slammed into open areas, while two hit infrastructure and were not intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, including one that struck the IDF base, killing Benjo.

Benjo and several more soldiers were running to a bomb shelter when the rocket struck the base. The IDF was investigating if there was enough time from when sirens sounded for people in Safed to seek shelter.

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כאן חדשות

@kann_news

שלושה פצועים בינוני כתוצאה מהפגיעה באזור צפת | תיעוד רגע הפגיעה והבהלה

@ItayBlumental

@rubih67

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2:43 AM · Feb 14, 2024

65.3K Views

Fears have been growing of another full-blown conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, who last went to war in 2006.

Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address on Tuesday that his group would only stop its exchanges of fire if a full ceasefire was reached for Gaza.

The UN secretary-general’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric warned that “the recent escalation is dangerous indeed and should stop.”

IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, who had been meeting the heads of local municipalities in northern Israel on Wednesday, said that despite what he described as achievements against Hezbollah, this was “not the time to stop.”

So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in six civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 10 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 199 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria.

In Lebanon, another 29 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and some two dozen civilians, three of whom were journalists, have been killed.

The fighting has also displaced tens of thousands of people in the border areas of each country.

War erupted in Gaza with Palestinian terror group Hamas’s October 7 massacre, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip by land, air, and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing over 250 hostages, mostly civilians. Entire families were executed in their homes, and over 360 people were slaughtered at an outdoor festival, many amid horrific acts of brutality by the terrorists.

Israel has warned it will no longer tolerate the presence of Hezbollah along the Lebanon frontier, where it could attempt to carry out an attack similar to the massacre committed by Hamas on October 7.

END

IDF says Al Jazeera reporter wounded in Gaza is also a Hamas

deputy commander

Military alleges Ismail Abu Omar, who filmed himself inside Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, serves in Hamas’s East Khan Younis Battalion

By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW

Today, 7:28 pm

Ismail Abu Omar, an Al Jazeera reporter is seen (left) in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, and after being hit in a strike in south Gaza’s Rafah on February 13, 2024. (Screenshot: X)

Ismail Abu Omar, an Al Jazeera reporter who was wounded in an Israeli airstrike near southern Gaza’s Rafah on Tuesday, is a Hamas terror operative, Israel has said.

Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, said Wednesday that Abu Omar, in addition to working for the Qatari-owned station, serves as a deputy company commander in Hamas’s East Khan Younis Battalion.

On the morning of October 7, Abu Omar infiltrated into Israel and filmed from inside Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s onslaught, Adraee added.

Abu Omar’s right leg was blown off in the Tuesday drone strike, while doctors were trying to save the left one, Al Jazeera said, quoting an emergency physician.

Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmad Matar was also wounded.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said the two were hit in a strike from an Israeli warplane in the Moraj area.

Smoke billows during Israeli airstrikes over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 13, 2024. (Mohammed Abed/AFP)

In a statement, Al Jazeera said that “targeting the reporter Ismail and cameraman Ahmad is a new episode in a series by the [Israeli] occupation deliberately targeting Al Jazeera crews.”

Al Jazeera did not respond to the claims by the IDF about Abu Omar’s role with Hamas.

Earlier this week, the IDF revealed a trove of images and documents it said prove that another Al Jazeera reporter, Mohamed Washah, was a commander in Hamas’s military wing. Adraee said that documents recovered from the laptop revealed that Washah, 37, was a “prominent commander” in Hamas’s anti-tank missile unit, and in late 2022, began to work in research and development for the terror group’s air unit.

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Two Al Jazeera journalists killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah were later accused by the IDF of being members of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups.

Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza correspondent Wael Al-Dahdouh, and Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for AFP who was also working for the Qatar-based TV outlet, were both killed in the January incident. A third journalist, Hazem Rajab, was seriously wounded, Al Jazeera said.

The IDF said its intelligence confirmed both were members of Gaza-based terror groups and were “actively involved in attacks against IDF forces.” It said Thuria was identified by a document found by troops in Gaza as a member of Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade, serving as a deputy squad commander in one of the battalions.

#عاجل #خاص في الصباح صحفي في قناة #الجزيرة وفي المساء مخرب في حماس!

خلال نشاط لقواتنا قبل عدة أسابيع داخل احدى معسكرات حماس في شمال قطاع غزة تم ضبط كمبيوتر متحرك يعود إلى المدعو محمد سمير محمد وشاح من مواليد 1986 من البريج حيث يتضح من المستندات ان محمد وشاح هو قائد بارز في منظومة الصواريخ المضادة للدروع في الجناح العسكري لحماس. في نهاية عام 2022 انتقل للعمل في مجال البحث والتطوير في القوة الجوية لحماس.

التحقيق الاستخباري الذي أجري للحاسوب يكشف صورًا تربط المدعو محمد وشاح بنشاطات داخل حماس.

\ومن يدري كم من التفاصيل سنكشفها عن وجود إرهابيين آخرين بزي صحفي في المستقبل القريب

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12:13 PM · Feb 11, 2024

556.9K Views

People check the car in which two journalists, Mustafa Thuria and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, were killed in a reported Israeli strike in Rafah in the Gaza Strip on January 7, 2024. (AFP)

Dahdouh, according to the IDF, was a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It said documents recovered by troops in Gaza reveal he served in Islamic Jihad’s electronic engineering unit, and previously was a deputy commander in the Zeitoun Battalion’s rocket force.

The Israel-Hamas war began when 3,000 Hamas-led terrorists burst through the Gaza border into southern Israel on October 7 and killed 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and abducted 253 people to Gaza, where 130 are still held hostage. Israel, in response, vowed to dismantle the military and governance capacities of the Gaza-ruling terror group and to secure the return of the hostages.

Israel denies targeting journalists and says it makes every effort to avoid harming civilians, blaming the high death toll on the fact that Hamas fights in densely populated urban areas and embeds itself deliberately among civilians who are used as human shields. In a statement on December 16, the Israeli army said “the IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists.”

HOUTHIS/THE WEST//RED SEA

More Attacks On Red Sea Vessels As US Coalition Pounds Houthi-Held Port City

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 11:20 AM

Attacks on Red Sea shipping from Yemen’s Houthis have continued over the last several days, but so has the US coalition’s response.

On Wednesday many large explosions rocked the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah, the result of the latest major US and British strikes. The last three days have seen some 30 missile strikes on Yemen from the coalition Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Yemeni sources have said that in total the US and UK have carried out 403 attacks on the country, including 203 airstrikes, since Red Sea hostilities began in reaction to Israeli’s offensive in Gaza.

A Houthi government spokesman this week announced the following claimed ‘stats’:

Shami added that Yemeni naval forces have carried out operations against 14 US vessels, three British vessels, and 17 Israeli vessels since the start of the Gaza–Israel war in October.

“We banned the entry of 99 American commodities, merchandise, and companies that support the criminal Zionist entity,” Shami said.

“We shut down 354 agencies and 12 companies and 23 branches of companies … [linked to] American and Zionist trademarks,” he continued.

But there are also fresh reports saying the Houthis are in many cases “firing blind” and even inadvertently targeting Iranian vessels. This means what Russian and Chinese ships could also come under fire, despite Houthis officials having declared they have been given safe passage.

One maritime report describes of the latest friendly fire incident:

On Monday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles at a ship bound for Iran, the militia’s main supporter. Would the Houthis really target their patrons in Tehran?

Almost certainly not. There’s no evidence to suggest a rupture between Iran and the Houthis, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea in hopes of increasing global pressure on Israel to stop its assault on Gaza.

Rather, according to Eurasia Group’s Iran Expert Gregory Brew, the attack shows that the Houthis may be simply taking a different tack. “Houthi attacks may become more indiscriminate,” says Brew, “hitting ships they don’t intend to hit, or targeting ones with more sensitive cargoes.”

On Thursday there has been another incident, east of Yemen’s Aden, where a cargo vessel has suffered fresh damage – presumably from rocket or drone fire coming from Yemen.

British maritime security agency UKMTO has said in an alert that an explosion was reported near a ship traversing off Yemen’s coast. The ship reported “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel” while sailing to its next port of call. However details have been scant and the exact nature of what happened is still unclear.

Yemen’s Houthis have vowed to keep up their attacks on both foreign commercial vessels and Western warships in the Red Sea. Incidents have now become daily, and so have the US coalitions attacks, often against Houthi launch sites. But clearly the West’s deterrent measures haven’t worked.

end

RUSSIA/UKRAINE/

6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES

The COVID Booster Cancer Time Bomb

(COURTESY EPOCH TIMES)

Friends Read Free

The COVID Booster Cancer Time Bomb — (sabthai/Shutterstock)

By Angus Dalgleish

1/31/2024

Updated:

2/9/2024PrintX 1

0:00

Commentary

I have previously reported on my concern about the rise in stable cancer relapses that I have witnessed in my melanoma clinic.

None of these patients of mine presented with the classic prodrome of relapse that I had always noticed previously, such as severe depression due to bereavement, divorce, or bankruptcy. Indeed the only thing I found they had in common was to have had a recent mRNA COVID-19 booster shot.

I phoned several of my colleagues not only in the UK but also in Australia to check their experience. In no case did they deny such a link. Indeed, they were equally alarmed at the association between booster vaccines and relapse that they, too, were witnessing, as well as an increase in new cancers, particularly in those below 50 years old. In addition to melanoma, these colleagues were also very concerned about a sudden, big increase in young patients with colorectal cancer.

Rather than instigating a proper inquiry to investigate this when we raised these concerns, the medical authorities told us that all of what we were witnessing was a coincidence, that we had to prove it and, above all, not to upset our patients.

Recently, the American Cancer Society (ACS) warned of a surge in new cancer cases in the United States this past year of more than 2 million, with many of these cases occurring in younger patients. Indeed, the chief scientific officer of the ACS, William Dahat, announced in addition that cancers were presenting with more aggressive disease and larger tumors at the time of diagnosis, especially in younger patients. Of further interest, it noted a difference in the microbiome (the community of microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses that exist in a different environment) between patients younger than 50 and those older than 50.

This surge mirrors a report from Phinance Technologies late last year that analyzed in detail data from the UK Office for National Statistics, which showed that disability and deaths in 2021 and 2022 had increased dramatically in all age groups, but especially in the 15–44 age group.

The Lancet also published an article before Christmas reporting excess deaths post-COVID-19 pandemic to be 11 percent more than expected for under-25s and for 25- to 49-year-olds and 15 percent more than expected for 50- to 64-year-olds. This is in fact the pattern found in many countries that have looked at the data. Germany, for example, reported that excess deaths rose to 24 percent in 2023 from 7 percent in 2020.

What makes this all the more surprising is that negative deaths should be the norm after a pandemic, as you cannot die twice!

The link between COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis and early death particularly in the young, highlighted by Peter McCullough and colleagues as well as by Aseem Malhotra in the UK, is incontestable. Now, we have a confirmatory report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, data that the authorities in the UK have refused to act on so as not to alarm vaccinated patients!

Although it is obvious that these excess deaths are real and are continuing to rise, all we get from British Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty are risible attempts to explain away the increase, such as that it is a result of patients not getting their statins in lockdown (hey, patients under 55 do not get statins routinely!) The situation is no better in the United States, where Harvard researchers have put the blame on sleep disturbance!

The first obvious candidate is the lockdown itself, during which the UK National Health Service became the National COVID Service and all screening was canceled or delayed, resulting in an increase in cancer detection and late presentation. Many negative lifestyle factors almost certainly increased as a result of the lockdown, such as a lack of exercise and too much food, especially takeaways.

What very few of these reviews consider is that this rise in excess deaths could be a result of the booster vaccine program, even it clearly follows the vaccine rollout program starting in 2021 and increasing in 2022 and 2023.

With regard to the link to cancer, there are numerous reports in the literature of cancers arising within days of the vaccines being administered, especially in the case of lymphomas and leukemias. There are several reports of PET scan-mapped tumors exploding at the site and draining area of COVID-19 injections with the advice to inject COVID-19 vaccines away from known cancers! Outside my clinical observations, several friends have developed cancer after a totally unnecessary COVID-19 booster taken only to facilitate travel.

For a possible association between a booster vaccine and the appearance of cancer, we need a plausible scientific causal explanation. Unfortunately for those who still insist that these cases are mere coincidences, there are several compelling ones to choose from:

Firstly, it has been reported that T-cell responses are suppressed after the boosters (not the first two injections) and that this is especially marked in some cancer patients.

Secondly, the antibody repertoire switches after the first booster from a protective IgG1 and IgG3 dominant B cell response to a tolerizing IgG4 one, made worse by further boosters, as reported in a recent Science Immunology paper. As many cancers are controlled by effective T-cell-led immunity, the sudden perturbation of this control would clearly explain the development of B cell leukemia and lymphomas, melanoma renal cell cancers, and colorectal ones, all tumors that can respond to immunotherapy.

Another report by Loacker et al. in Clin Chem Lab Med shows that mRNA vaccines increase PD-L1 on granulocytes and monocytes, which means they effect the very opposite of what the immunotherapy agents do against these tumors, which in turn explains why many of these tumors appear to be resistant to this otherwise effective therapy. Taken together, the effect on the immune response of these boosters can easily explain the relapses and so-called turbo-charged cancers appearing.

Other reports document the presence of DNA plasmids and SV 40 (a known cancer-inducing gene) sequences, as well as the ability of mRNA to bind to important suppressor genes. Although this is controversial and has been challenged, it has led to the realization of significant batch-to-batch variation that could enhance the cancer process yet probably not manifest itself for a few years. The very possibility that we could be sitting on a vaccine-inducing cancer time bomb means that we must never again get involved in a mass vaccine program for another possible Disease X.

But unless the government wakes up to this now, we will be at the mercy of the World Health Organization doing the very same thing when they decide to release the Disease X virus in order to take back control and destroy our lives all over again.

Originally published by The Conservative Woman.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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GLOBAL ISSUES

END

MARK CRISPIN MILLER

In memory of those who “died suddenly” in the United States and worldwide, February 6- February 12, 2024

In memory of those who “died suddenly” in the United States and worldwide, February 6- February 12, 2024

Musicians: US (4), Panama, Slovakia, Spain (2), Israel, S. Africa, India, Japan; athletes: US, Barbados, Brazil, Ireland (2), Norway, Croatia (2), Portugal, Spain (5); clerics: Germany, Italy; & more

MARK CRISPIN MILLERFEB 14

end

DR PAUL ALEXANDER

‘I’m one of the covid vaccine injured…I want you to look into my eyes Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’; & what did we see, we saw a British PM giving the speakers & nation the Royal fcuk; see what Sunak

does not get is that we don’t want no EFF in compensation scheme, we are crying out because we were LIED to; typical Prime Minister bullshit talk, this speaker was shut down, did Sunak make money?

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERFEB 14

READ IN APP

https://www.msn.com/en-in/health/health-news/covid-vaccine-injured-man-confronts-uk-pm-look-into-my-eyes-rishi-sunak/ar-BB1ibjzQ

end

US pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Moderna etc. conduct trials in developing nations that KILL people yet you are UNAWARE? Consider the case of Pfizer’s TROVAN that killed 11 African children;

Pfizer’s test of meningitis drug on 200 children in Kano, Nigeria, in 1996, killed 11; TROVAN! foreign drug trials are unregulated, sometimes dangerous and often unreliable; FDA often fail to regulate

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERFEB 15

READ IN APP

It is no problem for companies like Pfizer to go kill the little black and indian children of poor nations, none at all and FDA is often an accomplice for it fails to regulate and oversee once little black and brown indian kids and peoples are involved…kill them, yes you read it right, like how it was no problem for Pfizer and MODERNA to bring the COVID mRNA technology vaccines for to them, its the cost of doing business but I am firm now in the belief that this mRNA technology (Malone, Bourla, Bancel, Weissman et al.) gene vaccine is a binary bioweapon devised to slow kill people, a culling depopulation device.

Yes, it is Malone, Weissman, Kariko, Sahin, Bancel, Bourla et al. and others like them that have killed people in this fake fraud 0.05% IFR non-pandemic, this PCR-induced asymptomatic transmission lie of a ‘not a pandemic’ pandemic…, it is their technology and vaccine…do not get confused or misdirected by Lusitano horses, don’t…and ranches…and dog and pony shows….child oh puullleeezzzeeee…..get that thinking hat back on…don’t let them fuck your thinking with ‘modified’ and ‘adulterated’ and ‘moratoriums’ and synthetic mRNA vs man made mRNA’…don’t…the names I just wrote must be investigated for their handy work killed people…KILLED people…Malone and Bourla killed your mother, yes, you father, your brother and sister, your co-worker…it was them…and yes they must answer in proper legal forums…proper courts with proper judges and juries. let courts hear them out and let juries and judges decide guilt or innocence.

END

Catherine Austin Fitts is dropping MOABS & Dr. James Hill, MD again raises serious questions; the thesis here is that Trump sold out America by promoting the COVID mRNA shots! No, I was closer to all

of this than anyone you have seen in media & all of the moron talking heads, e.g. I am not interviewed for as told to me in a conference in Las Vegas where Malone argued against me on stage with him

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERFEB 15

READ IN APP

is that when I talk, no one listens to others; I was told Malone purposely said do not allow me on stage with him for I suck the air out of his presense and talks…ha ha ha, I do for he is an idiot and you grasp his ineptness quickly but to Fitts’s points which are excellent…and Dr. Hill’s stack, please support him…

Trump did not sell out America and fundamentally, he is a good man. You may not like his personality but this is not the issue. It is who is best for America today and what happened under him, but let us focus on the fake PCR induced asymptomatic spread ‘non-pandemic’ pandemic and the deadly Bourla, Bancel, Malone et al. mRNA technology mRNA gene injections.

END

OZEMPIC or Wegovy (semaglutide), DO NOT touch it! It can be deadly! Do not fall for this as a weight loss drug! Yes, Americans, Canadians, UK population very fat & ill, sick, obese, unfit! Fact! don’t

like me for saying it, unsubscribe! You are fat, so get off your ass & move, eat less, try intermittent fasting, match energy intake to use, get active, better nutrition, NOT OZEMPIC, see substacks

DR. PAUL ALEXANDERFEB 15

READ IN APP

Ozempic Rebound Is Real: Doctor Says Weight Gain Can Be ‘Devastating’ After Stopping; study found that a majority of people who take semaglutide — branded as Ozempic and Wegovy — gain most weight back

study found that a majority of people who take semaglutide — branded as Ozempic and Wegovy — gain most of the weight back within a year of stopping the medication

SLAY NEWS

The latest reports from Slay News

EVOL NEWS:

LATEST NEWS:

NEWS ADDICT

LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIESAustralian Senator Exposes ‘Evil’ WEF’s War on Food A top Australian senator has gone on the record and delivered a powerful whistleblowing statement before his nation’s Senate to expose the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) global war on food.READ THE FULL REPORT Secret Ukraine Biolab Caught Experimenting with Bioweapons on Civilians Bombshell new documents have revealed that a secret U.S. taxpayer-funded bio lab in Ukraine has been conducting horrific bioweapons experiments on innocent civilians.READ THE FULL REPORT Biden Gets Brutally Mocked After Posting This Pandering Video President Joe Biden recently spent time with a black father and his two sons, as shown in a video shared on his official X account.READ THE FULL REPORT These 22 Senate Republicans Just Betrayed Their Own Party The Senate approved a foreign aid bill worth $95 billion on Tuesday, paving its way to the House where its fate remains uncertain.READ THE FULL REPORT Just IN: Biden Whistleblower Goes Public During the House impeachment inquiry, Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of the Biden family, revealed that President Joe Biden maintained “plausible deniability” while his family business received millions from various foreign entities, including CEFC China Energy Co.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//GLOBAL SHIPPING

END

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

PAKISTAN

This could lead to considerable violence

(zerohedge)

Pakistan’s Khan Decries “Daylight Robbery” As Rivals Form Coalition Govt, Nominate Shehbaz Sharif

WEDNESDAY, FEB 14, 2024 – 07:05 PM

Pakistan’s army-backed Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have announced an agreement to form a coalition government, despite the currently jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) emerging as clearly the single most popular ‘winner’ from the Feb.8 elections. No party singularly won an outright majority of seats in parliament, however.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP confirmed that it would help Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League elect a prime minister. Meetings to form an alliance began Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning it was widely being reported that former PM Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz, has been nominated.

Crucially, these are the very two parties who were in the coalition that ousted then PM Imran Khan from power in 2022, after which he was slapped with literally over 100 charges of corruption. Khan’s supporters have said we are witnessing a process whereby the military and its political allies are ‘stealing’ an election, after Khan’s PIT was already barred from the election, with its candidates forced to run as independents.

The election results saw independents backed by Khan’s PIT take 93 out of 266 directly-elected seats. The PML-N won 75 seats with the PPP taking 54 seats.

“The parties present here are almost two-thirds of the house that has been elected,” PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif told reporters in the press conference which announced the new coalition.

Interestingly, Sharif gave a nod to Khan and his significant base of supporters, saying the coalition will be willing to talk to him. “Forget and forgive; forgive and forget – come, let’s join hands for the betterment of the country,” he said. “Sacrifice self-interests set the issue of egos aside.”

However, Khan from prison has blasted “stolen votes” and condemned the “misadventure” of his enemies forming a coalition against him once again.

“Such daylight robbery will not only be a disrespect to the citizens but will also push the country’s economy further into a downward spiral,” the former Pakistan leader said on social media.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

Imran Khan’s PTI alleges mandate ‘stolen in the dark of night’ after Shehbaz’s PM nomination #ImranKhan #Pakistan #PakistanElections2024

10:31 AM · Feb 14, 2024

2,255 Views

Pakistani law allows up to 21 days after an election for the new parliament to convene, upon which time a new prime minister is elected and sworn in.

Sharif was viewed going into the election as the clear front-runner. He’s seen as the “military’s man” in Islamabad, while Khan’s legacy has sought to be erased by those same elite powers.

As we detailed previously, the hotly contested election has been marred by political violence and acts of terrorism of the past several days, which has even included bombings at polling stations and attacks on political offices. 48 hours of violence going into Thursday’s voting saw over 35 people killed and scores wounded.

END

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

EURO VS USA DOLLAR: 1.0749 UP .0013

USA/ YEN 150.03 DOWN 0.516 NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN STILL FALLS//

GBP/USA 1.2534 DOWN .0013

USA/CAN DOLLAR: 1.3538 UP .0002 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 2 BASIS PTS)

Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED

Hang Seng CLOSED

AUSTRALIA CLOSED UPP 0.79% // EUROPEAN BOURSE: ALL GREEN

Trading from Europe and ASIA

I) EUROPEAN BOURSES: ALL GREEN

2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG CLOSED

/SHANGHAI CLOSED

AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED UP 0.79%

(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED UP 454.62 [TS OR 1.21%

INDIA’S SENSEX IN THE GREEN

Gold very early morning trading: 1997.90

silver:$22.66

USA dollar index early THURSDAY morning: 104.45 DOWN 16 BASIS POINTS FROM WEDNESDAY’s CLOSE.

THURSDAY MORNING NUMBERS ENDS

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And now your closing THURSDAY NUMBERS 1: 30 AM

Portuguese 10 year bond yield: 3.009% DOWN 4 in basis point(s) yield

JAPANESE BOND YIELD: +0.708% DOWN 2 AND 2//100 BASIS POINTS /JAPAN losing control of its yield curve/

SPANISH 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.246 DOWN 4 in basis points yield

ITALIAN 10 YR BOND YIELD 3.827 DOWN 5 points in basis points yield ./ THE ECB IS QE’ ING ITALIAN BONDS (BUYING ITALIAN BONDS/SELLING GERMAN BUNDS)

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD: 2.330 DOWN 4 BASIS PTS

END

IMPORTANT CURRENCY CLOSES FOR THURSDAY

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

Euro/USA 1.0761 UP 0.0029 or 29 basis points

USA/Japan: 149.99 DOWN 0.554 OR YEN UP 55 basis points/

Great Britain/USA 1.2584 UP .0017 OR 17 BASIS POINTS //

Canadian dollar UP .0041 OR 41 BASIS pts to 1.3497

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The USA/Yuan, CNY: closed ON SHORE CLOSED

THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE: (YUAN CLOSED (UP)…. (7.2192)

TURKISH LIRA: 30.73 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//ON DEATH WATCH

the 10 yr Japanese bond yield at +0.708…

Your closing 10 yr US bond yield DOWN 3 in basis points from WEDNESDAY at 4.230% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%) very problematic

USA 30 yr bond yield 4.415 DOWN 4 in basis points /12.00 PM

USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.559 DOWN 2 BASIS PTS.

GOLD AT 11;30 AM 2001,00

SILVER AT 11;30: 22.88

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

London: CLOSED UP 29..13 PTS OR 0.38%

German Dax : CLOSED UP 101.21 PTS OR 0.60%

Paris CAC CLOSED UP 66.07 PTS OR 0.86%

Spain IBEX CLOSED UP 10.70 PTS OR 0.11%

Italian MIB: CLOSED UP 365.06 PTS OR 1.17%

WTI Oil price 77.70 12: EST

Brent Oil: 82.54 12:00 EST

USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE /// AT: 99.37; ROUBLE DOWN 0 AND 97//100

GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.3330 DOWN 3 BASIS PTS

UK 10 YR YIELD: 4.0660 DOWN 4 BASIS POINTS

CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM

Euro vs USA: 1.0769 UP .0037 OR 37 BASIS POINTS

British Pound: 1.2596 UP .0028 or 28 basis pts

BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD: 4.0865 UP 2 BASIS PTS//

JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 0.717%

USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 149.96 DOWN 0.598//YEN UP 60 BASIS PTS//

USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.3469 DOWN .0069 CDN dollar UP 69 basis pts)

West Texas intermediate oil: 78.24

Brent OIL: 82.91

USA 10 yr bond yield DOWN 3 BASIS pts to 4.240%

USA 30 yr bond yield DOWN 3 BASIS PTS to 4.421%

USA 2 YR BOND: DOWN 1 PTS AT 4.568%

USA dollar index: 104.19 DOWN 43 BASIS POINTS

USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 30.75 (GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/

USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE: 92.25 DOWN 0 AND 85/100 roubles

GOLD 2004.20 3:30 PM

SILVER: 22.92 3:30 PM

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: UP 349.25 PTS OR 0.91%

NASDAQ UP 38.09 PTS OR 0.21%

VOLATILITY INDEX: 14.25 DOWN 0.13 PTS OR 0.90%

GLD: $185.66 UP 1.24 OR 0.67%

SLV/ $20.95 UP .51 OR 2.50%

end

USA AFFAIRS

TODAY’S TRADING IN GRAPH FORM

Small Caps ‘Squeeze’ To Pre-CPI Highs On Dismal Data; Bonds, Oil, & Gold All Bounce

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 04:00 PM

A Japanese recession (and new equity market highs) and a UK recession (and rising stock market) and broadly crap US macro (and stocks soar) – we’re sensing a pattern.

‘Good’ jobless claims data was not enough to deter the momo-muppets from the ‘bad’ retail sales data, and ‘ugly’ manufacturing print that all provided just the ammunition for bulls to hope for The Fed to rescue them sooner rather than later (and with more).

March remains off the table but May is back up to a 33% chance of a cut and 2024 now back up to 4 rate-cuts…

Source: Bloomberg

Small Caps were up 2.5% today (as the Nasdaq lagged) pushing it well above pre-CPI levels. The Dow managed to get back to even from CPI…

Source: Bloomberg

Small Caps outperformed for the second day in a row, erasing all the relative gains of Nasdaq post-CPI…

Source: Bloomberg

…thanks to yet more short-squeezing…

Source: Bloomberg

MAG7 stocks went nowhere for a second day…

Source: Bloomberg

But, ARM kept on keeping on…

Source: Bloomberg

Treasuries were bid again today (on the bad news) with yields down 2-3bps across the curve (with the belly a modest outperformer). The 30Y almost got back to unch from pre-CPI today before leaking back higher in yield…

Source: Bloomberg

The dollar dumped today, almost erasing all of the CPI spike….

Source: Bloomberg

Bitcoin rallied up near $53k intraday but faded back to hold around $52k…

Source: Bloomberg

As ETF net inflows continued to grow (though did slow yesterday)…

Source: Bloomberg

However, Ethereum did extend its gains on more chatter about an ETH ETF…

Source: Bloomberg

Spot Gold prices broke back above $2000…

Source: Bloomberg

Oil prices rebounded strongly, erasing all of yesterday’s losses…

Source: Bloomberg

Finally, Nasdaq is at its weakest relative to Small Caps since early Jan…

Source: Bloomberg

Double-top anyone?

Time for a reality check?

Source: Bloomberg

Oh, and this is nothing…

Source: Bloomberg

RSI 99! WTF!

MORNING TRADING//

end

MORNING TRADING

II USA DATA

US Manufacturing Output Plunged In January (Despite Surge In PMI)

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 09:34 AM

US Industrial Production fell 0.1% MoM in January, dragging it down to unchanged YoY

Source: Bloomberg

As cold weather crushed mining but juice utilities…

In January, mining output fell 2.3 percent amid a weather-related pullback in oil and gas extraction and a drop in coal production.
The output of utilities jumped 6.0 percent as electric and natural gas utilities output increased 4.7 and 13.9 percent, respectively.

Manufacturing output fell 0.5% in January, dragging it down 0.9% YoY…

Source: Bloomberg

The index for durable manufacturing edged up 0.1 percent, while the index for nondurable manufacturing fell 1.1 percent. The index for other manufacturing (publishing and logging) moved down 0.2 percent.

Among durables, the largest gains were recorded in electrical equipment, appliances, and components as well as in aerospace and miscellaneous transportation equipment. Computer and electronic products also moved up in January, in part based on the continued strength in semiconductor production. Nonmetallic mineral products and primary metals recorded declines of around 1 percent.

Declines were widespread among nondurables, with notable weather-related decreases in the indexes of petroleum and coal products, chemicals, and plastics and rubber products.

Capacity utilization for manufacturing decreased to 76.6% in January, a rate that is 1.6ppts below its long-run average, and its lowest since Sept 2021.

Source: Bloomberg

The operating rate for mining decreased 2.3 percentage points to 92.2 percent, a rate that is 5.7 percentage points above its long-run average. The operating rate for utilities moved up 4.0 percentage points to 74.2 percent, well below its long-run average of 84.4 percent.

All of which is odd, because the ‘soft’ data said everything was awesome again?

None of which is a great sign for Q1 GDP..

END

Pay no attention to this garbage report

(zerohedge)

Despite Ongoing Mass Corporate Layoffs, Govt-Supplied Jobless Claims Data Continues To Decline

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 08:46 AM

As mass corporate layoffs continue to mount, with CSCO the latest to announce (a 5% global workforce reduction), why should we be shocked that expectations were for a very small rise in initial jobless claims (from 218k to 220k) last week.

Source: Layoffs.fyi

What does that look like – in the real world labor market – in 2024…

1. Twitch: 35% of workforce
2. Roomba: 31% of workforce
3. Hasbro: 20% of workforce
4. LA Times: 20% of workforce
5. Spotify: 17% of workforce
6. Levi’s: 15% of workforce
7. Xerox: 15% of workforce
8. Qualtrics: 14% of workforce
9. Wayfair: 13% of workforce
10. Duolingo: 10% of workforce
11. Washington Post: 10% of workforce
12: Snap: 10% of workforce
13. eBay: 9% of workforce
14. Business Insider: 8% of workforce
15. Paypal: 7% of workforce
16. Okta: 7% of workforce
17. Charles Schwab: 6% of workforce
18. Docusign: 6% of workforce
19: CISCO: 5% of workforce
20. UPS: 2% of workforce
21. Blackrock: 3% of workforce
22. Paramount: 3% of workforce
23. Citigroup: 20,000 employees
24. Pixar: 1,300 employees

And here’s the government-supplied statistics…

Instead, the number of Americans filing for jobless claims for the first time decline to 212k (of course it f**king did!)…

Source: Bloomberg

Missouri saw by far the biggest decline in initial claims (NSA) while Kentucky and California saw big jumps…

However, Continuing Claims ticked up from 1.86mm to 1.895mm (above exp of 1.88mm)…

Source: Bloomberg

As a reminder, here’s what Richmond Fed governor Tom Barkin warned last week:

“I am cautious about accuracy of numbers around the turn of the year.”

Cautious all year round more like…

end

Retail highlights: Sales drop 0.8% in January

By Jeffry Bartash

MarketWatch

U.S. retail sales fell 0.8% in January, well below forecast. Biggest decline in 10 months

Retail sales minus autos decline 0.6% in January.

end

Inflation rising!

(Market Watch)

No inflation help here: Import prices show biggest increase in almost two years

Feb. 15, 2024 at 8:33 a.m. ET

MarketWatch

Import prices rise for the first time since last fall

The numbers: The cost of imported goods jumped 0.8% in January, marking the first increase since last fall and the biggest rise in almost two years.

The higher cost of imported goods was fueled in part by rising gas prices, but most other categories also showed increases. Import prices minus fuel rose 0.7% last month, the government said.

Until the January report, the cost of imported goods had fallen steadily and contributed to lower U.S. inflation.

Another inflation report published earlier this week, the consumer-price index, was also worse than expected.

Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had estimated a 0.1% drop in the import-price index.

Key details: Putting January aside, import prices have fallen 1.3% in the past year. They are down 0.3% in the same span if fuel is excluded.

Cheaper import prices help to lower U.S. inflation because Americans buy so many foreign-made products such as oil, cell phones and cars.

Imports also increase competition, another mechanism to help lower prices.

Big picture: Inflation in the U.S. is waning, but it’s higher than it was before the pandemic.

The Federal Reserve is aiming to reduce the rate of inflation to 2% within the next year or two, but as the recent CPI report showed, the road to 2% might be bumpy.

end

Economy faltering: industrial output drops

(Market Watch)

U.S. industrial output drops 0.1% in January

Feb. 15, 2024 at 9:19 a.m. ET

MarketWatchManufacturing alone falls 0.5%

The numbers: Industrial production fell 0.1% in January, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

The gain was slightly above expectations of a 0.2% gain, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal.

Manufacturing alone fell 0.5% after a 0.1% gain in the prior month

TUCKER CARLSON

III USA ECONOMIC COMMENTARIES

Craziness!

1 Dead, 9 Injured After Shots Fired At Chiefs Super Bowl Parade

WEDNESDAY, FEB 14, 2024 – 04:30 PM

Update (1630ET):

The Kansas City Fire Department announced that one individual has died and nine others have been injured in a shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade.

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*ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER SHOOTING IN KANSAS CITY: ABC

*ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER SHOOTING IN KANSAS CITY: ABC— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 14, 2024

Officials told ABC News that three victims are in critical condition, five are in serious condition, and one has non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting took place near Union Station as Chiefs fans were leaving the parade.

“About 1 million paradegoers and 600 law enforcement officials were expected at Wednesday’s celebration,” ABC noted.

An earlier report stated police detained two gunmen.

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@CollinRugg

NEW: Man tackled and arrested following the shooting outside of Union Station at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade. At the moment, reports say that one person has died and about 10 others were injured. One of the bystanders in the video could be heard saying: “We tackled him. When we tackled him, the gun came out.” The police officer could be seen in the video finding the gun. Local news claims about 10 people were shot, 3 in critical condition and one dead. Video: Alyssa Marsh-Contreras

4:05 PM · Feb 14, 2024

792.9K Views

*Twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1757873742330642895 * *

Chaos erupted at the Kansas City Chiefs Superbowl parade on the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday afternoon after reports of a shooting.

“Shots have been fired around Union Station. Please leave the area,” Kansas City Police posted to X.

“We need people to exit the area as quickly and safely as possible and avoid the parking garage in order to facilitate treatment of shooting victims,” police said, adding, “Many of you have footage of many officers securing union station, they are working to provide for the safety of everyone inside union station and expedite care of those injured.”

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Shots have been fired around Union Station. Please leave the area.— kcpolice (@kcpolice) February 14, 2024

Daily Mail states, “Two gunmen have been detained after shots rang out at the Kansas City Chiefs Superbowl parade, sending thousands fleeing as the celebration descended into chaos.”

Other reports state that “several people were struck by gunfire.”

Based on information from Breaking911 on X, this is the current situation:

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BREAKING: ‘Multiple Victims’ in Super Bowl Parade Shooting in Kansas City

• Police respond to shooting at Kansas City Chiefs’ victory rally at Union Station.

• Kansas City Fire Department confirms shooting, labels situation as “fluid.”

• Shots fired west of Union Station;… pic.twitter.com/1VZ6tbrE6u— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 14, 2024

Videos posted on X show fans scrambling for safety.

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John O’Connor of Kansas City gives his account of active shooting, he said he heard 15-20 shots left of the stage. Situation highly tense on ground.#KansasCity #KansasCityChiefs #Kansas #SuperBowl2024 pic.twitter.com/l616La1ouU— Target Reporter (@Target_Reporter) February 14, 2024

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Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Parade Shooting
– Clip from James Palmer of NFL Network
– Hosting parade and told to take cover under the stagepic.twitter.com/A2jfwDcYz9— Brendan (@BrendanMcInnis) February 14, 2024

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is this who we are kansas city??? y’all can’t go an hour without a shooting?? pic.twitter.com/gNP4mzEprV— 𐚁 (was @BEYONCÉ) (@notblazedpx) February 14, 2024

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NEW: 1 person has died, and at least 9 people are injured after shooting near Chiefs parade in Kansas City
pic.twitter.com/hSnkGUuVun— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) February 14, 2024

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BREAKING: Shooting Incident Leaves at Least Three Wounded Post-Chiefs Celebration

A shooting incident at a Chiefs rally near Union Station sparked immediate chaos and panic among attendees.

The event, which unfolded as the crowd began to disperse, saw law enforcement and… pic.twitter.com/Wb2xfwv1r0— UngaTheGreat (@UngaTheGreat) February 14, 2024

*Developing…

END

The real economy!

Ex-CEO Warns Inflation and Mass Layoffs Reveal ‘Tremendous Shift’ in Economy

A former top corporate executive warned that the economy doesn’t appear to be on a fast path to recovery.

Friends Read Free

307

187

Ex-CEO Warns Inflation and Mass Layoffs Reveal ‘Tremendous Shift’ in Economy — Bob Nardelli (center), former CEO of Chrysler and Home Depot, as seen in a file photo. (Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)

By Jack Phillips

2/13/2024

Updated:

2/14/2024PrintX 1

0:00

A former top corporate executive warned that the economy doesn’t appear to be on a fast path to recovery due to higher-than-anticipated inflation and recent mass layoffs.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.3 percent last month after gaining 0.2 percent in December, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed. Shelter, which includes rents, accounted for more than two-thirds of the rise in the CPI. On a year-by-year basis, the rate increased 3.1 percent.

“We’ve seen companies where we’ve had $2 million of interest rates now explode to $12, $13, $14 million. And the free cash flow that we generate is going to pay the man,” former Home Depot and Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli told Fox Business on Tuesday. “We cannot afford the type of interest rates that we’re buried [in] today. I mean, you couldn’t afford it as an individual in trying to balance your budget.”

The American public, he added, doesn’t fully understand how high interest rates “are killing” lower- and middle-market companies.

Sign up for the Morning Brief newsletter. Join 200,000+ Canadians who receive truthful news without bias or agenda, investigative reporting that matters, and important stories other media ignore. Sign up with 1-click >>

The report Tuesday is less than the 3.4 percent CPI figure in December and far below the 9.1 percent inflation peak in mid-2022. But the latest reading is still well above the Federal Reserve’s self-imposed 2 percent target level at a time when public frustration with inflation has become a pivotal issue in President Joe Biden’s bid for reelection.

Aside from inflation, Mr. Nardelli warned that layoffs are also mounting. There has been a “tremendous shift in employment out there where people are being laid off.”

“The general population will not be duped by this aversion to try and blame inflation on corporate America. It starts at the raw materials, it starts at transportation, it starts at energy,” the former CEO said. “A whole host of things that are driving this up, wage increases.”

“This is all about, I think, trying to buy votes. This is all about an administration that is out of control,” Mr. Nardelli also said in the interview. “We have a strong bias towards spending versus having a conservative policy or a sustainable future.”

Cisco, the network giant, will reportedly slash thousands of jobs as it plans to restructure its business. So far in 2024, tech companies have laid off more than 34,000 employees, according to a report.

Big Pharma CEOs Testify to Senate on Prescription Drug Prices

Play Video

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/ex-ceo-warns-inflation-and-mass-layoffs-reveal-tremendous-shift-in-economy-5586448?utm_source=News&src_src=News&utm_campaign=breaking-2024-02-14-2&src_cmp=breaking-2024-02-14-2&utm_medium

Weeks before that, Microsoft laid off about 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees to align with “a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business,” it said.

Aside from tech companies, other sectors are reportedly being impacted. Paramount Global, the owner of broadcast and cable TV channels, said it would lay off about 800 workers in a bid to reduce costs.

Late last month, delivery company UPS said it would slash 12,000 jobs after reporting a decline in the volume of packages being shipped. The company’s CEO said the job cuts will help the firm about $1 billion.

https://www.ganjingworld.com/embed/1gdf1fdpasb62GQYt2eggoP5P1rp1c

On Tuesday, Biden administration officials responded to the CPI by noting that average hourly pay, adjusted for inflation, rose in January and is 1.4 percent higher than it was a year earlier. But the average work week has declined because some businesses have reduced their employees’ hours, leaving weekly inflation-adjusted pay slightly lower than it was a year earlier.

“We understand there’s more work to be done, but this is an economy that is in a much different place than it was a year ago,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary. “When you see eggs and milk and products like that at the grocery store going down, they’re lower than they were a year ago, that’s important.”

The Federal Reserve raised its key rate 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023, in a concerted drive to defeat high inflation. The result has been much higher borrowing rates for businesses and consumers, including for mortgages and auto loans. Rate cuts would eventually lead to lower borrowing costs for many categories of loans.

end

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

END

FREIGHT ISSUES/USA

END

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

END

SWAMP STORIES

The crook Biden strikes again, this time taking grandkids money for himself

(zerohedge)

House Probing Whether Biden Raided Grandkids’ Bank Accounts In ‘Unusual’ Money Transfers

WEDNESDAY, FEB 14, 2024 – 10:25 PM

New evidence in the House GOP’s ongoing efforts to get to the bottom of the Biden family’s tangled web of payments and bank accounts have uncovered new evidence suggesting money transfers to President Joe Biden from his grandchildren, Just the News reports.

“In one of the interviews — that we haven’t I don’t believe disclose the transcript yet — the witness made reference to an account we didn’t know about. We’re researching that account,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told Just the News, No Noise, adding that the information may eventually lead Congress to subpoena Biden’s personal bank and credit card records.

“They also said that that account could have possibly been paid with some infusion from the grandchildren.“

According to Comer, the flow of money from a grandchild to a grandfather would be unusual, if true.

“Now, I don’t know about you. But I don’t know anyone in the world whose grandchildren have ever deposited money into a savings account for their elderly grandfather,” said Comer. “But now, maybe I’m wrong. But that’s something we’re certainly looking into.”

Comer wouldn’t go into who the witness was, however another Congressional insider told the outlet that it came from a longtime Hunter Biden business associate. The same source said they expected the transcript of the interview to be released later this week or early next week.

In recent weeks the Committe has made progress interviewing a laundry list of Biden associates:

Comer’s committee has completed several closed-door interviews with Hunter Biden associates including energy executive Tony Bobulinski, Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, and Rosemont Seneca partners Devon Archer and Eric Schwerin. Bobulinski’s and Schwerin’s transcripts have not yet been released.

Emails on Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop indicated Schwerin had access to some information about Joe Biden’s finances when he was vice president, including a tax refund from Delaware that was being routed from father to son.

Comer said his committee has begun to request access from banks and others to Joe Biden’s personal financial records and that lawmakers were prepared to obtain them by subpoena if necessary. -Just the News

According to former Biden associate Tony Bobulinksy, “Joe Biden was the brand” Hunter and pals were selling.

“We certainly have a lot of questions about he achieved how he (Joe Biden) accumulated so much wealth so quickly,” said Comer. “The public explanation behind that doesn’t add up with most people’s calculators. We’re certainly looking into some of these new accounts. We’ve requested some information, that you know is the first step in being able to successfully subpoena bank records. So stay tuned to that.”

Read the rest of the report her

end

Supreme Court Orders Special Counsel To Respond To Trump Immunity Appeal

BY TYLER DURDEN

WEDNESDAY, FEB 14, 2024 – 08:25 PM

US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered the Department of Justice to respond to former President Trump’s claim that he has presidential immunity in his ongoing Jan. 6 election case in Washington D.C.

The move comes after the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit rejected Trump’s attempt to overturn Judge Tanya Chutkan’s refusal to dismiss the case based on Trump’s immunity claim – and less than a week after the Supreme Court heard Trump’s appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court, which ruled that he was disqualified from appearing on the state’s ballot.

Roberts gave Special Counsel Jack Smith until Feb. 20 to respond, pointing to a broader urgency for the Court to address relatively untested legal issues that could have a significant impact on the 2024 presidential election.

“[A] panel of the D.C. Circuit has, in an extraordinarily fast manner, issued a decision on President Trump’s claim of immunity and ordered the mandate returned to the district court to proceed with President Trump’s criminal trial in four business days, unless this Court intervenes (as it should),” reads Trump’s Feb. 12 filing, requesting that the appellate court’s decision be stayed.

Jack Smith, meanwhile, has asked the Supreme Court to skip appellate proceedings and fast-track the case, claiming that “only” the Supreme Court could “definitively resolve” the immunity claims, The Epoch Times reports.

President Trump is asking for the Supreme Court to halt the appellate decision because it incorrectly ruled that presidential immunity didn’t apply to Mr. Smith’s prosecution of him.

His attorney, D. John Sauer, had argued in January that the Constitution required presidents first face impeachment and trial by Congress before they could be criminally prosecuted within Article III courts. A three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit unanimously rejected his arguments, stating that” ‘[c]oncerns of public policy, especially as illuminated by our history and the structure of our government’ compel the rejection of his claim of immunity in this case.”

The judges also ruled that “any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.”

The issue of presidential immunity is a relatively untested area of law – however in 1982, the Supreme Court held in Nixon vs. Fitzgerald that the president has “absolute immunity” from civil liability which extends to the “outer perimeter” of his official duties.

The appellate court, however, held that Trump exceeded these bounds.

“Former President Trump’s claimed immunity would have us extend the framework for Presidential civil immunity to criminal cases and decide for the first time that a former President is categorically immune from federal criminal prosecution for any act conceivably within the outer perimeter of his executive responsibility,” reads the lower court’s opinion.

end

It was not Hur that brought up Beau Biden’s death but Joe Biden himself

(zerohedge)

Biden Slammed Hur For Asking About Beau’s Death – Sources Say Biden Brought It Up

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 08:55 AM

Hours after last week’s release of special counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents — which described the president as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and “diminished faculties” — Team Biden pushed their man in front of reporters in a hopeless bid to demonstrate that his mind is fully intact.

It backfired in various ways, most notably when Biden referred to Egyptian President Sissi as the president of Mexico — in a week in which he’d already twice confused the dead male German chancellor Helmut Kohl with the living female Angela Merkel, and confused the late French president François Mitterand with President Emmanuel Macron.

Now, sources say a more significant Biden statement during that press conference was also false.

First, some more background. In addition to not remembering what years he served as vice president, the special counsel report said that, in his interview with investigators, Biden “did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died.”

At his press conference, Biden lashed out at Hur for insensitively grilling him about Beau’s death from cancer at age 46:

“I know there’s some attention paid to some language in the report about my recollection of events. There’s even a reference that I don’t remember when my son died. How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business.”

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https://www.zerohedge.com/political/biden-slammed-hur-asking-about-beaus-death-sources-say-biden-brought-it

Big Media ran with Biden’s narrative. For example, at The New York Times, an utterly credulous, unquestioning Katie Rogers — sounding every bit like a Biden campaign proxy — devoted an article to Biden’s Beau-centered attack on Hur, describing Biden’s “chin quivering either from anger or sadness.” In what’s positioned as a straight news article, she concluded with this state-media salute:

A president who has infused his son’s memory into his presidency wanted to make one thing clear, to both the special counsel’s office and to his critics. “I don’t need anyone to remind me when he passed away,” Mr. Biden said.

Rogers and other “journalists” covering the story didn’t even entertain the possibility that Biden — who routinely invokes Beau in various remarks to secure the sympathy of his audience — was the one who brought Beau’s death up during the 5-hour special counsel interview.

Now, citing two sources with knowledge of the interview, NBC News reports that it was indeed Biden who raised the topic of his son’s death. They say he did so when investigators asked about his activities at his Virginia rental home between 2016 and 2018, a time during which Biden was working with a ghost writer on a memoir about the loss of Beau, who died in 2015:

Biden began trying to recall that period by discussing what else was happening in his life, and it was at that point in the interview that he appeared confused about when Beau died, the sources said. Biden got the date — May 30 — correct, but not the year.

**Joe Biden credibly links his son’s cancer death to his exposure to toxic military burn pits in Iraq, but often incorrectly tells audiences Beau died** ***in Iraq*** (Khalid Mohammed/ Pool via AP and *MilitaryTimes*)

The NBC News report comes after several days of Biden defenders parroting the questionable attack on Hur. “Why in the hell are you asking that question?” asked Obama Attorney General Eric Holder on MSNBC. “What does that have to do with the retention of classified documents?”

Team Biden’s exploitation of Beau’s death didn’t end with media spin — they also used it in a Biden-Harris fundraising email. Packaged as if it were sent by Jill Biden, it contains this enormously hypocritical line, purportedly from the First Lady: “I can’t imagine someone would try to use our son’s death to score political points.”

All that said, Democrats’ campaign to persuade Americans that Biden is fit for office isn’t working: 62% of registered voters have “major concerns” about whether Biden has the requisite mental and physical strength to serve five more years.

It couldn’t help when Biden, lashing out at Hur, went blank as he tried to remember the name of the church that gave Beau the rosary beads that Biden wears daily:

END

Judge Denies Trump Motion To Dismiss Stormy Daniels ‘Hush Money’ Case, Sets March Trial Date

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 10:00 AM

The judge in former President Donald Trump’s New York hush-money trial says the case will go forward as scheduled, with jury selection beginning on March 25.

The decision by Judge Juan Manuel Merchan was made after consulting with the judge in Trump’s now-delayed federal election interference case in Washington DC.

Trump was in attendance on Thursday for the hearing to determine whether Trump is guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in an alleged scheme to conceal stories about alleged extramarital affairs which former porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal sprung on the billionaire during the 2016 election.

Thursday marked Trump’s first return to the court in the New York criminal case since he became the first ex-president indicted in US history. He has since been indicted in Florida, Georgia, and Washington D.C. – which has only propelled him to new heights in the polls.

Sparks flew in the coutroom, as Trump’s attorneys blasted the decision to keep the March date – arguing that Trump will have to stand trial in New York while simultaneously attempting to seal the Republican nomination.

“It is completely election interference to say ‘you are going to sit in this courtroom in Manhattan,” said defense attorney Todd Blanche.

Merchan at one point told Blanche at one point “Stop interrupting me.”

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Kyle Griffin

@kylegriffin1

During the heated exchange about the schedule for the trial moving forward, Judge Merchan told Trump lawyer Todd Blanche: “Stop interrupting me.”

Quote

Kyle Griffin

@kylegriffin1

39m

Save the date: Donald Trump’s first criminal trial — the hush money case — will start on March 25 as scheduled.

10:05 AM · Feb 15, 2024

In recent weeks, Merchan has taken steps to prepare for the trial – which would be the first for Trump of his several cases, AP reports.

Over the past year, Trump has lashed out at Merchan as a “Trump-hating judge,” asked him to step down from the case and sought to move the case from state court to federal court, all to no avail. Merchan has acknowledged making several small donations to Democrats, including $15 to Trump’s rival Joe Biden, but said he’s certain of his “ability to be fair and impartial.”

Thursday’s proceeding is part of a busy, overlapping stretch of legal activity for the Republican presidential front-runner, who has increasingly made his court involvement part of his political campaign.

The recent postponement of a March 4 trial date in Trump’s Washington, D.C. election interference case removed a major hurdle to starting the New York case on time. –AP

Trump has denied any of the alleged sexual encounters.

At the time, Trump’s lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen paid Daniels $130,000, and arranged for the publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid to pay McDougal $150,000 in a practiced coined “catch-and-kill.”

Trump’s company then paid Cohen $420,000 and marked the payments as legal expenses vs. reimbursements, according to prosecutors.

END

JPMorgan pulls out of the stupid green deal; they have had enough

(zerohedge)

JP Morgan Pulls Out Of $68 Trillion “Climate Action 100+” Group

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 12:00 PM

We have been covering the full on implosion of ESG and “green” investing for the better part of the last 6 months and today, the wreckage continues.

That’s because mega-bank JP Morgan has officially left a $68 trillion investor coalition that is “focused on pressing the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases to decarbonize,” according to Bloomberg.

In other words, the “fight” to decarbonize is imploding.

JP Morgan said it is leaving the Climate Action 100+ because it has “made significant investments in developing its own climate risk engagement framework”, the report says. The bank claims to have 40 professionals now focused on sustainable investing.

And the damage for the Climate Action 100+ may only be getting started. Lance Dial, a Boston-based partner at law firm K&L Gates LLP, told Bloomberg: “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more defections, especially given that there’s now a cost, such as potential litigation, that wasn’t there when companies joined.”

He added: “Attorneys general have subpoenaed firms about their membership of these groups.”

The group responded by saying its 700+ members are “committed to managing climate risk and preserving shareholder value through their participation in the initiative.”

The bank’s involvement in CA100+ was initially seen as a significant step in its ESG investment journey. However, the initiative, alongside its participants, has faced increasing criticism from Republican circles in the U.S., labeling it and similar ESG efforts as politically motivated.

This criticism has led many investment firms to retreat from publicly aligning with net zero commitments and downplay their involvement in climate-focused finance groups, which are now considered more of a political burden than a merit.

Originally, CA100+ aimed to engage major companies like BP, Exxon Mobil, and Glencore in enhancing governance, cutting emissions, and improving climate financial disclosures, the report says. As the initiative enters a more proactive stage, asking members to ensure companies transition from plans to tangible emission reductions, the heightened activist stance poses additional difficulties for investors wishing to keep a lower profile in climate advocacy.

“The political winds aren’t rewarding climate-active firms today, but climate risk and regulations aren’t going away in the mid to long run, so short-term decisions may need to be undone when those longer term threats begin to manifest or regulators clamp down harder,” said Michael Sheren, a former senior adviser at the Bank of England who’s now a fellow at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

“JPMorgan pulling out matters because it sends the wrong, short-sighted signal and gives cover for others to do the same,” he added.

And we’re sure they will…

We noted earlier this year, “ESG” has become a “dirty word” on Wall Street.

For some context, peak ESG and related synonyms, such as “climate change” and “clean energy” and green energy” and net zero,” among other terms, peaked at 28,000 mentions in the first quarter of 2022. Ever since, the number of mentions has rapidly plunged. Halfway through the first quarter earnings season, mentions are around 4,800.

Recall, we have written about the dying off of ESG and “green” investment products over the last few months. Most recently, at the end of 2023, Goldman Sachs shuttered its ActiveBeta Paris-Aligned Climate U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas pointed out last month that “there was just way too much supply for the demand” with the ETF and that “it’s going to get worse too”. Balchunas says the ETF only took in $7 million over the course of 2 years.

We also wrote about Jeff Ubben late last year, who shuttered his sustainability fund – calling traditional climate summitry an “echo chamber” of diplomats.

Less than a week before that we noted that $30 billion had been shaved off the value of clean energy stocks over the preceding 6 months.

Finally, we pointed out last year how the ESG grift was reaching endgame after Markus Müller, chief investment officer ESG at Deutsche Bank’s Private Bank stated that sustainability funds should include traditional energy stocks, arguing that not doing so deprives investors of a prime opportunity to invest in the transition to renewable energy.

end

Fani Pounded As Nathan Wade Testifies To Cash Money ‘Reimbursements’ And Former Friend Flushes Her Defense

BY TYLER DURDEN

THURSDAY, FEB 15, 2024 – 12:30 PM

$hit has really hit the Fani in Fulton County.

On Thursday, special prosecutor Nathan Wade testified under oath that he charged several lavish vacations with DA Fani Willis to his corporate credit card while working on the Trump case, and was later reimbursed in cash by Fani.

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

The relationship between Wade and Willis is the subject of an evidentiary hearing as part of Willis’ sprawling racketeering case brought against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants for their alleged efforts to overturn (or ‘correct’ – depending) the results of the 2020 US election in Georgia.

Wade also testified that his marriage was “irretrievably broken in 2015,” and that his wife agreed to a divorce – but they held off because their children were still in school.

Fani fudged…

In a confirmation of what we reported last week from Wade’s divorce proceedings, a former “good friend” of Willis’ testified that her romantic relationship with Wade began after they met at the judicial conference in the fall of 2019, directly contradicting assertions made by Willis in court filings about the timing of their relationship. Willis claimed that she and Wade “have been professional associates and friends since 2019,” and that “there was no personal relationship” between her and Wade in Nov. 2021 when she hired Wade and paid him over $600,000 to help her prosecute Trump.

Appearing before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee via Zoom, Yeartie said Willis and Wade may have begun dating in October or November 2019, shortly after the two met at the conference that year.

During questioning from Sadow, who is representing Trump in the case, Yeartie testified that Willis told her she was engaged in a romantic relationship with Wade in 2020 and 2021, and said she witnessed “hugging, kissing,” and “just affection” between the two before November 2021, when Wade was hired by Willis. -CBS News

Fulton County DA’s office lawyer Anna Cross attempted to raise doubts about Yeartie’s credibility, asking her questions about her performance while working for Willis, and whether she was ever disciplined for poor performance. Yeartie admitted that she’d been written up once, referencing a “situation” in which she was told she would be terminated if she didn’t resign.

Greg Price

@greg_price11

BREAKING: Nathan Wade testifies that he paid for all the vacations he took with Fani Willis with his business credit card. And that she then reimbursed him in CASH. This what at a time he was getting paid by Willis’ office for the prosecution of Trump.

11:38 AM · Feb 15, 2024

195K Views

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

This adds to previous reporting suggesting that Willis paid Wade’s divorce attorney!

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-

You can watch a recap of Wade’s testimony below:

AND THEN;

Watch Live: Fani Willis Testifies Over Romantic Relationship With Nathan Wade

What’s Willis talking about?

THU FEB 15, AT 3:07 PM

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/fani-pounded-nathan-wade-testifies-cash-money-reimbursements-and-good-friend-destroys-her

KING REPORT

The King Report February 15, 2024 Issue 7871

Independent View of the News

House Intel Chair Warns Biden of Mysterious ‘Serious National Security Threat’
The chair of the House Intelligence Committee has issued a cryptic warning of a “serious national security threat” that might require help from “our allies” to deal with it…
    He is calling on President Biden to declassify the information. “I am requesting that President Biden declassify all information relating to this threat so that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can openly discuss the actions necessary to respond to this threat,” he told House members Wednesday.
   An unnamed Democratic source was quoted telling NBC News: “This is a serious issue that could lead to a destabilizing situation and a national security threat.” Apart from describing it as a “potential foreign threat,” however, the source provided no further details.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/house-intel-chair-warns-biden-171902176.html

@RNCResearch: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says he’s “a little bit surprised” House Intel Committee Chair Mike Turner scheduled a classified briefing for Members of Congress regarding “an urgent matter with regard to a destabilizing foreign military capability.“
https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1757817864801657310

@sentdefender: A U.S. Intelligence Official has reportedly told CNN that the National Security Threat is a “Highly Concerning and Destabilizing” Capability established by the Russian Armed Forces.
      Three Members of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee have told Politico that the National Security Threat caused by a New Russian Capability is “Disturbing” but that it is a Longer-Term Concern “Not a Today thing” and that, “It is a Serious Issue but not an Immediate Crisis.”

‘We have to get this done’: A top House Republican pushes for Ukraine aid, stat Feb.12, 2024
Intel Chair Mike Turner says he’s confident Speaker Mike Johnson will allow a vote sending new funding to Kyiv… (Speaker Johnson should remove Turner as Intel Chair for his abject grandstanding)
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/12/mike-turner-ukraine-funding-00140924

House Speaker Mike Johnson says ‘no need for alarm’ after Intelligence chair warns Congress of ‘serious national security threat’ – “Last month, I sent a letter to the White House requesting a meeting with the president to discuss a serious national security issue that is classified,” Johnson told reporters.
    “In response to that letter, a meeting is now scheduled tomorrow on this matter here at the Capitol with the Gang of Four and with the president’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan,” he added…
    “And I want to assure the American people there is no need for public alarm. We are going to work together to address this matter, as we do all sensitive matters that are classified. And beyond that I’m not at liberty to disclose classified information and really can’t say much more.”…
https://nypost.com/2024/02/14/us-news/house-intelligence-chair-says-congress-has-been-made-aware-of-serious-national-security-threat/

ABC: “Two sources familiar with deliberations on Capitol Hill said the intelligence has to do with the Russians wanting to put a nuclear weapon into space… to use against satellites.“

@Aviation_Intel: Major emerging threat from Russia in space is reportedly what this intel alert to Congress is about. Let’s get out our bingo card: 1.) Fractional Orbital Bombardment System; 2.) Orbital nuclear weapons delivery platform; 3.) New orbital ASAT capability. Take your pick, they all fit.

@DLT649: This is what the Russian Soyuz-2-1V launched on Feb. 9th and the threat that Congress is being briefed on. This satellite weapon called “Goldeneye” is capable of firing an EMP blast and frying all the electronics at a target, city, or even a military base... https://t.co/rPR5gsUjv5

Politico’s @ErinBanco: Both House and Senate intel have had access to the raw intel on this for some time. And intel officials in the admin have for a while tracked the potential for Moscow to develop such a device.  Lots of peeved people on the Hill tonight angry about Turner’s statement and the fact that this is playing out so publicly.

@ByronYork: This is odd. 1) Big, sensational warning about alleged Russian threat comes just as House is struggling with giant Ukraine funding bill. Gotta wonder about an agenda here: Was threat previously known? Why warning right at this moment? 2) Making info available to 435 members of House is not a way to keep it secret; it’s a way to get it out and stoke public opinion. And 3) Given the sorry state of House Republicans, having the House GOP highlight intel to ‘assure everyone steady hands are at the wheel’ might well convince the public of the opposite. Same for President Biden, of course.

FT: Putin says he prefers Joe Biden over Donald Trump in US election
The US leader was “more experienced, predictable, an old-school politician”…
https://www.ft.com/content/a92a4bda-331b-4d53-94dc-4368c4a6f557

ESHs waffled in a tight range of modest gains and losses from the Nikkei opening until the rally for the European opening commenced near 2:45 ET. ESHs soared to 4994.75 (+23.25 for the day) at 4:54 ET. After a retreat to 4988.75 at 6:56 ET, ESHs chopped higher in a ‘megaphone’ (higher highs & lower lows) and hit the daily high of 5009.00 ET at 10:30 ET. ESHs then tumbled to 4972.75 at 12:05 ET.

Another ESH megaphone rally appeared in the afternoon. Tuesday’s disappointing January CPI Report stymied the usual upward manipulation for expiration week. Yesterday, the usual suspects were determined to orchestrate the usual expiry week manipulation to squeeze expiring February calls.

After 15:00 ET, the expiry manipulation went vertical; ESHs hit a new daily high of 5011.25 at 15:37 ET. The late manipulation forced ESHs to 5020.25 at 16:00 ET. The S&P 500 Index closed at 5000.50.

@zerohedge: Every time US government tax receipts declined, the US was in recession… and when they were this low, the US was reeling after the dot com and credit bubbles. This time is different though, thanks to Bidenomics. https://t.co/cQ4T0gYZYM

@EndWokeness: Senate candidate Rep. Barbara Lee has a solution to inflation and high prices: Raise the minimum wage to $50 an hour. (That’s how stupid and destructive US leaders are!)
https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1757502435638026704

@RealEJAntoni: Here’s the CPI on today’s dumpster fire of a report – hint: inflation isn’t dead, you’re $6,800 poorer b/c of it, and it’s poised to get much worse next year…
    Although virtually no one in the middle class can afford a home anymore, let only keep it warm – monthly mortgage payment on median price home is up 90.4% in just 3 years. CPI doesn’t directly measure housing, so it has grossly underestimated the cost of homeownership, pegging the increase at 20% when it’s really 80%; it’s like the insane health insurance metric which is DOWN 21% in the last 3 years – inflation is much worse than the CPI says…
    Inflation isn’t dead – in fact, it’s being undercounted – but Fed is looking for any excuse to cut rates in election year… https://t.co/uZsmKfpqK2

White House cuts delay (to 30 minutes) before government comments on economic data
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/white-house-cuts-delay-before-government-comments-economic-data-2024-02-14/

Coca Cola admits steep price rises have hit sales – with Americans buying hundreds of millions fewer cans https://t.co/jlnAIBrvkJ

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly eyes $US7 trillion bid to reshape the global artificial intelligence race   https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-14/sam-altman-7-trillion-ai-bid-openai-chat-gpt/103460282

Positive aspects of previous session
The manipulation for the expiration of February calls (on Friday) appeared
Fangs soared because they are a favorite vehicle for the Expiry Week manipulation (NVDA +2.46%)
Bonds rebounded smartly

Negative aspects of previous session
The DJIA and DJTA were relatively soft because the expiry squeeze was concentrated in Fangs

Ambiguous aspects of previous session
What will Democrats and Team Obama do about Biden?

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]: 4986.50
Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 5002.52; 4956.45

DHS Secretary Mayorkas Personally Declined Presidential Candidate Robert Kennedy Jr Request for Secret Service Protection  https://www.judicialwatch.org/rfk-jr-secret-service-protection/

Berkshire Hathaway decreased its Apple shares by 10,000,382 to 905,560,000, per a 13F Filing.

Japan Q4 GDP -0-.4% annualized; +1.1% expected. Q3 was revised to -3.3% from -2.9%. Recession?

Today – February option expiration is Friday. The crushing decline on Tuesday due to a disappointing January CPI Report has thwarted the usual upward manipulation to squeeze expiry calls.

The usual suspects, barring news, will try to extend the expiry squeeze that commenced yesterday.
ESUs are -6.25 and USHs are +15/32 at 20:42 ET on Japan recession fears.

Expected Economic Data: Jan Retail Sales -0.2% m/m, Ex-Autos +0.2%, Ex-Autos & Gas 0.2% m/m; Feb Empire Mfg. -13.8; Feb Phil Fed Business Optimism -8.2; Jan Import Price Index 0.0% m/m & -1.3% y/y; Export Price Index -0.1% m/m; Initial Jobless Claims 220k, Continuing Claims1.88m; Jan Industrial Production 0.2% m/m, Mfg. Production 0.0%, Capacity Utilization 78.8%: Dec Business Inventories 0.4% m/m; Feb NAHB Housing Market Index 46; Fed Speakers: Fed Gov. Waller 13:15 ET

S&P Index 50-day MA: 4795; 100-day MA: 4577; 150-day MA: 4545; 200-day MA: 4476
DJIA 50-day MA: 37,628; 100-day MA: 35,818; 150-day MA: 35,498, 200-day MA: 35,043
(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 4314.46 triggers a sell signal
Weekly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4690.11 triggers a sell signal
Daily: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4930.47 triggers a sell signal
Hourly: Trender is negative; MACD is positive – a close above 5006.12 triggers a buy signal

CIA and foreign intelligence agencies illegally targeted 26 Trump associates before 2016 Russia collusion claims: report https://trib.al/2QkZeK8

@JesseBWatters: Report: Deep state is scrambling to find a missing top-secret binder that shows how Obama’s CIA set up the Russia hoax @shellenberger. https://twitter.com/JesseBWatters/status/1757590814719443014

Trump Told White House Team He Needed to Protect ‘Russiagate’ Documents   9/7/22
The former president, who left the White House with a trove of sensitive material, believes there are documents that would expose a Deep State plot against him — and told confidants he needed to protect them from the next administration…
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/donald-trump-russia-investigation-maralago-1234588357/

@shellenberger: U.S. Government Is Hiding Documents That Incriminate Intelligence Community For Illegal Spying And Election Interference, Say Sources
    Former CIA Director Gina Haspel blocked the release of “binder” with evidence that may identify her role in the Trump-Russia collusion hoax…
    “I would call [the binder] Trump’s insurance policy,” said someone knowledgeable about the case. “He was very concerned about having it and taking it with him because it was the road map” of Russiagate… The documents in question are said to contain information about the legal justification for those investigations, or more specifically, the lack of justification, among other things. Should more of that information be made public, it might implicate a long list of officials in serious abuses…
    Fear for reputations and careers, not national security, is what has intelligence officials panicked…
https://twitter.com/shellenberger/status/1757924222457057484

NBC: Biden attacked Hur for asking him when Beau died. That didn’t happen, sources say.
The president raised his son’s death after being asked about his workflow at a Virginia rental home, where he said he found classified materials, two sources said. (More lies from The Big Guy)
    “How in the hell dare he raise that?” Biden told reporters in an impromptu White House press conference. “Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business.” But Hur never asked that question, according to two people familiar with Hur’s five-hour interview with the president over two days last October. It was the president, not Hur or his team, who first introduced Beau Biden’s death, they said… (Joe habitually invokes Beau’s death.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/biden-attacked-hur-asking-beau-died-didnt-happen-sources-say-rcna138709

@RNCResearch: “The president said yesterday that he would be taking questions today or tomorrow. What was he referring to?” KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: “I just don’t have anything to share.”
https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1757830141776916535

Politico: Democrats Might Need a Plan B. Here’s What It Looks Like.
The political and procedural steps for how to pick a new presidential nominee.
   Coupled with the widespread perception that Biden is too old for another term and the fact that he frequently trails former president Donald Trump in swing state polling matchups, it’s raised serious questions about whether Biden is positioned to lead the party in November — and whether Democrats need a contingency plan…
     The truth is that a backup strategy can only be deployed if Biden voluntarily steps aside — or is physically unable to stand for nomination. At the moment, despite the anxiety within the party, there’s no dispute: Biden is on a glide path to the Democratic nomination… there is only one practical Plan B. And that’s Biden himself agreeing to hand over the baton…
    It begins with letting the Democratic primary campaign run its course, ending June 4, the date the last group of states holds its primaries. Biden would finish as the undisputed victor….And then Biden would announce he would not accept the nomination and release his delegates to back a different nominee…Heading into the convention, Biden (his handlers) would still remain a kingmaker…
   The thorniest issue will be Vice President Kamala Harris…
    Every party faction would attempt to leverage the unprecedented situation to its advantage. The potential field could be sprawling — including not only 2020 Democratic hopefuls but others who recognize the Democratic nomination might not open up again until 2032…
    A late Biden departure from the ticket would pose a logistical nightmare for the states…
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/12/joe-biden-democrat-plan-b-nominee-00140790?s=02

President Biden should resign—now – Hugh Hewitt
We have known for some time that the president is infirm, but infirmity goes to physical capacity. He moves stiffly. He tires. Public events are rare and always fraught.
   The president is now also revealed as impaired. He cannot remember basic facts. He cannot deliver even the simplest line. Reports of his angry temper and his profanity are consistent, if not with dementia, then certainly with an ability to weigh and judge important matters with a calm and coherent mind…
   He didn’t even do the softball Super Bowl interview. He is not trusted by himself or his staff to engage in any serious sit down with a journalist much less the many exchanges with journalists he ought to be having. He’s sequestered. Because he knows, as do the people around him, he is not up to the job. Not for another year or, God forbid, five more years behind the Resolute desk…
    We have an increasing lava flow of red-hot scoops on Biden’s blistering temper and descents into profanity. We know. We all know. It isn’t the mix-ups of Mitterrand and Macron, Kohl and Merkel. It’s not the serial sets of halting prepared remarks, his inability to read a teleprompter, his wandering about on stages or the hooks he gets from staff when the rambling has gone on too long… https://t.co/kkDh7tCAwh

@simonateba: North Carolina U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R) (@SenThomTillis) explains why the US should send $60 billion to Ukraine, says, “Putin is losing this war, folks. This is not a stalemate. This guy is on life support.” WATCH (Lying liar!) https://t.co/zJvR4hVvpH

Fox’s @JesseBWatters: Primetime confronts Atlantic City’s Democrat ballot stuffer who was arrested for election fraud. And it turns out he’s not just a stuffer, he’s also an FBI snitch. https://t.co/nEsbhJ9E3I

@AnnCoulter: Contrary to the @nytimes allegation that the Senate can merely “dismiss” Mayorkas’s impeachment, both the senate rules and the EMINENT prof Larry Tribe say THERE HAS TO BE A TRIAL. MAKE DEMOCRATS VOTE!

@Jkylebass: Angela Chao’s death at a private Texas ranch in Blanco, County is suspicious Chao entered her Tesla and backed into a pond on the ranch and passed away. Chao, almost certainly a high-ranking member of the Communist Parry of China (she sat the board of state-owned Bank of China…one of the five largest banks in China. She also sat as a board member of China Ship Building Corporation (which was sanctioned by the U.S. Government in 2020 for building ships and weapons for the Chinese Navy)…  https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1757766113792844062.html

Angela Chao is the sister of Elaine Chao, AKA Mrs. Mitch McConnell.

Travis Kelce’s Debut as a Film Producer Is Also the First Movie Financed Using President Biden’s Green Energy Tax Credits – Variety
    The investors in the low-budget dark comedy, which include Kelce, are the first to take advantage of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act to finance a film…
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/travis-kelce-my-dead-friend-zoe-financed-energy-tax-credits-1235908057/

One dead, 22 shot — including 9 children — at Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade https://t.co/5PWWIOBFHL

AP: Kansas City radio Lisa Lopez killed in shooting at Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade, station says

GREG HUNTER

SEE YOU ON FRIDAY

SHANGHAI GOLD (USD) FUTURES – QUOTES

GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR FEB/2024. CONTRACT: 1638 NOTICES FOR 163,800 OZ or 5.0949 TNNES

total notices so far: 18,398 contracts for 1,839,800 Oz (57.225 tonnes)

FOR FEBRUARY:

SILVER NOTICES 0 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR nil OZ/

total number of notices filed so far this month : 1066 for 5,330,000 oz

4. OTHER GOLD COMMENTARIES/PODCASTS

Futures Rise Ahead Of Flood Of Economic Data

Equities firmer, GBP softer and Bonds lifted post-GDP; US Retail Sales, IJC & Central Bank speak due – Newsquawk US Market Open

EUROPEAN TRADE

EQUITIES

FX

FIXED INCOME

COMMODITIES

GEOPOLITICS

CRYPTO

APAC TRADE

Migrant Gang Rape Of Child In Italy Prompts CNN To Worry About “Far-Right”

Major Gas Pipeline Explosion In Iran Deemed ‘Terrorist Sabotage’

IDF launches op in Gaza’s Nasser Hospital to retrieve hostages’ bodies

The goal of the IDF operation is to reach Hamas terrorists, including those suspected of involvement in the October 7 massacre, the military also stated.

Hamas’s use of hospitals and civilian infrastructure

Troops raid Khan Younis hospital in hunt for remains of hostages

Military cites ‘credible evidence’ captives were brought to Nasser medical center, highlights its efforts to keep facility functioning for patients

IDF airs new footage of operations in Khan Younis, says troops killed or detained dozens of operatives

IDF: Dozens of terror suspects nabbed at Nasser hospital; ambulance driver participated in Oct. 7

Hamas commander killed by IDF held murdered hostage in hospital

Ahmad Ghoul was involved in the October 7 massacre of southern Israeli towns and, following his return to the Gaza Strip, held Marciano hostage inside the Shifa Hospital.

IDF launches attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza City, Khan Yunis

Weapons caches found

Gazan journalist says Hamas uses civilians as human shields

Saftawi says it’s the first time in a decade that he’s been able to speak on this publicly.

How Hamas commandeers homes for terrorism

FBI chief makes unannounced trip to Israel, meets counterparts and Tel Aviv-based agents

i)Israel attempts to retrieve bodies of hostages in Gaza, strikes Lebanon

Netanyahu to Biden: I want a hostage deal, but Hamas’s demands are a non-starter • Canada, Australia, New Zealand call for immediate ceasefire

2. Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, military says

Israel kills Hezbollah special forces commander who led Meggido terror attack

Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in south Lebanon on Thursday, the IDF said.

Hezbollah attacks IDF Northern Command

IDF raids Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, says evidence hostages were held there, bodies might be inside * Ministers angrily reject reports of US peace plan

Hezbollah vows revenge after 10 civilians said killed in south Lebanon strikes

IDF reports fresh bombardments of terror sites after heavy retaliatory attacks a day earlier kill 3 Hezbollah members, but also multiple people from 2 families in Nabatieh, Sawana

IDF says Al Jazeera reporter wounded in Gaza is also a Hamas

deputy commander

Military alleges Ismail Abu Omar, who filmed himself inside Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, serves in Hamas’s East Khan Younis Battalion

More Attacks On Red Sea Vessels As US Coalition Pounds Houthi-Held Port City

The COVID Booster Cancer Time Bomb

MOST POPULAR OPINION >

MOST POPULAR NEWS >

Musicians: US (4), Panama, Slovakia, Spain (2), Israel, S. Africa, India, Japan; athletes: US, Barbados, Brazil, Ireland (2), Norway, Croatia (2), Portugal, Spain (5); clerics: Germany, Italy; & more

does not get is that we don’t want no EFF in compensation scheme, we are crying out because we were LIED to; typical Prime Minister bullshit talk, this speaker was shut down, did Sunak make money?

Pfizer’s test of meningitis drug on 200 children in Kano, Nigeria, in 1996, killed 11; TROVAN! foreign drug trials are unregulated, sometimes dangerous and often unreliable; FDA often fail to regulate

of this than anyone you have seen in media & all of the moron talking heads, e.g. I am not interviewed for as told to me in a conference in Las Vegas where Malone argued against me on stage with him

like me for saying it, unsubscribe! You are fat, so get off your ass & move, eat less, try intermittent fasting, match energy intake to use, get active, better nutrition, NOT OZEMPIC, see substacks

Ozempic Rebound Is Real: Doctor Says Weight Gain Can Be ‘Devastating’ After Stopping; study found that a majority of people who take semaglutide — branded as Ozempic and Wegovy — gain most weight back

study found that a majority of people who take semaglutide — branded as Ozempic and Wegovy — gain most of the weight back within a year of stopping the medication

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

Pakistan’s Khan Decries “Daylight Robbery” As Rivals Form Coalition Govt, Nominate Shehbaz Sharif

Small Caps ‘Squeeze’ To Pre-CPI Highs On Dismal Data; Bonds, Oil, & Gold All Bounce

US Manufacturing Output Plunged In January (Despite Surge In PMI)

Despite Ongoing Mass Corporate Layoffs, Govt-Supplied Jobless Claims Data Continues To Decline

1 Dead, 9 Injured After Shots Fired At Chiefs Super Bowl Parade

Ex-CEO Warns Inflation and Mass Layoffs Reveal ‘Tremendous Shift’ in Economy

House Probing Whether Biden Raided Grandkids’ Bank Accounts In ‘Unusual’ Money Transfers

Supreme Court Orders Special Counsel To Respond To Trump Immunity Appeal

Biden Slammed Hur For Asking About Beau’s Death – Sources Say Biden Brought It Up

Judge Denies Trump Motion To Dismiss Stormy Daniels ‘Hush Money’ Case, Sets March Trial Date

JP Morgan Pulls Out Of $68 Trillion “Climate Action 100+” Group

Fani Pounded As Nathan Wade Testifies To Cash Money ‘Reimbursements’ And Former Friend Flushes Her Defense

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