GOLD PRICE CLOSED UP $18.70 TO $2237.00
SILVER PRICE UP 14 cents TO $24.96
Gold ACCESS CLOSED $2247.96
Silver ACCESS CLOSED: $25.03
Bitcoin morning price:$69,661 DOWN 1106 DOLLARS.
Bitcoin: afternoon price: $69,632 DOWN 1135 dollars
Platinum price closing DOWN $7.15 TO $901.60
Palladium price; DOWN $18.60 AT $997.10
END
SHANGHAI GOLD PREMIUM 5 DOLLARS/COMEX GOLD
SHANGHAI GOLD……
…
SHANGHAI GOLD (USD) FUTURES – QUOTES
VENUE:
- GLOBEX
Beginning Monday, April 1, 2024, CME Group settlement data will no longer be accessible through ftp.cmegroup.com and will have a delayed publication time of 12:00 a.m. CT on all cmegroup.com web pages. Learn about alternate ways to access the data in our FAQ.
AUTO-REFRESH IS OFF
Last Updated 01 Apr 2024 06:35:55 AM CT.
Market data is delayed by at least 10 minutes.
I will now provide gold in Canadian dollars, British pounds and Euros
4: 15 PM ACCESS
*CANADIAN GOLD: $3047.95 UP $40.05 CDN dollars per oz( * NEW ALL TIME HIGH 3047.95CDN DOLLARS PER OZ//APRIL 1 2024)
*BRITISH GOLD: 1791.84 UP 31.40 pounds per oz// *(NEW ALL TIME HIGH//CLOSING///1791.84 BRITISH POUNDS/OZ) APRIL 1/2024
*EURO GOLD: 2093,36 UP 35.20 euros per oz //* (ALL TIME CLOSING HIGH: 2093.36 EUROS PER OZ//APRIL 1.2024)
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END
EXCHANGE: COMEX
EXCHANGE: COMEX
CONTRACT: APRIL 2024 COMEX 100 GOLD FUTURES
SETTLEMENT: 2,217.400000000 USD
INTENT DATE: 03/28/2024 DELIVERY DATE: 04/02/2024
FIRM ORG FIRM NAME ISSUED STOPPED
072 C GOLDMAN 30
118 C MACQUARIE FUT 150
118 H MACQUARIE FUT 93
132 C SG AMERICAS 37
152 C DORMAN TRADING 3
167 C MAREX 1
190 H BMO CAPITAL 1456
357 C WEDBUSH 1
363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 75 36
435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 719
555 C BNP PARIBAS SEC 14
555 H BNP PARIBAS SEC 961
624 H BOFA SECURITIES 18
657 C MORGAN STANLEY 1242
661 C JP MORGAN 2064 2229
686 C STONEX FINANCIA 2
690 C ABN AMRO 19 2
726 C CUNNINGHAM COM 2 1
737 C ADVANTAGE 38 30
800 C MAREX SPEC 1
DLV615-T CME CLEARING
BUSINESS DATE: 03/28/2024 DAILY DELIVERY NOTICES RUN DATE: 03/28/2024
PRODUCT GROUP: METALS RUN TIME: 20:43:30
905 C ADM 48
TOTAL: 4,636 4,636
MONTH TO DATE: 9,872
JPMORGAN STOPPED (RECEIVED) 2229/4636 CONTRACTS
FOR APRIL/2024
GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR APRIL/2024. CONTRACT: 4636 NOTICES FOR 463,600 OZ or 14.419 TONNES
total notices so far: 9872 contracts for 9872 Oz (30.706 tonnes)
FOR APRIL:
SILVER NOTICES: 15 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 75,000 OZ/
total number of notices filed so far this month : 339 for 1,695,000 oz
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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END
GLD/
BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES//THEY ARE NOW RAIDING GLD AND SLV FOR PHYSICAL
THE CROOKS ARE STEALING GOLD AND SILVER FROM THE GLD/SLV AND REPLACING THE PHYSICAL WITH PAPER DOLLARS.
WITH GOLD UP $18.70
INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD/ :
NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:
/ /INVENTORY RESTS AT 830.15 TONNES
INVENTORY RESTS AT 830.15 TONNES
SLV//
WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER UP 14 CENTS AT THE SLV//
NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV
// INVENTORY RISES TO 424.085 MILLION OZ/
INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.
CLOSING INVENTORY: 424.085 MILLION OZ
Let us have a look at the data for today
SILVER//OUTLINE
SILVER COMEX OI FELL BY A GOOD SIZED 430 CONTRACTS TO 160,095 AND FURTHER FROM THE RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020 AND THIS SMALL SIZED GAIN IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR STRONG GAIN IN PRICE OF $0.20 IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX ON THURSDAY. WE HAD ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION AT THE COMEX SESSION WITH AGAIN MAJOR SHORT COVERING WITH THE PRICE GAIN. WE HAD A STRONG 640 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/GOLD T.A.S. TO CARRY ON THEIR CROOKED MANIPULATION ON A DAILY BASIS
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 THURSDAY NIGHT: 640 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 $0.20), AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SILVER LONGS AS WE HAD A HUGE SIZED GAIN OF 1365 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WITH THE STRONG GAIN IN PRICE OF 20 CENTS.
WE MUST HAVE HAD:
A MEGA HUMONGOUS SIZED 1795 ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 2.465 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE) FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 65,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP//NEW STANDING 2.530 MILLION OZ//
//NEW STANDING FOR SILVER IS THUS 2.530 MILLION OZ
WE HAD:
/ GOOD SIZED COMEX OI LOSS/ HUMONGOUS SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI) STRONG SIZED NUMBER OF T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 640 CONTRACTS)/
I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL -REMOVED 676 CONTRACTS //
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS FEB. ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF APRIL
TOTAL CONTRACTS for 1 days, total 1795 contracts: OR 8.975 MILLION OZ (1795 CONTRACTS PER DAY)
TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR: 8.975 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 : 66.135 MILLION OZ./FINAL
MARCH: 143.750 MILLION OZ// 4TH HIGHEST ON RECORD.
APRIL: 8.975 MILLION OZ
RESULT: WE HAD A GOOD SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 430 CONTRACTS DESPITE OUR GAIN IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX//THURSDAY.,. THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A GIGANTIC EFP ISSUANCE CONTRACTS: 1795 ISSUED FOR MAY 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 APRIL. OF 2.465 MILLION OZ ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAYS’ 65,000 OZ QUEUE JUMP
//NEW TOTAL STANDING RISES TO 2.530 MILLION OZ
WE HAVE A HUGE GAIN OF 1351 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES WITH THE GAIN IN PRICE. THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY: A STRONG SIZED 640 CONTRACTS//SOME FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED DURING THE THURSDAY COMEX SESSION/// WITH MAJOR SHORT COVERING FROM OUR SPEC SHORTS
THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE THURSDAY NIGHT (640) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE//PROBABLY TODAY., .
WE HAD 15 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 75,000 OZ
THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.
GOLD//OUTLINE
IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST ROSE BY A STRONG SIZED 6667 CONTRACTS TO 507,408 AND CLOSER TO THE RECORD (SET JAN 24/2020) AT 799,733 AND PREVIOUS TO THAT: (SET JAN 6/2020) AT 797,110, BUT WE ARE NOW CLOSER TO OUR ALL TIME LOW OF 390,000 CONTRACTS.
THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM PRELIMINARY OI TO FINAL OI IN GOLD TODAY: REMOVED 426 CONTRACTS
WE HAD A STRONG SIZED INCREASE IN COMEX OI (6667 CONTRACTS) WITH OUR $26.30 GAIN IN PRICE//THURSDAY. THE BANKERS WERE FORCED TO SUPPLY THE NECESSARY SHORT PAPER TO CONTAIN GOLD’S RISE.WE ALSO HAD A RATHER LARGE INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR APRIL. AT 44.8615 TONNES ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAY’’S EFP. JUMP TO LONDON OF 90,900 OZ.(2.827 TONNES)
NEW TOTAL Of INITIAL GOLD STANDING 42.043 TONNES// ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR $26.30 GAIN IN PRICE WITH RESPECT TO THURSDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A VERY STRONG SIZED GAIN OF 11,789 OI CONTRACTS (36.66 PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES.
E.F.P. ISSUANCE
THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A FAIR SIZED 2131 CONTRACTS:
The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 507,408
IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A VERY STRONG SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 11,789 CONTRACTS WITH 6667 CONTRACTS INCREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A STRONG SIZED 5122 EFP OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 11,789 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED): A FAIR SIZED 2131 CONTRACTS,
CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES
WE HAD A STRONG SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (5122 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE STRONG SIZED GAIN IN COMEX OI (6667) //TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 11,789 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 APRIL. AT 44.8615 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 2.827 TONNES EFP JUMP TO LONDON//NEW STANDING 42.043 TONNES.
/ 3) ZERO LONG LIQUIDATION WITH THE HUGE JUMP IN PRICE.
// 4) STRONG SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST GAIN/ 5) STRONG ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///6: FAIR T.A.S. ISSUANCE: 2131 CONTRACTS/SHORT COVERING FOR SURE.
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023-2024 INCLUDING TODAY
MARCH
ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S GOLD AT J.P. MORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES: (EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. :
TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 5122 CONTRACTS OR 512,200 OZ OR 16.236 TONNES IN 1 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 5122 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS : THIS MONTH IN 1 TRADING DAY(S) IN TONNES 16.236 TONNES
TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2022, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES
THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS 16.236/3550 x 100% TONNES 0.45% 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 EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL)
FEB’24: 201.947 TONNES
MARCH 2024: 352.21 TONNES//2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EFP ISSUANCE.
APRIL: 16.236 TONNES
SPREADING OPERATIONS
(/NOW SWITCHING TO GOLD) FOR NEWCOMERS, HERE ARE THE DETAILS
SPREADING LIQUIDATION HAS NOW COMMENCED AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE NEW ACTIVE FRONT MONTH OF 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 (APRIL), 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 430 CONTRACTS OI TO 160,771 AND CLOSER TO THE COMEX HIGH RECORD //244,710(SET FEB 25/2020). THE LAST RECORDS WERE SET IN AUG.2018 AT 244,196 WITH A SILVER PRICE OF $14.78/(AUGUST 22/2018)..THE PREVIOUS RECORD TO THAT WAS SET ON APRIL 9/2018 AT 243,411 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS WITH THE SILVER PRICE AT THAT DAY: $16.53). AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE RECORD WAS ESTABLISHED AT: 234,787 CONTRACTS, SET ON APRIL 21.2017 OVER 6 YEARS AGO. HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW SET A NEW RECORD LOW OF 114,102 CONTRACTS JULY 3.2023
EFP ISSUANCE 1795 CONTRACTS
OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:
MAY 1795 and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 1795 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 430 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 1795 E.FP. ISSUED
WE OBTAIN A HUMONGOUS SIZED GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 1365 CONTRACTS
THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES TOTAL 6.825 MILLION OZ
OCCURRED WITH OUR $.20 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//
MONDAY MORNING/SUNDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 36.21 PTS OR 1.19% //Hang Seng CLOSED
/ Nikkei CLOSED DOWN 566.55 PTS OR 1.40% //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED
/Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN 7.2302 //OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2529 /Oil UP TO 83.08 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 86.83/ Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL MIXED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE YUAN WEAKER
A)NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA
outline
b) REPORT ON JAPAN/
OUTLINE
3 CHINA
OUTLINE
4/EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE
5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE
6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES
OUTLINE
7. OIL ISSUES
OUTLINE
8 EMERGING MARKET ISSUES
9. USA
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1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS
GOLD
LET US BEGIN:
THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST ROSE BY A STRONG 6667 CONTRACTS TO 507,408 WITH OUR STRONG GAIN IN PRICE OF $26.30 WITH RESPECT TO THURSDAY TRADING. WE HAD ZERO SPREADER LIQUIDATION TODAY ALONG WITH SOME T.A.S. LIQUIDATION
EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
WE ARE NOW IN THE NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF APRIL..… 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 5122 EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: : JUNE 5122 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:
TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 5122 CONTRACTS
ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A VERY STRONG SIZED TOTAL OF 11,789 CONTRACTS IN THAT 6667 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A STRONG SIZED GAIN OF 6667 COMEX CONTRACTS..AND THIS STRONG GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED WITH OUR HUGE GAIN IN PRICE OF $26.30 THURSDAY 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 THURSDAY NIGHT WAS A FAIR SIZED 2131 CONTRACTS. WE HAD 0 EX FOR RISK ISSUANCE
THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE BANKERS CONTINUE TO SELL 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//. IT SEEMS THAT OUR CROOKS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO CONTROL THE PRICE OF GOLD AND THUS THE NEED FOR RECORD T.A.S. ISSUANCE.
// WE HAVE A STRONG AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING: APRIL (42.043 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 = 51.707 TONNES
TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES
JAN ’24. 22.706 TONNES
FEB. ’24: 66.276 TONNES (INCLUDES 1.723 TONNES EX. FOR RISK)
MARCH: 18.8398 TONNES + 1.1695 EX FOR RISK = 20.093 TONNES
APRIL: 2024: 42.043 TONNES
THE SPECS/HFT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT ROSE $26.30 //// AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING ANY SPECULATOR LONGS AS WE HAD A VERY STRONG SIZED GAIN OF 12,215 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WITH OUR HIGHER PRICE 0F $26.30
WE HAD A LITTLE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION ON THE FRONT END OF THURSDAY’S TRADING ALONG WITH SPREADER LIQUIDATION . THE T.A.S. ISSUED ON THURSDAY NIGHT, WILL BE “PUT INTO THE BANK” TO BE USED AT A LATER DATE AT THE COLLUSIVE CHOOSING OF OUR BANKERS. THE HIGH T.A.S. ISSUANCE IS MEANT TO CONTROL THE PRICE OF GOLD
WE HAVE GAINED A TOTAL OI OF 37.993 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR APRIL. (44.8615 TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S E.F.P. JUMP TO LONDON OF 90,900 OZ (2.827 TONNES)//NEW STANDING; 42.043
NEW STANDING: 42.043 TONNES
ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR GAIN IN PRICE TO THE TUNE OF $26.30
WE HAD REMOVED 426 CONTRACTS TO THE COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)
NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 11,789 CONTRACTS OR 1,178,900 OZ (36.66 TONNES)
estimated volume today 232,503 //fair
final gold volumes/yesterday 230,124 fair
//speculators have left the gold arena
APRIL 1/ INITIAL APRIL GOLD
/ /// THE APRIL 2024 GOLD CONTRACT
| Gold | Ounces |
| Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory in oz | nil |
| Withdrawals from Customer Inventory in oz | nil oz . |
| Deposit to the Dealer Inventory in oz | nil oz |
| Deposits to the Customer Inventory, in oz | 125,470.340 oz |
| No of oz served (contracts) today | 4636 notice(s) 463600 OZ 14.419 TONNES |
| No of oz to be served (notices) | 3645 contracts 364,500 oz 11.337 TONNES |
| Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month | 9872 notices 987,200 oz 30.206 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: 0
total customer withdrawal: nil oz
we had 1
i) customer deposit
into HSBC 125,470.340 oz
total deposit 125,470.340 oz
Adjustments: 3
i) dealer to customer
Int. Delaware 22,394.670 oz
JPMorgan: 11,394.670 oz
Manfra: 63,379.783 oz
CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR APRIL.
For the front month of APRIL we have an oi of 8281 contracts having LOST 6,145 contracts. We had 5236 contracts served on Thursday, so we lost 909 contracts or an additional 90,900 oz (2.827 tonnes) will not stand at the comex as they were immediately EFP’d to London to take delivery over on that side of the pond on a T + 2 basis.
MAY GAINED 156 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 1614
JUNE INCREASED ITS OI BY 11,838 CONTRACTS UP TO 429,253 CONTRACTS.
We had 4636 contracts filed for today representing 463,600 oz
Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer account and 2064 notices were issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to 4636 contract(s) of which 0 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 2229 notice(s) was (were) stopped (received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account
To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for the APRIL. /2024. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (9872 x 100 oz ), to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of APRIL. (8281 CONTRACTS) minus the number of notices served upon today 4636 x 100 oz per contract equals 1,351,700 OZ OR 42.043 TONNES.
thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the APRIL. contract month: No of notices filed so far (9872) x 100 oz + (8291) {OI for the front month} minus the number of notices served upon today (4636) x 100 oz which equals 1,351,700 oz (42.043 TONNES)
TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR APRIL: 42.043 TONNES WHICH IS HUGE FOR A NON 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: 1,615,085.921 50.23 tonnes
TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD: 17,779,096,149 OZ
TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 7,736,969,962 (240.65 tonnes).
TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 10,142,126,187 OZ
REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 6,121,884 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD) 190.416 tonnes/dropping like a stone
END
SILVER/COMEX
APRIL 1
INITIAL
//2024// THE APRIL 2024 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL
| Silver | Ounces |
| Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory | NIL oz |
| Withdrawals from Customer Inventory | 1,981.200 oz Brinks . |
| Deposits to the Dealer Inventory | nil OZ |
| Deposits to the Customer Inventory | nil OZ |
| No of oz served today (contracts) | 15 CONTRACT(S) (75,000 OZ) |
| No of oz to be served (notices) | 167 contracts (835,000 oz) |
| Total monthly oz silver served (contracts) | 339 Contracts (1,695,000 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 1 deposits customer account:
i) Into Brinks
1981.200 oz
total customer deposits 1981.200 oz
JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 129.806 million oz/287.735 million or 45.18%
adjustment: 0
Comex withdrawals: 0
total withdrawal: nil oz
TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 46.136MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 287.735million oz
CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR DECEMBER:
silver open interest data:
FRONT MONTH OF APRIL /2023 OI: 182 CONTRACTS HAVING LOST 311 CONTRACT(S).
WE HAD 324 CONTRACTS SERVED ON THURSDAY, SO WE GAINED 13 CONTRACTS OR ADDITIONAL 65,000 OZ WILL STAND AT THE COMEX UNDERGOING A QUEUE JUMP.
MAY SAW A LOSS OF 817 CONTRACTS DOWN TO 117,512
JUNE WAS ITS FIRST GAIN OF 8 CONTRACTS.
JULY SAW A GAIN OF 548 CONTRACTS UP TO 24,615
TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 15 for 75,000 oz
Comex volumes// est. volume today 70,542 VERY GOOD
Comex volume: confirmed yesterday 63,006 good.
To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in APRIL. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 339 x 5,000 oz = 1,695,000 oz
to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of APRIL (182) and the number of notices served upon today 15 x (5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.
Thus the standings for silver for the APRIL/2024 contract month: 339 (notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of APRIL. (182) – number of notices served upon today 15 )x 500 oz of silver standing for the APRIL contract month equates to 2.530 MILLION OZ.
New total standing: 2.530 million oz.
There are 45.829 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!
APRIL 1 WITH GOLD UP $18.70 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:// INVENTORY REMAINS AT 830.15 TONNES
MARCH 28 WITH GOLD UP $26.30 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:// INVENTORY REMAINS AT 830.15 TONNES
MARCH 27 WITH GOLD UP $15.00 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 5.18 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD// INVENTORY FALLS TO 830.15 TONNES
MARCH 26 WITH GOLD UP $1.40 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD INVENTORY RISES TO 835.33 TONNES
MARCH 25 WITH GOLD UP $17.05 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD INVENTORY RISES TO 838.50 TONNES
MARCH 22 WITH GOLD DOWN $23.75 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD INVENTORY RISES TO 838.50 TONNES
MARCH 21 WITH GOLD UP $24.80 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A STRONG PAPER DEPOSIT OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD/:INVENTORY RISES TO 838.50 TONNES
MARCH 20 WITH GOLD UP $1.45 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A STRONG PAPER DEPOSIT OF 1.48 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD/:INVENTORY RISES TO 837.35 TONNES
MARCH 19 WITH GOLD DOWN $4.10 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A STRONG PAPER DEPOSIT OF 1.48 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD/:INVENTORY RISES TO 833.32 TONNES
MARCH 15 WITH GOLD DOWN $5.20 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/:INVENTORY REMAINS AT 816.86 TONNES
MARCH 14 WITH GOLD DOWN $12.20 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A DEPOSIT OF 1.73 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//:INVENTORY REMAINS AT 816.86 TONNES
MARCH 13 WITH GOLD UP $14.40 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:INVENTORY REMAINS AT 815.13 TONNES
MARCH 12 WITH GOLD DOWN $21.15 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:NOT AVAILABLE///LAST VALUE 815.13 TONNES
MARCH 11 WITH GOLD UP $3.20 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD AFTER 7 CONSECUTIVE GOLD PRICE RISES//INVENTORY RESTS AT 815.13 TONNES
MARCH 8 WITH GOLD UP $21.05 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.87 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD AFTER 7 CONSECUTIVE GOLD PRICE RISES//INVENTORY RESTS AT 816.57 TONNES
MARCH 7 WITH GOLD UP $7.20 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4,20 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD//INVENTORY RESTS AT 817.44 TONNES
MARCH 6 WITH GOLD UP $17.20 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//INVENTORY RESTS AT 821.47 TONNES
MARCH 5 WITH GOLD UP $16.55 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//INVENTORY RESTS AT 821.47 TONNES
MARCH 4 WITH GOLD UP $30.55 TODAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF .86 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD//INVENTORY RESTS AT 823.77 TONNES
MARCH 1 WITH GOLD UP $40.40 TODAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 822.91 TONNES
FEB29/WITH GOLD UP $12.60 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD//WITHDRAWAL OF 4.03 TONNES INVENTORY RESTS AT 822.91 TONNES
FEB28/WITH GOLD DOWN $1.00 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD INVENTORY RESTS AT 826.94 TONNES
FEB27/WITH GOLD UP $4.40 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD A WITHDRAWAL OF .87 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD:/INVENTORY RESTS AT 826.94 TONNES
FEB26/WITH GOLD DOWN $8.90 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:/INVENTORY RESTS AT 827.81 TONNES
FEB23/WITH GOLD UP $17 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD.//INVENTORY RESTS AT 827.81 TONNES
FEB22/WITH GOLD DOWN $2.15 TODAY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD://INVENTORY RESTS AT 829.82 TONNES
FEB21/WITH GOLD DOWN $5.30 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 7.59 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD///INVENTORY RESTS AT 29.82 TONNES
FEB20/WITH GOLD UP $16.15 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 0.58 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD///INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.89 TONNES
FEB16/WITH GOLD UP $8,60 TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD///INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.31 TONNES
FEB15/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:
GLD INVENTORY: 830.15 TONNES
Now the SLV Inventory/( vehicle is a fraud as there is no physical metal behind them
APRIL 1/WITH SILVER UP 14 CENTS TODAY: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV// SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 424.085 MILLION OZ
MARCH 28/WITH SILVER UP 20 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A DEPOSIT OF 1.005 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 424.085 MILLION OZ
MARCH 27/WITH SILVER UP 14 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A A DEPOSIT OF 1.691 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 423.079 MILLION OZ
MARCH 26/WITH SILVER DOWN 24 CENTS TODAY: SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A A DEPOSIT OF 0.366 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 421.388 MILLION OZ
MARCH 25/WITH SILVER UP 8 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.887 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 421.022 MILLION OZ
MARCH 22/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE DEPOSIT OF 1.1899 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 424.909 MILLION OZ
MARCH 21/WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.560 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 423.720 MILLION OZ
MARCH 20/WITH SILVER DOWN 5 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE DEPOSIT OF 11.792 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 427.280 MILLION OZ
MARCH 18/WITH SILVER DOWN 11 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A HUGE DEPOSIT OF 11.792 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 427.280 MILLION OZ
MARCH 15/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.006 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 417.866 MILLION OZ
MARCH 14/WITH SILVER DOWN 9 CENTS TODAY: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 418.872 MILLION OZ
MARCH 13/WITH SILVER UP 32 CENTS TODAY: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 418.872 MILLION OZ…
MARCH 12/WITH SILVER DOWN 31 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A SMALL WITHDRAWAL OF 0.549 MILLION OZ OF SILVER INTO THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 418.872 MILLION OZ…
MARCH 11/WITH SILVER UP 11 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.147 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 418.323 MILLION OZ…SUCH A MASSIVE FRAUD!
MARCH 8/WITH SILVER DOWN 5 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.299 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 420.519 MILLION OZ…SUCH A MASSIVE FRAUD!
MARCH 7/WITH SILVER UP 8 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.665 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 424.818 MILLION OZ…SUCH A MASSIVE FRAUD!
MARCH 6/WITH SILVER UP 52 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.378 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 427,105 MILLION OZ
MARCH 5/WITH SILVER DOWN 2 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.499 MILL;ION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 429.483 MILLION OZ
MARCH 4/WITH SILVER UP CENTS TODAY: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 430.982 MILLION OZ
MARCH 1/WITH SILVER UP 49 CENTS TODAY: NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 430.982 MILLION OZ
FEB 29/WITH SILVER UP 25 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.104 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 430/982 MILLION OZ
FEB 28/WITH SILVER DOWN 7 CENTS TODAY: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 5.123 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 433.086 MILLION OZ
FEB 27/WITH SILVER UP 3 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.64 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 427.943 MILLION OZ
FEB 26/WITH SILVER DOWN 44 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.065 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 428.603 MILLION OZ
FEB 23/WITH SILVER DOWN 44 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.065 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 428.603 MILLION OZ
FEB 22/WITH SILVER DOWN 10 CENTS TODAY NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV
// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 432.766 MILLION OZ
FEB 21/WITH SILVER DOWN 28 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.348 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 432.766 MILLION OZ
FEB 20/WITH SILVER DOWN 33 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.385 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 435.008 MILLION OZ
FEB 16/WITH SILVER UP 53 CENTS TODAY HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A DEPOSIT OF 1.235 MILLION OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV// : SLV INVENTORY RESTS AT 438.393 MILLION OZ
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
CLOSING INVENTORY 424.085 MILLION OZ//
PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES
1:Peter Schiff/Mike Maharrey
More Inflation, More Copper Theft
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 05:00 AM
When unemployment and inflation cause skyrocketing incentives for thieves to steal industrial metals like copper, criminals rush for some of the biggest sources: critical infrastructure. That includes cell towers, water pipes, street lights, and rail lines. These copper heists threaten transportation, communication, municipal services, urban safety, and other essentials of modern life.
The chaos they can cause can cost lives, too — for example, copper heists from railways can cause warning lights, intersection gates, and turnouts that divert trains to other tracks to go offline.
World Bank analysts estimated that prices for base metals like copper and tin had peaked last year, and will decline further in 2024. Some reasons they cited included improving supply and decreasing demand due to widespread adoption of green energy initiatives, and a 52% reduction in the coal price in 2023 compared to the previous year. The report noted that high inflation will reduce demand, will it be enough to offset the speed at which fiat currencies are drained of their purchasing power? So far, the answer appears to be no.
If dollar inflation continues sufficiently unabated, the relative price of copper could continue to rise despite other factors. Other unexpected wrenches in the economy, like the recent closure of the Port of Baltimore, could also challenge the World Bank’s predictions. The Port of Baltimore was one of the US’s main exporters of coal, which could cause upward pressure on the global price of energy in an already-inflationary environment, and make metal smelting operations more expensive.
Copper futures dipped in May, after the World Bank released its report, but rose to a higher low in February, and have since been trending upward:
Copper Futures (USD/Lbs), April 2023 – March 2024
And as metal prices soar, so have incidents of theft that damage crucial infrastructure and multiply existing economic damage. Freight train accidents and delays, power and cellular blackouts, municipal sewer damage, and flooding and drainage issues from stolen gutters and pipes are just a few of the problems caused by 2024’s surging copper theft across America and the world.
Even real estate development projects can go over budget or become severely delayed when thieves snatch copper building materials from construction sites. The problem is so bad that in Los Angeles, a city councilmember declared the city is being “stripped” like an abandoned car:
Also at risk are electric vehicle charging stations, which have been proliferating around the country. Although they only contain a small amount of copper that can be extracted, meaning very little profit for thieves, their opportunistic mischief requires an expensive fix — especially for EV stations that are repeatedly targeted and need to be continually repaired or replaced.
One other underappreciated danger for copper when prices are skyrocketing due to economic uncertainty: inside jobs by bad apples at copper suppliers and storage facilities, which can lead to thefts on a grand enough scale that they affect the broader metals market. When they do, it helps incentivize further waves of small-time theft that damage infrastructure and victimize businesses that rely on the metal.
Angela Seidler is a PR representative for Europe’s number one copper producer in Germany which was caught in one such scandal. She explained to Bloomberg:
“What we currently know is that some of our recycling suppliers appear to have manipulated details about the raw materials they deliver to us, and they have been working with employees in our sampling department to hide the shortfall.”
And when thieves are desperate, nothing is sacred. Not even statues of civil rights leaders or copper headstones in graveyards are safe from the temptation of an easy flip when prices are too high for criminals to ignore. And while these sorts of thefts don’t endanger infrastructure, they’re a sign of the times and a unique indicator that the US dollar and economy are in troubled shape.
2.Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens/
3. CHRIS POWELL//GATA
Not true!
India’s March gold imports to drop 90% as prices surge, sources tell Reuters
Submitted by admin on Thu, 2024-03-28 10:55 Section: Daily Dispatches
By Rajendra Jadhav
Reuters
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
MUMBAI — India’s gold imports are set to plunge by more than 90% in March from the previous month to hit their lowest level since the COVID pandemic as banks cut imports after record-high prices hit demand, a government official and two bank dealers told Reuters.
Lower imports by India, the world’s second biggest consumer of the precious metal, could limit a rally in global prices that hit a record high earlier this month on expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year.
The drop in imports could also help India narrow its trade deficit and support the rupee.
India’s gold imports are likely to fall to 10 to 11 metric tons in March from 110 metric tons in February, said a government official, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media. …
… For the remainder of the report:
* * *
end
Calls to exclude U.S. Treasuries from leverage ratio imply fear of their rising risk
Submitted by admin on Sun, 2024-03-31 19:44 Section: Daily Dispatches
By Antonio Carlos Fernandes
via Medium, San Francisco
Thursday, March 7, 2024
A recent letter from the International Swaps and Derivatives Association Inc. (ISDA) to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System highlights a larger risk in the United States and international banking sector than what is commonly perceived by the market.
The letter, dated March 5, emphasizes the urgent need for reform in the supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) and enhanced supplementary leverage ratio (eSLR) framework.
Specifically, it calls for the exclusion of on-balance sheet U.S. Treasuries from the total leverage exposure used in calculating the SLR for global systemically important bank holding companies (GSIB surcharge). This reform is seen as crucial to preserve the resilience of the U.S. Treasury markets, the U.S. economy, and the international financial system at large.
Though this issue may not be in the forefront of public attention, the arguments put forth in the letter are indeed alarming. Banks are advocating for U.S. Treasuries to be excluded from their supplementary leverage ratio calculation for several key reasons.
First, U.S. Treasuries are traditionally regarded as the “risk-free asset” due to being backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Excluding them from leverage ratio calculations implies that banks perceive them as risky, which could undermine confidence in U.S. government debt.
Second, the supplementary leverage ratio serves as a critical backstop to risk-based capital requirements, ensuring that banks do not become overleveraged even with assets considered to be safe. The proposal to carve out Treasuries from this calculation weakens the protection against excessive leverage.
Furthermore, if Treasuries are excluded, banks might be inclined to accumulate significant amounts of Treasury debt without it impacting their SLR. This concentration of risk heightens the interconnectedness between the banking system and government debt, posing systemic risks.
The request for this exclusion also hints at banks’ concerns regarding the size of their Treasury holdings compared to their capital base. This could signal broader anxieties about the U.S. fiscal situation and government debt levels.
Any perception that banks require special exemptions for holding U.S. government debt could shake global confidence in Treasuries as a safe-haven asset and could impact the status of the U.S. dollar. …
… For the remainder of the analysis:
end
Daniel Moss: Only the United States can destroy the dollar
Submitted by admin on Sun, 2024-03-31 20:14 Section: Daily Dispatches
By Daniel Moss
Bloomberg News
via Mint / Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Sunday, March 31, 2024
There’s just no getting past the supremacy of the dollar, much as skeptics of American influence wish for it or lonely yen bulls cry for relief.
The greenback has been frequently tipped to retreat, only for it to blow away everything in front of it. This resilience might not last, but as long as it does, it reminds a world once in thrall to China’s ascent that the United States is the essential economic force.
Just ask all the central bankers quizzed as much, if not more, about the Federal Reserve’s intentions as their own. Sovereignty can be relative.
Events billed as heralding a pullback have barely made a dent: Japan’s decision to end eight years of negative interest rates fizzled in markets; the country’s finance minister has resorted to jawboning the yen stronger, and traders are handicapping the prospects of intervention by Tokyo.
Even projections of rate cuts by the Fed aren’t doing it: Reductions are likely to be synchronous among the biggest authorities, preventing any major currency from outshining the dollar. This year was meant to be one in which the dollar fell, but a key index of its support is off to a strong start. …
… For the remainder of the commentary:
https://www.livemint.com/news/the-dollar-is-more-armored-division-than-currency-11711923355047.html
end
This is a first for China in 25 years//they want the public’s demand for gold to wain while central China picks up all they can
(Cheng/Yining)
China moves again to restrain public’s demand for gold
Submitted by admin on Sun, 2024-03-31 20:25 Section: Daily Dispatches
Chinese Banks Raise Purchase Thresholds for Gold Products in Warning to Retail Investors
By Xia Yining and Kelsey Cheng
Caixin Global, Beijing
Saturday, March 30, 2024
At least six Chinese banks have raised investment thresholds for their gold savings accounts, in an attempt to warn retail investors of potential risks amid a price rally and growing demand for the safe-haven asset.
Starting Friday the Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. increased the minimum investment to 550 yuan ($76) from 500 yuan for one of its gold deposit products, according to a March 22 notice.
he adjustment comes less than three months after the bank last raised the subscription threshold in early January. …
… For the remainder of the report:
* * *
4. OTHER MAJOR GOLD COMMENTARIES/PODCASTS/
Utah is a leading state that wants to protect state funds with gold and silver as well as not taxing it
(Cortez/Mises)
Utah Formally Empowers State Treasurer To Protect State Funds With Gold And Silver
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 12:40 PM
Authored by Jp Cortez via The Mises Institute,
Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed legislation explicitly empowering the state treasurer to protect state funds with an allocation to physical gold and silver.
Sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory, House Bill 348 permits – but does not require – the Treasurer to hold up to 10 percent of certain state reserve accounts in physical gold and silver to help secure state assets against the risks of inflation and financial turmoil and/or to achieve capital gains as measured in Federal Reserve Notes.
The Treasurer has limited options for holding, managing, and investing Utah’s state monies, making this legislation necessary in order for gold and silver to be included.
Utah’s reserves are invested almost exclusively in corporate bonds and banking agencies. These debt instruments appear to have low volatility, but they carry other risks – including pernicious inflation and the steady erosion in real value of principal, coupled with interest rates that are often negative in real terms.
The legislation specifically pertains to the State Disaster Recovery Restricted Account, General Fund Budget Reserve Account, Income Tax Fund Budget Reserve Account, and the Medicaid Growth Reduction and Budget Stabilization Account.
Backed by the Sound Money Defense League, Money Metals Exchange, and in-state advocates, House Bill 348 does not grant authority to buy stocks, futures contracts, or other financial instruments.
“By allowing the state treasurer to invest in the monetary metals, Utah is better equipped to protect Utah taxpayer funds, and the residents of Utah, against inflation and counterparty risk,” said Jp Cortez, executive director of the Sound Money Defense League.
An allocation to physical gold and silver fits squarely within the objective of protecting Utah’s state funds against financial risks and would logically be included in a list of safe investment options. The monetary metals can provide a hedge against inflation, debt default risks, and stock market declines – and have historically boosted investment returns while also reducing volatility.
Texas and Ohio have previously acquired gold. Meanwhile, legislation like HB 348 is under consideration right now in Missouri, Tennessee, Idaho, and West Virginia.
The new law also prompts the state treasurer to conduct a study “analyzing the role of precious metals in augmenting, stabilizing, and ensuring the economic security and prosperity of the state, the families and residents of the state, and businesses in the state.”
The study is to be submitted to the Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee on or before the committee’s October interim committee meeting any recommendations for legislation as per the study’s findings.
Utah has been among the leading states promoting sound money public policy, starting with the passage of the Utah Legal Tender Act in 2011, also led by Rep. Ivory. The enactment of Utah House Bill 348 comes on the heels of Wisconsin this week becoming the 44th state in the country to end the sales tax on the purchase of gold and silver.
5 a. IMPORTANT COMMENTARIES ON COMMODITIES/
5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT
END
6.CRYPTOCURRENCY//DIGITAL CURRENCY// COMMENTARIES/
END
1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGS MONDAY MORNING.7:30 AM
ONSHORE YUAN: CLOSED DOWN 7.2305
OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.2529
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 36,21 PPTS OR 1.19%
HANG SENG CLOSED
2. Nikkei closed DOWN 566.35 OR 1.40%
3. Europe stocks SO FAR: MOSTLY ALL MIXED
USA dollar INDEX UP TO 104.36 EURO FALLS TO 1.0783 DOWN 4 BASIS PTS
3b Japan 10 YR bond yield: RISES TO. +.731 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 151.36/JAPANESE YEN NOW FALLING 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 DOWN CHINESE ONSHORE YUAN: DOWN/ OFFSHORE: DOWN
3f Japan is to buy INFINITE TRILLION YEN worth of BONDS. Japan’s GDP equals 5 trillion USA
Japan to buy 100% of all new Japanese debt and NOW they will have OVER 50% of all Japanese debt.
3g Oil UP for WTI and UP FOR Brent this morning
3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund YIELD DOWN TO +2.2970***/Italian 10 Yr bond yield DOWN to 3.677* /SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD DOWN TO 3.154…**
3i Greek 10 year bond yield DOWN TO 3.237
3j Gold at $2248.80 silver at: 25.03 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $26.40
3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble UP 0 AND 28 /100 roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 92.20//
3m oil into the 83 dollar handle for WTI and 86 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 151.33// 10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 0.731% 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 0.9068 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF: 0.9725 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: 4.212 UP 2 BASIS PTS…
USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.369 UP 3 BASIS PTS/
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.603 DOWN 2 BASIS PTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 32.42…(TURKEY SET TO BLOW UP FINANCIALLY)
GREAT BRITAIN/10 YEAR YIELD: DOWN 8 BASIS PTS AT 3.855
end
2.a Overnight: Newsquawk and Zero hedge,,,
Futures Rise In First Day Of New Quarter As Gold Explodes To Record Highs
– 08:14 AM
US futures extend their record-breaking meltup following the long weekend (which was to be expected with hedge funds piling into shorts last week, hoping for a reversal), with most European markets still closed and Asian stocks closing lower. As of 7:30am, S&P futures were 0.3% higher, but trading near session lows; Nasdaq futures gained 0.4%. Bond yields are 1-3bp higher with the USD unchanged from its Friday close. Commodities are mixed: oil down and metals are mostly higher this morning as China PMIs beat expectations. While bitcoin suffered one of its trademark futures slamdowns overnight to push it back below $70K despite relentless ETF inflows, gold was on a tear and rose 1.6% to hit a new all time high of $2,265 before easing back. after upbeat China factory data added to Friday’s relatively benign US core PCE figures. This week, keep an eye on Payrolls, ISMs, and Fedspeak (8x this week), and today, we get the Mfg ISM at 10am ET where consensus expects a 48.3 print vs. 47.8 prior.
In premarket trading, megacap tech names were mostly higher with NVDA/MU/AMD up more than 1%. AT&T fell as much as 2% in premarket trading after the telecom giant said that personal data from about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former customers was leaked onto the dark web. Nikola rose as much as 16% in premarket trading, set to extend gains for a record-setting ninth consecutive session.
A slow down in the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation last month, coupled with a rebound in household spending, suggests that bullish narratives that propelled stocks to records this year remains intact. The core PCE price index, which strips out the volatile food and energy components, rose 0.3% from the prior month, slowing from January’s surprisingly strong reading, suggesting the Fed is still on pace for a June rate cut.
With markets in Europe, Australia and Hong Kong still shut for the Easter holiday, Asian stock benchmark which were open fell in the first trading day of the second quarter, as investors sold Japanese shares following a record-breaking rally and bought into Chinese equities. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index declined as much as 0.7%, with Toyota and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial among the biggest drags. Following the strongest quarter for the Nikkei 225 average in almost 15 years, investors booked profits as Japan’s new fiscal year kicked off and Japanese equities fell after a report showed confidence among the country’s large manufacturers weakened.
Meanwhile, China stocks led gains in Asia on Monday following a rebound in domestic manufacturing activity that reinforced hopes that economic growth is gaining traction. Chinese stocks rallied as a rebound in manufacturing activity reinforced hopes that the nation’s economic recovery may be starting to gain traction. The benchmark CSI 300 Index rose 1.6% to lead gains in Asia. “Emerging optimism about China is real,” said Vishnu Varathan, chief economist for Asia ex-Japan at Mizuho Bank in Singapore. Benchmarks in Taiwan and Indonesia were lower, while those in India, South Korea and Singapore climbed. Markets in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand were shut for a holiday.
In FX,
In rates, the Treasury yield curve remained steeper vs Thursday’s close after gapping wider at the Asia open. Front-end yields are richer by around 2bp after opening gapping lower, with many European markets still closed. Front-end outperformance steepens 2s10s spread by nearly 3bp, 5s30s by more than 3bp. 10-year yields around 4.21%, up ~1bp; 30-year yields are cheaper by almost 3bp on the day at around 4.37% The front-end outperformance stems from February PCE deflators released Friday and comments by Fed Chair Powell that left intact expectations for rate cuts this year. US session includes manufacturing PMIs; ahead this week are several Fed speakers and March jobs report. Fed-dated OIS contracts price in slightly more rate cuts for the year vs Thursday, with 74bp of easing expected by December vs 70bp prior.
In commodities, oil dipped after hitting a fresh 5 month high last week. Gold jumped to a record as indications the Federal Reserve is getting closer to cutting interest rates added impetus to a rally that’s also been driven by geopolitical tensions and robust Chinese demand. Bullion jumped to as much as $2,265.73 an ounce on Monday, up 1.6% from Thursday’s close, after setting a series of peaks in recent sessions. Silver meanwhile continue to underperform and remains about 50% below its 2011 highs.
A host of positive drivers have pushed up bullion by around 14% since the middle of February. The prospect of monetary easing by major central banks, and elevated tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine have underpinned the rally. There’s also been strong buying by central banks, particularly in China, while consumers there have been loading up on the metal amid ongoing problems in Asia’s largest economy.
US economic data slate includes the US manufacturing PMI (9:45am), February construction spending and March ISM manufacturing (10am); ahead this week are JOLTS job openings and factory orders (Tuesday), ADP employment change and services PMIs (Wednesday), and the March jobs report. Fed speaker slate includes Cook at 6:50pm; Bowman, Williams, Mester, Daly, Goolsbee, Powell, Barr, Kugler, Harker, Barkin, Musalem and Logan have appearances scheduled.
Market Snapshot
- S&P 500 futures up 0.4% to 5,328.75
- MXAP down 0.6% to 175.87
- MXAPJ little changed at 537.52
- Nikkei down 1.4% to 39,803.09
- Topix down 1.7% to 2,721.22
- Shanghai Composite up 1.2% to 3,077.38
- Sensex up 0.5% to 74,022.68
- Kospi little changed at 2,747.86
- Brent Futures up 0.2% to $87.18/bbl
- Gold spot up 1.3% to $2,258.11
- US Dollar Index little changed at 104.50
Top Overnight News
- China’s NBS PMIs for March came in solidly ahead of expectations, with manufacturing at 50.8 (up from 49.1 in Feb and above the Street’s 50.1 forecast) and non-manufacturing at 53 (up from 51.4 in Feb and above the Street’s 51.5 forecast). China’s Caixin manufacturing PMI came in at 51.1 for Mar, a small beat vs. the consensus forecast of 51 and up modestly from 50.9 in Feb. FT
- Some of the biggest U.S. companies in artificial intelligence have asked their Taiwanese manufacturing partners to step up production of AI-related hardware in Mexico, seeking to diminish reliance on China. Taiwan-based Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, and other Taiwanese companies are heeding the call and investing more in Mexico, according to industry executives and analysts. WSJ
- Taiwan’s former president, Ma Ying-jeou, is set to visit mainland China, and could meet with Xi, a sign of Beijing being receptive to certain politicians that favor closer ties. NYT
- Turkey’s main opposition defeated Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the country’s local elections, claiming big wins in Istanbul and Ankara as voters pushed back amid rampant inflation. It won’t lead to any reversal in the country’s pivot to a restrictive monetary policy. BBG
- Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Jerusalem on Sunday against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and against exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service, in scenes reminiscent of mass street protests last year. Protest groups, including some that led the mass demonstrations that rocked Israel in 2023, organized the rally outside parliament, the Knesset, calling for a new election to replace the government. RTRS
- Venezuela likely won’t see the US fully reimpose energy sanctions as Washington fears doing so could drive gas prices higher during an election year (one scenario under discussion would permit int’l buyers to continue purchasing Venezuelan oil, but not with US dollars). WaPo
- US PCE for Feb was largely inline with expectations. The headline number came in at +0.3% M/M (vs. the Street +0.4%) and +2.5% Y/Y (vs. the Street +2.5% and vs. +2.4% in Jan). Powell spoke Friday afternoon (after the Feb PCE, personal spending, and personal income data hit), and his tone was largely consistent with the recent post-meeting press conference. NYT
- AT&T fell premarket after saying personal data from about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former customers was leaked onto the dark web. BBG
- MSFT & Open AI are apparently planning a massive ~$100B supercomputer project that would contain millions of specialized server chips to power OpenAI’s services and software. The Information
- Info Tech and Communication Services were the most net sold sectors on our US Prime book last week, driven almost entirely by short sales. The group collectively made up ~75% of last week’s notional net selling in all US Single Stocks. TMT stocks collectively now make up 29.1% of total US single stock Net exposure (vs. YTD high of 32.5% seen in mid-February), which is in the 2nd percentile vs. the past year and in the 13th percentile vs. the past 5 years.
US Event Calendar
- 09:45: March S&P Global US Manufacturing PM, est. 52.5, prior 52.5
- 10:00: March ISM Employment, prior 45.9
- March ISM New Orders, est. 49.8, prior 49.2
- March ISM Prices Paid, est. 52.9, prior 52.5
- March ISM Manufacturing, est. 48.3, prior 47.8
- 10:00: Feb. Construction Spending MoM, est. 0.7%, prior -0.2%
Central Bank Speakers
- 18:50: Fed’s Cook Gives Acceptance Remarks for Award
2 B) NOW NEWSQUAWK (EUROPE/REPORT)
3C ASIA AFFAIRS/
MONDAY MORNING/SUNDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 36.21 PTS OR 1.19% //Hang Seng CLOSED
/ Nikkei CLOSED DOWN 566.55 PTS OR 1.40% //Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED
/Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) closed DOWN 7.2302 //OFFSHORE CHINESE YUAN CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2529 /Oil UP TO 83.08 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 86.83/ Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL MIXED// ONSHORE YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE YUAN WEAKER
2 d./NORTH KOREA/ SOUTH KOREA/
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA
END
2e) JAPAN
JAPAN
3 CHINA
CHINA/
B
END
4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS
END
5. RUSSIA AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS.
ISRAEL HAMAS/SHIFA HOSPITAL
IDF confirms killing of Hamas senior official at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital
The IDF has intensified operations within Shifa Hospital in recent weeks, where they killed numerous terrorists, including a Hamas official.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMARCH 28, 2024 20:23Updated: MARCH 28, 2024 20:51
The IDF confirmed on Thursday evening the assassination of Hamas official Ra’ad Taabat at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, R.-Amd. Daniel Hagari said.
Taabat was the head of Hamas’s supply unit. His death was confirmed by Shin Bet intelligence, the IDF said.
Taabat’s assassination comes amid the IDF’s intensifying operations in Shifa Hospital, the site of many Hamas terrorists and infrastructure.
Over the course of March, the IDF has conducted numerous raids, which include combing buildings in the sprawling hospital complex, clashing with terrorists, and uncovering weapons caches.
These operations have seen hundreds of terrorists killed or apprehended, with the IDF reporting that 800 suspects were found, with at least 500 confirmed to be Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad members.
IDF resumes Shifa operations
Shifa Hospital was first raided in November when the IDF clashed with terrorists and found weapons and other terrorist infrastructure. However, like many regions in northern and central Gaza, terrorists eventually returned to these areas to restart operations against the IDF.
Earlier on Thursday, it was reported that IDF soldiers battled Hamas terrorists inside the emergency room unit at Shifa Hospital, which saw soldiers from Shayetet 13, the Nahal Brigade, and the 401st Brigade kill numerous terrorists.
END
ISRAEL HAMAS SHIFA/FRIDAY AFTERNOON
IDF destroys rockets aimed at Israel, continues raid of Shifa Hospital
Guided by intelligence information, fighters found and destroyed several rockets that were aimed at Israeli territory.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMARCH 29, 2024 10:01
IDF and Shin Bet troops continued targeted operations in the area of the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, the military said on Friday.
Forces of the 401st Brigade, the Nahal Brigade, and Shayetet 13, under the command of the 162nd Division, fought in the area while avoiding harming civilians, patients, medical teams, and medical equipment, the IDF added.
In the past day, troops killed terrorists and found weapons and terror infrastructure in the area.
In the center of the Strip, troops of the Nahal Brigade continued to fight and, in conjunction with the Air Force, killed several terrorists.
Troops destroy rockets aimed at Israeli territory
Guided by intelligence information, fighters found and destroyed several rockets that were aimed at Israeli territory, the IDF stated.
During one of the operations, forces identified a terror squad in a building near them, which was subsequently eliminated by a fighter jet.
The forces identified additional terrorists in their area and killed them.
In Khan Yunis, the 98th Division, together with the Air Force, operated in the Al-Amal and Al-Karara neighborhoods.
In the past day, they raided terror infrastructure and killed terrorists both through aerial attacks and ground combat.
Troops of the 7th Brigade destroyed terror infrastructures and conducted searches, finding weapons, including grenades and explosives. In addition, the troops killed a terrorist squad via tank fire.
Givati Brigade forces destroyed a military warehouse where they had found many weapons, the military noted.
Troops of the Southern Command, along with the air force, attacked a military building in Nuseirat that Hamas used for terror activities.
As part of the numerous attacks carried out by the Air Force to assist ground troops during operations, a jet rapidly struck a military building after troops reported a terrorist was shooting at them from it.
END
Troops raiding Gaza’s Shifa hospital kill senior Hamas commander, says IDF//friday
Death of soldier in southern Gaza fighting brings army’s toll during ground operation to 253; large section of tunnel linking north and south Gaza blown up
By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW
and REUTERSToday, 3:12 a
Smoke rises during an Israeli strike in the vicinity of the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on March 28, 2024. (AFP)
Israeli commandos raiding Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital killed one of the Hamas terror group’s top commanders, the army said Thursday, as fighting raged in several areas of the Strip and the number of troops killed in combat reached the symbolically significant toll of 253.
The Israel Defense Forces said Hamas commander Raad Thabet was killed by soldiers from the Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit as he attempted to flee with two other operatives into the hospital compound.
Thabet was the top official in charge of recruitment and supply acquisition for the terror group’s armed wing, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Thursday evening, announcing the killing.
He described Thabet as among the 10 most senior Hamas military commanders, and said he had been in close contact with leaders of the terror group, including its Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar and shadowy military wing head Mohammed Deif.
Israeli troops have been operating in the hospital since March 18, with the IDF saying that Hamas had re-established a command center there.
Hagari said troops also engaged in a firefight in the hospital’s maternity ward, killing three gunmen. Fighters also opened fire at troops after emerging from an emergency room, where they had been holed up, the army said earlier, noting that similar incidents had occurred several times over the past few days.
The IDF handout published March 28, 2024 showing senior Hamas commander Raad Thabet, stamped with “assassinated” after he was killed at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital. (Israel Defense Forces)
Troops have detained more than 900 terror suspects at Shifa Hospital during the raid, according to the IDF, and have killed more than 200 gunmen.
Hagari said Thursday that 513 of those captured had been confirmed to be members of terror groups, while 350 people were identified as patients and medical staff.
Shifa, the Gaza Strip’s biggest hospital before the war, had been one of the few healthcare facilities even partially operational in north Gaza before the latest fighting. It had also been housing displaced civilians.
Unverified footage on social media showed its surgery unit blackened by flames and nearby apartments on fire or destroyed.
Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad terror group said in a statement they “bombed, with a barrage of mortar shells, gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Al-Shifa Complex” in a joint operation.
IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip in a photo cleared for publication on March 28, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF says it has evacuated civilians, patients, and medical staff to another part of the hospital “prepared and established to allow proper medical treatment to continue.”
Soldier killed in Khan Younis
In southern Gaza, the army announced the death of Staff Sgt. Nisim Kachlon, 21, of the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion.
According to the IDF, the Hadera native was killed Thursday amid fighting in the Khan Younis area.
His death brought the number of troops killed since Israel’s ground offensive began to 253, matching the number of people abducted on October 7 as Hamas-led terrorists carried out a brutal assault on southern Israel. Some 1,200 people were massacred during the onslaught; most of those killed and kidnapped were civilians.
Staff Sgt. Nisim Kachlon (Israel Defense Forces)
Israel has vowed to both wipe out Hamas and secure the hostages’ release. The army says there are 130 people kidnapped from Israel in Hamas captivity, including nearly three dozen people who were killed on October 7 or while held hostage whose remains Gazan terrorists continue to hold.
Talks for a temporary truce and the release of hostages appeared to advance earlier in the week, but fell apart after Hamas rejected a compromise, saying it is will only agree to a permanent end to the war and complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza.
Earlier, the IDF said commando and other forces had seized hundreds of weapons during an ongoing offensive in the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Numerous gunmen have also been killed by troops in al-Amal, including with sniper fire, in close-quarters combat, and by calling in airstrikes, according to the IDF.
Parachutes drop supplies into the northern Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP/Leo Correa)
In a video published by the IDF, a cache of firearms, explosive devices, and other military equipment was seen being found by the Paratroopers Brigade’s reconnaissance unit in a building adjacent to al-Amal Hospital.
The World Health Organization says the al-Amal hospital has ceased to function due to fighting, leaving just 10 of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip partially operational. Another Khan Younis hospital, Nasser, was also surrounded by troops, Gazans said.
International law stipulates that while a medical facility is a protected site in conflict, it loses that status if it is used for military activity. Israel has offered evidence Hamas uses such facilities as cover for terror purposes and says the group plunders humanitarian aid to take supplies for its fighters, depriving the civilian population.
In central Gaza, Hagari said troops destroyed a 2.5-kilometer (1.5-mile) section of a Hamas tunnel that was part of an underground network that connected between northern and southern Gaza.
He said more than 30 tons of explosives were used in the overnight demolition. The military released footage of it blowing up the tunnel.
In the southern Gaza city of Rafah an airstrike killed several people, according to Hamas health officials.
Israel has promised to launch a ground invasion of Rafah, saying the city on the border with Egypt is the last remaining Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians at the site of a destroyed home from an Israeli air strike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on March 27, 2024. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
Over half of Gaza’s population has sought refuge in Rafah, many in makeshift tent camps, United Nations shelters and crowded apartments. The US says it shares Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas but a major assault on the city would be a mistake.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 32,552 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip since October 7.
The figures cannot be independently verified, and are believed to include both civilians and Hamas members killed in Gaza, including as a consequence of the terror groups’ own rocket misfires. The IDF says it has killed over 13,000 combatants in Gaza since the war started, in addition to some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.
END
ISRAEL/GAZA/HAMAS/saturday
IDF, Shin Bet say several senior Hamas terrorists killed as Shifa op continues
Army chief Halevi visits troops, praises ‘very, very successful’ campaign at hospital, as fighting continues throughout Gaza
By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW
and TOI STAFFToday, 9:44 pm
IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in an undated handout photo released on March 30, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF and Shin Bet security agency on Saturday announced that four senior Hamas terrorists were killed by troops at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital in recent days.
Troops have been raiding buildings at the hospital complex, following intelligence indicating that top officials in the terror group are holed up there. They’ve arrested hundreds of terror operatives and killed over 200 in days-long exchanges of fire at the complex.
In one incident, the IDF said troops of the Navy’s Shayetet 13 unit, Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion and Duvdevan unit encountered and killed a group of armed Hamas operatives who ran out of Shifa’s emergency room.
Among them was senior Hamas commander Raad Thabet — named by the IDF on Thursday as the head of the terror group’s recruitment and supply acquisition — and Mahmoud Khalil Zakzuk, who the IDF says is the deputy commander of Hamas’s rocket unit in Gaza City.
In another incident, troops of the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit killed senior Hamas operatives Fadi Dweik and Zakaria Najib during a chase at Shifa’s maternity ward, according to the IDF.
The IDF and Shin Bet say Dweik was a senior member of Hamas’s intelligence division. He perpetrated the 2002 terrorist shooting attack in the West Bank settlement of Adora, killing four civilians, and was exiled to the Gaza Strip in the 2011 Shalit deal with Hamas, in which Israel released 1,027 Palestinian terror convicts in exchange for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
L-R: These handout images show Hamas commanders Mahmoud Khalil Zakzuk, Zakaria Najib, and Fadi Dweik, who the IDF says were killed by troops at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, March 30, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
In Gaza, he continued to advance attacks in the West Bank, defense officials say. Najib, according to the IDF and Shin Bet, was a senior operative in Hamas’s so-called West Bank headquarters, tasked with promoting attacks against Israel from the West Bank.
He is accused of involvement in the 1994 abduction and killing of Nachshon Wachsman, and was also released in the 2011 Shalit deal.
Other Hamas gunmen have been killed by troops in and around the hospital, the IDF said, adding that troops have seized weapons and intelligence documents.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi hailed the ongoing operation at Shifa Hospital during a visit to the medical center on Friday.
“Almost two weeks, very, very successful, and this is an operation… to plan it in a war, to carry it out in a war, to execute it correctly in a war, [is] very, very complex,” Halevi told troops.
“So far [there have been] very great achievements… no one can roll back [the effects of] such a large amount of arrested terrorists, such a large amount of dead terrorists, so many senior people,” he said.
Halevi said the operation has “achieved its goal,” but added that it will continue “thoroughly until it is announced that we are done.”
IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in an undated handout photo released on March 30, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza said Saturday that at least 32,705 people had been killed in the territory during more than five months of war between Israel and the Palestinian terror group.
The toll includes at least 82 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 75,190 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war was triggered by the devastating Hamas-led onslaught against Israel on October 7.
The Hamas-run ministry’s figures, which are unverified, do not differentiate between fighters and civilians, and are also believed to include Palestinians killed by terrorists’ misfired rockets. Israel says some 13,000 terror operatives are among the dead.
Earlier Saturday the Palestine Red Crescent said five people were killed and dozens wounded by gunfire and a stampede during an aid delivery in Gaza.
Palestinian children fetch water in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 30, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. (MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
AFP said it had footage of a convoy of trucks moving quickly past burning debris near the distribution point in pre-dawn darkness as people shout and gunfire echoes — some of which were warning shots, according to unnamed witnesses quoted by the French news agency.
The Red Crescent said it happened after thousands of people gathered for the arrival of around 15 trucks of flour and other food, which were supposed to be handed out at Gaza City’s Kuwait roundabout, in the territory’s north.
The roundabout has been the scene of several chaotic and deadly aid distribution incidents, including a deadly incident on March 23 that drew intense international scrutiny.
Eyewitnesses told AFP that Gazans overseeing the aid delivery shot in the air, and that Israeli troops in the area also fired and some moving trucks hit people trying to get the food.
The Israeli military told AFP it “has no record of the incident described.”
In the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the IDF said troops of the Givati Brigade killed several gunmen, including some who tried to attack them with explosive devices.
The Israeli Air Force carried out dozens of strikes across Gaza over the past day, mostly in al-Amal and al-Qarara, which the IDF said was to support the maneuvering ground troops.
The IAF also struck three tunnel shafts in an area from which a rocket was fired toward the border community of Kissufim on Friday, the IDF said.
Meanwhile, in central Gaza, the IDF said troops of the Nahal Brigade killed several terror operatives over the past day.
In one incident, the army said Nahal troops spotted a cell moving weaponry and called in a drone strike against them. Large secondary blasts were seen after the strike, according to the IDF. A fighter jet later struck the building the cell was seen leaving.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi speaks to troops in the area of Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, March 29, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
Two more Hamas cells were struck by drones in northern Gaza after being identified by the 215th Artillery Regiment. Fighter jets later also struck a building used by those operatives, the IDF adds.
On Friday the army announced the death of a soldier during fighting in the Khan Younis area. He was named as Sgt. First Class Alon Kudriashov, 21, of the Commando Brigade’s Egoz unit, from Modiin.
Sgt. First Class Alon Kudriashov. (Israel Defense Forces)
His death brought the number of troops killed in Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas to 254.
Kudriashov was killed and 16 other troops of the Egoz unit were wounded, including six seriously, after a Hamas operative fired an RPG at a building used as an encampment near Nasser Hospital, according to an IDF probe.
Hamas published footage of the Friday morning incident, showing it launching an RPG at the building where the Egoz troops were operating.
All of the wounded troops were taken to hospitals.
War broke out on October 7 when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 253. Israel has vowed to both wipe out Hamas and secure the hostages’ release. The army says there are 130 people kidnapped from Israel in Hamas captivity, including nearly three dozen people who were killed on October 7 or while held hostage whose remains Gazan terrorists continue to hold.
Talks for a temporary truce and the release of hostages appeared to advance earlier in the week, but stalled again after Hamas rejected a compromise, saying it would only agree to a permanent end to the war and complete withdrawal of troops from Gaza. Efforts to renew the talks were undertaken on Friday.
The ongoing war has also created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as famine is both a risk and “quite possibly” present in at least some areas in northern Gaza, a senior US State Department official told Reuters on Friday.
The official added that the scarcity of trucks was a key obstacle to more humanitarian aid in the densely populated enclave that has been battered by the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel has contested a UN-backed report that found famine was likely in the Strip, saying that “the report contains multiple factual and methodological flaws, some of them serious.”
Additionally, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the country will continue looking for new ways to facilitate the entry of increased aid into Gaza after the International Court of Justice ordered it to increase the provision of basic humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip.
“Israel will continue to promote new initiatives, and to expand existing ones, in order to enable and facilitate the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip in a continuous and extensive manner, by land, air and sea, together with UN bodies and other partners in the international community,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Hayat said in a statement posted on X.
“This includes ongoing efforts to increase the scale, and means of access for such aid despite the operational challenges on the ground and Hamas׳s active and abhorrent efforts to commandeer, hoard, and steal aid.”
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/USA
(zerohedge)
White House Approves Transfer To Israel Of More Bombs & Jets Worth Billions
SUNDAY, MAR 31, 2024 – 03:45 PM
The Biden White House has approved of sending billions of dollars worth of new military equipment and ammo to Israel, The Washington Post has revealed, even amid public criticism from US officials over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s intent to soon send ground troops into Rafah, which is expected to result in humanitarian disaster in the refugee-packed southern city.
This package is to include 25 F-35 fighter jets, sources told the Post, and additionally the highly controversial 2,000-pound bombs which have been known to kill indiscriminately in Gaza when deployed by the Israeli air force.
“The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, according to Pentagon and State Department officials familiar with the matter,” the report indicates.
“The 2,000-pound bombs have been linked to previous mass-casualty events throughout Israel’s military campaign in Gaza,” WaPo continues. “These officials, like some others, spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because recent authorizations have not been disclosed publicly.”
The 2,000 pound bombs have been flagged by human rights monitors as behind much of the soaring Palestinian casualties, given they can demolish entire city blocks and produce craters over 40 feet wide.
The weaponry was approved as part of a prior authorization, but it highlights that for all the current US-Israel tensions due to the soaring civilian death toll in the Gaza campaign, Biden is certainly no closer to attaching ‘conditions’ on Israel when it comes to deployment of US-supplied weapons.
A State Department official has explained that “fulfilling an authorization from one notification to Congress can result in dozens of individual Foreign Military Sales cases across the decades-long life-cycle of the congressional notification.”
“As a matter of practicality, major procurements, like Israel’s F-35 program for example, are often broken out into several cases over many years,” the official added.
A New York Times investigation in December concluded that Israel has been using 2,000 pound bombs supplied by the US on Gaza neighborhoods on a routine basis. The Pentagon has said it almost never uses these types of weapons in densely populated urban areas anymore because of the likelihood of large-scale civilian casualties.
The Times report further said that 2,000 pound bombs had been dropped on Gaza and even inside declared ‘safe zones’ in the south, some hundreds of times.
END
WEST BANK
END
ISRAEL/HEZBOLLAH/saturday
IDF attacks three Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMARCH 30, 2024 16:40
IDF fighter jets attacked Hezbollah terror infrastructures in three areas in southern Lebanon on Saturday.
Targets included A-Taibe, Naqoura, and Kfar Hanin. Just as reports of Israeli strikes on these targets were released, sirens sounded in Israel’s north as a result of a possible hostile aircraft intrusion.
Earlier that day, rocket launches were detected towards several areas in Israel’s north, to which the IDF attacked the sources of the launches.
end
Israel Believes Only 60-70 Out Of 134 Hostages Are Still Alive
SATURDAY, MAR 30, 2024 – 02:35 PM
Israel’s official count for the number of people still being held hostage in the Gaza Strip remains at 134 mostly Israeli citizens as well as some foreigners, which includes possibly deceased victims. Amid stalled truce negotiations in Qatar, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed that Israeli officials believe only 60 to 70 Israeli hostages in Gaza are still alive.
“According to the IDF, a total of 134 hostages and bodies are being held in Gaza,” Haaretz wrote Thursday. “Thirty-six of the people were confirmed by the army as killed – some on October 7, when their bodies were taken into the Strip. Of the 98 living hostages, 10 are foreigners (eight Thais, one Nepalese national, and one man with Mexican and French citizenship).”
What’s more is that a month ago some of the families of the hostages were informed that 20 captives were in life-threatening condition. An unnamed source close to the crisis told Haaretz, “I hope I’m mistaken, but the number may even be lower”—suggesting there may be even fewer that are alive.
Given the intense battles unfolding across most of the Gaza Strip, it is widely speculated that the hostages are being held somewhere within the miles of underground tunnels below, where Hamas also has command and control centers.
There’s a possibility that some of the hostages could have been killed by Israeli’s relentless bombing campaign which has decimated entire neighborhoods. A horrifically tragic incident last December saw three Israeli hostages shot dead by Israeli forces who mistook them for Palestinian militants.
Israeli leadership under Netanyahu has been accused by the hostages’ families of prioritizing the military operation to defeat Hamas far and above hostage recovery.
Some recent testimony of hostages freed in last year’s truce and exchange with Hamas said the following:
Echoing this sense of an indiscriminate and haphazard policy, testimonies from newly freed Israeli hostages, who were released as part of exchange deals for Palestinian prisoners during a temporary ceasefire in late November, as well as from some of the hostages’ families, indicate that one of the main fears of those held captive in Gaza was the threat of being hit by Israeli airstrikes and shelling. Many of the hostages, according to these testimonies, were held above ground rather than in tunnels, and were therefore particularly vulnerable to such attacks.
Large-scale anti-Netanyahu protests led by victims’ families have persisted in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Pressure has also mounted on Washington to strike a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently facing accusations from within his own government of ‘sabotaging’ the truce process with an aim to prolong the war, and also thus his political future in the top office.
ISRAEL SYRIA/FRIDAY
Strikes in Syria near Aleppo kill 38, injure dozens, say security sources
UK-based Syrian Observatory says Israel attacked missile depots for Hezbollah near Aleppo airport, while state media says drone strikes by insurgent groups occurred simultaneously
By AGENCIES and TOI STAFFToday, 9:46 amUpdated at 10:02 am
This clip from a video circulating on social media purports to show blasts following an alleged Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Aleppo, early March 29, 2024. (Social media/X; Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The Syrian army claimed that Israeli airstrikes early Friday near the northern city of Aleppo killed and wounded several people and caused material damage, while security sources cited by Reuters said that at least 38 people had been killed.
Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying that the Israeli strikes coincided with drone attacks by Syrian insurgent groups on civilian targets in Aleppo and its suburbs. It did not give an exact number of casualties.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor with questionable funding and sourcing, said Israeli strikes hit missile depots for Lebanon’s terrorist Hezbollah group in Aleppo’s southern suburb of Jibreen near the Aleppo International Airport. It added that 36 soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded in the strikes. The Observatory said explosions were still heard two hours after the strikes.
Two security sources cited by Reuters said that the strikes killed 38 people, including five members of Hezbollah.
Syrian state news agency SANA said the pre-dawn strike killed and wounded civilians, as well as military personnel, without providing a death toll.
There was no immediate statement from Israeli officials on the strikes. Israel frequently launches strikes on Iran-linked targets in Syria but rarely acknowledges them.
Huge #Israel airstrikes in #Aleppo earlier tonight — targeted multiple #IRGC & #Assad regime weapons depots near the airport, Al-Safira & more. Sources claim 30+ dead.
·
52.7K Views
On Thursday, Syrian state media reported airstrikes near the capital Damascus, saying it wounded two civilians.
Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and once its commercial center, has come under such attacks in the past that led to the closure of its international airport. Friday’s strike did not affect the airport.
The strikes have escalated over the past five months against the backdrop of the war in Gaza and ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on the Lebanon-Israel border.
The war began on October 7 with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel in which terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 253. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claims that more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in the war, an unverified figure which includes more than 13,000 Hamas operatives killed by Israel.
This picture taken from Israel along the border with southern Lebanon shows smoke billowing above the Lebanese village of Bint Jbeil during Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group. (Jalaa Marey/AFP)
Israel has exchanged near-daily, cross-border fire with Hamas ally Hezbollah since the Gaza war began, sparking fears of a major regional conflagration.
At least 346 people have been killed in Lebanon — mostly Hezbollah terrorists, but also including at least 68 civilians — in clashes with Israel over the last six months, according to an AFP tally.
The fighting has also displaced tens of thousands of people in southern Lebanon and in northern Israel, where the IDF says 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed.
While Iran-backed Hezbollah is Lebanese, it has sent terrorists into Syria to support its ally President Bashar al-Assad since an uprising against his rule erupted in 2011. The uprising quickly morphed into a civil war drawing in regional and global players. Hezbollah has continued to operate in the country since.
END
Same story as above through the eyes of zerohedge
(zerohedge)
Israel Mounts Largest Attack On Syria In Years, Over 40 Dead
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 01:10 PM
On Friday Israel conducted its deadliest strikes on Syria in months, or perhaps even years, given the immense death toll is mounting into several dozens killed amid a large emergency response to the scene.
The airstrikes were conducted deep into Syria, in northern Syria’s Aleppo province, and left over 40 people dead. This reportedly included Syrian soldiers, Hezbollah militants, and civilians. Most international reports are saying 42 were killed, but the Syrian government did not initially give a precise casualty count.
The anti-Assad opposition and UK-based organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) described that the Aleppo attack left the highest number of dead among Syrian soldiers in a single such Israeli attack. While Israel doesn’t typically directly own up to or confirm such attacks on Syrian soil, its military has been conducting sporadic attacks on Syria going back years.
The attack happened in the pre-dawn, overnight hours – with state-run SANA emphasizing that many civilians were killed and wounded, but without giving a figure.
Syria’s defense ministry pointed to the airstrikes having some level of coordination from “terrorist organizations” on the ground which “in conjunction” to the air raid carried out drone attacks, presumably from Al-Qaeda (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) occupied Idlib. Some reports are saying that Israeli warplanes hit a “Hezbollah warehouse” – though there’s no ground confirmation of this.
This new major attack comes the day after Israeli airstrikes on a suburb of Damascus, which reportedly wounded two civilians. Israeli officials and media have long claimed to be waging a campaign against Iranian and IRGC operatives and assets in Syria.
Sky News has verified social media video showing massive explosions from the site of the overnight Aleppo attacks:
Sky News publishes scenes showing the bloody Israeli strikes on Aleppo
·https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1773539698046025834
79.7K Views
After the Oct.7 Hamas terror attack, this ‘counter Iran’ campaign has also focused on Lebanon, where Tehran-backed Hezbollah has entered a hot conflict with Israeli forces along the border.
The Syrian government under President Bashar Al-Assad has frequently lodged formal complaints at the United Nations that the country’s sovereignty is constantly being violated by Israeli aggression, however, this is by and large fallen on deaf ears.
In the initial days and weeks after Oct.7, Syria had lobbed several rockets toward the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which left no casualties. Much of the Syrian populace has meanwhile become frustrated and expressed growing anger that the Russian military, has has long had a significant presence inside Syria (especially since 2015), has not done more to try and intercept inbound Israeli jets.
As far as Israeli attacks, Moscow has long been content to stay on the sidelines, so long as the ostensible targets are said to be ‘Iranian-linked’.
END
ISRAEL/GAZA/PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
this is unbelievable: the terrorist organization Hamas arrests Palestinian intelligence officers for collaboration with Israel in that they provided help in providing aid to Gazans
(Jerusalem Post)
Hamas arrests PA intelligence officers, accuses them of collaboration with Israel – report
Reports claim between six to ten PA intelligence officers were arrested on charges of collaborating with the IDF and Israel’s Shin Bet.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFAPRIL 1, 2024 13:5
An unconfirmed number of Palestinian Authority’s General Intelligence Service members were apprehended in Gaza by Hamas after being accused of sneaking into the Gaza Strip in collaboration with Israel, according to Arab media reports on Monday, citing an interview on Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV.
According to the reports, the General Intelligence Service members entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt during a mission to secure and facilitate the humanitarian aid truck convoys. At some point after entrance, they were apprehended by Hamas terrorists.
An unnamed Hamas official told Al-Aqsa TV that the PA General Intelligence Service leader, Majed Faraj, was using this mission as a guise with the aim of creating a “state of confusion and chaos among the ranks of the home front, and with security from the Israeli Shin Bet service and the enemy army.”Top
The Hamas Official claimed that ten service members were arrested and that the issue had been “dealt with.”
Arab media quoted Faraj as saying that it was six intelligence officers who entered the strip and were arrested.
Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint, as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, February 19, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Kosay Al Nemer/File Photo)
Palestinian Authority responds to the arrests and Hamas statements
An unnamed PA official in Ramallah said in a separate statement, “The statement of the so-called Hamas Interior Ministry about the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip yesterday is baseless, and we will continue to provide everything necessary to provide relief to our people.”
Recently, Israel and the UN have been blaming each other for logistical issues delaying the entrance of sufficient humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/SHIFA
SHIFA ENDS
IDF ends Shifa Hospital raid after arresting or killing hundreds of terror operatives
Palestinians report widespread destruction in wake of operation; IDF soldier killed Sunday is 600th military fatality since October 7 Hamas onslaught
By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW
and AGENCIESToday, 3:07 pm
Palestinians inspect the damage outside Gaza’s Shifa hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital on April 1, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
The Israel Defense Forces withdrew early Monday from the Gaza City complex housing the Shifa Hospital, after a two-week raid in which the military said it detained or killed hundreds of terror suspects.
The military confirmed that its forces had left the hospital after earlier describing the Shifa raid as one of the most successful operations of the nearly six-month war, saying it killed scores of Hamas and other terrorists, as well as seizing valuable intelligence.
The military also said Monday that it had lost its 600th soldier since the war began on October 7. Staff Sergeant Nadav Cohen, 20, from Haifa, was killed fighting in southern Gaza as part of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 77th Battalion. He was the 256th soldier to fall during the military’s ground offensive in Gaza. Most of the other soldiers were killed repelling Hamas’s assault, and 10 have been killed in clashes with Hezbollah on the northern border.
During the Shifa Hospital raid, which began March 18, the IDF said troops captured some 900 suspects of whom more than 500 were confirmed to be terror operatives, and killed more than 200 gunmen. Among those killed and detained were top commanders in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Eyewitnesses said dozens of airstrikes and shells had hit the area around the medical complex overnight Monday, with Hamas saying the Israeli strikes had provided cover for the withdrawing tanks, armored vehicles, and troops.
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Despite overwhelming evidence, Hamas has denied operating from Shifa and other health facilities.
Palestinians carry away a covered body as people gather to inspect the damage at Gaza’s Shifa hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital on April 1, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by AFP)
Following the IDF withdrawal, scenes of widespread devastation were revealed at the hospital, where many of the gunmen trapped had refused to surrender and engaged in fierce battles with Israeli troops.
“Dozens of bodies, some of them decomposed, have been recovered from in and around the Shifa medical complex,” the Hamas-run health ministry said in a statement.
The Israeli military “withdrew from the Shifa medical complex after burning down the complex buildings and putting it completely out of service,” the ministry run by the terror group said, adding that “the scale of the destruction inside the complex and the buildings around it is very large.”
An AFP journalist on the scene said several buildings inside the complex had been damaged, with some areas showing damage from fire. A doctor told AFP more than 20 bodies had been recovered and that some had been crushed by withdrawing vehicles.
Video footage circulating online showed heavily damaged and charred buildings, mounds of dirt that had been churned up by bulldozers and patients on stretchers in darkened corridors.
A Palestinian woman reacts as she sits amidst the rubble of Gaza’s Shifa hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital on April 1, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Local resident Yahia Abu Auf said there were still patients, medical workers and displaced people sheltering inside the medical compound though several patients had been taken to the nearby Ahli Hospital. He said army bulldozers had plowed over a makeshift cemetery in Shifa’s courtyard.
With hundreds of thousands of Gazans displaced by the war, hundreds had sought refuge at the Shifa complex prior to the operation. Israeli troops first raided Shifa in November but Hamas operatives had since returned.
The army on Sunday released footage it said showed a cache of weapons seized by the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit in Shifa Hospital’s maternity ward.
Weapons captured by troops of the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit at the maternity ward of Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, in a handout image published March 31, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
“No hospital in the world looks like this. This is what a house of terrorists looks like,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a Sunday news conference.
The weapons, including mortars, explosive devices, sniper rifles, assault rifles, handguns, and other military equipment, were found hidden inside patient pillows and beds, and in the drop ceilings and walls of the building, according to the IDF.
Some 350 patients and medical staff at Shifa Hospital were evacuated by the IDF to a “designated compound” in another part of the complex, where the military provided them with humanitarian aid and supplies.
An additional 6,200 civilians sheltering at the medical center were evacuated from the premises, the IDF said.
An undated photo of Staff sergeant Nadav Cohen, killed March 31, 2024. (Courtesy: IDF)
As the IDF withdrew from Shifa, fighting continued in other parts of Gaza.
In central Gaza, the IDF said an attack helicopter carried out a strike two buildings used by Hamas, one of which was booby-trapped and had been used to observe Israeli troops.
In other airstrikes in Gaza, the IDF said it killed terror operatives who were an “immediate threat” to ground troops, including a sniper. In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, the IDF said troops of the Commando Brigade and Givati Brigade were continuing to battle Hamas in the al-Amal neighborhood. Amid the operation in al-Amal, troops killed numerous gunmen in close-quarters combat, detained terror suspects, and located weapons over the past day, the IDF said.
In another area of Khan Younis, the IDF said the 7th Armored Brigade and Israeli Air Force struck several Hamas targets, including a truck driving toward the troops and another car with operatives inside, which were perceived as threats.
As fighting continued, the US continued with efforts to stop a promised Israeli incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
Palestinians inspect the damage around Gaza’s Shifa Hospital after the Israeli military withdrew from the complex housing the hospital after two weeks fighting terror groups there, on April 1, 2024 (AFP)
Israel launched its offensive after Hamas terrorists swept into Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 253 hostages.
Hamas says at least 32,845 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, a figure that cannot be independently verified and includes at least 13,000 Hamas terrorists Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 gunmen inside Israel on October 7.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
END
JORDAN
Jordan population is 60% Palestinian and 20% original Hashemites. The original group controls the government and has superior jobs throughout the country. The majority Palestinians have poorer quality jobs if any. Now it erupts…
(Jerusalem Post)
Pro-Hamas riots erupt in Jordan causing inner divisions to resurface
Inner divisions in Jordan resurface following weeks of pro-Hamas riots against security forces and arrests of Muslim Brotherhood activists.
By OHAD MERLINMARCH 30, 2024 23:55
Violent clashes between Jordanian forces and protesters erupted in the past couple of days, including instances of stone-throwing and arson aimed at the country’s security forces.
These confrontations are taking place against the backdrop of the nation’s large anti-Israel protests, many of which included openly pro-Hamas chants.
One of the main promoters and leaders of these demonstrations is the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, a group aligned with Hamas for their shared ideological origins. It is active on both the social and the political level through its party, the Islamic Action Front (IAF).
Following the clashes, several activists of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested, including two prominent members of the IAF’s youth sector, Moataz Al-Harout and Hamza Al-Shaghnoubi.
In a rare statement that implies criticism of the country’s leadership, Secretary General of the Muslim Brotherhood’s party, Murad Adaileh, denounced the arrests, deeming them “outdated” and adding that they would be “of no use in stopping the Jordanian youth movement which supports the Palestinian people’s jihad and heroic resistance, and rejects Zionist crimes in and state of Arab incompetence.”
One viral picture showed posters carried during a demonstration addressed to the Jordanian army, calling it to heed the calls of children and women in Gaza or take vengeance on their enemies and free the land, adding the hashtag: “Where’s the army of Al-Karamah?”
This is a word meaning both ‘dignity’ and the name of a 1968 battle in which the Jordanian army forced the IDF to retreat from a retaliatory operation on Jordanian soil.
“Flood of allegiance:” a patriotic counter-campaign
The scenes of violent rioters criticizing and targeting national symbols such as the kingdom’s security forces also stirred a wave of patriotism from Jordanians, some of whom referred to the violent demonstrations as “marches of sedition.”
Others started an online campaign under the hashtag “Flood of allegiance,” referring to Jordanian patriots’ allegiance to the Jordanian monarchy and security forces, and as a critical play on words against the “Flood of Al-Aqsa,” the name Hamas chose for its October 7th massacre.
One post featuring this hashtag showed an injured Jordanian police officer receiving treatment in an ambulance, with the user adding furiously: “These are the descendants of those who defended you [meaning: defended the Palestinians] in Bab al-Wad in Jerusalem and the Battle of Karameh. When we see threats and incitement from you to stab security personnel and throw Molotov cocktails… how did we get here? When will we see the red eyes of foundling demonstrators? Are we waiting for the time we start losing the lives of policemen?”
A user named Heba uploaded a video of protesters attacking and throwing stones at Jordanian security forces, adding, “this is no popular stance or anything else.. [but] a group of thugs and terrorists who took to the street to take out their hatred on Jordan and the security forces, and we can only say, may Allah break their hands.”
Another user named Dana posted an AI-generated picture showing demonstrators with Palestinian flags burning the streets alongside the inscription “Don’t burn my homeland for your Palestinian issue,” adding: “If liberating Gaza from the Zionists is a sacred duty, then liberating Jordan from the Palestinians is a national duty…”
A different user named Rana uploaded a video showing Jordanian General Security forces and a child waving a Jordanian flag, adding: “Strike [the rioters] with an iron fist; the people of the country are with you… Whoever riots or tries to stir up strife… security [forces] await you.”
A user named Faisal referred to the dire situation of Palestinians in other countries, saying that “…in Syria, Bashar placed them inside the Yarmouk camp and prevented them from leaving after 7:00 PM.
In Yemen, the Houthis slaughtered them; in Lebanon, Hezbollah slaughtered them; in Iraq, Iranian militias slaughtered them, marginalized them, expelled them, and made their lives difficult. As for Jordan – it received them, naturalized them, hugged them, and rewarded them. And in return, they began to curse at us and our leadership…”
Another user named Abdullah praised the country’s law enforcement, adding, “While security services officers remind their members of their duties, those who call themselves ‘revolutionaries for the sake of Gaza’ burn, destroy, break, curse… The Jordanians go out and protect their country; however, how can someone who does not belong to this land preserve it, [while they’re] based only on a national identity number…!”
Finally, a user named “The Nabatean” uploaded a video from one of the demonstrations, in which protesters shouted, “All of Jordan to Hamas, all of my country to Hamas!” adding: “They chant to hand over your country to the adulterers of the land [meaning Hamas] before your own eyes. This is the price [we pay] for naturalization [of Palestinians].”
The Jordanian-Palestinian conflict
These scenes resurfaced the decades-long conflict between two major groups of Jordanian society: the “original” Jordanian population, which represents, according to estimates, roughly 20% of the population, and the Palestinians, who are believed by some to represent roughly 60% of the kingdom’s population.
Notedly, these two groups also differ in their influence within the country, as the “original” Transjordanians are represented in high-ranking posts across the political, military, diplomatic, and economic fields, while the Palestinian population is reportedly underrepresented in these areas and others.
The past saw many instances of violent clashes between the two populations, including the Black September events of 1970, in which then-young King Hussein ordered the liquidation of Palestinian terrorist organizations who were operating in the country and threatened his rule, with estimates of Palestinians killed ranging between 4000 and even 20000.
Other instances included the assassination of Jordan’s founder, King Abdullah the 1st, in 1951 and the assassination of Jordanian Prime Minister Wasfi Tal in 1971, both by Palestinians.
Jordan was the only country historically naturalized and granted citizenship to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, though not to all of them.
This stands in stark contrast to the situation of Palestinians in other countries, such as Lebanon and Syria, where for generations, Palestinians have been ordered to remain enclosed in refugee camps, with harsh limitations on freedom of movement and even on their professional occupations.
During the 1990s, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were also deported from Kuwait following generalizing accusations of mass alignment with invader Sadam Hussein.
END
SYRIA/IRAN
Iranian media claims at least six dead in alleged Israeli strike on Syria consulate
Iran’s Tasnim news agency says sources have indicated that at least six people were killed in the alleged Israeli strike on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
It says the number is not yet officially confirmed.
According to other Iranian media, the targeted building was Iran’s consulate and ambassador’s residence.
CONTINUED..
MONDAY.
Top Iranian IRGC commander said killed in alleged Israeli strike on Damascus
Airstrike levels building adjacent to Iranian embassy in Mezzeh municipality, reportedly killing at least 6, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi
By EMANUEL FABIAN FOLLOW
and AGENCIES
Today, 7:11 pM
Emergency and security personnel gather at the site of alleged Israeli strikes which hit a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Syria’s capital Damascus, on April 1, 2024. (Maher Al Mounes/AFP)
The Israeli Air Force allegedly carried out an airstrike on a building next to Iran’s embassy in Syria on Monday, reportedly killing at least six people including a top Iranian commander.
The strike in the Damascus-area municipality of Mezzeh hit a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy, footage showed.
Iran’s SSN news website said the targeted building was Iran’s consulate and ambassador’s residence.
A Reuters report said the consulate was “flattened,” in what it said was “a startling apparent escalation of conflict in the Middle East that would pit Israel against Iran and its allies.”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency cited sources who indicated that at least six people were killed in the strike. It said the number was not yet officially confirmed.
Among those killed in the strike was senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official Mohammad Reza Zahedi, according to security sources speaking to Reuters and media reports in Iran.
Zahedi has been reported to be a top commander in IRGC’s Quds Force — responsible for the unit’s operations in Syria and Lebanon.
IRGC official Mohammad Reza Zahedi, in July 2, 2017. (Ali Khara/Fars Media Corporation, via Wikimedia CC BY 4.0)
Footage from the scene showed that the targeted building had been destroyed in the strike. Next to the rubble, an Iranian flag was seen flying over the Iranian embassy.
Syria’s state-run SANA broadcaster claimed air defense systems had engaged the alleged Israeli attack, downing some of the missiles.
SANA said rescue authorities were working to extract dead and wounded people from under the rubble.
While Israel does not, as a rule, comment on specific strikes in Syria, it has admitted to conducting hundreds of sorties against Iran-backed terror groups attempting to gain a foothold in the country over the last decade. The Israeli military says it attacks arms shipments believed to be bound for those groups, chief among them Hezbollah. Additionally, airstrikes attributed to Israel have repeatedly targeted Syrian air defense systems.
Faced with ongoing attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group and Shiite militias throughout the Middle East in the wake of Hamas’s brutal October 7 massacre, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel has escalated its strikes on Iran-linked terror targets in Syria, killing numerous IRGC operatives, as well as members of Hezbollah and other Iranian proxy groups.
In December, senior IRGC officer Brig. Gen. Razi Mousavi was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Damascus, drawing Iranian threats of retaliatory action.
Monday’s strike came hours after a drone launched by an Iran-backed militia in Iraq struck an Israeli Navy base in Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat, causing damage to a hangar.
END
SYRIA/IRAN//ISRAEL
SAME STORY AS ABOVE FROM ZEROHEDGE
In Major Escalation, Israel Kills 8 After Striking Iranian Embassy In Syria
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 11:40 AM
There are emerging reports and accompanying video confirmation that an Israeli airstrike destroyed part of the complex of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital on Monday.
Syrian state media is also reporting that Israel conducted a rare daytime strike in the vicinity of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Video shows that the entire front of the embassy complex and drive along with a side annex building have been destroyed.
However, the embassy building itself is standing and appears to have not been directly struck in the attack. Regional reports say an annex of the main embassy was taken out.
This may have been a targeted strike on a top Iranian security official, given Reuters is now reporting that the strikes killed the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria, Mohammad Reza Zahedi…
- ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON DAMASCUS KILLS LEADER OF IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS MOHAMMAD REZA ZAHEDI, SECURITY SOURCE TO REUTERS
- IRAN’S ARABIC LANGUAGE AL ALAM TV SAYS IRANIAN CONSULATE BUILDING IN SYRIA HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED
Below is local footage showing a row of vehicles on fire in the attack aftermath:
Amid unverified early reports, a regional monitor has said the death toll is at eight killed in the strikes on the Iran embassy annex in Damascus.
According to Israeli media, the attack occurred during a meeting of top-level officials:
Initial reports citing Iranian media say senior IRGC official Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed in the alleged Israeli strike.
The strike occurred during a meeting involving senior regional figures, adding a layer of complexity to the incident. New images released by Syrian media outlets depict the aftermath of the airstrike, revealing significant damage to the targeted building and its surroundings.
Reuters cites Iran’s SSN news website, which alleges that the Israeli airstrike specifically targeted Iran’s consulate and ambassador’s residence in Damascus.
Earlier on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed damage to Eilat navy base on the Red Sea, in what appeared to be an unprecedented targeted drone launch by Iran-backed Iraqi militia.
Oil prices are already reacting to this increased geopolitical tension…
This was a very high risk strike also given the Iranian embassy is right next door to the Canadian embassy.
The Mezzeh area of Damascus is also lined with restaurants, malls, and bars — and also is home to an important military airport and some key government facilities.
There’s a lot of daily foot traffic at the Iranian embassy too, given that Damascus has long been a Shia pilgrimage spot and sees a constant influx of Iranian visitors.
An Al Jazeera correspondent, Zeina Khodr, has highlighted international law and norms regarding banning aggression against countries’ sovereign diplomatic sites in the following…
“Killing of top Iran Quds Force commander in Damascus is a major blow … but Iranian media says bldg destroyed was part of Iranian consulate – Israel hit a diplomatic mission which should enjoy immunity – Israel has crossed red lines – how will Iran react?“
This now opens up the possibility that Tehran could strike back at Israel’s embassies and consulates abroad, in yet more worrying and unpredictable escalation.
Moon of Alabama writes, “Israeli officials in embassies around the world will now be forced to limit their movements in the general public as they are the most likely targets of revenge strikes.”
developing…
end
IRAN/ISRAEL
Drone Launched From Iraq Slams Into Israeli Base For First Time Of War
BY TYLER DURDEN
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 11:20 AM
In a significant first of the Gaza war marking a very serious escalation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that a drone which slammed into a naval base in Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat early Monday morning was launched from Iraq.
The IDF its statement said it identified a “suspicious aerial target” that breached Israeli airspace “from the east” before making impact “in the Eilat Bay area” on the Red Sea. While this isn’t necessarily the first instance of Iraqi militant groups claiming to have fired on Eliat, it appears to be the first time that direct impact was made on an Israeli navy base and that the IDF has confirmed it.
The military statement described that the attack resulted in damage to hangar at Eilat naval base but there were no casualties. While air raid warning sirens were triggered, regional reports indicate that anti-air defenses were not active.
Reuters at the same time picked up on a claim of responsibility from a prominent Iran-backed Shia militia in Iraq:
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a militia, said in a statement that it had attacked a “vital objective” in Israel “using appropriate weapons”. It did not offer further details.
Eilat has come under repeated missile and drone attack from the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen during Israel’s almost six-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza. In November, Israel said a group in Syria had launched a drone that hit the port city.
Israeli media too is taking the statement as confirmation that the drone was launched from Iraq. The Times of Israel wrote: “The reference to the projectile’s origin being to the east appeared to confirm a claim by the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed paramilitary groups, that it had fired on Israel.”
While projectiles sent from Yemen, Syria, or Lebanon against targets inside Israel have been somewhat of a constant since the Oct.7 terror attacks, that a drone reached all the way into southern Israel from Iraq is a significant first of the conflict.
Early in the war Iran-linked groups in both Iraq and Syria were frequently attacking US bases in the region, however this new strike could be a sign that they are seeking to take the fight directly to Israeli soil.
The type of longer range and more sophisticated drones needed for such an operation out of Iraq were likely supplied by the Iranians, which is sure to increase tensions between longtime enemies Tehran and Tel Aviv. Israel has already long accused the Islamic Republic of funding and supporting both Hamas and Hezbollah. This has also been the case with Yemen’s Houthis.
The question remains whether more Iraqi militants will launch more drone attacks on Israeli soil, as to some extent this would open yet another ‘front’ in the war. Just last Friday Israel mounted its largest airstrikes on Syria in years, resulting in some 40 people killed.
The airstrikes were conducted deep in northern Syria’s Aleppo province. Casualties reportedly included Syrian soldiers, Hezbollah militants, and civilians. The anti-Assad opposition and UK-based organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) described that the Aleppo attack left the highest number of dead among Syrian soldiers in a single such Israeli attack. While Israel doesn’t typically directly own up to or confirm such attacks on Syrian soil, its military has been conducting sporadic attacks on Syria going back years.
In 2022 there were reports that Iran’s navy was actually practicing attacks on Eliat naval base using a mock facility and live fire training, which was highlighted at the time in Israeli media.
END
IRAN/ISRAEL UPDATES//IRGC GENERALS KILLED
Multiple IRGC Generals Reported Killed In Israeli Attack On Iranian Embassy In Syria
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 02:50 PM
Update(1450ET): Tehran is vowing a “harsh” response to the Israeli attack on its embassy and consulate earlier in the day, which killed at least five to eight people, reportedly including IRGC leaders. Iran’s foreign minister slammed it as “a violation of all international obligations and conventions” while the Syrian government denounced it as a “terrorist attack”.
Iran’s Ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari was not injured in the attack, which appeared to have occurred at the moment a high level meeting was taking place. Iranian state media has since confirmed the death of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the elite Quds Force of the IRGC. There are further indicators that two more top IRGC commanders may be among the slain…
#Israel‘s strike in #Damascus today is a huge development & a major escalation. 3 #IRGC-QF Generals: – Brig. Gen. Mohammed Zahedi (Commander, #Syria & #Lebanon) – Gen. Hossein Aminullah (Chief of General Staff, #Syria & #Lebanon) – Maj. Gen. Haj Rahimi (Commander, Palestine)
·
275.4K Views
“Tasnim reported that Zahedi’s deputy was also killed in the strike,” regional media further confirms.
Depending on Iran’s response, this could be the start of an all-out regional war. For months now, Iranian-made ballistic missiles and drones have rained down on Israel, fired by Iran’s proxies in Lebanon and Yemen. This new brazen Israeli attack on Iran’s embassy takes things into uncharted territory, and also opens up the potential for the Iranians to target Israeli embassies abroad.
The annex or consular building next to the embassy in Mezzeh district was flattened in the strike…
* * *
There are emerging reports and accompanying video confirmation that an Israeli airstrike destroyed part of the complex of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital on Monday.
Syrian state media is also reporting that Israel conducted a rare daytime strike in the vicinity of the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Video shows that the entire front of the embassy complex and drive along with a side annex building have been destroyed.
However, the embassy building itself is standing and appears to have not been directly struck in the attack. Regional reports say an annex of the main embassy was taken out.
This may have been a targeted strike on a top Iranian security official, given Reuters is now reporting that the strikes killed the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria, Mohammad Reza Zahedi…
- ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON DAMASCUS KILLS LEADER OF IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS MOHAMMAD REZA ZAHEDI, SECURITY SOURCE TO REUTERS
- IRAN’S ARABIC LANGUAGE AL ALAM TV SAYS IRANIAN CONSULATE BUILDING IN SYRIA HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED
Below is local footage showing a row of vehicles on fire in the attack aftermath:
Amid unverified early reports, a regional monitor has said the death toll is at eight killed in the strikes on the Iran embassy annex in Damascus.
According to Israeli media, the attack occurred during a meeting of top-level officials:
Initial reports citing Iranian media say senior IRGC official Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed in the alleged Israeli strike.
The strike occurred during a meeting involving senior regional figures, adding a layer of complexity to the incident. New images released by Syrian media outlets depict the aftermath of the airstrike, revealing significant damage to the targeted building and its surroundings.
Reuters cites Iran’s SSN news website, which alleges that the Israeli airstrike specifically targeted Iran’s consulate and ambassador’s residence in Damascus.
Earlier on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed damage to Eilat navy base on the Red Sea, in what appeared to be an unprecedented targeted drone launch by Iran-backed Iraqi militia.
Oil prices are already reacting to this increased geopolitical tension…
This was a very high risk strike also given the Iranian embassy is right next door to the Canadian embassy.
The Mezzeh area of Damascus is also lined with restaurants, malls, and bars — and also is home to an important military airport and some key government facilities.
There’s a lot of daily foot traffic at the Iranian embassy too, given that Damascus has long been a Shia pilgrimage spot and sees a constant influx of Iranian visitors.
An Al Jazeera correspondent, Zeina Khodr, has highlighted international law and norms regarding banning aggression against countries’ sovereign diplomatic sites in the following…
“Killing of top Iran Quds Force commander in Damascus is a major blow … but Iranian media says bldg destroyed was part of Iranian consulate – Israel hit a diplomatic mission which should enjoy immunity – Israel has crossed red lines – how will Iran react?“
This now opens up the possibility that Tehran could strike back at Israel’s embassies and consulates abroad, in yet more worrying and unpredictable escalation.
Moon of Alabama writes, “Israeli officials in embassies around the world will now be forced to limit their movements in the general public as they are the most likely targets of revenge strikes.”
developing…
TURKEY
about time!! This idiot will be removed once national elections commence
(zerohedge)
“Turkish People Demanded Change”: Erdogan Suffers Shocking Defeat In Country’s Municipal Elections
SUNDAY, MAR 31, 2024 – 09:32 PM
In a historic upset, Turks dealt President Tayyip Erdogan and his party their biggest electoral blow yet in Saturday’s nationwide local vote that reasserted the opposition as a political force and reinforced Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as the president’s chief rival amid raging inflation and the highest borrowing costs since the president swept to power more than two decades ago.
With most of the votes counted, Imamoglu declared victory in the Istanbul mayoral race after leading by 10 percentage points while his Republican People’s Party (CHP) retained Ankara and gained 15 other mayoral seats in cities nationwide.
According to Reuters, it marked the worst defeat for Erdogan and his AK Party (AKP) in their more than two decades in power, and could signal a change in the country’s divided political landscape. Erdogan called the March 31 election outcome a “turning point” in a post-midnight address, and in a rare moment of public humility said the election results were not in line with his expectations, and vowed pledged self-criticism over the election results as he added that he still has 4 more years to fix his mistakes, while predicting that the positive results of the economic plan would become apparent in the second half of the year.
Erdogan and the AKP fared worse than opinion polls predicted due to soaring inflation, dissatisfied Islamist voters and, in Istanbul, Imamoglu’s appeal beyond the CHP’s secular base, analysts said.
“Those who do not understand the nation’s message will eventually lose,” Imamoglu, 53, told thousands of jubilant supporters late on Sunday, some of them chanting for Erdogan to resign.
“Tonight, 16 million Istanbul citizens sent a message to both our rivals and the president,” said the former businessman, who entered politics in 2008 and is now widely touted as a likely presidential challenger.
Erdogan, who in the 1990s was also mayor of his hometown Istanbul, had campaigned hard ahead of the municipal elections, which analysts described as a gauge of both his support and the opposition’s durability.
Addressing crowds gathered at AKP headquarters in Ankara, the capital, Erdogan said his alliance had “lost altitude” across the nation and will take steps to address the message from voters.
“If we made a mistake, we will fix it” in the years ahead, he said. “If we have anything missing, we will complete it.”
Elsewhere in Ankara, thousands more supporters had earlier waved Turkish and party flags for a speech by reelected CHP Mayor Mansur Yavas, who trounced his AKP challenger in another disappointment for Erdogan.
According to 92.92% of ballot boxes opened in Istanbul, Europe’s largest city and the country’s economic engine, Imamoglu had 50.92% support compared with 40.05% for AKP challenger Murat Kurum, a former minister in Erdogan’s national government. Polls had predicted a tight contest in Istanbul and possible CHP losses across the country.
Yet partial official results reported by state-run Anadolu Agency showed AKP and its main ally giving up mayoralties in 19 key municipalities including big cities Bursa and Balikesir in the industrialised northwest, possibly reflecting strains on wage earners.
In an even more shocking result, and a first in 35 years, the CHP led nationwide by almost 1% of the votes the results showed.
AKP was set to win mayor’s seat in 23 cities, down from 39 in 2019. CHP is leading the race in 36 provinces, compared with 21 in the last election, TRT reported.
At stake in Istanbul is control of a city of almost 16 million people with a $6.6 billion annual budget. Social aid payments from municipal budgets are critical to voters hit by Turkey’s cost-of-living crisis. How those funds are allocated are decided at municipal councils, making dominance there is just as important as winning the mayor’s seat.
* * *
Mert Arslanalp, assistant professor of political science at Istanbul’s Bogazici University, said it was Erdogan’s “severest election defeat” since coming to national power in 2002.
“Imamoglu demonstrated he could reach across the deep socio-political divisions that define Turkey’s opposition electorate even without their institutional support,” he said. “This makes him the most politically competitive rival to Erdogan’s regime.”
In 2019, Imamoglu had dealt Erdogan a sharp electoral blow when he first won Istanbul, ending 25 years of rule in the city by AKP and its Islamist predecessors, including Erdogan’s own run as its mayor in the 1990s. CHP also won Ankara that year.
The president struck back in 2023 by securing reelection and a parliamentary majority with his nationalist allies, despite a years-long cost-of-living crisis.
Analysts said the economic strains, including nearly 70% inflation and a slowdown in growth brought on by an aggressive monetary-tightening regime, moved voters to punish AKP this time.
“The economy was the decisive factor,” said Hakan Akbas, a senior adviser at the Albright Stonebridge Group. “Turkish people demanded change and Imamoglu is now the default nemesis to President Erdogan.”
Erdogan said ending the second election cycle in less than a year will itself bring a reprive for the economy.
In front of the Istanbul Municipality building, flag-waving supporters said they wanted to see Imamoglu challenge Erdogan for the presidency in the future.
“We are very happy. I love him so much. We would like to see him as president,” said Esra, a housewife.
Then again, Erdogan is not known for willingly parting with power and there is a case to be made that Imamoglu’s days as Erdogan’s challenger may be numbered: even after his second Istanbul victory in a row, Imamoglu has another battle to fight. He is accused of insulting members of the Supreme Election Council, which could result in his being banned from political office.
Rising popular support for the Islamist New Welfare Party, which took an even more hardline stance than Erdogan against Israel over the Gaza conflict, also sapped AKP support. The party took Sanliurfa from an AKP incumbant in the southeast.
Imamoglu was reelected despite the collapse of the opposition alliance that failed to topple Erdogan last year.
The main pro-Kurdish party, which backed Imamoglu in 2019, fielded its own candidate under the DEM banner in Istanbul this time. But many Kurds put aside party loyalty and voted for him again, the results suggest.
In the mainly Kurdish southeast, DEM reaffirmed its strength, winning 10 provinces. Following previous elections, the state has replaced pro-Kurdish mayors with state-appointed “trustees” following previous elections over alleged militant ties.
Violence erupted earlier in the day, including one incident in the southeast in clashes by groups armed with guns, sticks and stones, killing one and wounding 11. In another, one neighbourhood official, or “muhtar”, candidate was killed and four people were wounded in a fight, Anadolu reported.
Several others were hurt in other incidents while one person was shot dead and two were wounded overnight ahead of the vote in Bursa, the Demiroren news agency reported.
* * *
It was too early to observe a market reaction, but according to former Goldman and IIF strategist Robin Brooks, the market won’t like the election result in Turkey, as it was “hoping for an end to election-related stimulus and a return to orthodoxy. This result sends the opposite signal. Markets will see this as keeping Turkey in perpetual election mode. More pump-priming. More devaluation…“
Considering a Turkish Lira short has been our favorite FX trade for the past year (as we have indicated on our premium subscriber data feed for the past year) we certainly agree.
RUSSIA
Are Ukraine and NATO Waiting in Vain for a Russian Offensive?
This is one of the more astute observations about the so called Spring Offensive.
While FAB 3000 bombs are in serial production; what is under way shortly is a test of 9000/10,000 bombs that glide for 100’s of kilometers while bombers stay out of range of defense systems.
These bombs can easily destroy ALL bridges across the Dneiper River trapping all foreign and Ukrainian forces forcing them to run for their lives or die.
NATO does not have the capability to overcome this because as Russian forces advance grinding all it’s path the distance West of the Dneiper River is deepened by the advance east of the river by bomb saturation at a nominal cost compared to that of missiles.
Literally such bombs will collapse any attempt to intervene. If that is not enough the is an ample supply of hypersonic missiles to step in.
Dreams of a greater war are just that. And while it is likely awful the increased losses that will result in coming days it likely will save the craziness of a wider conflict and save millions of lives. Forcing NATO to fire the 1st nuclear salvo if it dares. Or some dumbed down nation to try its luck at escaped fate if it attacks.
If that happens may God truly have mercy on us all. Because everyone knows that the 1st nuke airborne will cause a devastating response. There will be no steady escalated conflict.
6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES
COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES//DRUG ISSUES
the rise in tuberculosis is due to the fall in specific enzymes meant to stop its onset;
Deadly Lung Disease Cases Surge To 10-Year High, Children Most Affected: CDC
SATURDAY, MAR 30, 2024 – 07:50 PM
Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
U.S. cases of tuberculosis, a deadly infectious disease that typically strikes the lungs, have soared to their highest level in a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the largest relative increase among children.
After 27 years of declining tuberculosis rates in the United States, cases of the disease started to climb again in 2020—and they’ve continued to rise every year since, the CDC said in a March 28 report.
In 2023, tuberculosis case counts jumped by 1,295 from the prior year to 9,615, the agency said. This represents an increase of 16 percent and is the highest level since 2013.
While the CDC expected cases to rise, the extent of the increase came as somewhat of a surprise to the agency.
Dr. Philip LoBue, director of the CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, told The Associated Press that the 2023 case count was “a little more” than expected.
Tuberculosis incidences increased in every age group in 2023 compared to the year prior, but for reasons unknown children aged 5–14 experienced the largest relative increase—42 percent.
Infections Most Common Among Non-US-Born Individuals
The vast majority—76 percent—of tuberculosis cases in the United States in 2023 were in non-U.S.-born persons.
Among 9,573 tuberculosis cases in persons for whom birth origin was known, 7,259 occurred among those who were born outside the United States, the CDC said. This represents an 18 percent increase compared to 2022.
Tuberculosis, which is caused by a bacteria that typically attacks the lungs, is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world.
Nearly 4,400 people globally die each day from tuberculosis, which is spread through the air when someone is infected with the disease sneezes or coughs.
The United States has one of the lowest rates of tuberculosis in the world, but the CDC said in its report that the uptick in cases means that capacity should be strengthened in public health programs to carry out “critical disease control and prevention strategies.”
California With Highest Number of Cases
As was the case in 2022, California reported the highest number of tuberculosis cases in 2023, with 2,113 infections.
Alaska reported the highest infection rate, at 10.6 per 100,000 people.
An estimated 85 percent of the people counted in 2023 were infected at least a year or two earlier and had what’s known as latent tuberculosis. This is when the bacteria enters the body and hibernates in the lungs or other parts of the body, and then becomes reactivated.
Health experts estimate as many as 13 million Americans have latent tuberculosis. People with latent tuberculosis don’t feel sick or have any symptoms, nor can they spread the bacteria to others.
The CDC says that, in order to prevent transmission and reduce fatalities, the disease must be detected quickly and treatment must be initated promptly.
Last November, California health officials said that at least 10 cases of tuberculosis were linked to a casino in Contra Costa County.
“TB can live inside someone for years without showing signs of its presence,” Dr. Meera Sreenivasan said of the disease, according to an earlier report from The Epoch Times.
“That is why it’s important to take a test, even if you do not feel sick. TB can cause serious illness, but it is treatable and curable with medicine, especially when caught early,” he added.
In another widely reported incident, an outbreak of tuberculosis cases at a migrant shelter on Cape Cod was the subject of an alleged coverup.
Types of Tuberculosis And Symptoms
Tuberculosis can be categorized into different types based on its stage (active versus latent) and the part of the body it affects (lungs or outside the lungs), with the two main categories being pulmonary and extrapulmonary.
Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infection involving the lungs, though this form of the disease can also spread to other organs.
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis originates in organs outside the lungs and never enters the lungs. This type often arises from the spread of infection through the bloodstream or directly from other organs. Unlike the type that involves the lungs, extrapulmonary tuberculosis is generally not contagious.
While latent tuberculosis is asymptomatic, people with the active form of the disease typically have symptoms that include chills, fever, profuse night sweats, weight loss, general malaise, loss of appetite, weakness, and fatigue.
Pulmonary tuberculosis also often involves difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent cough lasting over three weeks, swollen glands, and sore throat.
end
ROBERT H
SUBSCRIBER SUCCESS STORIES: Stage 4 Cancer Full Remission, Prostate Numbers Drop, Blood Cancer Count Slashed & Sharp Chest Pain Cured
FYI
https://www.2ndsmartestguyintheworld.com/p/subscriber-success-stories-stage
END
South Korean Preprint Study Five Months Ago Warns That COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Can Cause A Variety Of Blood Disorders Including Aplastic Anemia! – Thailand Medical News
END
FDA Concedes on Ivermectin, Yet Deeper Concerns Exist | The Epoch Times
We all need this on-stand by
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/fda-concedes-on-ivermectin-yet-deeper-concerns-exist-5613288
END
GLOBAL ISSUES//GLOBAL SALES
end
MARK CRISPIN MILLER
Nicki Minaj postpones concert; Pistons’ Ausar Thompson out wth blood clot; Javier Altamirano has a seizure on the pitch; Arthur Cazaux collapses at Miami Open; Stevo Simple Boy collapses on live TV
Matteo Berrettini nearly collapses at Miami Open; Orlando Pirates star Makhehleni Makhaula collapses mid-match in S. Africa; pastor collapses while testifying in Mississippi State Capitol; more
| MARK CRISPIN MILLERMAR 28 |
UNITED STATES
Nicki Minaj postpones New Orleans concert: Rapper still sick after Rolling Loud California
March 18, 2024
Nicki Minaj postponed her Pink Friday 2 World Tour stop in New Orleans after succumbing to sickness. The move came after publicly revealing that she felt she had COVID after her sold-out Rolling Loud California performance last Friday, Mar. 15, 2024. The Smoothie King Center, where Nicki Minaj will hold her Gag City Tour in New Orleans, posted on its official Instagram account that the Queen of Rap pulled the plug on her concert stop four hours before the show. “Due to doctor’s orders, Nicki Minaj must reschedule her NOLA show tonight,” they explained. “As Nicki is still sick, our team does not want to run the risk of getting others sick, and Nicki would not be able to give NOLA the show they deserve.”
News from Underground by Mark Crispin Miller is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
No age reported.
Pistons forward Ausar Thompson to miss remainder of season with blood clot
March 20, 2024
Detroit Pistons rookie forward Ausar Thompson and center Isaiah Stewart are out for the rest of the season. Thompson has a blood clot, the team announced Wednesday. “I’m glad the doctors caught it,” coach Monty Williams said. The team said doctors have cleared Thompson to resume conditioning after the season along with non-contact basketball activities and expect him to make a full return next season. Detroit has been vying with Washington and San Antonio for the league’s worst record this season.
No age reported.
Pastor urging lawmakers to expand Medicaid rushed to hospital after collapsing at Capitol
March 20, 2024
Jackson, MS – A minister collapsed at the Mississippi State Capitol on Wednesday while standing with fellow clergy members pleading with lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage to some of the state’s poorest residents. The Rev. Darryl Magee, senior pastor at St. Thomas Missionary Baptist Church in Bolton, was carried away from the building by ambulance after experiencing a medical emergency. He was resuscitated by doctors at the Capitol and rushed to Baptist Medical Center, where he was awake and with family on early Wednesday afternoon. The emergency halted a press conference, where about 50 clergy members from different denominations were advocating for Medicaid expansion. Dozens of people watched silently in the rotunda while doctors worked to save the pastor’s life. Several bystanders hugged others or wiped tears from their faces, and many ministers prayed for Magee as he was being tended to.
No age reported.
ARGENTINA
Footballer Javier Altamirano receives positive update after suffering from a seizure on the pitch
March 18, 2024
This morning’s game between Estudiantes and Boca Juniors was abandoned due to a medical emergency. Estudiantes club doctors have released a positive update regarding the health of footballer Javier Altamirano. Altamirano collapsed off the ball during the first half of his side’s Argentine League Cup-tie against Boca Juniors. Team-mates, some of whom were in tears, were seen rushing to the aid of the 24-year-old midfielder before he was treated by doctors from both sides and taken to hospital. Harrowing video footage of the incident shows the player’s leg visibly shaking as he is treated by medical staff. Hugo Montenegro, the head of the Estudiantes’ medical team, determined that Altamirano suffered a seizure and he was urgently rushed to Platense Medical Institute in an ambulance. Altamirano’s pregnant wife was in the stands at the time of the incident and Estudiantes manager Eduardo Dominguez revealed that she accompanied the footballer to hospital. Shortly after the incident an official club statement offered a positive update confirming that the player is in a stable condition. It reads: “He is in hospital under observation and to complete studies. A CT scan was performed, which showed no obvious pathological images.”
FRANCE
Australian Open star Arthur Cazaux motionless after sudden mid-match collapse at Miami Open
March 18, 2024
Australian Open breakout star Arthur Cazaux has suffered a worrying fainting episode in the heat at the Miami Open. The 21-year-old led his French countryman Harold Mayot in the third set of their first-round qualifying when his health scare ended the match after two hours and 10 minutes. Mayot was in the opening stages of his service motion when Cazaux suddenly rocked to his left and fell to the court. Cazaux, who has long counted his fitness as one of his biggest advantages, settled on his back and was briefly motionless before an official rushed to his aide. In a positive sign, he was awake and talking when he left the court in a wheelchair.
A cyclist suffering from a heart attack in the middle of a race
March 17, 2024
Just started, the race reserved for the 135 competitors in the Access category was interrupted, before being canceled outright. Shortly before the first passage on the line of the 16 laps to be covered, a competitor suffering from a malaise collapsed on the roadway and remained on the ground, in cardio-respiratory arrest. First aid was present very quickly on site, and provided a long cardiac massage before the arrival of the firefighters of Pont-d’ain and the paramedics from Ambérieu-en-Bugey and their defibrillator. Evacuated to the hospital in Bourg, Andrea Costa, aged 28, and licensed at the Chablais Léman club, was stabilized when she left the race site.
ITALY
Andy Murray’s opponent Matteo Berrettini nearly collapses in ‘very worrying scenes’ at Miami Open
March 20, 2024
Matteo Berrettini [27] appeared to almost collapse during the second set of his defeat to Andy Murray at the Miami Open on Wednesday. The Italian almost lost his balance as he was preparing to serve and had to be seen by doctors before resuming the first-round clash. Berrettini was set to serve at 5-2 down and bounced the ball in his usual setup on the baseline. But he appeared to lose balance, using his racket to hold himself up as he almost fell to his right. The 27-year-old clutched his head as he stumbled a couple of yards across the court. The umpire made her way over to Berrettini to check on him and the medics were quick to attend by the side of the court. Berrettini had his blood pressure taken as he also took on more fluids and energy supplements. Former British No 1 Tim Henman was on co-commentary for Sky Sports and was shocked by the incident. Henman said: “That was so unexpected. Berrettini has been playing good tennis and moving well, and all of a sudden looked extremely wobbly on his feet.” Annabel Croft also gave her verdict on the incident, claiming she thought Berrettini was ‘going to faint’. Berrettini was deemed fit enough to continue and kept the second set alive, winning his next service game to love. But Murray then saw out the set 6-3 to take it to a decider. Henman still questioned whether Berrettini was in a condition to compete in the remainder of the match. He said: “The question mark right now is Berrettini. He obviously had a bit of a strange turn at the end of that second set, feeling very dizzy on the court.”
Accident in Villongo, cyclist falls: air ambulance intervenes, hospitalized in serious condition
March 19, 2024
Villongo (Bergamo) – Accident, this morning shortly after 10, in via Aldo Moro in Villongo, in the Bergamo area. A 74-year-old man fell from his bike, probably due to a sudden illness. The alarm immediately went off and the emergency services were called, with the air ambulance that took off from Bergamo, an ambulance and a medical car. The cyclist was hospitalized in code red at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital and is now in serious condition.
Soccer: Atalanta v Fiorentina postponed as Barone ill
March 17, 2024
The Atalanta-Fiorentina match scheduled to take place at 6 pm will be postponed due to a serious illness of the general manager of the Viola, Giuseppe ‘Joe’ Barone, which occurred in the team’s training close to the match, ANSA learned Sunday. Barone, who will be 58 on Wednesday, is feared to have suffered a heart attack or stroke.
KENYA
I’m stressed! Stevo Simple Boy speaks after collapsing on live TV
March 16, 2024
Stevo Simple Boy [34] collapsed on Friday during a live appearance on Citizen TV’s popular entertainment show, “10 Over 10”. He had just performed two of his tracks; Freshi Barida and Vichuna, and was energetic as he danced with the attendees of the show. However, as he was being interviewed by the show host Azeezah Hashim, he appeared to bend forward, holding his knees, before falling on his back. This caused immediate concern among both the audience present at the show and viewers watching the broadcast, and the show paused briefly. The unexpected turn of events left everyone on edge, prompting fans to flood social media platforms with well-wishes for Stevo’s speedy recovery. After a brief but tense moment, it was reported that Stevo Simple Boy had regained consciousness and was in stable condition. Later, it was confirmed that the artist was being attended to and would issue a comprehensive update later.
No age reported.
SOUTH AFRICA
Orlando Pirates star Makhehleni Makhaula collapsed in Nedbank Cup match between Soweto giants & NFD side Hungry Lions
March 16, 2024
The mood at the Orlando Stadium was somber towards the end of the first half when midfielder Makhehleni Makhaula [34] dropped to the ground unchallenged. “He is communicating, he just had pain on the lower right hand side of his stomach. It was a major pain there but he is communicating, he is conscious and he is getting medical attention,” said SuperSport TV’s pitch side presenter, Carol Tshabalala.
Link
end
Kate Beckinsdale, Greg Vaughan, Aussie boxing great Jeff Fenech, footy legend Peter Wynn, Italian singer Loredana Bertè “rushed to hospital”; Greg Gumbel, Bill Walton missing games
Athletic director Dan Rolfes, FL police sergeant Mike Williams, Canadian soccer coach Travis Rickard, Aussie TV contestant Lauren all suffer “medical emergencies”
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Kate Beckinsale reveals she’s been hospitalized, shares tearful photos
March 11, 2024
 |
Kate Beckinsale revealed she was hospitalized recently. The 50-year-old “Serendipity” star sandwiched tearful photos of herself in a hospital bed between photos of her mom, Judy Loe, in an Instagram post on Monday. “Happy birthday and UK Mother’s Day this last week to my incredible mother,” Beckinsale captioned the post. “Thank you to those that love us and support us when it’s s–t and try to make sure there are some bits that aren’t.” Beckinsale has been caring for her mom, who is battling significant health issues, since her stepfather, British TV director Roy Battersby, died in January after suffering “a massive stroke” while battling two types of cancer. But on Monday, the English actress claimed she was battling health issues of her own without going into any more detail.
end
Jennifer Garner’s “scary health crisis”; CNN’s Sara Sidner has breast cancer; YouTuber Ninja has skin cancer; Gunnar Peterson’s daughter, 4, has myeloid leukemia; Grace Shaw has Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Maine’s firefighters busy “answering medical calls”; Maine lawmaker has “medical emergency” in session; Jack Stine “almost” has a heart attack mid-show; Mick Foley cancels upcoming appearances; & more
| MARK CRISPIN MILLERAPR 1 |
UNITED STATES
Maine’s firefighters rarely fight fires. Instead they’re answering medical calls
March 23, 2024
For years, fire departments around the state have struggled to hire enough staff and volunteers to handle an increasing number of calls. But in many places, those calls are no longer to fight fires — instead, departments are spending most of their time responding to medical emergencies. In Ellsworth, just 2 percent of the calls last year were for fire. The vast majority — 73 percent — were for emergency medical services. In the Canadian border town of Calais, only 20 percent involved extinguishing flames. In the Franklin County town of Phillips, 46 of the department’s 254 calls were for medical response, even though the department is not certified in emergency medical services. “In today’s world, if you’re getting into the firehouse you have to have an EMT license,” said William Lee, the Calais Fire Department chief. “It’s a given.”
DR PAUL ALEXANDER
KAREN KINGSTON drops an eye-opening stack here on how China may have gained access to millions of Americans DNA via the fraud false-positive PCR ‘process’; what is your view? excellent stack
Karen is someone who I have admired for her strength and smarts… patriot! China has been able to use human genetic data for the purposes of biometric surveillance, this if so, is very troubling
| DR. PAUL ALEXANDERMAR 28 |
China Used COVID-19 PCR Tests to Acquire Millions of Americans’ DNA (substack.com)
‘China Used COVID-19 PCR Tests to Acquire Millions of Americans’ DNA
Bombshell US government and intelligence agency reports confirm that China used COVID-19 PCR tests to legally collect DNA from Americans and millions of adults and children across 180 countries.
SLAY NEWS
| The latest reports from Slay News |
| Doctors Raise Alarm as Brain Tumors Soar Among VaxxedDoctors have begun to sound the alarm after soaring numbers of patients have developed deadly brain tumors after receiving Covid mRNA vaccines.READ MORE |
| Australian Lawmakers Pass Bill to Roll Out WEF’s Digital ID for PublicLawmakers in Australia’s Senate have just passed a new bill to roll out the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) digital ID system for public use.READ MORE |
| Democrat Megadonor Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for FTX FraudDemocrat megadonor Sam Bankman-Fried has just been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a judge for stealing $8 billion from customers of the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange he founded.READ MORE |
| Chris Christie Rejects Offer for ‘No Labels’ Presidential RunFormer New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has withdrawn his name from consideration to run on the “No Labels” presidential election ticket.READ MORE |
| Gov Whitmer Under Fire over Michigan’s ‘Newcomer Rental Subsidy’ after Illegal Alien Murders WomanMichigan’s Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer has come under fire over her state’s taxpayer-funded “Newcomer Rental Subsidy” scheme after an illegal alien was arrested for murdering a woman.READ MORE |
| Watergate Prosecutor Stunned by Trump’s ‘Unusual’ Gag Order: ‘This Never Happens’A former Watergate prosecutor has asserted that in his 50-some years in law, he has never seen a gag order like the one imposed on President Donald Trump in his New York “hush money” case.READ MORE |
| Georgia Mayor Privately Praised ‘Sanctuary’ Policy after Laken Riley Murder, Emails ShowTwo days after the murder of Laken Riley, the Democrat mayor of Athens, Georgia privately praised his city’s “sanctuary” policies, according to damning emails.READ MORE |
| LA Residents Urged to Surrender to Thieves after Elderly Woman Robbed, Stabbed 12 Times in Broad DaylightResidents in the Chinatown district of Los Angeles are being urged to surrender to thieves following a brutal robbery of an elderly woman.READ MORE |
| U.S Embassy in Paris Issues Warning to Americans after France Raises Terror Alert to Highest LevelThe U.S. Embassy in Paris has urged Americans in France to remain alert after the nation stepped up security measures over concerns of an imminent terror attack.READ MORE |
| DeSantis Drops Hammer on ‘Squatters Scam,’ Eliminates ‘Rights’ in Florida, Gives Police Power to Remove OffendersRepublican Gov. Ron DeSantis has just dropped the hammer on what he has dubbed the “Squatters Scam.”READ MORE |
| Mississippi SOS Hits BlackRock with Cease and Desist Order over ‘Fraudulent’ ESG InvestmentsMississippi’s Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson has just hit investment giant BlackRock with a cease and desist order over the company’s “fraudulent” claims about “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) investing.READ MORE |
| UN Chief Demands Slavery Reparations to Tackle ‘White Supremacy’United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres is demanding that Western nations must pay slavery reparations in order to tackle “systemic racism and white supremacy.”READ MORE |
| South Carolina Officials Baffled after Finding Mysterious $1.8 Billion Stash in State Bank AccountOfficials in South Carolina are trying to figure out where a whopping $1.8 billion has come from after discovering the huge stash in a mysterious state bank account.READ MORE |
Media Begins Warning Public of Soaring Cancer Rates among Vaxxed
American media outlets have finally begun warning the public about the links between Covid mRNA vaccines and the spike in deadly cancers since the injections were rolled out in 2021.
READ MORE
‘Boosted’ Social Media Star Reveals ‘Shock’ Cancer Diagnosis at 32
A massively popular social media star has just revealed his “shock” at being diagnosed with cancer after receiving at least three doses of Covid mRNA shots.
READ MORE
Biden Launches Crackdown on Diesel Trucks to ‘Fight Climate Change’
Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration has just launched a new crackdown on diesel-power trucks in a claimed effort to “fight climate change” and “reduce emissions.”
READ MORE
California Elites Outraged as Squatters Seize $5 Million Mansion in Celebrity Neighborhood
California elites are expressing outrage after squatters seized a $5 million mansion in an exclusive neighborhood that is home to multiple wealthlty A-list celebrities.
READ MORE
Montana Supreme Court Rules Four Major Election Security Law Bills Are Unconstitutional
Montana’s Supreme Court has just ruled that four major election security bills passed by the state legislature are unconstitutional.
READ MORE
Jon Stewart Caught Falsely Inflating Value of Home during Sale after Accusing Trump of Overvaluing Properties
President Donald Trump’s critics piled on when New York’s Democrat Attorney General Letitia James accused him of overvaluing his properties.
READ MORE
Houston’s Democrat Mayor Admits His City Is Broke, Tens of Millions in Debt
Houston’s Democrat mayor has admitted that his city is broke after decades of overspending.
READ MORE
Several Celebrities Face Questioning as Feds Prepare to Subpoena Diddy’s Private Jet Flight Manifests
Several high-profile celebrities and other prominent and powerful figures are expected to be questioned by federal agents amid investigations into rap music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
READ MORE
‘The View’ Host Forced to Credit Trump for Attending Wake of Slain NYPD Officer While Biden Fundraises with Celebrities
One of the co-hosts of “The View” was forced to give President Donald Trump credit for attending the wake of slain New York Police Officer Jonathan Diller.
READ MORE
Undated Ballots Cannot Be Counted in Pennsylvania Elections, Appeals Court Rules
The state of Pennsylvania has been officially blocked from counting undated mail-in ballots during elections.
READ MORE
Illegal Alien Flaunts Cash to Mock American Taxpayers Who ‘Work Like Slaves’ to Fund His Lifestyle
An infamous illegal alien freeloader has taken to social media to flaunt stacks of cash he’s been given in handouts while mocking the American taxpayers who are funding his lifestyle.
READ MORE
| EVOL NEWS: |
All Vaccinated Now Have Permanent Heart Damage, Studies Warn – EVOL
Read more…
Powerful Democrat Abruptly QUITS – EVOL
Read more…
Gold Star Father Arrested At SOTU Goes NUCLEAR On Joe Biden – EVOL
Read more…
Woke Disney CAVES… DeSantis Scores Big Win – EVOL
Read more…
Trump Gets MASSIVE Surge Nobody Saw Coming… – EVOL
Read more…
10 other ships stuck in Port of Baltimore – EVOL
Read more…
By the numbers: Vessels impacted – EVOL
Read more…
Judge Appears Skeptical of Hunter Biden’s Motion to Dismiss Tax Charges – EVOL
Read more…
READ MORE…
LATEST NEWS:
CDC: Child Deaths Started Skyrocketing in 2021 – EVOL
Read more…
Donald Trump Scores ANOTHER Win As His Net Worth Surpasses That of Mark Cuban And George Soros – EVOL
Read more…
Federal Judge Has BAD News for Hunter… – EVOL
Read more…
Biden Openly BRAGS About Demolishing 2nd Amendment – EVOL
Read more…
RFK Jr.’s VP Pick Has Long History Of Donating to Hard Left Groups, Radical Politicians – EVOL
Read more…
FBI Shows Up at Woman’s House Over Memes Criticizing Joe Biden, Refuse to Show ID – EVOL
Read more…
Biden Last Month Issued Executive Order To Bolster Cybersecurity at U.S. Ports – EVOL
Read more…
CNN Once Again Refers To Christians As ‘Easter Worshippers’ – EVOL
Read more…
NEWS ADDICT
| LATEST REPORTS FOR NEWS JUNKIES |
| All Vaccinated Now Have Permanent Heart Damage, Studies WarnTwo major studies have just warned of a ticking time bomb after concluding that all recipients of Covid mRNA shots now have some degree of permanent heart damage.READ THE FULL REPORT |
| Baltimore Bridge Collapse Exposed as ‘Strategic Attack’Intelligence insiders have blown the whistle on the devasting Baltimore bridge collapse, warning that the incident was not an accident.READ THE FULL REPORT |
| Powerful Democrat Abruptly QUITSAccording to a local television station, a Democratic representative from New Hampshire, who has served six terms, has announced that she will not run for re-election this year. Rep. Annie Kuster confirmed to WMUR-TV in Manchester that she intends to complete her current term and retire from the House when the 119th Congress is inaugurated in January. “The congresswoman’s announcement …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| Gold Star Father Arrested At SOTU Goes NUCLEAR On Joe BidenSteven Nikoui, a Gold Star father, was taken into custody during President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of The Union address. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Nikoui revealed that he had not been contacted by Biden. Nikoui stood up during Biden’s speech and shouted, “Remember Abbey Gate! U.S. Marines!” in reference to the tragic events in Afghanistan. His son, Marine …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| Woke Disney CAVES… DeSantis Scores Big WinDisney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have come to an agreement on Wednesday concerning the management of the special governing district encompassing the Walt Disney World Resort, as per Fox Business. The tourism entity, supported by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has given the green light to the resolution of the legal dispute that has been ongoing for almost …READ THE FULL REPORT |
CDC: Child Deaths Started Skyrocketing in 2021
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted that official data shows that deaths in children aged 1-14 have skyrocketed since 2021.
READ THE FULL REPORT
Canada to Tax Citizens for Rain Landing on Property
The Canadian government is pushing a new scheme that seeks to suck even more life out of the nation’s citizens by taxing them for any rain that lands on their property.
READ THE FULL REPORT
Country Music Star Goes OFF On Left-Wing Cancel Mob
Aaron Lewis, the country music star, has a strong message for the cancel culture of the left-wing.
READ THE FULL REPORT
Judge Issues BRUTAL Ruling Against DA Willis
Attorneys representing a co-defendant in the Georgia case involving President Donald Trump have been granted permission to argue that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis overstepped her boundaries by bringing election-related racketeering charges against him.
READ THE FULL REPORT
Federal Judge Has BAD News for Hunter Biden
There were numerous accusations made during a Wednesday hearing regarding the federal tax charges against Hunter Biden.
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
8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//
YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS MONDAY MORNING 7;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING
EURO VS USA DOLLAR: 1.0783 DOWN .0004
USA/ YEN 151.83 UP .051 NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN STILL FALLS//
GBP/USA 1.2614 UP .0001
USA/CAN DOLLAR: 1.3543 UP .0007 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 7 BASIS PTS)
Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED UP 36.21 PTS OR 1,19%
Hang Seng CLOSED
AUSTRALIA CLOSED
// EUROPEAN BOURSE: MOSTLY ALL MIXED
Trading from Europe and ASIA
I) EUROPEAN BOURSES: MOSTLY ALL MIXED
2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG CLOSED
/SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 36,21 PTS OR 0.19%
AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED
(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED DOWN 566,35 PTS OR 1.40%
INDIA’S SENSEX IN THE GREEN
Gold very early morning trading: 2249.00
silver:$25.07
USA dollar index early MONDAY morning: 104.31 UP 4 BASIS POINTS FROM THURSDAY’s CLOSE.
MONDAY MORNING NUMBERS ENDS
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And now your closing MONDAY NUMBERS 1: 30 AM
Portuguese 10 year bond yield: 2.991% DOWN 1 in basis point(s) yield
JAPANESE BOND YIELD: +0.731% UP 1 AND 99//100 BASIS POINTS /JAPAN losing control of its yield curve/
SPANISH 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.154 DOWN 2 in basis points yield
ITALIAN 10 YR BOND YIELD 3.677 UP 1 points in basis points yield ./ THE ECB IS QE’ ING ITALIAN BONDS (BUYING ITALIAN BONDS/SELLING GERMAN BUNDS)
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD: 2.297 DOWN 1 BASIS PTS
END
IMPORTANT CURRENCY CLOSES FOR MONDAY
Closing currency crosses for day /USA DOLLAR INDEX/USA 10 YR BOND YIELD/1:00 PM
Euro/USA 1.0746 DOWN 0.0042 or 42 basis points
USA/Japan: 151.68 UP 0.038 OR YEN IS DOWN 38 BASIS PTS
Great Britain/USA 1.2562 DOWN .0054 OR 54 BASIS POINTS //
Canadian dollar DOWN .0037 OR 37 BASIS pts to 1.3573
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The USA/Yuan, CNY: closed ON SHORE CLOSED DOWN AT 7.2258
THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE: (YUAN CLOSED (DOWN)…. (7.2585)
TURKISH LIRA: 32.14 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//ON DEATH WATCH
the 10 yr Japanese bond yield at +0.731…
Your closing 10 yr US bond yield UP 13 in basis points from THURSDAY at 4.326% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%) very problematic
USA 30 yr bond yield 4.451 UP 11 in basis points /12.00 PM
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.703 UP 8 BASIS PTS.
GOLD AT 11;30 AM 2335.50
SILVER AT 11;30: 24.91
Your 12:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates: MONDAY CLOSING TIME 12:00 PM//
London: CLOSED UP 20.84 PTS OR 0.26%
German Dax : CLOSED UP 15.40 PTS OR 0.08%
Paris CAC CLOSED UP 12.95 PTS OR 0.16%
Spain IBEX CLOSED UP 1.00PTS OR 0.01%
Italian MIB: CLOSED DOWN 9.84 PTS OR 0.03%
WTI Oil price 83.94 12: EST/
Brent Oil: 87.52 12:00 EST
USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE /// AT: 92.40 ROUBLE UP 0 AND 8/100
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.297 DOWN 1 BASIS PTS
UK 10 YR YIELD: 3.8550 DOWN 18 BASIS POINTS
CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM
Euro vs USA: 1.0742 DOWN .0045 OR 45 BASIS POINTS
British Pound: 1.2546 DOWN .0068 or 68 basis pts
BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD: 3.9595 DOWN 2 BASIS PTS//
JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 0.713%
USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 151.65 UP 0.345//YEN DOWN 35 BASIS PTS//
USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.3575 UP .0039 CDN dollar DOWN 39 basis pts)
West Texas intermediate oil: 83.92
Brent OIL: 87.58
USA 10 yr bond yield UP 13 BASIS pts to 4.321%
USA 30 yr bond yield UP 12 BASIS PTS to 4.460%
USA 2 YR BOND: UP 0 PTS AT 4.715%
USA dollar index: 104.72 UP 45 BASIS POINTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 32.23 (GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/
USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE: 92.14 UP 0 AND 34/100 roubles
GOLD 2244.15 3:30 PM
SILVER: 25.00 3:30 PM
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: DOWN 240.52 PTS OR 0.60%
NASDAQ UP 38.51 PTS OR 0.21%
VOLATILITY INDEX: 13.66 UP .65 PTS OR 4.75%
GLD: $207.82 UP 2.10 OR 1.02%
SLV/ $22.89 UP .11 OR 0.48%
end
USA AFFAIRS
TODAY’S TRADING IN GRAPH FORM
Gold Hits New Record Highs, Bonds Battered As Inflation Fears Reignite
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 04:00 PM
The macro picture was not great for the doves today…
On a day dominated by the illiquidity of absent European markets still celebrating Easter, the Manufacturing survey headline data was mixed (ISM turned positve) but the prices components were very much not mixed – both signaling soaring costs and prices being passed on to consumers at the fastest pace in 18 months. As an aside, The Cleveland Fed’s CPI NOWCAST is starting to accelerate meaningfully once again…
Source: Bloomberg
The one redeeming ‘bad news’ datapoint was an unexpected plunge in construction-spending (its second monthly decline in a row and the biggest MoM drop since Oct 2022) but the market was focused on the inflationary aspect of PMIs, sending June rate-cut odds back below 50%…
Source: Bloomberg
Bonds were battered today – again amid an illiquid market – with yields up 10-12bps
Source: Bloomberg
…that was among the worst (upward) yield moves for the long-end in the last 18 months…
Source: Bloomberg
…Pushing yields back up to the highs of the year…
Source: Bloomberg
And the higher yields actually hurt stocks (admittedly only a bit) for a change…
Source: Bloomberg
…with Small Caps and The Dow the worst performers. Futures all opened with decent upside on Sunday night (closed since Thursday pre-PCE), but only Nasdaq managed to cling to very modestly green on the day. A little late-day meltup put a little lipstiick on another wise pig of a day for most stocks…
Before we leave equity-land, we note that DJT took a tumble today, erasing its post-SPAC gains…
The dollar broke out of its recent range back near the highs of the year…
Source: Bloomberg
And while the dollar was stronger, gold managed to hold gains on the day, spiking to a new record high at $2265…
Source: Bloomberg
Israeli strikes in Iran and more drone strikes prompted oil prices to jump to new cycle highs (WTI $84.50) as geopolitical risk premia rise (highest since Oct 2023)…
Source: Bloomberg
Bitcoin had another wild ride, surging up near record highs overnight, sliding intraday as Asia closed and as US equity markets opened, then bouncing back off $68,000…
Source: Bloomberg
Perpetual futures were once again the driver of the downswsings (as we likely see the continued trend of dump in futs and pump in ETFs)…
Finally, it’s worth noting US Tax day is April 15th. As Goldman’s John Flood noted earlier, seasonality will likely come into play here as the retail community tends to sell stocks into 4/15 to raise cash for these payments…
Source: Goldman Sachs
Post payments we have historically seen a bullish trend develop… So BTFD today, STFR on April 9th, then BTFD on April 17th…
END
MORNING TRADING/
AFTERNOON TRADING/
II USA DATA
Disinflationary Path Stalls As Non-Durable Goods Prices Spike But Supercore PCE Slides
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 08:47 AM
One of The Fed’s favorite inflation indicators – Core PCE Deflator – was flat at +2.8% YoY in February (as expected) – the lowest since March 2021.
However, the headline PCE Deflator stalled its disinflationary path, rising to +2.5% YoY (from +2.4%)…
Source: Bloomberg
Durable Goods deflation slowed and non-durable goods inflation picked up in February…
Source: Bloomberg
The so-called SuperCore – Services inflation ex-Shelter – remains stalled around +3.33% YoY (up 0.18% MoM)…
Source: Bloomberg
But SuperCore MoM tumbled significantly (as Healthcare cost inflation fell and Other Services prices deflated)…
Source: Bloomberg
Income and Spending both rose in February with spending far outpacing income (+0.8% MoM vs +0.3% MoM respectively)…
Source: Bloomberg
On a YoY basis, spending is once again outpacing income growth…
Source: Bloomberg
Government workers’ record wage growth in January was revised lower (because we caught them)…
- Govt wages grew 8.1% in Feb, up from a downward revised 7.9% in Jan and below the record high of 8.9% in December
- Private wages grew 5.4% in Feb, up from 5.3% in Jan and back to their pre-covid growth rates
As one would expect with that level of spending, the savings rate collapsed to its lowest since Dec 2022…
Source: Bloomberg
Here’s why – government handouts rose significantly once again (+$39BN MoM)…
Source: Bloomberg
Finally, while the markets are exuberant at the survey-based disinflation, we do note that it’s not all sunshine and unicorns. The vast majority of the reduction in inflation has been ‘cyclical’…
Source: Bloomberg
Acyclical Core PCE inflation remains extremely high, although it has fallen from its highs.
Is The (apolitical) Fed really going to cut rates 4 times this year with a background of strong growth (GDP) and still high Acyclical inflation?
END
Usually the case, PMI contracts, ISM rises
(zerohedge)
Manufacturing PMIs Mixed On Growth But Both See Prices Soaring
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 10:05 AM
‘Hard’ data has been soaring since the start of the year – as ‘soft’ data collapses – so all eyes are on this morning’s Manufacturing PMIs (surveys) for an end to that trend.
Source: Bloomberg
But, of course, there is normally something for everyone in this data as last month saw ISM’s data tumble while S&P Global’s soared. Both were expected to improve marginally in March final data today.
ISM’s Manufacturing PMI surprised to the upside, rising from 47.8 to 50.3, better than the 48.4 expected (breaking a 15-month streak below 50).
But, S&P Global’s US Manufacturing PMI disappointed, falling from its ‘flash’ print of 52.5 to 51.9 – also down from the final print of 52.2 in February (with prices .
Source: Bloomberg
However, a common theme from both surveys was that of soaring prices!!
S&P Global noted that higher oil and raw material costs, plus increased transportation rates, reportedly added to cost burdens at the end of the first quarter… and the impact of rising labor costs was mentioned as a factor pushing up selling prices at a number of manufacturers.
Employment remains in contraction for the sixth straight month and Prices Paid surged to its highest since July 2022…
Source: Bloomberg
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said:
“The final reading of the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI signaled a further encouraging improvement in business conditions in March, adding to signs that the US economy looks to have expanded at a solid pace again in the first quarter.
“A key development in recent months has been the broadening-out of the upturn from services to manufacturing, with reviving demand for goods driving the fastest increase in factory production since May 2022. Jobs growth has also picked up as firms boost capacity to meet demand. Rising capex spending has likewise buoyed orders for machinery and equipment, in a further sign of firms gaining confidence in the outlook.
But the ‘improvement’ comes at a cost:
“The upturn is, however, being accompanied by some strengthening of pricing power. Average selling prices charged by producers rose at the fastest rate for 11 months in March as factories passed higher costs on to customers, with the rate of inflation running well above the average recorded prior to the pandemic.
Most notable was an especially steep rise in prices charged for consumer goods, which rose at a pace not seen for 16 months, underscoring the likely bumpy path in bringing inflation down to the Fed’s 2% target.”
So slower growth and much faster inflation – that does not sound like a recipe for rate-cuts… in fact quite the opposite.
end
same subject:
Disinflation Narrative Dies As Manufacturing PMIs Show Prices Soaring Most In 20 Months
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 12:20 PM
Update (1115ET): Treasury yields are exploding higher and rate-cuts odds tumbling after the resurgent ‘price’ data in today’s PMIs.
The odds of a June rate-cut has dropped to just 50% (from 75% last week)…
Source: Bloomberg
And amid the illiqidity of European market holidays, UST yields are exploding higher…
Source: Bloomberg
This is also putting pressure on stocks (for a change)…
As we detailed earlier, ‘Hard’ data has been soaring since the start of the year – as ‘soft’ data collapses – so all eyes are on this morning’s Manufacturing PMIs (surveys) for an end to that trend.
Source: Bloomberg
But, of course, there is normally something for everyone in this data as last month saw ISM’s data tumble while S&P Global’s soared. Both were expected to improve marginally in March final data today.
ISM’s Manufacturing PMI surprised to the upside, rising from 47.8 to 50.3, better than the 48.4 expected (breaking a 15-month streak below 50).
But, S&P Global’s US Manufacturing PMI disappointed, falling from its ‘flash’ print of 52.5 to 51.9 – also down from the final print of 52.2 in February.
Source: Bloomberg
However, a common theme from both surveys was that of soaring prices!!
S&P Global noted that higher oil and raw material costs, plus increased transportation rates, reportedly added to cost burdens at the end of the first quarter… and the impact of rising labor costs was mentioned as a factor pushing up selling prices at a number of manufacturers.
Employment remains in contraction for the sixth straight month and Prices Paid surged to its highest since July 2022…
Source: Bloomberg
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said:
“The final reading of the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI signaled a further encouraging improvement in business conditions in March, adding to signs that the US economy looks to have expanded at a solid pace again in the first quarter.
“A key development in recent months has been the broadening-out of the upturn from services to manufacturing, with reviving demand for goods driving the fastest increase in factory production since May 2022. Jobs growth has also picked up as firms boost capacity to meet demand. Rising capex spending has likewise buoyed orders for machinery and equipment, in a further sign of firms gaining confidence in the outlook.
But the ‘improvement’ comes at a cost:
“The upturn is, however, being accompanied by some strengthening of pricing power. Average selling prices charged by producers rose at the fastest rate for 11 months in March as factories passed higher costs on to customers, with the rate of inflation running well above the average recorded prior to the pandemic.
Most notable was an especially steep rise in prices charged for consumer goods, which rose at a pace not seen for 16 months, underscoring the likely bumpy path in bringing inflation down to the Fed’s 2% target.”
So slower growth and much faster inflation – that does not sound like a recipe for rate-cuts… in fact quite the opposite.
In business school we learn that Gross Domestic Income = Gross Domestic Production. Now the two measures deviate with GDI much lower than GDP
a great read/.view
(Dr Daniel Lacalle)
Gross Domestic Income Shows America Is In Stagnation
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 09:05 AM
In a recent CNN poll, 48% of respondents stated that they believe the economy remains in a downturn, and only 35% said that things in the country today are going well. The disparity between somber economic sentiment and a surprisingly strong headline unemployment rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be easily explained.
The divergence between headline GDP and Gross Domestic Income (GDI) is staggering. While GDP suggests a strong economy, GDI reveals a stagnant economy. Both measures used to follow a similar pattern, but this changed drastically in 2023. While GDP rose 2.5% in 2023, GDI only bounced 0.5%, effectively signaling economic stagnation.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, real GDI increased only 0.5% in 2023, compared with an increase of 2.1% in 2022. If we use the average of real GDP and real GDI, it increased only 1.5% in 2023, compared with an increase of 2.0% in 2022. Not a recession, but certainly a weak economy.
The unemployment figures show weakness as well. Real wage growth in the past four years has been negligible, at 0.7% per year, four times weaker than the previous four years. Furthermore, the labor force participation rate remains below the pre-pandemic level at 62.5%, the same as the employment-population ratio at 60.1%. Poor real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.6% in the average workweek resulted in an uninspiring 0.5% increase in real average weekly earnings in the year to February 2024.
There is also a weak trend in profits. In 2023, profits from current production (corporate profits with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments) increased $49.3 billion, compared with an increase of $285.9 billion in 2022, according to the BEA. Profits of domestic nonfinancial corporations increased $66.6 billion, compared with an increase of $247.6 billion in 2022. This is a very weak trend.
All these figures indicate that the US economy is performing significantly better than the euro area, but it is still far below expectations.
Keynesianism is working against the potential of the United States economy. The accumulated $6.3 trillion deficit of the past four years had a negative impact on the economy. Rising taxes and persistent inflation are eroding the average American quality of life. More citizens need to hold more than one job to make ends meet, and the number of multiple jobholders has reached a multi-decade record.
Gross Domestic Income proves the economy is stagnant, and if we look at GDP and GDI excluding the accumulation of debt, they show the worst year since the 1930s.
How can an economy be stagnant with 2.5% GDP growth? Here is the failure of Keynesianism in all its glory. Headline aggregated figures are optically strong due to the accumulation of debt, and employment figures are bloated by government jobs, disguising a struggling private sector and a weakening purchasing power of the currency.
Cheap money is very expensive in the long run, and discontent rises as Keynesianism focuses on increasing the public sector while the productive economy suffers higher taxes and more challenges to pay the bills.
Inflation is a consequence of the misguided increase in government spending and debt monetization in the middle of a post-pandemic recovery, leading to an aggregate loss of purchasing power of the currency that is close to 24% in the past four years. The government is taking in inflation what it promises in entitlement spending. The result? You are poorer.
It is dangerous to blame Americans’ discontent on a lack of information.
Americans are suffering a prohibitive tax wedge as well as the hidden tax of inflation just because the government decided to play the oldest trick in the book: promise “free stuff” and print new currency through deficit spending, which makes the allegedly free programs more expensive than ever.
The failure of Keynesianism is evident. Sadly, politicians will promise more Keynesianism and present themselves as the solution to the problem they have created.
TUCKER CARLSON…
END
III USA ECONOMIC COMMENTARIES
BALTIMORE/thursday night
Moody’s Warns Bridge Collapse Is “Credit Negative” For Baltimore As Economic Shock Emerges
THURSDAY, MAR 28, 2024 – 06:40 PM
Instead of the woke Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott utilizing his precious time by going on corporate media’s leftists Joy Reid’s MSNBC show and asserting that white conservatives “should be afraid” of the consequences of calling him the ‘DEI Mayor,’ perhaps the unseasoned youngster who over-promised about fixing imploding Baltimore City (after fifty years of a Democratic-controlled City Hall) should realize the local economy is on the cusp of meltdown and potential negative credit risk event following the bridge collapse and resulting paralyzed port.
The Port of Baltimore is a significant economic driver for the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland, and an extended closure will spread like cancer through the local economy as snarled supply chains will result in job losses, lower warehouse activity, and tax revenue loss for the government.
“I would say the Port of Baltimore is the leading economic driver for the region in Baltimore,” Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Baltimore-based Sage Policy Group Inc., told FreightWaves.
Basu said, “One could argue that the leading driver is Johns Hopkins. It’s a difficult comparison, because you’re talking about two very different fields of endeavor. But the Baltimore region has been one of the nation’s underperformers in recent years. In the Baltimore region, we have had to clawback the jobs lost early during the pandemic.”
Cargo to the paralyzed Port of Baltimore will be diverted to other US East Coast ports. Scott Cowan, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Baltimore local chapter, warned that thousands of port jobs could soon vanish.
On Thursday morning, Moody’s published a note that said a prolonged closure of the port would ripple through the local economy and could spark negative credit risk events for the city and state:
The bridge collapse threatens to disrupt aspects of the State of Maryland (Aaa stable) and City of Baltimore (Aa2 stable) economies. The suspension of shipping traffic to the Port of Baltimore will likely divert cargo to other East Coast ports, which may affect jobs and tax revenue. The accident also has the potential to hurt the transportation and warehousing sector, though that accounts for a small share of state GDP.
More from Moody’s about the credit fallout that could soon hit Baltimore:
In recent years, the state and Baltimore County (Aaa stable) have provided incentives and worked with developers to facilitate the redevelopment of Sparrows Point, a more than 3,000-acre contaminated industrial site once home to a Bethlehem Steel plant. Over the last nine years, Sparrows Point has seen almost $2 billion of private investment resulting in the development of 14 million square feet of warehousing and distribution facilities. With the Key Bridge providing the only direct access route between Sparrows Point and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, further development at Sparrows Point could be delayed.
There is no timetable for how long salvage crews will take to remove the massive bridge blocking the harbor’s only entry and exit. Some figures are six weeks, while others are several months. Shippers diverting operations to other East Coast ports will also hit warehousing and trucking businesses in the area.
We have described to readers for years that Baltimore has been trending down. It’s only in a downward trend when a shock forms that the real troubles begin materializing. And that shock started this week. Sorry, Scott. It’s not a race thing like you describe on MSNBC—you’re just an inexperienced leader. The persistent crime chaos and failed progressive policies are evidence of this. It’s time for new leadership.
end
BALTIMORE/FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Cargo ships trapped!
(zerohedge)
“Huge Problem”: Pentagon’s Rapid Wartime Response Cargo Ships Trapped In Baltimore After Bridge Collapse
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 12:00 PM
Two high-speed military cargo ships are stuck in the Port of Baltimore following Tuesday morning’s collapse of the 1.6-mile-long Francis Scott Key Bridge. The major US East Coast port has been paralyzed for several days as the bridge collapse prevents inbound and outbound vessel traffic along the harbor’s channel.
Using the automatic identification system, or AIS, data that tracks commercial vessels, three bulk carriers, two general cargo ships, one vehicle carrier, one tanker, and four Ready Reserve Force vessels (RRF), along with the container ship Dali that struck the bridge, are trapped in the harbor, according to the shipping blog gCaptain.
The three bulk carriers include:
- The Liberian-flagged JY River, owned by JIADE INTERNATIONAL SHIP and managed by WAH KWONG SHIP MANAGEMENT HK of Hong Kong.
- The Thailand-flagged Phatra Naree, owned by PRECIOUS STONES SHIPPING LTD and managed by PRECIOUS SHIPPING PCL of Thailand.
- The Portuguese-flagged Klara Oldendorff, owned and managed OLDENDORFF CARRIERS GMBH & CO of Germany.
The vehicle carrier is:
- The Swedish-flagged Carmen, owned by WALL RO/RO AB and managed by WALLENIUS MARINE AB of Sweden.
The general cargo ships include:
- The French-flagged Saimaagracht, owned by REDERIJ SAIMAAGRACHT and managed by SPLIETHOFF’S BEVRACHTINGS BV of the Netherlands.
- The Panama-flagged Balsa 94, owned by EASTERN CAPITAL MARINE INC and managed by HIONG GUAN NAVEGACION CO LTD of Hong Kong.
The tanker is:
- The Marshall Islands-flagged Palanca Rio, owned by MINSHENG RUIYANG TIANJIN SHPG and managed by PUMA ENERGY SUPPLY & TRADING of Singapore.
The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) Ready Reserve Force vessels include:
- The Cape Washington, a Cape W Class roll-on/roll-off vessel.
- The Gary I. Gordon, a Gordon-class roll-on/roll-off vessel.
- The SS Antares (T-AKR-294), a Algol-class fast sealift vehicle cargo ship.
- The SS Denebola (T-AKR-294), another Algol-class fast sealift vehicle cargo ship.
According to the military blog The War Zone (TWZ), Algol class vessels are “some of the fastest cargo vessels of their general size anywhere in the world.” These ships are part of the RRF, a subset of vessels within MARAD’s National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) that provide surge sealift capability to the Pentagon for overseas conflicts.
TWZ said the activation process of RRF vessels takes about five to ten days. The vessels are operated with a skeleton crew until called upon.
RRF are stationed at major marine ports around the US.
TWZ noted the Algol class vessels have been called into action several times over the last three decades:
Algol class have been called upon multiple times since they entered US service. Just five of these ships were responsible for transporting 20 percent of US cargo sent from the United States to Saudi Arabia during the first phase of Operation Desert Shield in the immediate run-up to the First Gulf War. The ships would go on to deliver 13 percent of all cargo that arrived in Saudi Arabia from the United States in the full course of that conflict.
The US military subsequently used Algols to support operations in Somalia and the Balkans in the 1990s, as well as the opening phases of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the early 2000s.
Breitbart News’ Kristina Wong reported on Thursday that “The Department of Transportation will not say how many National Defense Reserve Fleet Ships are Stuck” in the Baltimore harbor.
Baltimore Bridge Mess: DOT Will Not Say How Many National Defense Reserve Fleet Ships Stuck https://breitbart.com/politics/2024/03/28/buttigieg-mess-transportation-dept-will-not-say-how-many-national-defense-ships-stuck-in-harbor/… via
Baltimore Bridge Mess: DOT Will Not Say How Many Reserve Ships Stuck
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Wong quoted John Konrad, CEO of gCaptain, who warned the stuck RRF vessels are a “huge problem if a war starts [but] not much of a problem if the next few months are peaceful.”
According to CEO of GCaptain and maritime journalist
, four Ready Reserve Force ships are stuck in the port — the SS Antares, MV Cape Washington, MV Gary I. Gordon, and the SS Denebola. He said the four ships being stuck is a “huge problem if a war starts [but] not much of a problem if the next few months are peaceful.” “The big problem with that is two of the stuck ships are SL-7 rapid response ships,” he said, referring to the Antares and the Denebola. “SL-7s are the first to go if the balloon goes up because no other cargo ships have their speed,” he said.
Quote
Kristina Wong
·
20h
Baltimore Bridge Mess: DOT Will Not Say How Many National Defense Reserve Fleet Ships Stuck https://breitbart.com/politics/2024/03/28/buttigieg-mess-transportation-dept-will-not-say-how-many-national-defense-ships-stuck-in-harbor/… via @BreitbartNews
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The current readiness of the RRF fleet is unknown. And just like that, part of America’s RRF fleet was taken out not by a missile or suicide drone, but a container ship that allegedly suffered a catastrophic ‘electric issue’. America’s enemies are taking note.
end
Baltimore Bridge Collapse Has East Coast Ports On Alert For Cargo Diversions
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 07:45 AM
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday that there is no timeline on when salvage crews in Baltimore, Maryland, will clear the critical shipping channel blocked by the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. He said it’s important “to our national supply chains to get that port back up and running as quickly as possible.”
In the meantime, Bloomberg shipping data shows 29 bulk cargo, container, and vehicle carriers were anchored outside ten major US ports up and down the East Coast on Saturday, compared with an average of 18. Given that there is yet to be a timeline for when the Port of Baltimore will reopen, companies are scrambling to divert cargo to other ports.
On Monday morning, Port of Virginia, just south of Baltimore and at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay near Norfolk, will open one hour early (0500 ET) to ramp up more trucking capacity as diverted cargo from Baltimore is offloaded. Bloomberg noted that a major railroad had expanded its services.
Sanne Manders, president of international operations at digital freight platform Flexport, said other East Coast ports “can easily absorb the immediate aftermath on containerized trade.”
Manders said that even though the port will reopen once salvage crews clear the shipping lane of debris, there will be “severe” consequences for the Port of Baltimore because the bridge once served as a critical “feeder into the port.”
“The longer-term aftermath will probably be more severe, because even if you take away the debris from the port, that is an extremely important bridge as a feeder into the port, and traffic will have to reroute a long, long way.”
According to an analysis from the International Monetary Fund’s PortWatch platform, Norfolk, New York, and Charleston, South Carolina, are the ports most likely to absorb cargo.
While East Coast ports will easily absorb diverted cargo from Baltimore, Governor Wes Moore warned the port closure will have severe ripple effects across the city, surrounding counties, the state, Mid-Atlantic, and even the eastern half of the US:
“This port is one of the busiest inside the country, so this will impact the farmer in Kentucky, and the auto dealer in Ohio and the restaurant owner in Tennessee.”
Last week, credit ratings agency Moody’s warned that the prolonged closure of the port would ripple through the local economy and could spark negative credit risk events for the city and state:
The bridge collapse threatens to disrupt aspects of the State of Maryland (Aaa stable) and City of Baltimore (Aa2 stable) economies. The suspension of shipping traffic to the Port of Baltimore will likely divert cargo to other East Coast ports, which may affect jobs and tax revenue. The accident also has the potential to hurt the transportation and warehousing sector, though that accounts for a small share of state GDP.
More from Moody’s about the credit fallout that could soon hit Baltimore:
In recent years, the state and Baltimore County (Aaa stable) have provided incentives and worked with developers to facilitate the redevelopment of Sparrows Point, a more than 3,000-acre contaminated industrial site once home to a Bethlehem Steel plant. Over the last nine years, Sparrows Point has seen almost $2 billion of private investment resulting in the development of 14 million square feet of warehousing and distribution facilities. With the Key Bridge providing the only direct access route between Sparrows Point and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, further development at Sparrows Point could be delayed.
The one question that baffles us is why Baltimore didn’t install barriers or pilings around critical bridge supports to prevent ship strikes during major port expansions over a decade ago. Someone needs to be held accountable. Were woke officials focused on defunding the police, social justice, and DEI instead of critical infrastructure?
END
STEVE.B.
On the Key Bridge tragedy… not a conspiracy
US-flagged container ships have two generators running from port, to provide all power needed for all systems, until they reach open ocean. Foreign-crewed ships (like the Dali) usually shutdown their second generator as soon as possible — a decision not made by the American pilot out of port. It’s the engineer’s decision. (It takes two generators running when a container ship is maneuvering out of port, until the open sea is reached.)
It seems an engineer shut down either the wrong generator, or the second generator was shutdown (before it should have been) so they lost power. But the NTSB investigation results are a long way off. The engineer has a big financial incentive for shutting down the second generator, because the generators are costly to run, use a lot of fuel, and the engineer is evaluated based upon KPI. That is, noting that their KPI bonuses are significant when compared to their measly salary.
This means shutting down one generator early, when two generators were required for power out of port in an ebb tide, and thus would take out the power. Often times the third generator (or backup) is not functional because it is under maintenance or repairs, so the main engine then shuts down. Essential system power resumed when the EDG automatically started (about 45 seconds later) then black smoke appeared which came most likely from the engineer trying to re-start the main engine.
Look at the direction of the wind (smoke) and the ebb tide charts (from the side channel). When the rudder lost power the stern was pushed to port… causing the bow to turn to starboard. It could be too that the engineer switched the props to reverse wash while re-starting the engine, to try and “stop” the ship… which actually would have caused the ship to turn to starboard (right). Anyway, all that happened very quickly.
Bottom line, they needed more time. If they had more time — and had not been so close to the pylon — the backup measures would have worked. But there was very little time. Yes, I absolutely love conspiracy theories, but there must be some evidence, and the theory must make some sense. China nor Russia nor the Evil Empire arranged this. Going forward, you can be sure that new US harbor regulations will apply (sorry, Libertarians) for container ships, and will require a tug beyond bridge pylons where applicable.
Finally, I understand the Captain of the Dali was Ukrainian, and even though not piloting out of port, the captain has much influence on how the ship operates. I used to work with a crew of Ukrainian guys and we had a lot of fun, and were quite the ticket at the E-Bar (Elephant Bar) on Friday’s after work. I liked them all enormously (except their boss) and have nothing against them, but would only note that shutting down the second generator absolutely ASAP is absolutely in character with the dudes I worked with… 
regards,
Steve
BROOKLYN
They are all starting to die:
(zerohedge)
The Tower Of Sauron Can’t Pay Its Debt: Brooklyn’s Tallest Building Is In Foreclosure
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 04:40 PM
While everyone says that the looming commercial real estate crash is nothing to worry about since, well, everyone’s been worrying about it for so long and nothing bad has happened yet (except for the whole regional bank crisis last March when virtually anyone who is not JPM almost imploded), every day we get a new and more shocking foreclosure or default.
Today, it is the infamous Brooklyn Tower, the 1066-foot building, sometimes called the Eye of Sauron, which is the tallest in all of Brooklyn. According to marketing materials from JLL, Silverstein Capital Partners has scheduled a foreclosure auction for 9 DeKalb Ave., JDS Development’s Brooklyn Tower.
JDS took out a $240M mezzanine loan from Larry Silverstein’s firm in 2019 as part of a $664M debt package to build the 93-story, 1,066-foot tower in Downtown Brooklyn. Yet despite what the media said was a flood of interest in the property, less than five years later, JDS has defaulted on the loan, according to the foreclosure notice, first reported by ten31 on X, triggering the foreclosure auction, scheduled for June 10.
It’s all happening at the Tower of Sauron
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To lock in the entire capital structure, Silverstein also bought the property’s senior debt, a $424M mortgage originally provided by Otéra Capital, earlier this year. A spokesperson for Silverstein told Bisnow in an email that the junior, senior and mezzanine loans for 9 DeKalb are all in default and that Silverstein is enforcing its rights as a lender, i.e., the Eye of Sauron is about to have a new master.
The mezz loan was the first debt handed out by Silverstein Capital Partners, which was launched in 2018. It has raised over $4B since then and provided debt to projects like Hudson Cos.’ One Clinton condo and retail development in Brooklyn Heights.
JDS, led by Michael Stern, tried to sell the 398-unit rental portion of 9 DeKalb, which also features 143 condos, a little over a year ago, The Real Deal reported. At the time, JDS was reportedly seeking between $600M and $700M for the rental units. Judging by today’s news, they weren’t successful.
Construction on the tower, which sits atop the historic Dime Savings Bank and Junior’s restaurant, began in 2015. The property, which is Brooklyn’s first supertall at just over 1,000 feet, also contains a 130K SF retail portion largely occupied by Life Time Fitness. Unit 72A this week set the record for Brooklyn’s priciest studio apartment when it sold for $905K, 6sqft reported.
end
CALIFORNIA
This will break the state:
No Fooling: Gov. Newsom’s $20 Minimum Wage Hits April 1
BY TYLER DURDEN
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 06:30 AM
Authored by John Seiler via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Commentary
I wish we could call “April fool!” on the $20 minimum wage hitting California fast-food restaurants on April 1. But the wage hike signed into law last September by Gov. Gavin Newsom is really going to hit hard.
Last December, Pizza Hut announced it would lay off more than 1,200 delivery drivers across the state. It switched to independent deliver services for home delivery. On March 25, the Wall Street Journal reported on driver Michael Ojeda, 29, “who previously supported his mother and partner on his Pizza Hut delivery wages.” He told the paper, “Pizza Hut was my career for nearly a decade and with little to no notice it was taken away.”
Round Table Pizza also laid off 73 drivers. And, “In San Jose, Brian Hom, owner of two Vitality Bowls restaurants, now runs his stores with two employees, versus four workers that he typically used in the past. That means it takes longer to make customers’ açaí bowls and other orders, and Hom said he is also raising prices by around 10 percent to help cover the increased labor costs. ”
Mr. Hom said, “I’m definitely not going to hire anymore.”
The $20 wage increase affects only chains with 60 or more restaurants nationwide. One effect might be to discourage national chains from setting up here. If a chain has, for example, 55 restaurants outside California, it would be hesitant to establish five restaurants in the Golden State because that would impact its wage structure everywhere else.
The $7.25 federal minimum wage applies in 20 states with no higher state wage. If a restaurant company operating in those states expanded to California, the disparity between $7.25 and $20 would be a shock to the company.
Another big effect will be on all other California businesses, not just restaurants with fewer than 60 operations nationwide. The state minimum wage overall went up fifty cents to $16 an hour on Jan. 1. The best workers at $16 will gravitate to the $20 jobs, effectively putting pressure on companies to pay more than $16. Companies that can’t do so will go out of business.
We won’t know for a couple of months, but California’s unemployment rate could go much higher. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state’s unemployment already has risen from 5.0 percent last September to 5.3 percent in February, the highest in the nation. The next highest is Nevada at 5.2 percent. Rival Texas is 3.9 percent and Florida is 3.1 percent.
Higher unemployment also will raise costs for the state’s troubled Employment Development Department. Due to incompetence by the Newsom administration, massive fraud during COVID-19 left the state $20 billion in debt to the federal government. Worse, reported California Globe on Feb. 29, higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve Board mean “the state can expect to have to make an interest only payment of about $500 million dollars instead of the $330 million that was planned for in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget for fiscal 2024-25,” which begins on July 1. It must be paid in September.
Newsom’s Political Future
Mr. Newsom can be a savvy politician. But he has a problem with economic realities. For eight years as lieutenant governor, he sat at the feet of Gov. Jerry Brown, who demonstrated how to prevent a budget from getting out of control. Instead, as governor Mr. Newsom went on spending sprees with the $97 billion surplus, everyone, including him, said couldn’t last. It didn’t.
Now he’s staring down a $38 billion budget deficit, according to his Jan. 10 budget proposal; or $73 billion, according to the Legislative Analyst’s latest projection.
The $20 minimum wage will kill many thousands of jobs, canceling the taxes of those workers while they are unemployed, while increasing unemployment costs. Albeit the $20 wage will bring in higher taxes from the workers still employed.
Employers, commonly in the upper middle-class, will suffer fewer profits, cutting into the income taxes they pay. Many even will call it quits and fold up their businesses, or move to more reasonable states.
All this will hit this summer as Mr. Newsom’s presidential ambitions could still advance should President Joe Biden’s mental faculties decline much further. All that still is a long shot, of course. The PredictIt betting on Mr. Newsom gaining the nomination has been decreasing lately (middle line in the graph below), from 18 cents on Feb. 9 to 6 cents on March 29. Mr. Biden’s (top line) rose from 72 cents to 89 cents. Vice President Kamala Harris finished at 4 cents, below Mr. Newsom.
The point is it’s not impossible Mr. Newsom could get the nomination. If he does, California’s rising unemployment rate, the massive budget deficit, homelessness, high housing costs, and crime will be a target-rich environment for the Republicans’ presumptive nominee: former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Newsom could have avoided the unemployment crisis if he simply had pushed the $20 minimum wage into the future to 2027, when he will be out office. Then it would have been the next governor’s problem.
Conclusion: Expect More Joblessness
A higher minimum wage usually kills jobs, unless it is genuinely in line with an area’s cost of living. The current statewide $16 minimum wage is the second-highest of any state in the country, after Washington state’s $16.28. And Washington, D.C., not a state, is the highest at $17.00. All are areas with high expenses.
The biggest problem for California will be the $20 wage in rural areas. Although not as cheap to live in as Mississippi, it’s cheaper than living in San Francisco or Santa Monica. Which also means a lower minimum wage would be more sensible inland. Instead, the $20 wage will wipe out many more fast food jobs per capita inland than in the coastal areas.
The $20 wage is also going to increase prices for those still going to fast-food places. If inflation continues or gets worse, that will boost prices even more, leading to fewer customers, followed by even more layoffs.
Tinkering with the economy has consequences. Starting on April Fools’ Day, California will be finding out how an excessive minimum wage increase is one of the worst ones.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.
MICHAEL HARNETT..
Happy Easter to you all. Gijs
Happy Easter to you all. Gijs
end
Spending, Income, And Inflation Data Do Not Support Fed Interest Rate Cuts
MONDAY, APR 01, 2024 – 07:20 AM
Authored by Mike Shedlock via mishtalk.com,
The BEA reports real income is down, but personal spending jumped anyway. Inflation data is mostly as expected, but much higher than the Fed would like to see.
Personal Income and Outlays, February 2024
Nothing about the BEA’s Personal Income and Outlays report for February 2024 suggests the Fed should cut interest rates at its next meeting.
- Personal income increased $66.5 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in February.
- Disposable personal income (DPI), personal income less personal current taxes, increased $50.3 billion (0.2 percent)
- Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $145.5 billion (0.8 percent).
- The PCE price index increased 0.3 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 0.3 percent.
- Real DPI decreased 0.1 percent in February.
- Real PCE increased 0.4 percent; goods increased 0.1 percent and services increased 0.6 percent.
The Fed wants inflation at 2.0 percent. 0.3 percent per month times 12 months won’t come close to getting there.
You can twist the analysis however you want but you cannot twist the math.
Real Income and Spending Percent Change
Nominal spending was up 0.8 percent and real spending was up 0.4 percent. This suggests PCE inflation was on the high side of the range.
Rounded to a single decimal point, the reported 0.3 PCE price index month-over-month can be in the range of 0.25 to 0.34.
The PCE price index for January was 121.906. For February, it was 122.312. That’s a monthly increase of 0.333 percent, on the high end of the range. Multiply that by 12 and you are close to 4.0 percent price inflation annually.
This does not support Fed interest rate cuts.
Apartment List Reports Rent Prices Increase for the Second Month
Yesterday, I noted Apartment List Reports Rent Prices Increase for the Second Month
Also note Case-Shiller National Home Price Index Hits New Record High
Case-Shiller updated is home price data for January this week. Here are the key charts and a discussion of why it’s hard to tell if prices are rising or falling.
The Fed wants to cut in June, and that’s what the market expects (thanks to Fed jawboning), so most likely the Fed will cut unless the data is very hot.
Like Pavlov’s dogs, the market is salivating over rate cuts.
Boeing
Oh my goodness/another Boeing problem:
United Airlines Boeing 777 Diverted To Denver After ‘Engine Issues’
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 02:20 PM
The Federal Aviation Administration should expedite its plan to curb United Airlines’ growth, including preventing the carrier from adding new routes, following a series of safety incidents in recent weeks and another incident on Thursday evening.
Last night, United Flight 990, a Boeing 777-200 traveling from San Francisco to Paris, was diverted to Denver International Airport when the pilots reported engine issues.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows Flight 990 was heading north towards the Canadian border before it turned south towards Denver. United wrote in a statment that the plane landed safely with 273 passengers and 12 crew on board.
This comes after a series of recent flight mishaps involving United jets, including a tire falling off a Boeing 777 taking off at San Francisco airport, landing gear issues with a Boeing 737 at Houston, and a panel flying off an aging United Boeing 737.
A Bloomberg report said FAA authorities are considering “drastic measures” to curb the airline’s growth following a series of safety incidents.
Last week, United CEO Scott Kirby promised customers that the carrier would review the incidents and its employee training. Perhaps what Kirby should be promising customers is to stop pushing “insane,” disastrous, and potentially deadly DEI mandates.
The entire aviation industry is in disarray, from United to Boeing to the FAA. Why is this Pete Buttigieg?
end
The Meltdown Of Commercial Real Estate
FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2024 – 01:45 PM
Authored by Peter St. Onge via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
In case you’ve still got money in a bank, Bloomberg is warning that defaults in commercial real estate loans could “topple” hundreds of U.S. banks.
Leaving taxpayers on the hook for trillions in losses.
The note, by senior editor James Crombie, walks us through the festering hellscape that is commercial real estate.
To set the mood, a new study predicts that nearly half of downtown Pittsburgh office space could be vacant in four years. Major cities such as San Francisco are already sporting zombie-apocalypse downtowns, with abandoned office buildings baking in the sun.
So what happened?
The Fed’s yo-yo interest rates first flooded real estate with low rates and cheap money. Which were overbuilt.
Then came the lockdowns, which forced millions to figure out new workday patterns. People liked foregoing the long commute (not to mention the free money). Despite every effort, downtown businesses have not been able to get all workers back.
These days, everyone talks about hybrid models of working, some in-person and some remote. But judging from observation, remote is winning. In any case, even a 30 percent reduction in the footprint of office space once the leases are renewed could topple the entire sector.
The restaurant and retail sectors of downtown feel the pinch, with more closures all the time. Adding to the pressure are absurd levels of inflation and ever-riskier streets on matters of personal security. Put it all together and there is ever less reason to slog to the office.
When the Fed panic-hiked interest rates in the 2021 inflation, that put trillions of commercial real estate underwater even without other factors. Add to that crime, inflation, plus remote work, and you have a dangerous mix that could topple cities as we know them.
This could mimic and elaborate upon last year’s bank crisis, where falling bond prices panicked depositors. That crisis only stopped when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell effectively bailed out every bank in America with sweetheart loans written on fictitious asset values along with unlimited taxpayer guarantees through the comically underfunded FDIC.
By the way, the FDIC is essentially guaranteeing more than $20 trillion in deposits on just more than $100 billion. So they’ve got a half-penny on the dollar.
Without those government pre-bailouts, one paper last year by researchers at Stanford and Columbia estimated that 1,619 U.S. banks—about a third of them—could be at risk of failure.
The problem is that nothing was actually fixed. In fact, it’s getting worse. For the simple reason that as the months roll by there’s more and more debt coming due.
And that brings us to Mr. Crombie, who noted that there’s $929 billion of commercial real estate debt coming due in the next 9 1/2 months.
That’s up 28 percent from last year, and it’s getting bigger every day as banks pretend that loans are still healthy by effectively adding missed payments.
We’re starting to see glitches in the matrix; New York Community Bank just went through a near-death experience over its garbage portfolio of commercial real estate loans, dropping almost 80 percent before it was bailed out by vulture investors while the megabanks hover like megavultures.
More will come. Potentially a lot more: A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research estimated that up to 385 American banks could fail over commercial real estate loans alone.
These would overwhelmingly be small regional banks, who typically hold a third of their assets in commercial real estate loans.
They hold so much because they know their local markets best, but the Fed poisoned that chalice by flooding easy money to developers.
For now, we’re only seeing the sickest banks dropping out of the herd. That could dramatically accelerate as that $1 trillion-plus in loans comes due.
Commercial real estate delinquency rates have already jumped to 6 1/2 percent—up 30 percent in a matter of months. Rates of distress in office loans just hit 11 percent.
When the smoke clears, we could lose dozens, even hundreds, of regional banks. Going by the last time with savings and loans, taxpayers ate 80 percent of the losses.
Meaning that you could be on the hook for trillions, while the megabanks gorge on the carcass.
Slashing interest rates could staunch the bleeding. But with inflation marching up every month—currently at 5 1/2 percent annualized—that’s not going to happen.
Originally published on the author’s Substack, reposted from the Brownstone Institute
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM…
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iiiC USA COVID //VACCINE ISSUES
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FREIGHT ISSUES/USA
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VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
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SWAMP STORIES
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KING REPORT
| The King Report April 1, 2024 Issue 7211 | Independent View of the News |
| Xi Jinping to China’s central bank: restart treasury-bond trade, after 2-decade hiatusPresident Xi has told China’s financial cadres that active monetary policy toolkit must include a controversial means of injecting liquidity into the economyEconomist says PBOC has not bought treasury bonds for years because monetary authorities did not want to fuel market speculation of a major stimulushttps://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3256967/xi-jinping-chinas-central-bank-restart-treasury-bond-trade-after-2-decade-hiatus The Yen/$ continues to hover near the 152 Maginot Line. Traders assume that Japan will aggressively intervene if the yen breaches 152. If the yen cannot rally in the coming days, the usual suspects will test Japanese authorities with a raid on the yen. Then, things will get very, very interesting. @zerohedge: Someone is wrong; UM 1-year Inflation expectations 2.9%; Conference Board Consumer Inflation expectations 5.3% (Who wants to aid Biden?) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1773353088176341080 Fed Governor Waller’s hawkish comments on Wednesday night (sticky inflation prevents rate cuts) cast a pall on stocks and bonds – but not gold, oil, gasoline, and commodities, during Thursday trading. The prospect of more Chinese monetary stimulus boosted commodities and precious metals. Physical Gold hit an all-time high of 2235.71. Bitcoin hit 71,555.00. Gasoline rallied as much as 2.2%. Yes, Virigina, the strong stench of inflation, and Fed fecklessness, is in the air! PS – China’s inflationary policies inhibit Powell and his ilk’s attempt to aid & abet Biden with rate cuts! The DJTA rallied sharply on Thursday due to Alaska Airlines, which rallied as much as 2.7%. ALK closed above its 200-day moving average on Wednesday. Momo traders poured into it on Thursday. ESMs traded moderately lower from the Nikkei opening until the pump for the NYSE opening dump appeared after 8:30 ET. ESMs plodded higher until they hit a daily high of 5316.25 at 11:30 ET. ESMs then fell 13 handles by 13:32 ET. After a moderate A-B-C rally, ESMs sank to 5305.25 at 14:42 ET. Then another blatant manipulation to game Q1 performance occurred. ESMs soared to a new daily high of 5318.75 at 15:02 ET. ESMs quickly sank to 5311.00 at 15:07 ET. Manipulation rapidly pushed ESMs higher; sellers halted the rally almost immediately. Game on! ESMs vacillated in a tight range until they rallied to a daily high of 5321.00 at 15:30 ET. Traders sold; ESMs sank to 5310.25 at 15:50 ET. With a final manipulation, ESMs hit 5321.00 at 15:57 ET. But some traders wanted to get out before the long Easter Weekend. ESMs tumbled to 5302.00 at 16:01 ET. Positive aspects of previous session Manipulation to embellish Q1 performance lifted stocks The DJTA rallied sharply Negative aspects of previous session Gold, gasoline, crypto, and commodities rallied sharply Fangs declined, which pulled Nasdaq lower ESMs tumbled 19 handles in 4 minutes near the close Ambiguous aspects of previous session Does the late tumble to close Q1 portend trouble for stocks? First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Down; Last Hour: Down Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 5255.01 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 5264.85; 5245.82 Russia says Moscow attackers got financial backing from Ukraine The Investigative Committee, a leading law enforcement body, said it had “confirmed information that perpetrators of the terrorist act had received significant sums of money and cryptocurrency from Ukraine, which were used in the preparation of the crime.” https://cutt.ly/5w3gNlub @liz_churchill10: The Ship Accident that immediately ruled out Terrorism…has just admitted that there’s 2 minutes of missing data from its Blackbox… (Intel types site ‘remote towing’ as the cause) @Geiger_Capital: 80 years ago the US Navy cleared 10 damaged ships from Pearl Harbor in 3 months and had most of them repaired in 8 months… Now the Navy outsources its salvage operations to a European company. It will take months to clear the Francis Scott Key Bridge and years to rebuild it. https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/1773352845330243924 Two of the Fastest U.S. Sealift Ships Trapped by Baltimore Bridge Collapse The blocked entrance to the Port of Baltimore has stranded a total of four cargo ships that are on call to support U.S. military operations… The vessels now stuck in Baltimore include the Algol class SS Antares and SS Denebola, both of which are part of the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) fleet… the current stranding of the Antares and Denebola in Baltimore is especially notable. The pair represents a quarter of the entire Algol class, which, as already noted, are especially fast and otherwise capable cargo ships… This all comes at a time when U.S. military sealift capacity is in as high demand as ever, especially as the Department of Defense continues to focus its efforts on preparing for a potential high-end conflict in the Pacific against China… (Just a coincidence, or there are no coincidences?) Yesterday’s incident in Baltimore now presents an additional complication for the RRF fleet, with four of its ships, including the two examples of the highly capable Algol class, blocked in port. https://www.twz.com/sea/two-of-the-fastest-u-s-sealift-ships-trapped-by-baltimore-bridge-collapse @johnkonrad: At the Cold War peak “DoD aimed for 66M ton-mile/day of inter-theater #airlift ” according to the 1987 Denton Report but the critical “ton-mile metric” is absent from most military reports today. Here’s a why this Cold War metric means Taiwan is in BIG trouble if China Invades https://twitter.com/johnkonrad/status/1683127938604990464 This is why it matters that 4 of our military supply ships are stuck in Baltimore, another just had a catastrophic fire, and the rest of the Ready Reserve fleet are on average a half century old @amuse: After acknowledging the fact that two minutes of data was missing from the cargo ship’s blackbox, Biden’s NTSB claims it will take them two years to complete its investigation. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1774361525714591799 Barge strikes Oklahoma bridge, shutting down highway traffic https://t.co/rdZod7GoZZ @pepesgrandma: CISA’s Jen Easterly Jan 2024 – China is planning to attack US infrastructure including aviation and waterways. https://twitter.com/pepesgrandma/status/1774262945943335185?s=02 @Jkylebass: China’s attack on the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal is imminent. Chinese government propaganda outlets continue to set the stage for attack. And in their own perverted way, they continue to concurrently be the belligerent aggressor as well as the victim. CCP conduit, Global Times: US recruits Japan for joint patrols with the Philippines; maneuver to further destabilize region, threaten China’s surrounding security: experts Latest case of US intention to deplete allies and weaken China… The US has been encouraging the Philippines to incite chaos in the South China Sea… “It (US) often appears to urge its allies to brave dangers, but in reality, it sacrifices them to meet its own selfish strategic demands. This is similar to the situation in Ukraine, where the US consumes Ukraine’s resources, leaving Ukraine to fend for itself while weakening Russia, all while the US benefits,” he noted… https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202403/1309841.shtml Feds found shipping firm tied to bridge collision retaliated against whistleblower The sailor, who served aboard the Safmarine Mafadi, had reported a litany of safety issues, including leaks in the starboard tunnel, rusted deck sockets, malfunctioning lifeboat release mechanisms, unsupervised trainees, and crewmembers potentially drinking about the ship… https://t.co/LjWlAaetDm NSF paid universities to develop AI censorship tools for social media, House report alleges The National Science Foundation is paying universities using taxpayer money to create AI tools that can be used to censor Americans on various social media platforms, according to members of the House. University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and MIT are among the universities cited in the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government interim report… https://www.thecollegefix.com/nsf-paid-universities-to-develop-ai-censorship-tools-for-social-media-house-report-alleges/?s=02 Facebook Secretly Wiretapped Competitors: Documents At the request of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook officials developed a program called In-App Action Panel (IAAP) that they deployed in 2016 and which was in use through mid-2019, according to the documents, which include internal emails. The program utilized cyberattacks to intercept information from Snapchat, YouTube, and Amazon. The program then decrypted the information… The lawyers, representing plaintiffs in a lawsuit that accuses Facebook of anti-competitive behavior, were describing emails they obtained through discovery… https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/facebook-secretly-wiretapped-competitors-documents Mark Zuckerberg told Meta executives to ‘figure out’ how to crack encrypted Snapchat data: court docs https://trib.al/M4VAd0B Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison https://apnews.com/article/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-cryptocurrency-sentencing-sbf-d7bb1a5e94b4c22039d74dfeab1a2ff1 Fed Balance Sheet: -$29.609B, Loans -$13.831B, MBS -$11.557B; Reserves at Fed: -$57.3B https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h41/20240328/ Philadelphia Fed Admits US Payrolls Overstated By At Least 800,000 The latest Philadelphia Fed quarterly report on Early Benchmark Revisions of State Payroll Employment. It shows that once again, the BLS has been fabricating jobs… a little over a year after we, or rather the Philly Fed, found that the BLS had overstated payrolls in 2022 by 1.1 million, here we go again, only this time the BLS had overstated payrolls by 800,000 through Dec 2023… https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/philadelphia-fed-admits-us-payrolls-overstated-least-800000 White House’s Brainard says corporate profits remain elevated (This Obama leftist was a Fed Gov) “We have more work to do to lower costs for American families … with corporate profits still elevated, President Biden will continue to call on companies to pass their savings on to consumers,” she said… https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/white-houses-brainard-says-corporate-profits-remain-elevated-2024-03-28/ US Economic Data released on FridayFeb PCE +0.3% m/m & 2.5% y/y, +0.4% m/m & 2.5% y/y expectedJan PCE revised to +0.4% m/m from 0.3% (MSM ignored this Bidenomics)Feb Core PCE +0.3% m/m & 2.8% y/y as expectedJan Core PCE revised to +0.4% m/m from 0.3% (MSM ignored this Bidenomics)Feb Personal Income 0.3% m/m, 0.4% expectedFeb Personal Spending 0.8% m/m, 0.5% expected The usual suspects, particularly the fin media, heralded the 0.1 better than expected monthly February PCE while ignoring the 0.1 upward revisions in January PCE and Core PCE. Several media types opined that the lower Feb PCE keeps a June rate cut on the table. US markets were closed for Good Friday; but Bitcoin initially rallied modestly on the PCE headline data, hitting a peak of 70,637.62 at 9:41 ET. It then sank to 69,907 at 11:00 ET, probably on the revisions. Fed CEO Powell appeared in SF on Friday at 11:25 ET. Here are BBG headlines on his remarks:Fed can and will be careful about decision to cut ratesEconomy is strong, don’t need to be in a hurry to cut ratesWe want to be more confident before we cut ratesFed serves all Americans on a non-political basis (Major Whopper!)Latest inflation data in line with expectationsThinking about risks to both employment, inflation goalsToo soon to say where rates will settle out over the long runFed’s work isn’t done; our goal is 2% inflationPossibility of a recession not elevated at current timeNo reason to think economy in or on edge of recessionNo credibility if central bank becomes politicized (Ergo, Fed has no credibility!)US is NOT on a sustainable fiscal pathWant to shrink balance sheet more without disruptionOff-cycle rate cut at a time like now would never happenUnanimous decision doesn’t mean not a variety of viewsHave spent more time on Capit0l Hill than predecessors (Doesn’t say why)Commercial real estate will be a problem for some yearsWe’ve worked with banks to address issues with CREThe banking system is in a good place Powell also admitted that the Fed has been surprised by recent economic data and it needs to be humble and be ready for different outcomes. The Fed has consistently underestimated inflation. @KitcoNewsNOW: Powell warns markets – We would hold rates for longer if inflation doesn’t come down, but he also acknowledged that inflation has come down significantly from last year. Powell also says that inflation is not the central bank’s total focus. “It’s no longer appropriate to think just about inflation.” (Biden’s re-elections?) The things that matter for the economy in the medium to long term is not the Fed’s interest rate decision. (Transparent reference and warning about US fiscal policy) Powell’s hawkish U-turn from his post-FOMC Presser drove Bitcoin down to 69,082.31 at 11:40 ET. @profplum99: Are you referring to the market-derived measures (Inflation swaps) which are rising modestly inline with oil prices as they always have or survey metrics (which are falling)? https://twitter.com/profplum99/status/1773737570762928172/photo/1 @WallStreetSilv: Housing Inflation Is 4X “Official” Metrics – How the government purposely undercounts housing costs in the inflation data. First up: what changed? In short, the government stopped using real-world data and started using proxies to estimate the real-world data. The reason for this was to artificially bring down inflation numbers, providing political cover for the politicians that created the rising prices in the first place… vague survey questions with a downward bias became the new statistical foundation for housing inflation… https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1774524466359345649 @ces921: Issuing more T-bills at an accelerating pace is a precondition to becoming a banana republic… If you believe that the Fed’s primary goal is smooth market functioning for the UST market rather than their dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability, you can begin to understand why Powell is so keen on starting a rate cutting cycle soon despite the fact that the data we are seeing suggests current monetary policy is not restrictive enough to return inflation to 2%. In a fiscal dominance regime, the central bank is forced to lower rates to help fund the government deficits… the only real lever to pull is to lower interest rates on government borrowings as the government continues to shifts borrowings to the front end. It seems like Gold is already starting to snif out this dynamic as a cutting of interest rates to support government borrowings will lead to currency weakness and higher inflation over time. https://twitter.com/ces921/status/1774374543882109249 Viral Videos Appear to Show FBI Agents Visiting Homes Over Social Media Posts https://www.zerohedge.com/political/viral-videos-appear-show-fbi-agents-visiting-homes-over-social-media-posts FBI agent says he hassles people ‘every day, all day long’ over Facebook posts https://reason.com/2024/03/29/fbi-agent-says-he-hassles-people-every-day-all-day-long-over-facebook-posts/ @TaraBull808: The DOJ is ordering Google to release the names and addresses of YouTube viewers who watched specific videos. “It’s unconstitutional, terrifying, & happening every day. These YouTube warrants are chilling, allowing police to target people simply for the content they consume.” https://twitter.com/TaraBull808/status/1773715484929573101 Google threatens to demonetize Wall Street watchdog as GOP targets ad collusion Global Alliance for Responsible Media may be violating “U.S. antitrust laws and congressional intent by coordinating GARM members’ efforts to demonetize and eliminate disfavored content online,” House Judiciary says… The Alphabet-owned company made censorship demands that were “not advertiser-driven,” listed “non-existent posts in the spreadsheet” shown Naked Capitalism, and issued “wildly inaccurate negative classifications” of its content, according to editor “Yves Smith,” the pen name of Aurora Advisors founder Susan Webber… https://justthenews.com/accountability/watchdogs/naked-censorship-google-threatens-demonetize-wall-street-watchdog-gop Yes, Virginia, the USA is now more like the old USSR than ever before! @dwnews: Poland’s Prime Minister Tusk has warned that the continent has entered a “pre-war era” for the first time since World War II: “… it’s becoming clearer every day.” https://t.co/8mlRcfnmw3 @CBSNews: Starting Monday, most California fast-food workers will earn at least $20 an hour — the highest minimum wage across the U.S. restaurant industry. The fast-food industry is seeing booming earnings, partly due to menu prices that have far outpaced inflation. https://t.co/mIj5fwIo2h Gallup: Inflation, Immigration Rank Among Top U.S. Issue Concerns https://news.gallup.com/poll/642887/inflation-immigration-rank-among-top-issue-concerns.aspx?s=02 @WalidPhares: Hamas burning Jordan… At the cusp of a possible Israeli offensive to dismantle #Hamas in #Rafah, the #MuslimBrotherhood, Hamas and a cocktail of Jihadi bands, target the Israeli embassy in #Amman, attack Jordanian security forces, and start destroying streets in the capital. Jordanian civil society leaders responf: “Jordan is a red line”… https://twitter.com/WalidPhares/status/1774487115620929848 Today – Traders will play for the Monday Rally and start-of-April buying. Powell’s more hawkish than expected remarks on Friday are not inhibiting Sunday night trading. ESUs are +20.50; NQHs are +119.75; USHs are -10/32; June Gold is +39.30 at 21:10 ET. Did Powell spook institutions? Expected economic data: Feb Construction Spending 0.5% m/m; Mar ISM Mfg. 48.5, New Orders 49.8 S&P Index 50-day MA: 5047; 100-day MA: 4834; 150-day MA: 4672; 200-day MA: 4618 DJIA 50-day MA: 38,734; 100-day MA: 37,502; 150-day MA: 36,294, 200-day MA: 35,886 (Green is positive slope; Red is negative slope) S&P 500 Index (5203.58) – Trender BBG trading model and MACD for key time frames Monthly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 4539.68 triggers a sell signal Weekly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5020.17 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5167.27 triggers a sell signal Hourly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5228.12 triggers a sell signal Religious-themed designs banned from White House Easter egg art contest https://t.co/VmDytGSjl9 @JoeyMannarinoUS: For the first time in history, the First Lady wants her Easter eggs painted without EASTER images. Let that sink in. Why bother celebrating the ultimate HOLY DAY… Outrage as Biden proclaims Easter Sunday as ‘Trans Day of Visibility’ – as White House BANS children from submitting religious-themed Easter egg designs at annual event for military families Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Biden for ‘betraying the central tenet of Easter’, and said the ‘American people are taking note’ of the ‘outrageous and abhorrent’ tradition-busting moves. March 31 has become the official Transgender Day of Visibility (Per Fox, created 15 years ago by some jamoke in Michigan)… Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton feeling that Biden’s ‘open disdain for Christians is not an accident.‘ Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville also branded Democrats ‘a Satanic cult’ in response. Republican Senate candidate Jim Banks called it an ‘absolute disgrace’, adding: ‘What a slap in the face to hundreds of millions of Christians in America and across the globe. Voters won’t forget this in November.’ Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said: ‘There is no length Biden and the Democrats won’t go to mock your faith, and to thumb his nose at God… https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13255111/easter-2024-white-house-bans-religious-eggs.html @JeffClarkUS: This is clearly designed by Biden and his handlers and his woke staffers to be a slap in the face to Christians. *It could not be more obvious.*… the holiest day of our year… @nicksortor: The Trump campaign has called on Biden to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America… (What a gift to DJT!) https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1774152875687453148 @EndWokeness: 145 calendar days celebrating LGBTQ+ https://t.co/kxtGx9Scg1 3 months and 28 days: LGBTQ events clog calendar as White House faces backlash over Easter announcement https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-celebrates-trans-holiday-easter-us-extensive-list-days-devoted-lgbt-causes @jarvis_best: A lot of people are upset with Biden for declaring Easter to be Trans Day of Visibility, but to be fair, the date was selected only because the LGBCalendar was already rather full. The Trans Day of Visibility is March 31. Do not confuse this with the Trans Day of Remembrance, which is November 20. We must also take care to honor Transgender Parent Day (Nov 6) Trans Awareness Week (Nov 13-19) and International Pronoun Day (Oct 20).Trans is distinct from drag. International Drag Day is July 16.Agender Pride Day is May 19. Intersex Awareness Day is Oct 26.You can come out as any of these on National Coming Out Day, which is October 11.Omnisexual Visibility Day is July 6 so mark your calendar for that. Bisexual Awareness Week ends on September 22 but jumps right into Bisexual Visibility Day which is September 23.July 14 is Int’l Non-Binary Day right in the middle of Non-Binary Awareness Week (July 11-17).My personal favorite is Gay Uncle Day, August 14.Speaking of April, we can’t forget the ladies! International Lesbian Visibility Day is April 26. Harvey Milk Day is May 22, and Stonewall Riots Day is June 28.Pansexuality is widely misunderstood so it gets a few days – Pansexuality and Panromantic Visibility Day is May 24, but don’t forget Pansexual Pride Day, which is December 8.Spirit Day is October 21 but I can’t remember what that’s for.A lot of people confuse Pride Month (June) with LGBT History Month (October). We must observe both though, as well as Bisexual Health Awareness Month (March), and Trans Awareness Month (November).Human Rights Day is December 10 and World AIDS Day December 1. Don’t confuse either of these with HIV Survivors Day, which is June 5.May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. You should also not be hateful on March 1, which is Zero Discrimination Day.International Day of Silence… is April 22.So, in sum, while Christians might be bent out of shape about Biden taking over Easter, you see that his hands were tied.To be frank, Christians were being a bit greedy demanding two days – Easter and Christmas – to celebrate their guy… “As long as it disturbs society, as long as it cuts the moral fiber of a nation, it’s good.” — Yuri Bezmenov, KGB defector explaining communist strategy to undermine the West @TheBabylonBee: Source Confirms Obama Has Been Running Biden White House from Inside Bunny Costume the Entire Time https://buff.ly/4cBZXE8 Chinese illegal alien arrested after trespassing on military base in California (How many more?) https://justthenews.com/government/security/chinese-illegal-migrant-arrested-after-trespassing-military-base-california Biden hits NYC for $25M fundraiser with Colbert, Obama, Clinton — as Trump heads to murdered NYPD officer’s wake https://trib.al/bTnYhke @CollinRugg: Clashes break out between the NYPD and pro-Palestine protesters outside of Radio City Music Hall where Biden is fundraising with Obama and Bill Clinton. The footage… shows protesters getting physical with the police. Other footage shows protesters harassing people trying to get by the angry mob. The Democrat party is more divided than ever. https://t.co/So4g50RzmH @BGOnTheScene: Biden supporters berated by pro-Palestine protesters after leaving tonight’s fundraiser in New York. (The DNC Convention in Chicago will be lit!) https://twitter.com/BGOnTheScene/status/1773547182563488050 Axelrod admits Biden fundraiser looks bad raising huge cash amid left-wing protests https://www.foxnews.com/media/axelrod-admits-biden-fundraiser-looks-bad-raising-huge-cash-amid-left-wing-protests ‘Valid ID’ Was Required for The Biden-Obama-Clinton Fundraiser in New York. (Racists!) https://twitter.com/TheNatPulse/status/1773751279136768409?s=02 @CortesSteve: Democrats will force you to show a photo ID to get into one of their elitist campaign fundraisers, but they don’t want to require voters to show a photo ID to cast a ballot. Why is that? @MrAndyNgo on Saturday: New York City — At the pro-Palestine “Within Our Lifetime” direct action, the extremists shut down the roads and knocked down barriers as they marauded through the city and proclaimed they owned the streets. https://t.co/Znh3UBay6V NYPD sergeants’ union warns anti-police NY pols to stay away from slain cop Jonathan Diller’s funeral — including Council Speaker Adams, Public Advocate Williams “They are as morally responsible for PO Diller’s death as the career criminal who pulled the trigger,” the searing letter states, referring to the ex-con who police say gunned down the hero cop — the married dad of a 1-year-old boy — in Queens on Monday… https://nypost.com/2024/03/27/us-news/nyc-police-union-head-warns-city-council-to-skip-diller-funeral/ Gov. Hochul leaves (in 10 minutes) wake for slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller after confrontation https://nypost.com/2024/03/29/us-news/kathy-hochul-asked-to-leave-slain-nypd-officer-jonathan-dillers-wake/ Gut-wrenching photos show Jonathan Diller’s 1-year-old son reaching out from behind fallen NYPD detective’s casket https://trib.al/rnRnahf @RyanAFournier: The FDNY was told by a local councilwoman that they must remove a flag from one of their engines that commentates men they lost on 9/11. Her name is Carlina Rivera. The FDNY Commissioner fought back and now the flag is back on the engine truck. The President’s War Against the Jews Along with his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden has been working at breakneck speed to undermine, if not fully impede, Israel in its existential battle against the Iran-funded Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists… Biden’s scorn for Israel’s current PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, is significantly more vocal, referring to Netanyahu as a “bad f****ing guy” and an “a**hole”—language that is difficult to imagine him using about any other leader of a friendly foreign state… Biden knows that payments to the PA incentivize and reward terrorists and the PA’s terrorist operations; his actions reveal he doesn’t care. The same applies to Secretary of State Blinken… Biden owns this war imposed on Israel. The president inherited a Middle East marked by a bankrupt Iran and amicable relations between Israel and Arab countries with more in the works, thanks to President Trump’s historic Abraham Accords. Biden reversed course, enriched Tehran, funded terrorists and destabilized the Middle East—setting the stage for Oct. 7… https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/president-biden-war-against-jews Dem Rep. & ‘Squad’ member Jamaal Bowman tears into ‘maniac’ Netanyahu: ‘He needs to be removed’ https://t.co/XoYzbFacBz (Dem Sen.) John Fetterman’s top communications staffers have all resigned to pursue more liberal positions as the Democrat combats anger from progressives over his pro-Israel stance https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13252815/john-fetterman-communication-staffers-resign-democrat-pro-israel.html Thousands of migrants set to arrive in El Paso-bound caravan in coming days https://trib.al/Tah5WVj Freeloading migrant influencer mocks US taxpayers who ‘work like slaves’ while waving cash in latest videos –urged his followers to use squatter laws to take over vacant American homes… https://www.foxnews.com/us/freeloading-migrant-influencer-mocks-us-taxpayers-who-work-like-slaves-while-waving-cash-latest-videos As long as US politicians keep bestowing generous freebies on illegal immigrants, foreigners will flock to the USA. It’s a wonder that more illegals aren’t taking advantage of the nation-busting largesse. Boston says it’s overrun by illegal immigrants, plans to place them in veterans housing https://t.co/NoLDfipJJg @baldwin_daniel_: Biden migrant crime is sweeping the country. https://twitter.com/baldwin_daniel_/status/1773377130178490524 @ViralNewsNYC: Times Square NYC, a NYPD billboard truck saying: “BEWARE of PICKPOCKETS” for the past year and a half, there has been an uptick of pickpocketing in the midtown Manhattan area. Migrants have set up multiple pickpocketing crews throughout the city, multiple have been arrested. NYC pols push $15M plan to provide free mental health services to migrants https://trib.al/zOMmr7r Illegal Immigrants Given 7 Times More Taxpayer-Funded Benefits Than Military Families https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2024/03/30/illegals-given-7-times-more-taxpayer-funded-assistance-than-suffering-military-families-n2637066 Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would create a state-based guaranteed income program… Regardless of immigration status. (State near bankruptcy!) https://t.co/wreseoDdvv Illegal migrant in Alabama charged with rape of ‘mentally incapacitated’ teen: report https://t.co/KeD0bvx8Cr California elite enraged after squatters invade $5M home in LeBron James, Jennifer Lopez’s luxury neighborhood https://t.co/8yGuCttfjp LeBron Is ‘Very Concerned’ About Squatters Taking Residence in His Neighborhood https://www.outkick.com/culture/lebron-squatters-in-neighborhood @CollinRugg: Fed up subway passenger drags an unconscious body off of the subway in Manhattan so the train could start moving again… Almost none of the bystanders seemed concerned about the man’s condition… “He’s not dead, he’s still alive,” said a man who casually checked his pulse…. Officers later arrived at the scene where the man eventually waked up and left the station. https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1773841043282436206?s=02 Chicagoans suffer decade-high robberies, record-low arrest rate https://www.illinoispolicy.org/chicagoans-suffer-decade-high-robberies-record-low-arrest-rate/ Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson refuses to say how much migrant crisis costs city after report reveals $1M spent on hotels weekly https://t.co/9e6VapXjHR Suspect arrested in (Rockford) Illinois stabbing spree that left 4 dead, 7 injured https://t.co/Dk5qOasOLX @DanProft: I understand the suspect in custody for the 4 stabbing murders in Rockford tried to check-in to Rosecrance and then Swedish American hospital which also has an inpatient mental health facility. Denied admittance at both. Sounds like we must again revisit how society handles the deranged with violent tendencies. (The mental illness crisis in the US keeps worsening. Few want to address it!) Homeless man who threw boiling water in New Yorkers faces in string of heinous attacks GRINS as he appears in court https://trib.al/zPgb4BN @EndWokeness: A thug with 7 prior arrests punched a lady directly in the face last week in Brooklyn. The man fractured her face, permanently damaged her lip, and knocked out teeth. Franz Jeudy is already out on the streets. He was released without bail. https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1773450613323403681 @elonmusk: Something is deeply wrong with the justice system (Vigilantism is coming!) Suspect accused of breaking NYC woman’s jaw in sucker-punch attack has history of mental illness, rap sheet: sources https://t.co/Pv0tj2yJHO NYC Council Women’s Caucus called out for suddenly caring about crime after several women sucker punched: ‘Height of hypocrisy’ https://t.co/PvDwekRLzA @NewsNation: After a string of crimes near the University of California, Berkeley campus, a group of parents dubbed Safe Bears took action and raised $40,000 to hire private security guards to patrol the campus. https://t.co/bPbZLIvw23 @TheChiefNerd: NYC Mayor Eric Adams Says Giving Illegal Migrants Debit Cards is a ‘Winning Program’ “We’re saving over $7 million a year. No more food waste because people are buying what they want…It’s a complete win…It’s a winning program!” (Not a parody!) https://t.co/kLgnJGSxAd @elonmusk: Only 379,000 births in Italy for 2023, the lowest annual figure since the country’s unification in 1861. (Old Europe is dying.) FBI set to widen Diddy sex probe over claims rapper boasted about shooting people, bribing jurors and using J-Lo as gun mule https://trib.al/NaEYVtT @dom_lucre: Never forget how Kamala Harris got her start. She isn’t a stranger to Diddy parties in L.A. either. https://t.co/6nuwHwfoWt @visegrad24: French police have arrested an Egyptian migrant and ISIS operative suspected of planning a jihadist attack against the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. (Like this 1st attack on Notre Dame?) @ImMeme0: Caught on camera: Blank ballots brought into Lorain County, Ohio bar day before election – The Lorain County Board of Elections, the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Secretary of State are investigating after a polling place manager was seen on surveillance video bringing blank provisional ballots into a bar. https://twitter.com/ImMeme0/status/1773834221221528024 “60 Minutes”: Havana Syndrome mystery continues as a lead military investigator says bar for proof was set impossibly high (All signs point to Russia; but there is a huge US cover up) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/havana-syndrome-culprit-investigation-new-evidence-60-minutes-transcript/ | |
GREG HUNTER INTERVIEWING DR PIERRE KORY
FDA & CDC Destroyed Ivermectin to Inject CV19 Bioweapon Vax – Dr. Pierre Kory
FDA & CDC Destroyed Ivermectin to Inject CV19 Bioweapon Vax – Dr. Pierre Kory
By Greg Hunter On March 30, 2024 In Political Analysis25 Comments
By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com (Saturday Night Post)
World renowned CV19 critical care and pulmonary expert Dr. Pierre Kory was one of the first to call for Ivermectin to treat Covid in the early days of the pandemic. Instead of using Ivermectin, the FDA and CDC vilified the drug and questioned its effectiveness even though Ivermectin won a Nobel Prize for safety and efficacy in 2015. Because of these actions from the FDA and CDC, people died in the hundreds of thousands in America alone for lack of treatment from a cheap and effective drug to treat Covid. Dr. Kory thinks he knows what happened and explains, “The FDA kicked it off with a tweet, you know the one that said, ‘You are not a horse, you are not a cow. Stop it y’all.”. . . . That horse dewormer campaign is my strongly held belief that was a professional public relations campaign to denigrate Ivermectin. . . . That campaign was around August 21, 2021. That tweet (“stop it, y’all”) was released after a report that showed 90,000 prescriptions of Ivermectin were being filled every week in the US. . . . I think Big Pharma saw Ivermectin was being used heavily, and they were afraid of the direct experience with physicians and patients such as word of mouth like ‘Hey, my doc gave me Ivermectin, and I was better in 24 hours.’ So, they had to put a stop to the use of it. They loaded up the bazookas and started a war. . . .” As a result of the assassination of Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), Dr. Kory says, “Hundreds of thousands died for lack of early treatment of Covid in the US, and millions died worldwide.” The FDA was sued by Kory and other doctors and the FDA recently agreed to retract all the untrue negative information it put out trashing Ivermectin.
Why kill Ivermectin and then later HCQ? Dr. Kory says, “It’s so simple. Number one, it would have threatened the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the CV19 vaccine. You cannot do an EUA for a vaccine if there is a safe and effective treatment for Covid. I think Ivermectin threatened the global market for the CV19 vaccines. If Ivermectin was effective (and it was very effective on Covid), what would be the uptake for these vaccines? They would plummet, and they knew it would destroy the market. Over a few years, it’s north of $100 billion. . . . Then comes little old Ivermectin, and it costs 6 cents a pill to make. . . . It was one of the solutions to the pandemic. The pandemic would have been over if everybody was on Ivermectin, and that is why they had to destroy it.”
What we got was a CV19 “vaccine” that Dr. Kory says, “It did not help a single person.” Dr. Kory goes on to say, “It did the opposite of helping get people well. It was sold to the world’s population on a campaign of fear. They said ‘get vaccinated or you are going to die from Covid.’ The medical establishment conditioned everyone’s brain to believe that the most important thing for their life is that they don’t die of Covid.”
Instead, people died of the CV19 bioweapon vax. Dr. Kory says, “All kinds of excess mortality is occurring in this country and all around the world, all timed with the CV19 vaccine roll-out. . . . We can see the carnage, and the excess cancer rates are far higher than 2020. We know that the vaccines made everything worse.”
Dr. Kory has been running a cutting edge CV19 vax injury practice for two years. He has been treating what he calls “Long Covid injuries” and “vax injuries.” Dr. Kory says, “This is the first time I have had to treat bioweapon injuries.” This includes the phenomenon called CV19 vax “shedding.” His practice is growing dramatically as the injuries pile up from the CV19 vax.
Dr. Kory has been able to get some very good treatment results, but there are no cures for these vax injuries–yet. Guess what Dr. Kory’s number one treatment drug is? It’s Ivermectin. Ivermectin gets results in about 70% percent of his patients. He uses many other treatment options as well. Dr. Kory still says, “Don’t look at this problem as vaxed and unvaxed. Look at it as treated and untreated.” The people getting regular treatment do much better that those who remain untreated.
There in much more in the 56-minute interview. Dr. Kory goes into detail about the treatments he is using for CV19 vax injuries.
Join Greg Hunter as he goes One-on-One with Dr. Pierre Kory, one of the top pulmonary and CV 19 vax injury experts on the planet. Dr. Kory is co-founder of the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (flccc.net) and author of the new book “The War on Ivermectin” for 3.30.24).
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After the Interview:
Click here to read Dr. Kory’s Substack called “Pierre Kory’s Medical Musings.”
If you want to order Dr. Kory’s book “The War on Ivermectin,” click here.
(Please support the medical truth tellers.)
To contact Dr. Pierre Kory to book an appointment via video call, you can reach his CV19 vax injury practice at DrPierreKory.com.
All the information is free on the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance website flccc.net.
If you want to donate to FLCCC.net (which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), there are many ways to do so. Click here to donate.
SEE YOU ON TUESDAY//
AND A VERY HAPPY EASTER WEEKEND
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