FEB 7//ATTEMPTED RAID FAILS AGAIN/GOLD CLOSED UP $10.75 TO $2862.90 WHILE SILVER FELL 26 CENTS TO $32.02//PLATINUM FELL $3.60 TO $985.35 WHILE PALLADIUM ROSE BY 1.00 TO $978.95//A MUST WATCH PODCAST: ANDREW MAGUIRE PODCAST 209 AND LONDON’S FINANCIAL TIMES EDITOR GILLIAN TETT//ISRAEL VS HEZBOLLAH UPDATES//ISRAEL VS HAMAS ON THE HOSTAGE SITUATION//RUSSIA VS UKRAINE UPDATES//COVID UPDATES//VACCINE INJURY REPORTS//DR PAUL ALEXANDER/SLAY NEWS ETC/USA ECONOMIC DATA REPORTS ESPECIALLY THE PHONY JOBS REPORT//SWAMP STORIES FOR YOU TONIGHT//
072 C GOLDMAN 100 092 C DEUTSCHE BANK 8 099 H DB AG 577 104 C MIZUHO 2 118 C MACQUARIE FUT 7 118 H MACQUARIE FUT 76 132 C SG AMERICAS 9 167 C MAREX 166 190 H BMO CAPITAL 158 323 C HSBC 250 323 H HSBC 83 332 H STANDARD CHARTE 110 363 C WELLS FARGO SEC 17 363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 88 435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 156 555 C BNP PARIBAS SEC 67 624 C BOFA SECURITIES 15 657 C MORGAN STANLEY 94 180 657 H MORGAN STANLEY 500 661 C JP MORGAN 660 686 C STONEX FINANCIA 19 18 690 C ABN AMRO 5 4 709 C BARCLAYS 138 709 H BARCLAYS 59 730 C PTG DIVISION SG 4 732 C RBC CAP MARKETS 94 178 737 C ADVANTAGE 7 5 880 C CITIGROUP 333 33 905 C ADM 4
TOTAL: 2,112 2,112
JPMorgan stopped (received) 660/2112 contracts
GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR FEBRUARY/2024. CONTRACT: 2112 NOTICES FOR 211,200 OZ 6.569 TONNES
total notices so far: 52,577 contracts for 5,257,700 Oz (163.54 tonnes)
FOR FEB.
SILVER NOTICES: 580 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 2.900,000 OZ/
total number of notices filed so far this month : 3327 for 16/635 million oz
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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 $10.75 INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD:
NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD:
INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
SLV/
WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER DOWN $0.26 AT THE SLV: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV///
INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.
CLOSING INVENTORY: 428.660 MILLION OZ
Let us have a look at the data for today
SILVER//OUTLINE
SILVER COMEX OI ROSE BY A TINY SIZED183CONTRACTS TO 169,448, AND CONTINUING ON ITS MARCH TO THE RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020, AND THIS TINY SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR LOSS OF $0,17 IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX WITH RESPECT TO THURSDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A FAIR GAIN OF 333 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE//THURSDAY’S TRADING.. WE HAD HUGE LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS ON THURSDAY COMEX TRADING AS THEY DESPERATELY TRIED TO CONTAIN SILVER’S PRICE RISE FOR THE PAST 4 WEEKS (WHERE RAIDS ARE CALLED UPON AGAIN AND AGAIN TRYING TO STOP THE RISE IN SILVER’S PRICE AND TO QUELL ADDITIONAL DERIVATIVE LOSSES TO OUR BANKERS’ MASSIVE TOTALS). THEY SUCCEEDED A BIT ON THURSDAY WITH SILVER’S FALL IN PRICE BY 17 CENTS. WE HAD A HUGE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION THURSDAY COUPLED WITH ANOTHER NEW HUGE T.A.S. ISSUANCE OF 566 CONTRACTS ISSUED BY THE CME AND THAT SIGNALS RED THAT THE CROOKS ARE DESPERATE TO STOP SILVER BREAKING OVER THE 34.00 DOLLAR MARK. WE HAVE A HUGE CONTANGO IN SILVER SPOT VS FRONT FEB OF AROUND 95 CENTS AND A LEASE RATE OF 6%. WE HAD A FAIR 150 CONTRACT EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE ACCOMPANIED BY OUR HUGE 566 CONTRACT T.A.S ISSUANCE WHICH WILL BE USED IN FUTURE TRADING AS THEY PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN OUR COMEX TRADING TRYING TO CONTAIN ANY SILVER PRICE RISE. IN ESSENCE WE GAINED A FAIR SIZED 333 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES DESPITE OUR LOSS IN PRICE. WE HAD HUGE TAS LIQUIDATION THROUGHOUT THURSDAY’S COMEX SESSION//RAID!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CROOKS NEED A HIGHER SILVER/GOLD T.A.S. TO CARRY ON THEIR CROOKED MANIPULATION ON A DAILY BASIS BUT DEMAND IS JUST TOO HIGH FOR THEM. THE HIGHER ISSUANCE OF T.A.S. IS NOW USED TO TEMPER OUR SILVER/GOLD PRICE RISE OR INITIATE A RAID AS WHAT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LAST MONTH AND AGAIN WITH THIS WEEK’S TRADING ON SILVER.
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/FRIDAY MORNING: A HUGE 566 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 NOW SEEMS THAT THE OCC HAS ORDERED THE BANKS TO REDUCE ITS NEW LEVEL OF 1 TRILLION DOLLARS IN GOLD/SILVER DERIVATIVES
WE HAVE IN THE PAST YEAR SET ANOTHER RECORD LOW AT 114,102 CONTRACTS ///JULY 3.2023// OUR BANKERS WITH THE HELP OF SPECULATORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY TRADERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT FELL BY $0.17 BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING OFF ANY NET SILVER LONGS FROM THEIR PERCH AS WE HAD A FAIR GAIN IN OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 306 CONTRACTS
WE HAD A FAIR 150 CONTRACT ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 10.105 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE) FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 594 CONTRACT QUEUE JUMP FOR 2.97 MILLION OZ OZ
// STANDING FOR SILVER//FEB ADVANCES TO 18.525 MILLION OZ
WE HAD:
/ FAIR SIZED COMEX OI GAIN +// A FAIR SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI) STRONG SIZED NUMBER OF T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 566 CONTRACTS)/
I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL: ADDED 27 CONTRACTS.
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS FEB. ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF FEB
TOTAL CONTRACTS for 5 DAYS, total 4401 contracts: OR 22.005 MILLION OZ (880 CONTRACTS PER DAY)
TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR: 22.005 MILLION OZ
LAST 24 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 111.035 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: 161.770 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH WILL BE A WHOPPER OF ISSUANCE OF EFPS//3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR A MONTH)
MAY: 135.995 MILLION OZ //WILL BE A STRONG MONTH FOR EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
JUNE 110.575 MILLION OZ ( WILL BE ANOTHER STRONG MONTH ISSUANCE)
JULY: 108.870 MILLION OZ (WILL BE A STRONG ISSUANCE MONTH/ A TOUCH OVER 100 MILLION OZ/)
AUGUST; 99.740 MILLION OZ//THIS MONTH WILL BE STRONG FOR ISSUANCE BUT LESS THAN JULY.
SEPT: 112.415 MILLION OZ//WILL BE A HUGE MONTH FOR EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
OCT; 97.485 MILLION OZ (WILL BE SMALLER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH )
NOV. 115.970 MILLION OZ ( HUGE THIS MONTH)
DEC: 132.54 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH WILL BE A HUMDINGER FOR ISSUANCE BUT ISSUANCE SLOWED DRAMATICALLY THESE PAST FIVE DAYS/// WILL NOT EXCEED MARCH 2022 RECORD OF 209 MILLION OZ
YEAR 2024 TOTAL: 1363.84 MILLION OR 1.363 BILLION OZ
JANUARY 2025: 67.230 MILLION OZ///(THIS MONTH’S ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL WILL BE SMALL)
FEB. 22.005 MILLION OZ//EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
RESULT: WE HAD A FAIR SIZED INCREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 183 CONTRACTS DESPITE OUR LOSS IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX/THURSDAY.,. THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A FAIR EFP ISSUANCE CONTRACTS: 150 ISSUED FOR MARCH AND 0 CONTRACTS ISSUED FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) WHICH EXITED OUT OF THE SILVER COMEX TO LONDON AS FORWARDS. WE HAVE A GOOD INITIAL SILVER OZ STANDING FOR DEC OF 10.105 MILLION OZ ON FIRST DAY NOTICE,FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S HUGE QUEUE JUMP OF 2.97 MILLION OZ TO LONDON//NEW STANDING ADVANCES TO 18.525 MILLION OZ
//NEW TOTAL STANDING FOR FEB INITIAL AT 10.105 MILLION OZ FOLLOWED BY TODAY;S HUGED 2.97 MILLION OZ E.FP QUEUE JUMP//NEW TOTAL 18.525 MILLION OZ.
WE HAVE 1). A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 333 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE// 2.THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY: A HUGE 566, CONTRACTS TRYING DESPERATELY TO CONTAIN SILVER’S PRICE RISE,//LITTLE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED DURING THE THURSDAY COMEX SESSION. HOWEVER THEY STILL NEED THESE ISSUANCES FOR REPLENISHMENT FOR FUTURE TRADING //3. ZERO NET LONG SPECULATORS WERE BURNED ON THURSDAY WITH THE GAIN IN PRICE. ALSO 4. SOME OF OUR LONGS EXERCISED THEIR CONTRACTS AND TENDERED FOR PHYSICAL SILVER MUCH TO THE ANGER OF OUR BANKERS. SILVER IS NOT BASEL III COMPLIANT SO THE BANKERS CAN TAKE THEIR TIME WITH THE DELIVERY OF SILVER.
THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT (566) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE
WE HAD 580 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 2.900 million OZ
THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.
GOLD//OUTLINE
IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A STRONG SIZED 6297 OI CONTRACTS TO 534,054 AND FURTHER FROM THE RECORD (SET JAN 24/2020) AT 799,105 AND PREVIOUS TO THAT: (SET JAN 6/2020) AT 797,110. (ALL TIME LOW OF 390,000 CONTRACTS.)
THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM PRELIMINARY OI TO FINAL OI IN GOLD TODAY: REMOVED A STRONG SIZED 388 CONTRACTS//
WE HAD A STRONG SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI (6297 CONTRACTS) OCCURRED WITH OUR HUGE LOSS OF $18.15 IN PRICE THURSDAY. THE FRBNY SUPPLIED THE NECESSARY SHORT PAPER.. WE ALSO HAD A HUMONGOUS INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR FEB AT 184.40 TONNES FOLLOWED BY A HUGE 484 CONTRACT QUEUE JUMP//48,400 OZ (1.505 TONNES)
/NEW STANDING ADVANCES TO 189.259 TONNES + 1.8614 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK/PRIOR + TODAY;S 7,465 TONNES = 198.585 TONNES.
/ ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR HUGE $18.15 LOSS IN PRICE WITH RESPECT TO THURSDAY’S COMEX ///. WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF 996 OI CONTRACTS (2.973 PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES, WITH MANY LONGS, REMAINING AT THE END OF THE DAY, TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL GOLD VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE, MUCH TO THE ANGER AND HORROR EXHIBITED BY OUR MAJOR BANKER, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK. THE HORROR INTENSIFIED ONCE LONDON STARTED TO TRADE LAST WEEK, AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WITH MAJOR TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE! THE RESULT: A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR DELIVERY FOR THE FRONT FEBRUARY CONTRACT MONTH. CENTRAL BANKERS ARE NOW WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THEIR DELIVERY OF GOLD VIA SLOW MOVING SHIPS.
E.F.P. ISSUANCE
THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A MEGA HUMONGOUS SIZED 7253 CONTRACTS:
The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 534,442
IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A FAIR SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 996 CONTRACTS WITH 6297 CONTRACTS DECREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A HUGE SIZED 7253 EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL OI CONTRACT ISSUANCE WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 6297 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED): A STRONG SIZED AND CRIMINAL 791 CONTRACTS ISSUED.
CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES
WE HAD A HUMONGOUS SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (7253 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE STRONG SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI OF 6297 CONTRACTS/TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 996 CONTRACTS..WE HAVE 1) NOW RETURNED TO OUR FORMER FORMAT OF BANKERS GOING LONG AND SPECULATORS GOING SHORT ,2.) STRONG INITIAL STANDING AT THE GOLD COMEX FOR FEB 184.40 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S MAMMOTH QUEUE JUMP OF 484 CONTRACTS FOR 48400 OZ (1.505 TONNES). AND THEN WE ADD OUR TWO EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALS OF 9.3264 TONNES//NEW TOTAL OF GOLD STANDING AT THE COMEX ADVANCES TO 198.585 TONNES
.
NEW STANDING FOR FEB ADVANCES TO:
189.259 TONNES NORMAL DELIVERY (INCLUDING TODAY’S 1.505 TONNES QUEUE TUMP + .3114 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK/PRIOR + 1.55 TONNES EX FOR RISK/PRIOR + TODAY’S 7.465 TONNES TOTAL = 198.585 TONNES
//NEW STANDING FEB: 198.585 TONNES WHICH IS THE HIGHEST EVER GOLD STANDING FOR A FEBRUARY DELIVERY MONTH. AND FOR ANY COMEX MONTH.
/ 3) HUGE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION TRYING TO LOWER GOLD’S PRICE THURSDAY WITH ZERO SUCCESS IN REMOVING ANY NET SPECULATOR LONGS, AS WITH OUR1) $18.15 PRICE LOSS , WE HAD 2) ZERO NET LONG SPECS BEING CLIPPED AS WE HAD A GAIN OF 996 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES ) ALSO, 3)STICKY GOLD’S LONGS WERE REWARDED THURSDAY EVENING AS THEY EXERCISED EFP’S FROM LONDON TO TAKE DELIVERY OF BADLY NEEDED PHYSICAL AND THUS OUR RECORD NUMBER OF GOLD TONNES STANDING FOR FEBRUARY.
4) STRONG SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST DECREASE 5) HUGE ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCE: 791 T.A.S.CONTRACTS//
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023-2024 INCLUDING TODAY
FEB
ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S GOLD AT J.P. MORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES: (EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF FEB :
TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 21,916 CONTRACTS OF 2,191,600 OZ OR 68.167 TONNES IN 5 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 4383 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS : THIS MONTH IN 5 TRADING DAY(S) IN TONNES 68.167 TONNES
TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2023, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES
THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS 68.167 DIVIDED BY 3550 x 100% TONNES = 1.91% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
SEPT 142.12 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE ( LOW ISSUANCE)_
OCT: 141.13 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE (LOW ISSUANCE)
NOV: 312.46 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE//NEW RECORD!! (INCREASING DRAMATICALLY)//SIGN OF REAL STRESS//SURPASSING THE MARCH 2021 RECORD OF 276.50 TONNES OF EFP
DEC. 175.62 TONNES//FINAL ISSUANCE//
TOTALS: 2,578.08 TONNES/2021
JAN:2022 247.25 TONNES //FINAL
FEB: 196.04 TONNES//FINAL
MARCH/2022: 409.30 TONNES //FINAL( THIS IS NOW A RECORD EFP ISSUANCE FOR MARCH AND FOR ANY MONTH.
APRIL: 169.55 TONNES (FINAL VERY LOW ISSUANCE MONTH)
MAY: 247.44 TONNES FINAL//
JUNE: 238.13 TONNES FINAL
JULY: 378.43 TONNES FINAL/SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD
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: 267.05TONNES (WILL BE AN EXTREMELY STRONG MONTH BUT LESS THAN MARCH 2024)
MAY; 316.606 TONNES (WILL BE ANOTHER STRONG MONTH// 3RD HIGHEST RECORDED EFP ISSUANCE )// NOTICE THE HUGE INCREASES IN EX FOR PHYSICAL THESE PAST FEW MONTHS. THESE CONTRACTS ARE CIRCLED BACK FROM LONDON WHEREBY METAL IS REMOVED FROM THE COMEX.
JUNE 175.11 tonnes HEADING FOR A WEAKER MONTH AND MUCH LESS THAN THE THREE PREVIOUS MONTHS
JULY: 351. 65 TONNES (3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL AND THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED POST BASEL III)
AUGUST: 274.79 TONNES//THIS MONTH WILL NO DOUBT BE A STRONG ISSUANCE OF EFP’S BUT MUCH LESS THAN LAST MONTH.
SEPT: 335 .104 TONNES//IF THIS CONTINUES WE WILL HAVE A HUMDINGER OF AN EFP ISSUANCE. WE WILL PROBABLY END JUST SHORT OF THE 3RD HIGHEST ISSUANCE EVER RECORDED.
OCT. 277.71 TONNES (THIS WILL BE A GOOD ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)
NOV: 393.875 TONNES ( A HUGE MONTH////NOW SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS 3RD AND 2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EX FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE TO BECOME THE 2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED
DEC 360.03 TONNES THIRD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR EFP ISSUANCE
TOTAL 2024 YEAR. 3,597.846 TONNES
JAN. 2025: 257.919 TONNES (ISSUANCE WILL BE PRETTY GOOD THIS MONTH BUT MUCH LOWER THAN LAST MONTH)
FEB: 68.167 TONNES//EX FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE (WILL BE A GOOD SIZED ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)
SPREADING OPERATIONS
(/NOW SWITCHING TO GOLD) FOR NEWCOMERS, HERE ARE THE DETAILS
SPREADING LIQUIDATION HAS NOW COMMENCED AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE NEW ACTIVE FRONT MONTH OF FEB. WE ARE NOW INTO THE SPREADING OPERATION OF GOLD
HERE IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF HOW THE CROOKS FLEECE UNSUSPECTING LONGS IN THE SPREADING ENDEAVOUR ;MODUS OPERANDI OF THE CORRUPT BANKERS AS TO HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR SPREAD OPEN INTERESTS:HERE IS HOW THE CROOKS USED SPREADING AS WE ARE NOW INTO THE NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF NOV HEADING TOWARDS THE ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEB., FOR GOLD: AND MARCH FOR SILVER
YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST STARTS TO RISE BUT SO IS THE OPEN INTEREST OF SPREADERS. THE OPEN INTEREST IN WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL ONE WEEK BEFORE FIRST DAY NOTICE OF AN UPCOMING ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH (OCT), AND THAT IS WHEN THE CROOKS SELL THEIR SPREAD POSITIONS BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME OF THE DAY. THEY WILL USE THE SELL SIDE OF THE EQUATION TO CREATE THE CASCADE (ALONG WITH THEIR COLLUSIVE FRIENDS) AND THEN COVER ON THE BUY SIDE OF THE SPREAD SITUATION AT THE END OF THE DAY. THEY DO THIS TO AVOID POSITION LIMIT DETECTION. THE LIQUIDATION OF THE SPREADING FORMATION CONTINUES FOR EXACTLY ONE WEEK AND ENDS ON FIRST DAY NOTICE.”
WHAT IS ALARMING TO ME, ACCORDING TO OUR LONDON EXPERT ANDREW MAGUIRE IS THAT THESE EFP’S ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO WHAT ARE CALLED SERIAL FORWARD CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS AND THESE CONTRACTS ARE LESS THAN 14 DAYS. ANYTHING GREATER THAN 14 DAYS, THESE MUST BE RECORDED AND SENT TO THE COMPTROLLER, GREAT BRITAIN TO MONITOR RISK TO THE BANKING SYSTEM. IF THIS IS INDEED TRUE, THEN THIS IS A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD AS WE NOW WITNESS A MONSTROUS TOTAL EFP’S ISSUANCE AS IT HEADS INTO THE STRATOSPHERE.
The crooks also use the spread in the TAS account (trade at settlement). They buy the spot TAS (e.g. June) and sell the future TAS two months out (e.g. August). Then they unload the front month (i.e. unload the buy side first so the price of gold/silver falls. This occurs in the middle of the front delivery month cycle. They unload the sell side of the equation, two months down the road. The crooks violate position limits as the OCC refuse to hear our complaints.
First, here is an outline of what will be discussed tonight:
1.TODAY WE HAD THE OPEN INTEREST AT THE COMEX IN SILVER ROSE BY A SMALL SIZED 183 CONTRACTS OI TO 169,421 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 7 YEARS AGO. HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW SET A NEW RECORD LOW OF 114,102 CONTRACTS JULY 3.2023
EFP ISSUANCE 150 CONTRACTS
OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:
MAR 150 and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 150 CONTRACTS. EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON. IF WE TAKE THE COMEX OI GAIN OF 183 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 150 E.FP. ISSUED
WE OBTAIN A FAIR SIZED GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 333 CONTRACTS
THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES TOTALS 1.665 MILLION OZ OCCURRED DESPITE OUR $0.17 LOSS IN PRICE
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 FRIDAY MORNING THURSDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 33.01 PTS OR 1.01%
//Hang Seng CLOSED UP 241.92 PTS OR 1.16 %
// Nikkei CLOSED UP 235.05 OR 0.61%//Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 1.23%
//Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2886CHINESE YUAN OFFSHORE CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2930// Oil UP TO 71.09 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 74.77 Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL RED
1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS
GOLD
LET US BEGIN:
THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A STRONG SIZED6297 CONTRACTS TO 534,054 WITH OUR STRONG LOSS IN PRICE OF $18.15 WITH RESPECT TO THURSDAY’S TRADING. WE LOST ZERO NET LONGS HOWEVER WITH THAT PRICE LOSS FOR GOLD AS WE HAD ALSO, AS YOU WILL SEE BELOW, A MEGA HUGE NUMBER OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUED (7253) . THE CME ANNOUNCED THURSDAY NIGHT, MERCILESSLY A MAMMOTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS, NUMBERING 2400 FOR 240,000 OZ. OR 7.465 TONNES OF GOLD. LAST MONTH OF JANUARY WE HAVE BEEN ISSUED THE HIGHEST NUMBER EVER RECORDED EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE AT 6 FOR 43.208 TONNES AND SO FAR IN FEBRUARY: THREE NOW TOTALLING 9.3264 TONNES!. THE RECIPIENT OF THESE EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS IS THE BANK OF ENGLAND WHO DESPERATELY WANT THEIR LEASED GOLD BACK. THUS WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES (CENTRAL BANKS) DEMANDING THEIR GOLD BACK:
THE BANK OF ENGLAND
THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
THE COUNTERPARTY TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND’S EXCHANGE FOR RISK ARE BULLION BANKS THAT CANNOT VERIFY THAT THEIR GOLD IS UNENCUMBERED AND THUS THE BUYER, THE CENTRAL BANK OF ENGLAND, ASSUMES THE RISK OF THAT DELIVERY.
THUS IN TOTAL WE HAD A FAIR SIZED GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 999 CONTRACTS WITH OUR LOSS IN PRICE. OUR FRIENDLY PHYSICAL LONDON BOYS HAD ANOTHER FIELD DAY AGAIN ON THURSDAY NIGHT AS THEY WERE READY FOR THE FRBNY.S CONTINUED ORCHESTRATED RAID AS THEY TRIED TO ABSORB EVERYTHING IN SIGHT FROM THE DAILY ATTACKS WITH THE CONTINUAL LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS. LONDONERS EXERCISED THEIR BOUGHT CONTRACTS FOR PHYSICAL GOLD VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE AND THANKED THE FRBNY FOR THE THOUGHTFULNESS. LONDON ANNOUNCED LATE LAST THURSDAY NIGHT THAT THEY WERE OUT OF GOLD. WRONGLY IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR SHIPPING PHYSICAL GOLD TO COMEX FOR STORAGE DUE TO TRUMP’S INITIATION OF TARIFFS. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS GOLD LEFT LONDON TO CENTRAL BANKS, AND COMEX BANKS HAVE BEEN PAPERING THEIR LOSSES (DERIVATIVE) WITH KILOBAR ENTRIES. DELIVERY OF GOLD CONTRACTS ARE NOW TAKING SEVERAL WEEKS. NO DEFAULT HAS BEEN INITIATED AS DEALERS ARE AFRAID OF LOSS OF THEIR JOBS. SO THIS FRAUD CONTINUES. THE LEASE RATES IN LONDON HAVE NOW CLIMBED TO 10% AS GOLD IN LONDON IS NOW EXTREMELY SCARCE. WE CAN NOW SAFELY SAY THAT THERE IS A RUN ON A BANK AND THAT BANK IS THE BANK OF ENGLAND!!!
THE LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THIS MONTH CONTINUES TO DISTORT OPEN INTEREST NUMBERS GREATLY AND IT SURELY WAS ON DISPLAY THIS ENTIRE WEEK INCLUDING WITH OUR STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCES AND STRONG T.A.S. LIQUIDATION. LAST NIGHT THEY ISSUED A STRONG 791 CONTRACT ANNOUNCEMENT (THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING).
THE FED IS THE OTHER MAJOR SHORT OF AROUND 79+ TONNES OF GOLD OWING TO THE B.I.S. THE FED NEEDS TO COVER AS THEY ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO GOLD PRICES ONCE THE BRICS BEGIN THEIR INITIATIVE AND ABANDON THE US DOLLAR. THIS WAS SCHEDULED TO HAPPEN LATE OCT 2024/(AS OUTLINED IN OUR GOLD PHYSICAL COMMENTARIES//VIEW ANDREW MAGUIRE LATEST LIVE FROM VAULT PODCAST FRIDAY’S 197 , 199, 2001, 202, 203 , 204 ,205 206, 207 208 AND TODAY’S 209, AS HE TACKLES THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC). THE FOUR OR FIVE BANKS ARE ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HUGE PRECIOUS METAL DERIVATIVE EXPOSURE (NORTH OF ONE TRILLION DOLLARS) AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MAJOR REASON FOR GOLD/SILVER’S RISE THESE PAST TWO MONTHS. THEY ARE TOTALLY TRAPPED., AND THEIR FAILURE TO STOP CENTRAL BANK PURCHASES OF PHYSICAL GOLD IS THE MAJOR ISSUE OF THE DAY!IT SURE LOOKS LIKE THE BIS HAS GIVEN THE FED ITS MARCHING ORDERS TO COVER ITS PHYSICAL GOLD SHORT AS TRUMP CAME INTO OFFICE MONDAY NOON JAN 20. TRUMP WILL PROBABLY BE FURIOUS WITH THE FED IF IT FINDS OUT THAT THEY (FRBNY) HAS BEEN MANIPULATING THE GOLD MARKET FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
OUR PHYSICAL LONDONERS BOUGHT NEW MASSIVE QUANTITIES OF LONGS AT ANY PRICE AND THIS GOLD BOUGHT WILL BE TENDERED FOR PHYSICAL ON A T + ???? BASIS. BECAUSE GOLD IS BASEL III COMPLIANT, GOLD IS SUPPOSED BE DELIVERED IN A VERY TIMELY ONE DAY. CENTRAL BANKS AROUND THE WORLD, BEING REPRESENTED BY OUR LONDONERS, ARE THE REAL PURCHASERS OF THIS GOLD.
THE PROBLEM FOR THOSE PROVIDING THE SHORT PAPER IS THE SHOCK TO THEM ON RECEIVING NOTICE THAT THE LONGS WANT THE PHYSICAL GOLD AS THEY TENDER FOR THAT SHINY YELLOW METAL. THE HIGH LIQUIDATION OF OUR TWO SPREADERS: 1) THE MONTH END SPREADERS AND 2. T.A.S DURING LAST WEEK IS SURELY DISTORTING COMEX OPEN INTEREST BUT THAT DOES NOT STOP LONDON’S ACCUMULATION OF PHYSICAL! YOU CAN ALSO VISUALIZE THAT PERFECTLY WITH THE HUGE AMOUNTS OF QUEUE JUMPING ORCHESTRATED BY CENTRAL BANKERS BOLTING AHEAD OF ORDINARY LONGS AS THEIR NEED FOR PHYSICAL IS GREAT AS THEY SCOUR THE PLANET LOOKING FOR GOLD.
EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
WE ARE NOW DEEP INTO THE ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEBRUARY… THE CME REPORTS THAT THE BANKERS ISSUED A MEGA HUMONGOUS SIZED TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS.,
THAT IS A MEGA HUGE SIZED 7253 EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: : /FEB 7253 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:
TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 7253 CONTRACTS. THESE EFP;S CIRCLE AROUND LONDON ON A 13 DAY BASIS AND ARE NOW USED BY GLOBAL CENTRAL BANKS TO EXERCISE FOR PHYSICAL GOLD WITH THE OBLIGATION TO DELIVER BEING FORCED ONTO COMEX BANKS. THE GOLD GENERALLY DELIVERED COMES FROM LONDON BUT THEY ARE OUT!! THUS COMEX BECOMES THE MAJOR SOURCE FOR OUR CENTRAL BANKERS.
ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A FAIR SIZED TOTAL OF 996 CONTRACTS IN THAT 7253 CONTRACT LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A STRONG SIZED LOSS OF 6297 COMEX CONTRACTS..AND THIS FAIR SIZED GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED DESPITE OUR HUGE LOSS IN PRICE OF $18.15 THURSDAY// COMEX. THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS WILL BE USED BY CENTRAL BANKS, TO EXERCISE FOR PHYSICAL GOLD AT THE COMEX AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THE LOW GAIN IN TOTAL OI ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WAS DUE TO LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. SPREADERS!
T.A.S. ISSUANCE
AS PER OUR NEWBIE TRADE AT SETTLEMENT (TAS) MANIPULATION OPERATION (WHICH CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT HAPPENS USUALLY DURING MID MONTH IN THE DELIVERY CYCLE), BUT NOW ON A DAILY BASIS, THE CME REPORTS THAT THE TOTAL T.A.S. ISSUANCE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY MORNING WAS A STRONG SIZED SIZED 791 CONTRACTS, AS AGAIN, ALL OF THE TRADING AND SUPPLY OF CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN ORCHESTRATED BY GOVERNMENT (FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK). AS PER THEIR MEGA 5 DAY ISSUANCE OF T.A.S OVER A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE FED WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH EINSTEIN’S DEFINITION OF INSANITY….TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOPING FOR A DIFFERENT RESULT. HIS DEFINITION STILL STANDS.. THE CROOKS ACCOMPLISHED LITTLE AS FEW LEFT OUR GOLD METAL ARENA. A HUGE RAID WAS ORDERED BY THE FED WITH END OF THE MONTH TRADING ( MONDAY TRADING// JAN 27) AS THE GOLD PRICE GOT HAMMERED A BIT WITH COMEX OPTIONS EXPIRY. AS YOU SAW WITH TUESDAY’S TRADING// JAN 28 IT HAS NO EFFECT ON GOLD AS IT SHOT UP AGAIN IN PRICE AND IT CONTINUED TO RISE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. LONDON’S ANNOUNCEMENT LAST THURSDAY THAT THEY WERE OUT OF PHYSICAL GOLD SURELY HELPED TO PROPEL GOLD’S METEORIC RISE IN PRICE THESE PAST SEVERAL DAYS PROPELLING IT THROUGH THE 2800 DOLLAR BARRIER TO THE LEVEL IT IS NOW TRADING READY TO CLOSE IN ON THE 2900 DOLLAR LEVEL.
MECHANICS OF T.A.S CONTRACTS/DECEMBER 2024
THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE BANKERS CONTINUE TO SELL OFF THE LONG SIDE OF THE SPREAD (T.A.S.) 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 ORCHESTRATED, ON DEC. 27, THEIR HUGE RAID TO LOWER THE PRICE OF GOLD TO MAKE THEIR COMEX BETS WHOLE ON OPTIONS EXPIRY WEEK AND THUS THE NEED FOR CONTINUAL STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCE AND THEN LIQUIDATION. THIS WAS COUPLED WITH THE LIQUIDATION OF CALENDAR//MONTH END SPREADERS . THE USE OF OUR TWO SPREADER MECHANISMS WERE OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO OUR CROOKS IN LATE DECEMBER’S OPTIONS EXPIRY TRADING AND AGAIN WITH JANUARY OPTION EXPIRY MONTH. HALF WAY THROUGH THE JANUARY COMEX MONTH, THE CROOKS ISSUED FIVE CONSECUTIVE 30,000+ CONTRACT ISSUANCE. ALL OF THESE T.A.S. ISSUANCES WERE USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO THWART GOLD TRADING ESPECIALLY BEFORE TRUMP’S INAUGURATION AS THE FED MUST REDUCE ITS MASSIVE PHYSICAL GOLD SHORT OF 79 TONNES. THEY FAILED MISERABLY AS GOLD SKYROCKETED IN PRICE THIS WEEK AND NOW TO ALL TIME RECORD HIGHS IN USA DOLLAR TERMS AND OTHER CURRENCIES.
STANDING FOR GOLD FOR THE PAST 4 PLUS YEARS:
// WE HAD A STRONG AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING: FEB (189.651 TONNES) WHICH IS HUGE FOR OUR ACTIVE FEB DELIVERY MONTH AND THE HIGHEST STANDING FOR GOLD EVER RECORDED FOR ANY MONTH.
YEAR 2025:
JAN 2025: 113.30 TONNES
FEB: 2025: 198.585 TONNES (WHICH INCLUDES 9.3264 TONNES OF EX FOR RISK)
HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT STOOD FOR DELIVERY IN THE PRECEDING 50 MONTHS OF 2021-2024:
DEC 2021: 112.217 TONNES
NOV. 8.074 TONNES
OCT. 57.707 TONNES
SEPT: 11.9160 TONNES
AUGUST: 80.489 TONNES
JULY 7.2814 TONNES
JUNE: 72.289 TONNES
MAY 5.77 TONNES
APRIL 95.331 TONNES
MARCH 30.205 TONNES
FEB ’21. 113.424 TONNES
JAN ’21: 6.500 TONNES.
TOTAL YEAR 2021 (JAN- DEC): 601.213 TONNES
YEAR 2022:
JANUARY 2022 17.79 TONNES
FEB 2022: 59.023 TONNES
MARCH: 36.678 TONNES
APRIL: 85.340 TONNES FINAL.
MAY: 20.11 TONNES FINAL
JUNE: 74.933 TONNES FINAL
JULY 29.987 TONNES FINAL
AUGUST:104.979 TONNES//FINAL
SEPT. 38.1158 TONNES
OCT: 77.390 TONNES/ FINAL
NOV 27.110 TONNES/FINAL
Dec. 64.000 tonnes
(TOTAL YEAR 656.076 TONNES)
2023:
JAN/2023: 20.559 tonnes
FEB 2023: 47.744 tonnes
MAR: 19.0637 TONNES
APRIL: 75.676 tonnes
MAY: 19.094 TONNES + 1.244 tonnes of exchange for risk = 20.338
JUNE: 64.354 TONNES
JULY: 10.2861 TONNES
AUGUST: 38.855 TONNES(INCLUDING .6842 EXCHANGE FOR RISK)
SEPT: 15.281 TONNES FINAL
OCT. 35.869 TONNES + 1.665 EXCHANGE FOR RISK =37.0355 tonnes
DEC. 47.073 + 4.634 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK = 51.707 TONNES
TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES
2024
JAN ’24. 22.706 TONNES
FEB. ’24: 66.276TONNES (INCLUDES 1.723 TONNES EX. FOR RISK)
MARCH: 18.8398 TONNES + 1.1695 EX FOR RISK = 20.093 TONNES
APRIL: 2024: 53.673TONNES FINAL
MAY/ 2024 8.5536 TONNES + 3.3716 TONNES EX FOR RISK/= 11.9325
JUNE; 95.578 TONNES. + 1.045 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK =96.623 THIS IS THE HIGHEST RECORDED GOLD STANDING SINCE AUGUST 2022
JULY: 11.692 TONNES
AUGUST 69.602 TONNES//FINAL STANDING
SEPT. 13.164 TONNES.
OCT 39.474 TONNES + + 20.917 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK =60.391 TONNES
NOV . 11.265 TONNES +4.665 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK/TUESDAY + 3.11 TONNES OF EX. FOR RISK/PRIOR = 19.0425 TONNES
DEC: 80.4230 TONNES PLUS DEC MONTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTAL 14.6836 TONNES EQUALS 95.1066 TONNES
total year 2024: 540.30 tonnes
2025
January 2025: 70.102 TONNES + 43.208 EXCHANGE FOR RISK= 113.310 TONNES
FEBRUARY: 189.259 TONNES OF GOLD + 1.8614 TONNES OF EX. FOR RISK /PRIOR + 7.465 TONNES EX FOR RISK TODAY =//NEW TOTAL STANDING 198.585 TONNES
COMEX GOLD TRADING/FEB CONTRACT MONTH
THE SPECS/HFT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT FELL BY $18.15)//BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING OFF ANY APPRECIABLE NET SPECULATOR LONGS AS WE DID HAVE A FAIR SIZED GAIN IN OUR TWO EXCHANGES. BUT AS EXPLAINED ABOVE WE HAD CONSIDERABLE T.A.S. SPREADER LIQUIDATION THURSDAY AS THEY WERE TRYING TO QUELL GOLD’S RISE AND STOP HUGE COMEX/OTC DERIVATIVE LOSSES FROM ALSO RISING. THE BANKERS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN SLOWING THEIR DERIVATIVE LOSSES IN PRECIOUS METAL BETS WITH OPTIONS EXPIRY LAST MONDAY NIGHT AT THE COMEX. OUR T.A.S. SPREADER LIQUIDATIONS THIS WEEK WERE DISTORTING OPEN INTEREST AS I EXPLAINED ABOVE BUT IS HAVING NO EFFECT ON GOLD’S METEORIC RISE IN PRICE. LAST FRIDAY WAS OPTIONS EXPIRY FOR LONDON’S OTIC/LBMA OPTIONS AS OUR BANKER CROOK’S DESPERATELY TRIED TO CONTAIN GOLD’S PRICE FROM ATTAINING THE 2800 DOLLAR LEVEL AND THEY FAILED AND THE PRICE OF GOLD SKYROCKETED SINCE. THEIR DERIVATIVE LOSSES CONTINUE TO MOUNT EACH AND EVERY DAY!@!
THE CROOKS HOWEVER COULD NOT STOP CENTRAL BANK LONGS, SEIZING THE MOMENT, THEY EXERCISED AGAIN FOR PHYSICAL IN A BIG WAY TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL THURSDAY EVENING FRIDAY MORNING AND THUS OUR RECORD NUMBER OF GOLD CONTRACTS STANDING FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX. CENTRAL BANKERS WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE GOLD TO ARRIVE BY BOAT. IT IS NOW TAKING SEVERAL WEEKS TO DELIVER AND THUS THE REASON FOR THE HUGE LEASE RATE AT 10% (SCARCITY OF GOLD)
EXCHANGE FOR RISK EXPLANATION/DECEMBER AND JANUARYTRADING
DECEMBER MONTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK!
54 DAYS AGO, FRIDAY NIGHT (EARLY SATURDAY MORNING NOV 30) THE CME ANNOUNCED ANOTHER OF THOSE CRAZY DELIVERIES: THE ISSUANCE OF 250 EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS WHICH TOTAL 25000 OZ (.7776 TONNES. HERE THE BUYER ASSUMES THE RISK THAT HE WILL BE DELIVERED UPON IN PHYSICAL METAL. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE AND A HUGE VIOLATION OF THE TRUE DISCOVERY PRICE MECHANISM WHICH IS THE COMEX MANTRA!. AND THEN GUESS WHAT? THE CME ANNOUNCED ANOTHER EXCHANGE FOR RISK, LATE TUESDAY EVENING/ EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING, (DEC 5) OF 617 CONTRACTS FOR 61,700 OZ OR GOLD (1.919 TONNES). THEN MUCH TO MY ANGER, THE CME ANNOUNCED A THIRD ISSUANCE FRIDAY NIGHT DEC 7 FOR A MONSTROUS 2254 EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS OR 225,400 OZ OR 7.0108 TONNES. NOT TO BE UNDONE, THE CROOKS CONTINUED WITH THEIR NONSENSE WITH ANOTHER 50 CONTRACT EXCHANGE FOR RISK THE MORNING OF DEC 12 FOR 5000 OZ OR .1555 TONNES. AND THIS BRINGS US TO THIS EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (DEC 13) WHERE I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE FOR THE FIFTH TIME THIS MONTH AN ENTRY FOR 250 CONTRACTS OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK FOR 25000 OZ OR .7776 TONNES.THUS ALL FIVE OF THESE ISSUANCES WILL BE ADDED TO THE TOTAL GOLD BEING “DELIVERED UPON”. THIS BRINGS US TO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING DEC 21 WHERE TO MY SHOCK AGAIN WE HAD OUR 6TH ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALLING 1300 CONTRACTS FOR AN ASTOUNDING 4.043 TONNES. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL ISSUANCE FOR THE MONTH OF DEC TO 6 FOR 14.6836 TONNES A NEW RECORD. THE COMEX IS TOTALLY SHATTERED TO PIECES.
EXCHANGE FOR RISK // JANUARY MONTH!!
LO AND BEHOLD, THE CROOKS ISSUED THEIR FIRST ISSUANCE A MONSTER 1700 CONTRACTS FOR EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALLING 170,000 OZ OR 5.28775 TONNES ON MONDAY JAN 6/2025. THEN TO MY HORROR, THEY ISSUED THEIR SECOND EXCHANGE FOR RISK ON JAN 8, TOTALLING 150 CONTRACTS FOR 15000 OZ OR .4665 TONNES. THIS TONNAGE WILL BE ADDED TO THE FIRST ISSUANCE. THUS TOTAL EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE FOR OUR TWO EARLY JANUARY EX FOR RISK: 5.7533 TONNES. THEN MERCILESSLY THEY CONSUMMATED FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH 85 EXCHANGE FOR RISK LAST THURSDAY NIGHT (JAN 17) FOR 8500 OZ OR .2649 TONNES OF GOLD. THEN TO MY HORROR THEY ISSUED THEIR 4TH EXCHANGE FOR RISK THIS MONTH (JAN 22) FOR A MONSTER 5000 CONTRACTS OR 5,000,000 OZ.(15.562 TONNES).NOT TO BE UNDONE, THE CROOKS ISSUED THEIR FIFTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK LAST NIGHT FOR 500 CONTRACTS REPRESENTING 50,,000 OZ OR 1.555 TONNES OF GOLD. REMEMBER THAT THE BUYER ASSUMES THE RISK THAT HE WILL BE DELIVERED UPON WHICH IS TOTALLY ASININE!! THUS FOR THE 5 EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUED THIS MONTH TOTALS 23.134 TONNES OF GOLD. THIS BRINGS US TO , JAN 25 WHERE THE CME ANNOUNCED ITS SIXTH MAJOR EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE OF 6454 CONTRACTS FOR 645,400 OZ OR 20.074 TONNES OF GOLD. THIS IS THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED ISSUANCE IN NUMBER OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK, AT 6, AND FOR NEW TOTALS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY: 43.208 TONNES!!! AND A NEW RECORD FOR ISSUANCE.
EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS/MONTH FOR FEBRUARY:
THE CME ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT ON FEB 4 THEY ISSUED 100 CONTRACTS OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.THEN A FEW NIGHTS AGO, THEY ISSUED THEIR SECOND CONSECUTIVE EXCHANGE FOR RISK OF 500 CONTRACTS FOR 50,000 OZ (1.555 TONNES OF GOLD. LAST NIGHT WAS THE THIRD ISSUANCE FOR A HUGE 2400 CONTRACTS, 240,000 OZ OR 7.465 TONNES. THE BANK OF ENGLAND WANTS THEIR GOLD BACK. THIS NEW EXCHANGE FOR RISK REPRESENTS 240,000 OZ OZ OR 7.465 TONNES OF GOLD WHICH WILL BE ADDED TO PREVIOUS EXCHANGE FOR RISK OF 1.8664 TONNES TO A NEW TOTAL EXCHANGE FOR RISK = 9.3264 TONNES. THIS TOTAL WILL NOW BE ADDED TO OUR REGULAR DELIVERIES THROUGHT THE MONTH.
FINAL STANDING GOLD/COMEX FOR JANUARY
FINAL STANDING FOR JAN: 70.102TONNES + 43.206 TONNES EX FOR RISK = 113.310 TONNES (WHICH IS HUGE FOR OUR VERY NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH) A NORMAL AMOUNT STANDING FOR A JANUARY IN EARLIER TIMES HAS BEEN GENERALLY AROUND 1/4 TONNE OF GOLD. HOWEVER THESE PAST 4 YEARS QUEUE JUMPING HAS BEEN VERY PRONOUNCED AND THUS STANDING INCREASES DRAMATICALLY.
TOTAL INITIAL DELIVERIES FEB GOLD TRADING
WE HAVE GAINED A FAIR TOTAL OF 2.973 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR FEB (184.40TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY A MASSIVE SIZED 484 CONTRACT QUEUE JUMP FOR 48,400 OZ. NEW STANDING ADVANCES TO 189.259 TONNES OF GOLD. TO WHICH WE ADD OUR 9.3264TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK//NEW TOTALS STANDING 198.585 TONNES
ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR HUGE LOSS IN PRICE TO THE TUNE OF $18.15
WE HAD 388 CONTRACTS REMOVED FROM THE COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)//PRELIMINARY TO FINAL. AND THIS IS TOTALLY INSANE AS WELL
NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 996 CONTRACTS OR 99600 OZ (2.973 TONNES)
a) into Dealer Brinks 48,226.500 oz (1500 kilobars) b) Into dealer Loomis: 32,118.849 oz (999 kilobars)
total weight: 80,345.344 oz or 2499 kilobars or 2.499tonnes
Deposits to the Customer Inventory, in oz
i)Into customer ASAHI 32,006.563 oz ii) Into customer Brinks 337,585/500 oz (10,500 kilobars)
iii) Into JPMorgan customer 192,906.000 oz (6,000 kilobars iv) Into Loomis customer 32.151 oz 1 kilobar v)into Malca 32,151.000 1000 kilobars vi) Into Manfra 59.747.23 oz
total customer weight: 654,428.444 oz 20.355 tonnes
total dealer and customer weight in tonnes; 22.851 tonnes of which we have exactly 20,000 “kilobars deposited//dealer and customer
No of oz served (contracts) today
2112 notice(s) 211,200 OZ 6.569 TONNES
No of oz to be served (notices)
8270 contracts 827,000 OZ 25.723 TONNES
Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month
52,577 notices 5,257,700 oz 163.54 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
dealer deposits: 2
2 ENTRIES
a) into Dealer Brinks 48,226.500 oz (1500 kilobars) b) Into dealer Loomis: 32,118.849 oz (999 kilobars)
total weight: 80,345.344 oz or 2499 kilobars or 2.499tonnes
we have 6 customer deposits
i)Into customer ASAHI 32,006.563 oz ii) Into customer Brinks 337,585/500 oz (10,500 kilobars)
iii) Into JPMorgan customer 192,906.000 oz (6,000 kilobars iv) Into Loomis customer 32.151 oz 1 kilobar v)into Malca 32,151.000 1000 kilobars vi) Into Manfra 59.747.23 oz
total customer weight: 654,428.444 oz 20.355 tonnes
total dealer and customer weight in tonnes; 22.851 tonnes of which we have exactly 20,000 “kilobars deposited//dealer and custome
withdrawals: 0
adjustments:4/
i) out of Brinks 16,011.198 oz customer to dealer acct
ii) out of Manfra: 24,113.250 oz customer to dealer
iii) Malca 96,675.314 oz (dealer to customer)
total net dealer to customer 56,554.866 oz 2.38 tonnes
thus basically what comes into eligible is transferred to dealer accounts and then out.
Inventory Pledged gold: 2.174 million oz or 6.42% of total inventory.
Inventory Enhanced gold: 5.755 million oz or 16.99% of total inventory
total gold inventory 33.86 million oz/
CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR FEB.
For the front month of FEB: we have an oi of 10,382 contracts having LOST 2242 contracts. We had 2726 contracts delivered upon Thursday so we gained a massive 434 contracts for 43400 oz. This queue jump is thus represented by 1.505 tonnes of gold as these guys would rather seek out gold on this side of the pond instead of London’s side.
MARCH HAD A GAIN OF 1498 CONTRACTS UP TO 14,729
APRIL HAD A LOSS OF 5638 CONTRACTS DOWN TO 401,242 CONTRACTS
We had 2112 contracts filed for today representing 211,200 oz
This is a huge major assault on the comex for gold and this time it is physical that will be requested.
Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer and 0 notices issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to 2112 contract(s) of which 0 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 660 notice(s) was (were) stopped (received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account
To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for FEB /2025. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (52,577x 100 oz ) to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB.(10,382 CONTRACTS) minus the number of notices served upon today (2112 x 100 oz per contract) equals 6,084,700 OZ OR 189.259 TONNES to which we must add our latest 2400 contract exchange for risk for 7.465 tonnes and then add our previous 1.8614 tonnes ex for risk//new standing; 189.259 tonnes + 9.3264 tonnes ex for risk = 198.585 tonnes
thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the FEB contract month: No of notices filed so far (52,577 x 100 oz +we add the difference for front month of FEB ( 10,382 OI} minus the number of notices served upon today (2112 x 100 oz) which equals 6,084,700 oz (189.480 TONNES + 1.8614 tonnes ex for risk/prior + 7.465 tonnes ex for risk today = 198.585 tonnes
TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR FEB.: 198/585 TONNES WHICH IS HUGE FOR THIS ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR AND THIS IS THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR ANY FEBRUARY AND THE HIGHEST FOR ANY MONTH FOR THAT MATTER IN COMEX HISTORY!!
TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD: 34,595,400.366 oz
TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 16,303,363.653 or 507.103 tonnes
TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 18,292,036.713 OZ
REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 14,137,287 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD)= 439..72 tonnes //
JPMorgan enhanced inventory is now down to 676,159 oz or 32.77% of entire enhanced inventory
total enhanced inventory; down to 2.063 million oz
END
SILVER/COMEX
FEB 7
INITIAL
// THE FEB 2025 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL
Silver
Ounces
Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory
NIL oz
Withdrawals from Customer Inventory
nil
Deposits to the Dealer Inventory
i) Into Dealer Brinks 1,455.575 oz
Deposits to the Customer Inventory
2 entries 1) Into JPMorgan 1,178,363.000 oz 2) Brinks 4010.000 oz
total weight 1,182,373.000 oz
No of oz served today (contracts)
580 CONTRACT(S) (2,900,000 OZ)
No of oz to be served (notices)
364 contracts (1.820 MILLION oz)
Total monthly oz silver served (contracts)
3327 Contracts (16.635 million oz)
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Dealers inventory this month
NIL oz
Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Customer inventory this month
i) 1-dealer deposit/
i) Into Dealer Brinks 1,455.575 oz
total dealer deposits; 1455.575 oz
i) We had 0 dealer withdrawal
total dealer withdrawals: 0 oz
deposits:
2 entries
2 entries 1) Into JPMorgan 1,178,363.000 oz 2) Brinks 4010.000 oz
total weight 1,182,373.000 oz
withdrawals 1
i) Out of Brinks 1190,998.635 oz
ADJUSTMENTs 1
a) out of Brinks 1,909,901.730 oz
JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 148.552million oz/363.395million or 40.77%
TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 92.849 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 363.395 million oz
CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR FEBRUARY
silver open interest data:
FRONT MONTH OF FEB /2025 OI: 958 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FOR A GAIN OF 250 CONTRACTS.
WE HAD 344 NOTICES FILED ON THURSDAY SO WE GAINED A MONSTER 594 CONTRACTS OR WE EXPERIENCED A 2.97 MILLION OZ EXCHANGE QUEUE JUMP AS THESE GUYS WILL TRY THEIR LUCK AT THE COMEX TRYING TO OBTAIN PHYSICAL SILVER.
MARCH SAW A LOSS OF 1200 CONTRACTS DOWN TO 117,576. THE FRONT ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF MARCH ALSO IS NOT DECLINING MUCH AND WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE A HUMDINGER OF A DELIVERY MONTH FOR MARCH.
APRIL SAW ANOTHER GAIN OF 91 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 296
MAY SAW A GAIN OF 813 CONTRACTS UP TO 33,268 CONTRACTS
TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 580 for 2.920 MILLION oz
CONFIRMED volume; ON THURSDAY 761,971 good//
To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in FEB. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 3327x 5,000 oz = 16.635 MILLION oz
to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB (958) and the number of notices served upon today (580)x (5000 oz)
Thus the standings for silver for the FEB 2025 contract month: 3327 Notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of FEB(958)minus number of notices served upon today (344)x 5000 oz equals silver standing for the FEB contract month equating to 18.525 MILLION OZ.
New total standing: 18.525 million oz which is huge for a non active delivery month of February
There are 92.849 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.
Now that we have surpassed $28.40 the next big line in the sand for silver is $34.76. After that the moon
END
BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE MASSIVE FRAUDS!
GLD AND SLV INVENTORY LEVELS/
FEB 7 WITH GOLD UP $10.75 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
FEB 6 WITH GOLD DOWN $18.15 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 1.14 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
FEB 5 WITH GOLD UP $27.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.72 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.05 TONNES
FEB 4 WITH GOLD UP $25.00 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 0.58 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.77 TONNES
JAN 31 WITH GOLD UP $4.80 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
JAN 30 WITH GOLD UP $40.95 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 4.30 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 865.34 TONNES
JAN 29 WITH GOLD DOWN $6.25 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 4.02 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 861.04 TONNES
JAN 28 WITH GOLD UP $23.05 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.16 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD //
JAN 27 WITH GOLD DOWN $36.05 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.17 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///
JAN 24 WITH GOLD UP $16.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.17 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
JAN 23 WITH GOLD DOWN $1.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 869.36 TONNES
JAN 22 WITH GOLD UP $15.15 ON THE DAY; MEGA HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 7.46 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.66 TONNES
JAN 20 WITH GOLD UP $35.30 ON THE DAY; MEGA HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 10.34 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.12 TONNES
/JAN 17 WITH GOLD DOWN $9.50 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.74 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 868.78 TONNES
JAN 16 WITH GOLD UP $24.10 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 15 WITH GOLD UP $24.35 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 14 WITH GOLD UP $9.40 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.53 TONNES
JAN 13 WITH GOLD DOWN $27.75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A DEPOSIT OF 5.74 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 876.82 TONNES
JAN 10 WITH GOLD UP $17.80 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 9 WITH GOLD UP $13.85 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 8 WITH GOLD UP $5.35 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 7 WITH GOLD DOWN $14.50 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 6 WITH GOLD DOWN $4.90 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 3 WITH GOLD DOWN $14.00 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 2 WITH GOLD UP $29.40 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 31 WITH GOLD UP $20.60 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 30 WITH GOLD DOWN $11.95 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.28 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 27 WITH GOLD DOWN $17.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.80 TONNES
DEC 26 WITH GOLD UP $17.55 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.95 TONNES
DEC 24 WITH GOLD UP $6.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.45 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.95 TONNES
DEC 23 WITH GOLD DOWN $13,75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 16.66 TONNES OF GOLD VAPOUR GOLD INTO THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.40 TONNES
DEC 20 WITH GOLD UP $29,75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.16 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 860.74 TONNES
DEC 19 WITH GOLD DOWN $45.00 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF .29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.90 TONNES
DEC 18 WITH GOLD DOWN $8.40 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
DEC 17 WITH GOLD DOWN $6.85 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 0.23 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
DEC 16 WITH GOLD DOWN $2.80 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.70 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.90 TONNES
DEC 13 WITH GOLD DOWN $24.55 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.78 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 868.60 TONNES
DEC 12 WITH GOLD DOWN $34.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.59 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.38 TONNES
DEC 11 WITH GOLD UP $29.75 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 870.79 TONNES
DEC 9 WITH GOLD UP $31.10 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD. // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.94 TONNES
GLD INVENTORY: 864.19 TONNES, TONIGHTS TOTAL
SILVER
FEB 7 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.26 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.73 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 428.66 MILLION OZ
FEB 6 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.17 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 12.383 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 430.39 MILLION OZ
FEB 5 WITH SILVER UP $0.45 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.285 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 442.773 MILLION OZ
FEB 4 WITH SILVER UP $0.81 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
FEB 4 WITH SILVER UP $0.81 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
FEB 3 WITH SILVER UP ONE CENT //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
JAN 31 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.19 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.369 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 448.881 MILLION OZ
jAN 30 WITH SILVER UP $0.76 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.003 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 451.249 MILLION OZ
jAN 29 WITH SILVER UP $0.34 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.639 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 453.252 MILLION OZ
jAN 28 WITH SILVER UP $0.34 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.821 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. /
jAN 27 WITH SILVER DOWN $.61 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.64 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.395 MILLION OZ
JAN 24 WITH SILVER DOWN $.21 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.64 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.395 MILLION OZ
JAN 23 WITH SILVER DOWN $.41 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.738 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459.035 MILLION OZ
JAN 22 WITH SILVER UP $.08 //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A DEPOSIT OF 0.721 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.043 MILLION OZ
JAN 20 WITH SILVER DOWN $.09 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.568 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.315 MILLION OZ
JAN 17 WITH SILVER DOWN $.49 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.568 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.315 MILLION OZ
JAN 16 WITH SILVER UP $0.23 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.863 MILLION OZ
JAN 15 WITH SILVER UP $0.79 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 4.745 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.863 MILLION OZ
JAN 14 WITH SILVER UP $0.15 //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 0.228 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.218 MILLION OZ
JAN 13 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.69 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 0.637 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459.990 MILLION OZ
JAN 10 WITH SILVER UP $0.19 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459,353 MILLION OZ
JAN 9 WITH SILVER UP $0.08 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459,353 MILLION OZ
JAN 8 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.01 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 7 WITH SILVER UP 48 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 6 WITH SILVER UP 38 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 3 WITH SILVER UP 17 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 2 WITH SILVER UP 45 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.616 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 462.128 MILLION OZ
DEC 31 WITH SILVER DOWN 14 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.512 MILLION OZ
DEC 30 WITH SILVER DOWN 39 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.13 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.512 MILLION OZ
DEC 27 WITH SILVER DOWN 24 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 461.651 MILLION OZ
DEC 24 WITH SILVER UP 2 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.747 MILLION OZ
DEC 23 WITH SILVER UP 19 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/////A DEPOSIT OF 6.15 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.747 MILLION OZ
DEC 20 WITH SILVER UP 43 CENTS //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/////A DEPOSIT OF 183,000 OZ INTO THE SLV //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.597 MILLION OZ
DEC 19 WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV///// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.414 MILLION OZ
DEC 18 WITH SILVER DOWN 19 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.094 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.414 MILLION OZ
DEC 17 WITH SILVER DOWN 12 CENTS //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A DEPOSIT OF 0.456 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 458.052 MILLION OZ
DEC 16 WITH SILVER DOWN 0 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.84 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 458.052 MILLION OZ
DEC 13 WITH SILVER DOWN 46 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF .536 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 462.892 MILLION OZ
DEC 12 WITH SILVER DOWN 94 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.787 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.428 MILLION OZ
DEC 11 WITH SILVER UP 10 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.597 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 469.215 MILLION OZ
DEC 10 WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.868 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 471.812 MILLION OZ
DEC 9 WITH SILVER UP $0.91 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.367 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 473.680 MILLION OZ
CLOSING INVENTORY 428.66 MILLION OZ//
PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES
1/ PETER SCHIFF/SCHIFF GOLD/MIKE MAHARRY
END
2/ Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens
President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have created such strong demand for UK-held gold, traders are facing potentially weeks-long queues for a chance to withdraw it.
All existing slots at the Bank of England to withdraw gold bars are booked up as market players race to ship the metal to the United States to take advantage of a surge in gold prices there, an official has said. Gold has become more valuable in the US than in other parts of the world as traders worry supply will plunge if Trump’s across-the-board tariffs, both announced and planned, make imports of the metal costlier.
“The US gold market has been trading at a premium to the London market,” Dave Ramsden, deputy governor for markets and banking at the central bank, told reporters Thursday. The owners of the gold bars in its underground vaults have been “looking to take advantage of that price differential,” he added.
As a result, the Bank of England, which has the second-largest stock of gold in the world, has seen strong demand for gold withdrawals, he noted.
“All of those bodies who ship the gold, they’ve all got the … slots they need over the next few weeks. If you were coming in new to us, you might have to wait a bit longer because all the existing slots are booked up,” Ramsden said.
The Bank of England, which is second only to the New York Federal Reserve as a top global custodian of the precious metal, looks after more than 400,000 gold bars worth billions of pounds.
That haul has come under some pressure recently. Meanwhile, gold inventories on the US COMEX exchange — a major market for trading gold, silver and other metals — have almost doubled since the end of October, Commerzbank said in a note Friday.
“The fact that gold is significantly more expensive on the COMEX than (in) other trading centers is likely related to the feared US import tariffs, which could possibly also affect gold,” wrote Carsten Fritsch, a commodity analyst at the German bank. “The deliveries on the COMEX are therefore likely to be primarily driven by concerns about possible supply disruptions.”
The Bank of England’s stock of gold has dipped by about 2% since the end of last year, Ramsden said.
Gold prices have risen in recent weeks thanks to the asset’s safe-haven status, with investors spooked by Trump’s tariff plans. Russia’s drawn-out war in Ukraine and heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are also underpinning demand for the metal, according to UBS.
In addition to being a tangible, scarce asset, gold is different from other traded assets in other ways.
“Gold is a physical asset, so there are real logistical constraints and security constraints,” Ramsden said. “Getting into the (central) bank for me this morning was a bit trickier because there was a lorry in the bullion yard… And the stuff is also quite heavy.”
end
3. CHRIS POWELL OF GATA//GOLD/SILVER RELATED DISPATCHES
Suddenly even the Financial Times can muse about gold revaluation
Submitted by admin on Fri, 2025-02-07 00:42 Section: Daily Dispatches
But it’s not really a new idea at all. Seventeen years ago a former member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, Lyle Gramley, remarked on Canadian television that revaluing gold could quickly strengthen the U.S. government’s financial position:
Of course the FT and the rest of the mainstream financial news organizations took no notice of it.
* * *
Gold Glitters as the Unimaginable Becomes Imaginable
By Gillian Tett Financial Times, London Friday, February 7, 2025
Another week, another record high for the gold price. Cue wild celebration among goldbugs — and frantic speculation from everyone else about the reason for the explosion in demand for the precious metal.
Geopolitical turmoil is one obvious explanation. Inflation concerns amid insane tariff dramas is another. However, there is a third, less noticed, issue bubbling away too: some hedge fund contemporaries of Scott Bessent, the hedgie-turned-U.S. Treasury secretary, are speculating about a revaluation of America’s gold stocks.
Currently these are valued at just $42 an ounce in national accounts. But knowledgeable observers reckon that if these were marked at current values — $2,800 an ounce — this could inject $800 billion into the Treasury General Account, via a repurchase agreement. That might reduce the need to issue quite so many Treasury bonds this year.
This week such chatter intensified after Bessent both pledged to “monetise the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet” — in other words, to focus on assets as much as liabilities while also promising to lower 10-year Treasury yields.
“Re-marking … to current market value would mechanically deleverage the U.S. balance sheet,” says David Teeters of IESE business school, who notes that if gold prices keep rising, this potential blessing swells. Or as Larry McDonald, a libertarian analyst, notes: “It is time to get creative around … Uncle Sam’s balance sheet.”
Will this ever happen? I don’t know. Nor, I suspect, does Bessent, since it is the ever-capricious Donald Trump who sets policy. But the fact that this wild speculation is swirling underscores three key points. …
First: Investors know that Bessent has an incentive to be creative, given the scary fiscal hole. House Republicans are mulling a massive tax and spending bill that would add “up to $5.5 trillion of net primary deficit increases” and “boost interest costs by about $1.3 trillion over the next decade” according to the Committee for a Responsible Fiscal Budget. That could spark bond market alarm this spring, if not a congressional revolt from populist nationalists.
And that hole cannot be plugged just by smashing a tiny agency like USAID (a grotesque move), or letting Elon Musk halt federal payments (also outrageous). “While there are potential cost savings, the only way to create fiscal responsibility is with substantial tax increases,” argues Robert Rubin, former Treasury secretary.
Second, Bessent needs currency tricks as well as fiscal ones. As JD Vance, the vice president, told Congress last year, Trump’s cabal considers the dollar to be wildly overvalued — to the degree that it is hollowing out the country’s industrial base. They attribute that to its reserve currency status.
But while they would prefer a weaker currency, Trump also wants to retain that global dollar dominance, and Bessent himself knows that tariffs will probably strengthen its value.
That makes their policy seem bizarrely contradictory. But some market commentators, such as Luke Gromen, think the contradiction could be resolved if the Treasury tolerated, or enabled, gold to keep surging against the dollar. “Gold is likely to be a key pivot [for] the new system the Trump administration is clearly trying to engineer,” he says. …
5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT/COMMODITIES: COMMODITY//COCOA
Cocoa Prices Go Bitter After Hershey CEO Spots “Demand Destruction”
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 07:45 AM
Cocoa futures declined in New York following comments from Hershey CEO Michele Buck, who indicated on an earnings call with investors that signs of potential demand weakness are emerging.
Earlier, Piper Sandler analyst Michael Lavery asked CEO Buck:
“You mentioned in – you mentioned in your prepared remarks, you’re seeing cocoa end-users adapting through reformulation. Could you maybe touch on what exactly you’re seeing there and if you are reformulating yourselves as well?”
Buck responded:
“We have been seeing some increased global demand across the market for cocoa alternatives. So we are seeing some folks who are pressured and who perhaps have the opportunity to switch to cocoa butter alternatives. Obviously, we’re — we do that where possible, but we’re pretty precious about the brands and what they stand for with consumers.”
And she continued (this is what caught the attention of the cocoa traders…):
“Yeah, it does create some demand destruction in the market as we see others do that.”
Bloomberg noted that Buck’s concerns about souring demand aligned with those of Mondelez CFO Luca Zaramella, who stated earlier this week that cocoa consumption is sliding in parts of the world, including North America.
The most active cocoa futures in New York nearly doubled in the latter parts of 2024 on a bleak production outlook for cocoa farms across West Africa. Contracts fell about 5% on Thursday, hovering around the $10,000 per ton level by lunch.
Last month, a Bloomberg report specified that Hershey was trying to gain approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to purchase a massive amount of cocoa through the New York exchange.
Panic Hedge? Hershey Reportedly Asks CFTC Approval To Buy Huge Cocoa Pile On NY Exchange https://t.co/F2dTAh0aQ4
“The headlines on Hershey today suggest the outlook for confectionary (cocoa) cost inflation is getting even more extreme,” Goldman’s Natasha de la Grense told clients following the Bloomberg report.
In mid-December, Goldman’s commodity derivatives analyst Hugo Fuentes told clients to “go long cocoa” as “prices are positioned for significant upside driven by structural supply deficits, under-hedged consumers, and historically low warehouse stocks.”
Signs of demand destruction may spook the cocoa rally, and potentially, some of the first signs are materializing this week with Hershey and Mondelez.
end
6 CRYPTOCURRENCY NEWS
END
ASIA TRADING FRIDAY MORNING THURSDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 33.01 PTS OR 1.01%
//Hang Seng CLOSED UP 241.92 PTS OR 1.16 %
// Nikkei CLOSED UP 235.05 OR 0.61%//Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 1.23%
//Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2886CHINESE YUAN OFFSHORE CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2930// Oil UP TO 71.09 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 74.77 Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL RED
1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGS /FRIDAY MORNING.7:30 AM
ONSHORE YUAN: CLOSED DOWN AT 7.2886
OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.2930
SHANGHAI CLOSED CLOSED UP 33.01 PTS OR 1.01%
HANG SENG CLOSED CLOSED UP 241.92 PTS OR 1.16%
2. Nikkei closed DOWN 279.51 OR 0.72%
3. Europe stocks SO FAR: ALL MOSTLY RED EXCEPT GERMANY
USA dollar INDEX UP TO 107.69 EURO FALLS TO 1.0374 DOWN 11 BASIS PT HEADING TO PARITY WITH USA
3b Japan 10 YR bond yield: RISES TO. +1.285 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 152.19…… JAPANESE YEN NOW FALLING AS WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE RE EMERGING OF THE YEN CARRY TRADE AGAIN AFTER DISASTROUS POLICY ISSUED BY UEDA
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 DOWN FOR UP this morning
3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund YIELD DOWN TO +2.3680 Italian 10 Yr bond yield DOWN to 3.441//SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD DOWN TO 3.024
3i Greek 10 year bond yield DOWN TO 3.204
3j Gold at $2865.70 /Silver at: 32.24 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $50.00//AFTER 28.40
3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble UP 0 AND 15/100 roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 96.90
3m oil into the 74 dollar handle for WTI and 71 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 152.19 10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 1.297% STILL ON CENTRAL BANK (JAPAN) INTERVENTION//YEN CARRY TRADE IS NOW UNWINDING.
30 SNB (Swiss National Bank) still intervening again in the markets driving down the FRANC. It is not working: USA/SF this 0.9070 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF: 0.9407 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: 4.437 UP 0 BASIS PTS…
USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.645. UP 0 BASIS PTS/
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.235 UP 3 BASIS PTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 35.98…
10 YR UK BOND YIELD: 4.5160 UP 3 PTS
10 YR CANADA BOND YIELD: 2.965 DOWN 4 BASIS PTS
5 YR CANADA BOND YIELD: 2.581 DOWN 9 PTS.
2a New York OPENING REPORT
Futures Flat Ahead Of Payrolls
by Tyler Durden
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 08:24 AM
US equity futures are unchanged, with tech lagging and small caps leading as traders hunker down ahead of a payrolls report that is expected to show 175,000 new workers but will also be dramatically revised. As of 8:00am ET, S&P futures are flat with the index on track for a 0.7% weekly advance; Nasdaq futures are down 0.1%, with Mag 7 mostly lower after AMZN’s earnings disappointment last night (AMZN -2.6%; TSLA -1.5%; NVDA -0.9%); the e-commerce and cloud-computing company gave an outlook that was weaker than expected. Meanwhile, there seems to be no stopping Meta as the social networking giant is on track to extend gains for a record 15th consecutive session. Bond yields are largely flat; USD unchanged. Commodities are mostly higher led by oil (+0.8%). Today, the key macro focus will be NFP (a full scenario analysis from JPM and Goldman can be found here): the Street’s estimate is 175k; a step down from last month’s 256k print. For the unemployment rate the Street expects 4.1%.
In premarket trading, Amazon was down 3% and is leading losses for the Mag7 after warning investors that it could face capacity constraints in its cloud computing division despite plans to invest some $100 billion this year, with most of the money going toward data centers, homegrown chips and other equipment to provide artificial intelligence services. Affirm Holdings rose 15% after the financial technology company reported quarterly results that beat expectations and gave an outlook that is seen as strong. Expedia shares jumped almost 10% in premarket trading after the online travel agency reported fourth-quarter results that beat expectations. Here are some other notable premarket movers:
Bill Holdings Inc. (BILL) sinks 29% after the company forecast total revenue for the third quarter below the average analyst estimate
Canopy Growth (CGC) falls 17% after posting a wider-than-expected quarterly loss.
Cloudflare (NET) climbs 10% after the software company reported fourth-quarter results that beat expectations
Denny’s (DENN) rises 4% after Wedbush raised the restaurant operator to outperform from neutral, calling its Keke’s breakfast chain “meaningfully undervalued and underappreciated”
Doximity (DOCS) rises 24% after the healthcare-software company raised its full-year forecast
Elf Beauty (ELF) plunges 27% after the cosmetics company lowered fiscal-year projections for sales and profits, citing softer-than-anticipated January trends
Fortinet (FTNT) rises 5% after the network security software provider’s forecast for 2025 revenue topped the average analyst estimate
Microchip Technology (MCHP) declines 6% after the semiconductor device company gave an outlook that was weaker than expected
Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) rises 6% after the semiconductor device company gave an outlook for revenue that is much stronger than expected
Nikola Corp. (NKLA) falls 35% after the Wall Street Journal reported that the company is exploring filing for bankruptcy
Open Text ADRs (OTEX) are up 4% after the software company reported second-quarter results that beat expectations. However, analysts noted concerns about its outlook
Pinterest (PINS) jumps 20% after the company posted strong holiday-quarter revenue and gave an upbeat forecast for sales in the current period
Skechers (SKX) falls 12% after the footwear company issued annual forecasts for sales and profit that trailed Wall Street expectations
Take-Two (TTWO) jumps 10% after the video-game company reiterated its plan to launch the highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI in fall 2025
Webtoon (WBTN) plummets 20% after the online comics company posted quarterly preliminary revenue that fell short of the average analyst estimate
All eyes now turn to the US jobs report which is expected to show 175,000 new roles added last month after advances in excess of 200,000 in the prior two months, which partly reflected recovery from two severe hurricanes. Wall Street will be closely watching a revision to job growth for the 12 months through the previous March. Economists expect the markdown to show a labor market that’s gradually cooling (our full preview is here).
“The stock market, needing a boost after a decent but lukewarm earnings season, could potentially rise if the job market shows signs of cooling,” said Florian Ielpo, head of macro research at Lombard Odier Investment Managers. An uptick in hiring might reignite concerns about inflation, he added.
In other markets news, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that he favors a strong dollar and has no plans to alter the government’s debt-issuance plans. During the election campaign, President Donald Trump expressed concern about the strength of the dollar, given that it makes US products more expensive overseas.
“The strong-dollar policy is completely intact with President Trump,” Bessent said in an interview with Bloomberg. “We want the dollar to be strong. What we don’t want is other countries to weaken their currencies, to manipulate their trade.”
European equities traded lower on Friday after some key earnings reports disappointed and before investor focus switches to US employment data. Construction and material shares outperform in Europe after a flurry of well-received earnings updates. Consumer and health care stocks provide a drag however with the Stoxx 600 down 0.1%. Here are the biggest movers Friday:
Vinci gains as much as 4.4%, the most since July, after the French construction group’s full-year report shows another quarter of strong cash flows, analysts note
Danske Bank shares advanced as much as 7.5% to the highest level since March 2018 after it launched a new buyback program and pledged higher-than-expected dividends. Denmark’s largest lender also gave a profit outlook for this year
Thule shares rise as much as 5.6% and hit their highest level since April 2022 after fourth-quarter results from the Swedish maker of car roof racks and bike trailers beat estimates
Legal & General shares jump as much as 11%, the most since 2020, after the firm said it plans to sell its US protection business and return around £1 billion of the proceeds to its shareholders after striking a deal with its longstanding partner Meiji Yasuda
Iveco soar as much as 18%, the most on record, as the Italian truckmaker says it’s considering separating its defense business in 2025 through a spinoff
Telecom Italia shares rise as much as 5% to the highest in over a year, after newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that Iliad representatives met with Italy Finance Ministry officials in the past few days to pitch the benefits of combinations in the Italian telecom sector
L’Oreal shares in Paris drop as much as 4.5%, following the drop suffered by its ADRs in the US overnight, after the beauty company’s like-for-like sales for the fourth quarter missed consensus estimates
Porsche shares fall as much as 8% to an intraday record low valuation after the German carmaker slashed its 2025 guidance in a move Bernstein called a “major concern” after the company had described 2024 as its transition year. Citi sees shares testing new low
Saab shares fall as much as 6.5%, the most since October, as Citi spots the Swedish defense firm reduced its cumulative cash conversion guidance, and says investors may not like this. Shares rose 54% in 2024
Kongsberg shares fall as much as 3.4% after the Norwegian defense firm reported full-year results that failed to enthuse investors, as analysts note some margin weakness. The pullback follows a 175% surge in the shares last year
Asian stocks advanced, with gains in Chinese shares offsetting losses in Japan, as traders awaited US jobs data that will help provide clues for the Federal Reserve’s rate path. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.1%, erasing an earlier 0.2% loss. Technology shares including TSMC and Tencent were among the biggest boosts. Toyota Motor dragged on the gauge as Japanese stocks fell on a stronger yen. Despite recent volatility in the market amid a brewing US-China trade war, some calm has returned as traders focus on earnings reports and economic data. The Asian stock benchmark is headed for a fourth-straight week of gains, the longest such win streak in 11 months.
In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is also little changed. The yen is the weakest of the G-10 currencies, falling 0.4% against the greenback and pushing USD/JPY above 152.
In rates, treasuries are steady with US 10-year yields trading around 4.435%, little changed on the day, with bunds and gilts outperforming by 1.5bp and 2.5bp in the sector; front-end Treasuries lagging has 2s10s spread flatter by 1.2bp, extending a three-day move that has seen the curve drop from around 30bp Wednesday to current 21bp. Bunds and gilts outperform over early London session, but price action broadly quiet ahead of the January nonfarm payrolls print expected at 8:30am New York time; German and UK 10-year yields down 1 bp each.
In commodities, oil prices advance, with WTI rising 0.8% to $71.20 a barrel. Spot gold climbs $8 to around $2,864/oz. Bitcoin rises 0.5% and above $97,000.
Looking to the day ahead, US economic data calendar includes January jobs report (8:30am), February University of Michigan sentiment, December wholesale inventories (10am) and December consumer credit (3pm). Fed speaker slate includes Bowman (9:25am) and Kugler (12pm).
Market Snapshot
S&P 500 futures little changed at 6,102.25
STOXX Europe 600 down 0.1% to 544.29
MXAP up 0.2% to 185.64
MXAPJ up 0.6% to 583.58
Nikkei down 0.7% to 38,787.02
Topix down 0.5% to 2,737.23
Hang Seng Index up 1.2% to 21,133.54
Shanghai Composite up 1.0% to 3,303.67
Sensex down 0.4% to 77,741.03
Australia S&P/ASX 200 down 0.1% to 8,511.43
Kospi down 0.6% to 2,521.92
German 10Y yield little changed at 2.36%
Euro little changed at $1.0393
Brent Futures up 0.6% to $74.70/bbl
Gold spot up 0.4% to $2,868.64
US Dollar Index little changed at 107.64
Top Overnight News
US President Trump signed an executive memo ordering a review of funding to all NGOs that rely on federal dollars, while it was also reported that the Trump administration is to keep just 294 USAID staff out of over 10,000 globally, according to sources cited by Reuters. In relevant news, the Trump administration is being sued by government workers over slashing of international aid agency USAID.
US House Speaker Johnson said they were working to finish the final details of the reconciliation bill and could wrap up the deal by Thursday night.
In just two weeks as Treasury chief, Scott Bessent has seen plenty of turbulence. The department became a target of Elon Musk’s crackdown on federal spending — triggering protests outside Bessent’s office — and investors are on edge over President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies: BBG
House republicans are torn over the level of spending cuts, House GOP initially proposed USD 500bln to USD 1tln, conservative hardliners are pushing for at least USD 2.5tln: Punchbowl
US President Trump has reportedly placed VP Vance and NSA Waltz in charge of overseeing a potential sale of TikTok: Punchbowl
Fed’s Logan (2026 voter) said choices in 2025 boil down to resuming rate cuts soon or holding rates steady for quite some time, while she added that near-2% inflation with the labour market holding steady would not necessarily allow the Fed to cut rates soon. Logan also stated that a rise in inflation would signal monetary policy has more to do and cooling labour market or demand could be evidence it’s time to cut rates. Furthermore, she said estimates of the real neutral rate in the US vary widely, but most have moved up substantially since the pandemic and it will always be important to take broad financial conditions into account when setting monetary policy.
Porsche AG is falling further off track from lofty targets set during its splashy stock listing, with costs mounting from executives having misjudged how eager sports-car buyers were to go electric: BBG
Private equity’s favorite tax break is back in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs. Trump on Thursday told Republican lawmakers he wants to end the carried interest exemption used by legions of private equity fund managers and venture capitalists around the country, arguing it could be used to offset the multitrillion-dollar tax cut Republicans plan to pass before the end of the year: BBG
New York-based hedge fund Fir Tree Partners — known for instigating activist campaigns against distressed companies — is returning outside capital to investors: BBG
A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk
APAC stocks traded mixed following the similar performance stateside where price action was choppy amid soft data and as participants looked ahead to the latest key US jobs report. ASX 200 struggled for direction as strength in tech and consumer staples offset the losses in energy and healthcare. Nikkei 225 was pressured by recent currency strength and mild upside in yields but with losses cushioned by stronger-than-expected Household Spending data which showed a surprise M/M growth and the fastest Y/Y pace of increase since August 2022. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were on the front foot despite the absence of any major fresh catalysts with participants potentially taking solace from the lack of trade war escalation, while the gains in Hong Kong were led by advances in tech and auto names.
Top Asian News
Chinese Foreign Minister, in response to a media inquiry regarding reports that China is exploring a potential antitrust probe into Apple (AAPL) policies related to its app store policies and fees, says “he was not aware of the situation”, via Global Times
UMC (2303 TT) revenue +4.2% Y/Y to TWD 19.8bln.
RBI cut the Repurchase Rate by 25bps to 6.25%, as expected, via a unanimous vote and unanimously decided to maintain a neutral policy stance, while the Standing Deposit Facility rate was adjusted to 6.0% and the Marginal Standing Facility Rate was set at 6.5%. RBI Governor Malhotra stated that CPI has mostly stayed aligned with the target, barring a few occasions, as well as noted that growth is expected to recover and growth-inflation dynamics will open up space to support growth. He also commented that food inflation pressures should see significant softening, barring supply shocks, and core inflation is expected to rise but remain moderate. The central bank lowered its FY25 real GDP growth forecast to 6.4% from 6.6% and sees FY26 real GDP growth at 6.7%, while it maintained FY25 CPI inflation view at 4.8% and sees FY26 CPI inflation at 4.2%. Furthermore, Malhotra said exchange rate policy has remained consistent, with intervention focused on smoothing excess volatility and the RBI does not target any exchange rate level or band.
China mutual funds have reportedly been buying convertible bonds amid less supply with end-Q4 2024 fund holdings of convertible bonds reaching CNY 287.7bln, according to China Securities Journal.
European bourses (Stoxx 600 +0.1%) are mixed, with trade tentative ahead of the all-important US NFP report. European traders will also be cognizant of the ECB Staff Revision of the Natural Interest Rate. European sectors are mixed, and aside from the top/bottom performers, the breadth of the market is fairly narrow. Construction and Materials tops the pile, lifted by post-earning strength in Vinci; Consumer Products is weighed on by losses in L’Oreal (-4%) after posting weak LFL Sales in Q4 and highlighting poor Chinese demand.
Top European News
ECB’s Lane says services inflation in January was softer-than-expected; 2% inflation target should be achieved “fairly soon”.
ECB’s de Guindos says inflation is beginning to converge to 2% in spring, services inflation remains top price concern, need prudent approach to monetary policy.
FX
DXY is a touch softer with the USD mixed vs peers (firmer vs. havens, weaker vs. cyclicals). Today is of course NFP day with headline payrolls expected to slow to 170k from 256k and the unemployment rate hold steady at 4.1%. Note, today will also see the BLS publish its annual benchmark revisions.
EUR/USD is steady vs. the USD in the run-up to today’s publication of the ECB’s neutral rate. Ahead of which, ECB Chief Economist Lane has suggested that it is best not to focus too much on the neutral rate. EUR/USD is currently capped by the 1.04 mark and within yesterday’s 1.0352-1.0405 range.
JPY is a touch softer vs. the USD as havens lag cyclicals. Overnight, USD/JPY saw two-way price action in which it initially extended on recent declines after stronger-than-expected Household Spending data from Japan but then rebounded off support around the 151.00 level. Since then, the pair has made its way up to a 151.89 peak.
GBP is attempting to recoup some of Thursday’s BoE-induced losses, which were triggered by a “dovish cut” from the MPC as uber-hawk surprised markets with a vote for a 50bps cut. Cable is currently tucked within yesterday’s 1.2359-1.2509 range.
Antipodeans are both incrementally firmer vs. the USD in what has been a strong showing this week for both currencies after a shaky performance on Monday.
PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1699 vs exp. 7.2780 (prev. 7.1691).
BoC Governor Macklem said they are facing new uncertainty with a shift in policy direction in the US and President Trump’s threats of new tariffs are already affecting business and household confidence, particularly in Canada and Mexico. Furthermore, Macklem said the world looks increasingly shock-prone and the longer the uncertainty persists, the more it will weigh on economic activity in their countries.
Fixed Income
USTs are flat and are awaiting today’s US NFP report, as well as the benchmark payroll revisions. Firstly, the pace of payroll additions is expected to ease towards recent averages with consensus looking for 170k; though, hurricane, wildfire, cold weather and industrial factors could all impact and weigh on the headline. Into the release, USTs hold in a particularly narrow 109-13+ to 109-20 band with yields mixed and the curve itself a touch flatter.
Bunds are contained; German export data was better than expected but sparked little move at the time. Bunds find themselves at the top-end of 133.29-49 band which is entirely within Thursday’s 133.13-61 parameters. No reaction to commentary from ECB’s Lane or de Guindos this morning, who both spoke on inflation. Traders are awaiting the ECB Natural Interest Rate release, due at 12:00GMT / 07:00 ET. Ahead of the release it is worth revisiting remarks from recent officials on where they think the Neutral Rate is, to surmise: Lagarde 1.75-2.25%; Schnabel 2.0-3.0%; Rehn 2.2-2.8%, Villeroy & Stournaras around 2.0% and Centeno >2.0%.
Gilts are contained with specifics light post-BoE and as the fixed complex is focussed on upcoming events from the ECB and US BLS. As such, Gilts are pivoting the unchanged mark in a 93.06-93.49 band.
Commodities
Crude futures overnight attempted to pick themselves up from the prior day’s trough. Newsflow was light this morning but Iran delivered some punchy rhetoric in which Leader Khamenei said talks with the US are neither smart, wise, nor honourable, according to IRNA. Brent Apr resides in a USD 74.26-75.12/bbl parameter.
Spot gold remains afloat but within Thursday’s ranges as the yellow metal bides times ahead of the US Jobs reports. China’s Financial Regulator will allow insurance funds to purchase gold as part of a pilot project – modest upticks in prices were seen around this time. Spot gold resides in a current USD 2,855.98-2,870.73/oz parameter.
Copper futures overnight edged mild gains amid the positive risk sentiment seen in its largest buyer, with traders now looking ahead to the US jobs report. 3M LME copper resides in a USD 9,295.97-9,433.00/t range.
China’s Financial Regulator will allow insurance funds to purchase gold as part of pilot project
Geopolitics
Russian Kremlin’s Peskov says Russia is open to negotiations on Ukraine.
IAEA Head Grossi says the number of attacks on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has increased; adds the situation is tough, via Tass
“Al-Arabiya sources: Hamas informed mediators that Israel did not abide by the agreed humanitarian protocol” and as such Hamas is “Delaying the names of hostages scheduled to be released tomorrow”.
Russia’s Kremlin says Russia and the US have not yet begun to discuss a possible Trump-Putin meeting and there have been no initial contacts about whether such a meeting is needed or where and how it might take place if it is, according to IFAX.
Israel’s army conducted a strike in Lebanese territory on two military sites that contained Hezbollah weapons.
Taiwan announced that it detected six Chinese balloons near the island, while it also detected nine Chinese military aircraft, six warships and two official ships in the prior 24 hours.
US Event Calendar
08:30: Jan. Change in Nonfarm Payrolls, est. 175,000, prior 256,000
Jan. Change in Private Payrolls, est. 158,000, prior 223,000
Jan. Unemployment Rate, est. 4.1%, prior 4.1%
Jan. Underemployment Rate, prior 7.5%
Jan. Labor Force Participation Rate, est. 62.5%, prior 62.5%
Jan. Average Weekly Hours All Emplo, est. 34.3, prior 34.3
Jan. Average Hourly Earnings YoY, est. 3.8%, prior 3.9%
Jan. Average Hourly Earnings MoM, est. 0.3%, prior 0.3%
10:00: Dec. Wholesale Trade Sales MoM, est. 0.5%, prior 0.6%
Dec. Wholesale Inventories MoM, est. -0.5%, prior -0.5%
10:00: Feb. U. of Mich. Sentiment, est. 71.8, prior 71.1
Feb. U. of Mich. Current Conditions, est. 73.7, prior 74.0
Feb. U. of Mich. Expectations, est. 70.1, prior 69.3
Feb. U. of Mich. 1 Yr Inflation, est. 3.3%, prior 3.3%
Feb. U. of Mich. 5-10 Yr Inflation, est. 3.2%, prior 3.2%
15:00: Dec. Consumer Credit, est. $14.6b, prior -$7.49b
DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap
As we reach the end of another exhausting week where the themes at the end of it are a long way from where they were on the Monday, I have a film recommendation for you for the weekend if you’re looking to switch off, especially if you like music! It’s over 10 years old but I finally watched a film called “Searching for Sugarman” last weekend. It was a remarkable documentary that if paraded as fiction you would say was too unrealistic. It is about a musician who was relatively unknown in the US (circa 1970) and soon went back to labouring after releasing two unsuccessful albums.
Unbeknown to him he became bigger than Elvis in South Africa (selling half a million copies) but in an age of apartheid and without the internet, they knew nothing about him and the stories were that he was dead. It took 25 years for him to realise his fame abroad and for them to realise he wasn’t dead. You can then see the movie for what happened next. It inspired me to believe that my former band Vapour Trail might be bigger than the Beatles in say North Korea. I live in hope.
After Monday’s trade-related slump, film scriptwriters would have been thrown out for a plot that had markets hitting or approaching their highs by the end of the week. But that’s what’s happened, and last night the S&P 500 (+0.36%) closed less than 1% away from its all-time high, whilst Europe’s STOXX 600 (+1.17%) hit a new record. In fact, the German DAX (+1.47%) even took its YTD gains above the 10% mark, making it the only major global index to do so this year, which is pretty striking when you consider the sensitivity of German automakers to the tariff threats. Nevertheless, markets have continued to take the trade news in their stride, and investors remain sceptical that President Trump will follow through on his more aggressive threats, which has helped to support a broader recovery in risk assets since the weekend.
Having said that, the positive mood has lost a bit of ground on Amazon’s results after the close. The company delivered a solid earnings beat but this was overshadowed by slower cloud growth and weaker guidance for Q1, with projected operating income in the $14bn to $18bn range (vs $18.2bn average estimate). Amazon’s CEO noted capacity constraints in cloud computing, with plans to invest $100bn in 2025, and its shares fell by about -4% in after-market trading. If confirmed in today’s regular session, it would make it 4 out of 6 of the Magnificent 7 reporting so far that’s seen a negative market reaction. See my CoTD yesterday here that speculates whether the hyperscalers within the Mag-7 are in a “winner’s curse” at the moment, where to stay in the game they have to spend mind boggling sums on Capex. Like the telcos in 1999/00 with 3G licences but obviously without the debt. This capex spend encourages share price appreciation when no-one has any doubts about eventual AI monetisation, but begins to become an issue when doubts emerge. You have certainly seen that a bit more this results season.
Of the Mag-7 there is now just Nvidia left to report on February 26th so the group have some space now. And prior to Amazon’s results, tech stocks had a pretty solid day, with the Mag-7 (+0.68%) and NASDAQ (+0.51%) slightly outperforming the S&P 500 (+0.36%). That said, the equity gains were far from uniform with equal-weighted S&P 500 (-0.12%) and the small cap Russell 2000 (-0.39%) both retreating.
Overnight in Asia, we’ve seen a mixed performance for equity markets. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng (+1.28%) is on track for its highest closing level since October, and both the CSI 300 (+1.59%) and the Shanghai Comp (+1.32%) have also seen solid gains. But elsewhere the performance has been more negative, with the Nikkei (-0.55%) and the KOSPI (-0.41%) both losing ground, whilst US equity futures are also pointing a bit lower, with those on the S&P 500 down -0.09%.
Meanwhile in Japan, there was further strong economic data overnight, with real household spending up +2.7% year-on-year in December (vs. +0.5% expected). That’s the fastest pace since August 2022, which is helping to cement expectations that the BoJ will keep hiking over the months ahead. Indeed, the 2yr Japanese government bond yield (+3.3bps) is up to 0.79%, which is the highest it’s been since 2007. And the 10yr yield is up +2.7bps to 1.29%, the highest since 2011.
Looking forward now, today’s main highlight will be the US jobs report for January, which is coming out at 13:30 London time. In terms of what to expect, our US economists are looking for nonfarm payrolls at +175k, dipping down from the 9-month high of +256k in December. Part of that downtick is because of the Los Angeles wildfires, which occurred during the survey week, but they think the unemployment rate should remain at 4.1%. The other important feature of today’s report is the annual benchmark revisions, meaning that the previous 5 years of payrolls are subject to revisions this month. For more details, see our economists’ preview here and how to sign up for their subsequent webinar.
Ahead of the jobs report, the weekly initial jobless claims were a bit worse than expected, rising to 219k in the week ending February 1 (vs. 213k expected). That also pushed the 4-week moving average up to 216.75k, its highest so far this year. But even so, US Treasury yields ticked up across the curve, with the 2yr yield up +2.6bps to 4.215%, whilst the 10yr yield was up +1.8bps to 4.44%. That came as investors dialled back the likelihood of rate cuts this year, with the amount priced in by December down -2.7bps on the day to 44bps. That’s continued to dial back overnight, following comments from Dallas Fed President Logan that even if inflation moved close to 2% in the months ahead, “it wouldn’t necessarily allow the FOMC to cut rates soon, in my view”.
Other notable comments came in an interview by Treasury Secretary Bessent, who reiterated a preference for lower 10yr yields, which he said would naturally come down under Trump’s policies. He also said he did not “foresee any changes in the issuance (of Treasuries) for the foreseeable future” and noted that the US would continue to have a “strong dollar” policy.
Over in Europe, the main story came from the UK, as the Bank of England delivered another 25bp rate cut, taking their policy rate down to 4.5%. Significantly, the vote was a 7-2 split, with the two dissenters wanting a larger 50bp rate cut, and their latest forecasts halved the growth projection for 2025 to 0.75%, down from 1.5% three months ago. On top of that, they’re now forecasting CPI inflation rising to 3.7% in Q3, so in general the forecasts moved in a stagflationary direction.
With investors anticipating more rate cuts this year in response, sterling was the worst-performing G10 currency on the day, weakening -0.56% against the US Dollar. However, even though front-end gilt yields fell initially, they ended the day higher after Governor Bailey said he wouldn’t “put too much weight on the voting”. So by the close, the 2yr gilt yield was up +2.2bps, and the 10yr gilt yield was up +4.9bps. In addition, the rhetoric from the BoE themselves was still fairly cautious, with the summary saying that “a gradual and careful approach to the further withdrawal of monetary policy restraint is appropriate.”
Elsewhere in Europe, the risk-on tone was clear from several angles, as the STOXX 600 (+1.17%) pushed up to a new record. Those moves were also evident in the bond market, where yields on 10yr bunds (+1.2bps) moved a bit higher, and there was a fresh tightening in sovereign bond spreads as well. In fact, the Franco-German 10yr spread tightened to just 71.3bps yesterday, which is the tightest it’s been since mid-September.
Finally on central banks, today is also set to bring the ECB’s review on where they see r*, or what’s called the neutral/natural/equilibrium interest rate. In simple language, it’s the rate at which monetary policy is neither stimulating nor restricting the economy, hence “neutral”. But it’s a theoretical concept that can’t be directly observed, so economists have a range of estimates for where that is for different countries. For markets, the significance is it’ll offer an indication of how far the ECB think their current deposit rate of 2.75% is above neutral, and hence how much further they might cut rates.
To the day ahead, and the main highlight will be the US jobs report for January. Other data releases include the University of Michigan’s preliminary consumer sentiment index for February (watch inflation expectations), along with German industrial production for December. From central banks, we’ll hear from ECB Vice President de Guindos, the Fed’s Bowman and Kugler, along with the BoE’s Pill.
2B) EUROPEAN REPORT
Stocks and bonds trade tentatively ahead of US NFP and ECB Natural Interest Rate; AMZN -2.6% on weak guidance – Newsquawk US Market Open
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 05:36 AM
Stocks and bonds trade tentatively ahead of US NFP and ECB Natural Interest Rate.
AMZN -2.6% pre-market after it beat expectations but issued weak Q1 guidance.
USD mixed vs. peers ahead of NFP, GBP is attempting to recoup lost ground, havens narrowly lag.
Upward bias in industrial commodities while precious metals await US jobs.
Looking ahead, ECB Staff Revision of Natural Interest Rate, US NFP, Payrolls Benchmark Revision, Canadian Jobs, UoM Survey, Speakers including Fed’s Bowman & Kugler.
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EUROPEAN TRADE
EQUITIES
European bourses (Stoxx 600 +0.1%) are mixed, with trade tentative ahead of the all-important US NFP report. European traders will also be cognizant of the ECB Staff Revision of the Natural Interest Rate.
European sectors are mixed, and aside from the top/bottom performers, the breadth of the market is fairly narrow. Construction and Materials tops the pile, lifted by post-earning strength in Vinci; Consumer Products is weighed on by losses in L’Oreal (-4%) after posting weak LFL Sales in Q4 and highlighting poor Chinese demand.
US equity futures are mixed, and ultimately trading on either side of the unchanged mark, as traders remain focused of the US NFP later today, alongside Payrolls Benchmark Revisions.
China Auto Industry Body CPCA says Tesla (TSLA) sold 63,238 China-made vehicles in January (prev. 93,766 M/M; 71,447 Y/Y)
Microchip Technology (MCHP) -6.5%: Q3 miss, evaluating all aspects of business.
FX
DXY is a touch softer with the USD mixed vs peers (firmer vs. havens, weaker vs. cyclicals). Today is of course NFP day with headline payrolls expected to slow to 170k from 256k and the unemployment rate hold steady at 4.1%. Note, today will also see the BLS publish its annual benchmark revisions.
EUR/USD is steady vs. the USD in the run-up to today’s publication of the ECB’s neutral rate. Ahead of which, ECB Chief Economist Lane has suggested that it is best not to focus too much on the neutral rate. EUR/USD is currently capped by the 1.04 mark and within yesterday’s 1.0352-1.0405 range.
JPY is a touch softer vs. the USD as havens lag cyclicals. Overnight, USD/JPY saw two-way price action in which it initially extended on recent declines after stronger-than-expected Household Spending data from Japan but then rebounded off support around the 151.00 level. Since then, the pair has made its way up to a 151.89 peak.
GBP is attempting to recoup some of Thursday’s BoE-induced losses, which were triggered by a “dovish cut” from the MPC as uber-hawk surprised markets with a vote for a 50bps cut. Cable is currently tucked within yesterday’s 1.2359-1.2509 range.
Antipodeans are both incrementally firmer vs. the USD in what has been a strong showing this week for both currencies after a shaky performance on Monday.
PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1699 vs exp. 7.2780 (prev. 7.1691).
BoC Governor Macklem said they are facing new uncertainty with a shift in policy direction in the US and President Trump’s threats of new tariffs are already affecting business and household confidence, particularly in Canada and Mexico. Furthermore, Macklem said the world looks increasingly shock-prone and the longer the uncertainty persists, the more it will weigh on economic activity in their countries.
USTs are flat and are awaiting today’s US NFP report, as well as the benchmark payroll revisions. Firstly, the pace of payroll additions is expected to ease towards recent averages with consensus looking for 170k; though, hurricane, wildfire, cold weather and industrial factors could all impact and weigh on the headline. Into the release, USTs hold in a particularly narrow 109-13+ to 109-20 band with yields mixed and the curve itself a touch flatter.
Bunds are contained; German export data was better than expected but sparked little move at the time. Bunds find themselves at the top-end of 133.29-49 band which is entirely within Thursday’s 133.13-61 parameters. No reaction to commentary from ECB’s Lane or de Guindos this morning, who both spoke on inflation. Traders are awaiting the ECB Natural Interest Rate release, due at 12:00GMT / 07:00 ET. Ahead of the release it is worth revisiting remarks from recent officials on where they think the Neutral Rate is, to surmise: Lagarde 1.75-2.25%; Schnabel 2.0-3.0%; Rehn 2.2-2.8%, Villeroy & Stournaras around 2.0% and Centeno >2.0%.
Gilts are contained with specifics light post-BoE and as the fixed complex is focussed on upcoming events from the ECB and US BLS. As such, Gilts are pivoting the unchanged mark in a 93.06-93.49 band.
Crude futures overnight attempted to pick themselves up from the prior day’s trough. Newsflow was light this morning but Iran delivered some punchy rhetoric in which Leader Khamenei said talks with the US are neither smart, wise, nor honourable, according to IRNA. Brent Apr resides in a USD 74.26-75.12/bbl parameter.
Spot gold remains afloat but within Thursday’s ranges as the yellow metal bides times ahead of the US Jobs reports. China’s Financial Regulator will allow insurance funds to purchase gold as part of a pilot project – modest upticks in prices were seen around this time. Spot gold resides in a current USD 2,855.98-2,870.73/oz parameter.
Copper futures overnight edged mild gains amid the positive risk sentiment seen in its largest buyer, with traders now looking ahead to the US jobs report. 3M LME copper resides in a USD 9,295.97-9,433.00/t range.
German Trade Balance, EUR, SA (Dec) 20.7B vs. Exp. 17.0B (Prev. 19.7B); Exports MM 2.9% vs. Exp. -0.6% (Prev. 2.1%); Imports MM 2.1% vs. Exp. 1.8% (Prev. -3.3%)
German Industrial Output MM (Dec) -2.4% vs. Exp. -0.6% (Prev. 1.5%)
French Trade Balance, EUR, SA (Dec) -3.905B (Prev. -7.085B, Rev. -6.340B)
UK Halifax House Prices MM (Jan) 0.7% vs. Exp. 0.2% (Prev. -0.2%)
UK BBA Mortgage Rate (Jan) 7.49% (Prev. 7.5%)
NOTABLE EUROPEAN HEADLINES
ECB’s Lane says services inflation in January was softer-than-expected; 2% inflation target should be achieved “fairly soon”.
ECB’s de Guindos says inflation is beginning to converge to 2% in spring, services inflation remains top price concern, need prudent approach to monetary policy.
NOTABLE US HEADLINES
Punchbowl says US house republicans are torn over the level of spending cuts, House GOP initially proposed USD 500bln to USD 1tln, conservative hardliners are pushing for at least USD 2.5tln.
US President Trump has reportedly placed VP Vance and NSA Waltz in charge of overseeing a potential sale of TikTok, via Punchbowl citing sources.
BofA Institute (w/e Feb 1st) Total Card Spending +0.9% Y/Y (prev. 2.2%) average in Dec; spending in South seems to have recovered from snowstorms driven decline
Fed’s Logan (2026 voter) said choices in 2025 boil down to resuming rate cuts soon or holding rates steady for quite some time, while she added that near-2% inflation with the labour market holding steady would not necessarily allow the Fed to cut rates soon. Logan also stated that a rise in inflation would signal monetary policy has more to do and cooling labour market or demand could be evidence it’s time to cut rates. Furthermore, she said estimates of the real neutral rate in the US vary widely, but most have moved up substantially since the pandemic and it will always be important to take broad financial conditions into account when setting monetary policy.
US President Trump signed an executive memo ordering a review of funding to all NGOs that rely on federal dollars, while it was also reported that the Trump administration is to keep just 294 USAID staff out of over 10,000 globally, according to sources cited by Reuters. In relevant news, the Trump administration is being sued by government workers over slashing of international aid agency USAID.
US House Speaker Johnson said they were working to finish the final details of the reconciliation bill and could wrap up the deal by Thursday night.
GEOPOLITICS
Russian Kremlin’s Peskov says Russia is open to negotiations on Ukraine.
IAEA Head Grossi says the number of attacks on Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has increased; adds the situation is tough, via Tass
“Al-Arabiya sources: Hamas informed mediators that Israel did not abide by the agreed humanitarian protocol” and as such Hamas is “Delaying the names of hostages scheduled to be released tomorrow”.
Russia’s Kremlin says Russia and the US have not yet begun to discuss a possible Trump-Putin meeting and there have been no initial contacts about whether such a meeting is needed or where and how it might take place if it is, according to IFAX.
Israel’s army conducted a strike in Lebanese territory on two military sites that contained Hezbollah weapons.
Taiwan announced that it detected six Chinese balloons near the island, while it also detected nine Chinese military aircraft, six warships and two official ships in the prior 24 hours.
CRYPTO
Bitcoin is a little weaker and trading just shy of USD 93k; Ethereum posts deeper losses and down to USD 2.7k
APAC TRADE
APAC stocks traded mixed following the similar performance stateside where price action was choppy amid soft data and as participants looked ahead to the latest key US jobs report.
ASX 200 struggled for direction as strength in tech and consumer staples offset the losses in energy and healthcare.
Nikkei 225 was pressured by recent currency strength and mild upside in yields but with losses cushioned by stronger-than-expected Household Spending data which showed a surprise M/M growth and the fastest Y/Y pace of increase since August 2022.
Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were on the front foot despite the absence of any major fresh catalysts with participants potentially taking solace from the lack of trade war escalation, while the gains in Hong Kong were led by advances in tech and auto names.
NOTABLE ASIA-PAC HEADLINES
Chinese Foreign Minister, in response to a media inquiry regarding reports that China is exploring a potential antitrust probe into Apple (AAPL) policies related to its app store policies and fees, says “he was not aware of the situation“, via Global Times
UMC (2303 TT) revenue +4.2% Y/Y to TWD 19.8bln.
RBI cut the Repurchase Rate by 25bps to 6.25%, as expected, via a unanimous vote and unanimously decided to maintain a neutral policy stance, while the Standing Deposit Facility rate was adjusted to 6.0% and the Marginal Standing Facility Rate was set at 6.5%. RBI Governor Malhotra stated that CPI has mostly stayed aligned with the target, barring a few occasions, as well as noted that growth is expected to recover and growth-inflation dynamics will open up space to support growth. He also commented that food inflation pressures should see significant softening, barring supply shocks, and core inflation is expected to rise but remain moderate. The central bank lowered its FY25 real GDP growth forecast to 6.4% from 6.6% and sees FY26 real GDP growth at 6.7%, while it maintained FY25 CPI inflation view at 4.8% and sees FY26 CPI inflation at 4.2%. Furthermore, Malhotra said exchange rate policy has remained consistent, with intervention focused on smoothing excess volatility and the RBI does not target any exchange rate level or band.
China mutual funds have reportedly been buying convertible bonds amid less supply with end-Q4 2024 fund holdings of convertible bonds reaching CNY 287.7bln, according to China Securities Journal.
DATA RECAP
Japanese All Household Spending MM (Dec) 2.3% vs. Exp. -0.5% (Prev. 0.4%); YY (Dec) 2.7% vs. Exp. 0.2% (Prev. -0.4%)
China gold reserves end-Jan USD 206.53bln (vs end-Dec USD 191.34bln); Gold reserves 73.65mln toz (prev. 73.29mln toz). Chinese FX Reserves (Monthly) (Jan) 3.209Trl vs. Exp. 3.2Trl (Prev. 3.202Trl)
2C ASIAN REPORT
AMZN slips 4% after earnings, RBI cuts 25bps as expected; US NFP ahead – Newsquawk Europe Market Open
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 01:49 AM
APAC stocks traded mixed following the similar performance stateside where price action was choppy amid soft data and as participants looked ahead to the latest key US jobs report.
Amazon (AMZN) shares slipped 4.1% after-market as Q1 net sales guidance fell notably short of analysts’ expectations.
RBI cut the Repurchase Rate by 25bps to 6.25%, as expected, via a unanimous vote and unanimously decided to maintain a neutral policy stance; Mexican Interest Rate 9.5% vs. Exp. 9.5% (Prev. 10.0%) with the decision made by split vote (4-1).
Russia’s Kremlin said Russia and the US have not yet begun to discuss a possible Trump-Putin meeting and there have been no initial contacts about whether such a meeting is needed or where and how it might take place if it is, according to IFAX.
European equity futures indicate a lower cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures down 0.4% after the cash market closed with gains of 1.6% on Thursday.
Looking ahead, highlights include ECB Staff Revision of Natural Interest Rate, German Industrial Output, US NFP, Payrolls Benchmark Revision, Canadian Jobs, UoM Survey, Speakers including ECB’s de Guindos, Fed’s Bowman & Kugler.
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US TRADE
EQUITIES
US stocks and bonds were choppy ahead of Friday’s key NFP report and the major indices finished mixed gains in the Nasdaq and S&P 500, while the DJIA and Russell 2000 closed in the red.
Nonetheless, sectors were predominantly higher as Financials, Staples and Tech outperformed, while Energy and Health Care were the laggards.
SPX +0.36% at 6,084, NDX +0.54% at 21,774, DJI -0.28% at 44,748, RUT -0.39% at 2,307.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent said they could see a small one-time price adjustment with tariffs and commented that he sees China eating some tariffs.
Hong Kong Post continues to suspend postal service for items containing goods to the US and has started communication with USPS to clarify matters including the US imposing tariffs.
Canada’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister said the US has not set out clear objectives to resolve tariff issues.
NOTABLE HEADLINES
Fed’s Goolsbee (2025 voter) said it seems the job market is settling at full employment and the effect of tariffs on inflation may be hard to discern, while the first-order effect of tariffs on prices may be less important than possible impact on expectations. Goolsbee also stated that he feels the neutral rate is well below current Fed policy, but it is appropriate to slow the pace of cuts to find a stopping point.
Fed’s Logan (2026 voter) said choices in 2025 boil down to resuming rate cuts soon or holding rates steady for quite some time, while she added that near-2% inflation with the labour market holding steady would not necessarily allow the Fed to cut rates soon. Logan also stated that a rise in inflation would signal monetary policy has more to do and cooling labour market or demand could be evidence it’s time to cut rates. Furthermore, she said estimates of the real neutral rate in the US vary widely, but most have moved up substantially since the pandemic and it will always be important to take broad financial conditions into account when setting monetary policy.
Fed’s Waller (voter) said a stablecoin is like a synthetic dollar and if it makes payments faster and cheaper, he is all for it but noted they need regulation for stablecoins and “the faster the better”. Waller said will make the dollar even more of a reserve currency, while he responded the Fed would not run such a thing when asked about a possible Bitcoin strategic reserve and he does not see a case for retail CBDC in the US.
White House outlined its tax priorities in a meeting with House GOP leaders on Thursday, while the list includes campaign promises like ending taxes on tips and Social Security benefits, according to a White House official cited by Axios.
White House is reportedly preparing an order to cut thousands of federal health workers and an executive order could come as soon as next week if the Trump administration goes ahead with plans, according to WSJ.
US President Trump signed an executive memo ordering a review of funding to all NGOs that rely on federal dollars, while it was also reported that the Trump administration is to keep just 294 USAID staff out of over 10,000 globally, according to sources cited by Reuters. In relevant news, the Trump administration is being sued by government workers over slashing of international aid agency USAID.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent said he met with Fed Chair Powell and had a very constructive discussion. Bessent also commented that there is a lot of misinformation about DOGE and the Treasury, while he added that DOGE has “absolutely not” had the power to change the system. Furthermore, he said they want the dollar to be strong and a strong dollar policy is completely intact under Trump, as well as noted that the US is never going to default on its debt and he wants to get data on bondholder thoughts on the debt limit.
US House Speaker Johnson said they were working to finish the final details of the reconciliation bill and could wrap up the deal by Thursday night.
APAC stocks traded mixed following the similar performance stateside where price action was choppy amid soft data and as participants looked ahead to the latest key US jobs report.
ASX 200 struggled for direction as strength in tech and consumer staples offset the losses in energy and healthcare.
Nikkei 225 was pressured by recent currency strength and mild upside in yields but with losses cushioned by stronger-than-expected Household Spending data which showed a surprise M/M growth and the fastest Y/Y pace of increase since August 2022.
Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were on the front foot despite the absence of any major fresh catalysts with participants potentially taking solace from the lack of trade war escalation, while the gains in Hong Kong were led by advances in tech and auto names.
US equity futures traded little changed as all focus turned to the looming US jobs data, with price action also not helped by recent disappointing earnings updates including Amazon’s weak guidance.
European equity futures indicate a lower cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures down 0.4% after the cash market closed with gains of 1.6% on Thursday.
FX
DXY traded little changed following yesterday’s inconclusive performance and soft data releases with participants lacking conviction ahead of the looming Non-Farm Payrolls report.
EUR/USD remained constricted after stalling just shy of the 1.0400 handle and following recent dovish ECB rhetoric.
GBP/USD took a breather with the pair above 1.2400 after clawing back the losses from the BoE’s ‘dovish’ rate cut.
USD/JPY saw two-way price action in which it initially extended on recent declines after stronger-than-expected Household Spending data from Japan but then rebounded off support around the 151.00 level.
Antipodeans eked slight gains amid the lack of fresh catalysts and the ultimately mixed risk appetite, while the PBoC continued to set a much firmer-than-expected yuan reference rate.
PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1699 vs exp. 7.2780 (prev. 7.1691).
Mexican Interest Rate 9.5% vs. Exp. 9.5% (Prev. 10.0%) with the decision made by split vote (4-1) in which Heath dissented and voted for a 25bps cut, while Governor Rodriguez said they will consider 50bp cuts at the next meetings.
BoC Governor Macklem said they are facing new uncertainty with a shift in policy direction in the US and President Trump’s threats of new tariffs are already affecting business and household confidence, particularly in Canada and Mexico. Furthermore, Macklem said the world looks increasingly shock-prone and the longer the uncertainty persists, the more it will weigh on economic activity in their countries.
FIXED INCOME
10yr UST futures lacked demand after recent indecisiveness, soft data and as the key US jobs report looms.
Bund futures were uneventful above the 133.00 level with German trade data and industrial production scheduled later.
10yr JGB futures declined amid the slight upside in Japanese yields and better-than-expected household spending data.
COMMODITIES
Crude futures attempted to pick themselves up from the prior day’s trough after prices were dragged lower by comments from US President Trump who stated they will drive the price of oil down and everything else would follow, while he also said they are making good progress to stop the Russia-Ukraine war.
Spot gold remained afloat and marginally extended on yesterday’s intraday rebound, while Citi expects gold prices to stay elevated this year and potentially reach the USD 3,000/oz level.
Copper futures edged mild gains amid the positive risk sentiment seen in its largest buyer.
CRYPTO
Bitcoin gradually advanced overnight after breaching back through the USD 97,000 level.
NOTABLE ASIA-PAC HEADLINES
RBI cut the Repurchase Rate by 25bps to 6.25%, as expected, via a unanimous vote and unanimously decided to maintain a neutral policy stance, while the Standing Deposit Facility rate was adjusted to 6.0% and the Marginal Standing Facility Rate was set at 6.5%. RBI Governor Malhotra stated that CPI has mostly stayed aligned with the target, barring a few occasions, as well as noted that growth is expected to recover and growth-inflation dynamics will open up space to support growth. He also commented that food inflation pressures should see significant softening, barring supply shocks, and core inflation is expected to rise but remain moderate. The central bank lowered its FY25 real GDP growth forecast to 6.4% from 6.6% and sees FY26 real GDP growth at 6.7%, while it maintained FY25 CPI inflation view at 4.8% and sees FY26 CPI inflation at 4.2%. Furthermore, Malhotra said exchange rate policy has remained consistent, with intervention focused on smoothing excess volatility and the RBI does not target any exchange rate level or band.
China mutual funds have reportedly been buying convertible bonds amid less supply with end-Q4 2024 fund holdings of convertible bonds reaching CNY 287.7bln, according to China Securities Journal.
DATA RECAP
Japanese All Household Spending MM (Dec) 2.3% vs. Exp. -0.5% (Prev. 0.4%)
Japanese All Household Spending YY (Dec) 2.7% vs. Exp. 0.2% (Prev. -0.4%)
GEOPOLITICS
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli PM Netanyahu told Channel 14 that President Trump told him that Trump is in contact with a number of countries to implement his plan to displace Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.
Israel’s army conducted a strike in Lebanese territory on two military sites that contained Hezbollah weapons.
White House Press Secretary said President Trump has made it clear he will not be sending boots on the ground in Gaza.
OTHER
Russia’s Kremlin says Russia and the US have not yet begun to discuss a possible Trump-Putin meeting and there have been no initial contacts about whether such a meeting is needed or where and how it might take place if it is, according to IFAX.
Taiwan announced that it detected six Chinese balloons near the island, while it also detected nine Chinese military aircraft, six warships and two official ships in the prior 24 hours.
3B NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA
end
3C JAPAN
end
3D. CHINA/
CHINA /PANAMA
why Trump is taking over control of the Panama canal
(epochTimes)
Decades-Long Chinese Influence In Panama Begins To Unravel
About 10 years ago, Louis Sola’s family maritime business was given a concession to build a marina and cruise port on Amador, a causeway located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.
“This would have been the very first cruise port in the Pacific,” Sola, who now serves as the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission chairman, said.
Everything changed in 2017 when Panama signed on with the Chinese regime’s Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative required the Panamanian government to recognize Taiwan as part of China—much to the surprise and concern of the United States, which has positioned itself as an ally of Taiwan.
Panama then rescinded the concession on the land where the Sola family had planned to spend $30 million on a cruise port.
Instead, Panama nationalized the project, gave a concession to a Chinese company, and paid it $300 million to build the cruise port.
Additionally, the land that would have been used to build a marina was designated as an embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
Eventually, the Solas got the land back, and U.S. and domestic pressure ended the Chinese regime’s plans of building an embassy at Amador.
In the most recent blow to China, Panama’s president announced on Feb. 2 that it will not renew its Belt and Road agreement with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—a significant win for President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign.
Beijing’s Influence
Sola’s personal story, told during a Jan. 28 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing, underscores what has become a hot-button topic—Chinese influence at the Panama Canal.
The 100-year-old strategic waterway, largely ignored in U.S. policy for decades, has taken center stage in growing tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Chinese infrastructure and ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific ends of the Panama Canal have some experts concerned that Beijing has de facto control of the strategic waterway, a potential violation of the U.S.–Panama Neutrality Treaty, which places U.S. national security at risk.
While military leaders have raised the alarm over the Chinese regime’s rising influence at the Panama Canal and throughout Latin America, the issue came to the forefront when incoming President Donald Trump announced on social media in December 2024 that the canal was “solely for Panama to manage, not China.”
Trump also complained that U.S. ships, which are the top users of the canal, were being “ripped off” with high fees, another potential violation of the treaty to deal with all nations fairly.
After taking office in January, Trump said the canal was being operated by the Chinese regime and vowed to intervene, prompting denials from Beijing and Panama.
“China is operating the Panama Canal,” Trump said during his inaugural speech. “And we didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.”
National Security Risk
Chinese soldiers don’t have to be on the ground for the CCP to disrupt the canal and jeopardize U.S. national security should the United States be drawn into a conflict with the Chinese regime over Taiwan, according to Andrés Martínez-Fernández, a senior policy analyst for Latin America at the Heritage Foundation.
The fact that two of Panama’s five principal ports are controlled by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings—at Balboa on the Pacific side and at Cristóbal on the Atlantic side—is a significant concern for some analysts.
Equally worrisome, in 2018 a Chinese consortium headed by China’s state-owned China Harbour Engineering Company and China Communications Construction Company was awarded a $1.4 billion contract for the canal’s fourth bridge.
“The canal is very vulnerable to any kind of sabotage,” Martínez-Fernández told The Epoch Times. “We’re not talking a [Chinese] warship in order to do that.”
The canal has both economic and military significance for the United States because it represents a strategic chokepoint, making it a critical pathway for U.S. warships in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the case of military conflict with the Chinese regime.
Some $270 billion of cargo passes through the canal each year, amounting to 5 percent of global maritime trade volume. More than 70 percent of that transits to or from U.S. ports.
The United States handed sovereignty of the Panama Canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.
The agreement included the Neutrality Treaty, in which the United States retained the right to use military force to secure the canal from foreign aggression or threats to its neutrality.
For Panama, the canal is part of its national identity and its biggest moneymaker, generating some $28 billion for the country over the past 25 years, according to Panama.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said on Jan. 30 that it would be “impossible” to return the canal to U.S. control and that Panama could not arbitrarily remove concessions from companies linked to China, referring to the Hutchison ports.
However, Panama announced in January that it is auditing the Chinese port concessions.
Panama Ports Co., controlled by CK Hutchison Holdings, was notified of an audit shortly after Trump’s accusations that the CCP controls the waterway, according to the Panama Maritime Authority.
Martínez-Fernández said he believes the most likely diplomatic solution to the U.S. concern over national security will be to reduce Chinese presence along the canal and ports.
“These investments in this infrastructure from China, around the canal, around other parts of the region, the Caribbean, and South America just raise a lot of red flags,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese regime has publicly supported Panama’s ownership and control of the canal, playing on Panama’s national identity and sovereignty to strengthen its political foothold.
Wang Yi, Chinese state councilor and CCP foreign minister, called Panama a “friend and good partner” during a 2021 phone call with Erika Mouynes, the Panamanian foreign minister.
Yi stated that China would “continue to support Panama’s efforts to defend its legitimate rights and interests on the international stage, including Panama’s sovereignty over the canal.”
Neutrality Issue
When flying into Panama, billboards advertising the Bank of China greeted visitors until recently.
According to residents in Panama who spoke with The Epoch Times, the billboards were taken down right before U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panama’s president on Feb. 2.
The billboards highlight Beijing’s influence in Panama, and Trump, in a post on social media shortly before Rubio’s visit, said Panama was attempting to take down 64 percent of signs written in Chinese.
“They are all over the [Panama Canal] Zone because China controls the Panama Canal,” Trump stated on Jan. 28. “Panama is not going to get away with this!”
Although Panama decided not to renew its Belt and Road agreement with China directly after Rubio’s visit, the fact remains that two of Panama’s key ports are controlled by a Hong Kong-based company.
CK Hutchison Holdings first won a bid to operate those two ports in 1997, but since then, Beijing has cracked down on the city’s independence and brought it firmly under the communist regime’s control.
Smoke billows amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Tyre, southern Lebanon, October 7, 2024.(photo credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)
The IAF struck two military sites in Lebanon on Thursday, the military confirmed, citing the presence of Hezbollah weaponry.
According to the IDF, the presence of these weapons, as well as attempts to smuggle weaponry into Lebanese territory through the Syrian border, constituted a violation of the current ceasefire.
Additionally, the terror organization has reportedly attempted to build infrastructure in the areas under attack.
Two military sites found to have contained Hezbollah weapons near the Litani River were attacked, the IDF stated.
Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire
The current ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah will remain in place until February 18 unless another extension is agreed upon.
Smoke rises behind buildings in Beirut, Lebanon September 27, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EMILIE MADI)
During the previous round of ceasefire negotiations, which occurred in January, sources close to the now-US President Donald Trump reportedly warned Israeli officials, “We don’t want the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon to collapse.”
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/ICC/USA
SUPER NEWS
Trump imposes sanctions on International Criminal Court
Donald Trump said the ICC abused its power by issuing “baseless arrest warrants” targeting Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
By HANNAH SARISOHNFEBRUARY 7, 2025 00:42Updated: FEBRUARY 7, 2025 01:01
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump holds a signed executive order in the Oval Office last week.(photo credit: Carlos Barria/Reuters)
Trump said the ICC abused its power by issuing “baseless arrest warrants” targeting Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to the order.
“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is a party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC,” the order said. “Neither country has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war.”
Trump said the US expects its allies to oppose any ICC actions against the US, Israel or any other of its allies that have not consented to ICC jurisdiction.
ICC PROSECUTOR Karim Khan speaks during an interview in The Hague, earlier this year. (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)
Consequences of US sanctions on ICC
According to the order, the US will impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions which may include the blocking of property and assets, as well as the suspension of entry into the US for ICC officials, employees, agents and their immediate family members.
The order said any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
According to the order, protected persons include current or former members of the US armed forces; current or former elected or appointed US government officials; any foreign person that is a citizen or lawful resident of a US ally that has not consented to ICC jurisdiction; current or former members of the armed forces of US allies; current or former elected or appointed government officials of US allies; or any other person currently or formerly employed by or working on behalf of such a government.
The order does not prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the federal government by employees, grantees or contractors.
A bill that would’ve sanctioned the ICC failed to pass through the Senate in January with Republicans failing to reach the 60 vote threshold needed by six votes.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/ HOSTAGES
Three male hostages expected for Saturday release, ceasefire negotiations to continue
“I will not rest until every last hostage is returned,” Trump stated.
By AMICHAI STEINFEBRUARY 6, 2025 20:21Updated: FEBRUARY 6, 2025 21:54
(Illustrative) Three male silhouettes over a backdrop of a Hamas stage for hostage releases in Jabalya.(photo credit: Designed with elements from Canva, REUTERS/Adley Abu Taha, Sketchify)
Three Israeli male hostages are expected to be released on Saturday in what will be the fifth round of releases since the Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal began. Seventy-nine hostages remain in Hamas captivity.
The list of hostages is expected to be delivered by Hamas to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Friday before being transferred to Mossad Director David Barnea.
In previous rounds, hostages were released on Saturday morning. However, officials now fear that recent statements by US President Donald Trump – regarding destroying Hamas and relocating Gazans to other countries – might provide Hamas with an excuse to delay or disrupt the process.
“Trump’s statements have an influence on the current ceasefire and the hostage deal,” an official told The Jerusalem Post, “but I think phase one will absorb the noise that goes through.”
A working delegation is set to travel to Qatar this weekend and will focus on ongoing negotiations within phase one, which will reach day 21 – the halfway point – on Saturday.
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff looks on, at the White House, in Washington, US, February 3, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ELIZABETH FRANTZ)
On Thursday, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with the Qatari Prime Minister at Mar-a-Lago. The discussions centered on the second phase of the hostage deal, following Witkoff’s consultations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington.
That same day, Trump stated, “I will not rest until every last hostage is returned.”
Netanyahu is pushing to extend phase one, aiming for additional rounds of hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners, some with heavy blood on their hands. However, officials cautioned that even if phase one is extended, it may only allow for one additional round of releases beyond the original day 42 deadline.
Philadelphi corridor withdrawal
This is due to the requirement that, by day 50, Israel must withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, the Gazan border with Egypt – something Netanyahu has vehemently opposed. Nonetheless, Netanyahu and other officials indicated that if Hamas leadership agrees to leave the Gaza Strip and go into exile, “that changes things.”
The Trump administration appears eager to advance negotiations toward phase two, which would involve the release of all remaining hostages. Trump even warned, “We will be more violent” if they are not freed.
However, some officials question whether the ongoing rhetoric from Trump and Israeli leaders – particularly declarations that Hamas will be eliminated – could hinder the possibility of a phase two agreement.
“The question of whether there will be a phase two depends on whether Israel can fulfill Hamas’s demands and what Israel will demand in return,” an official said. “Both of these issues will be very difficult to resolve.
END
Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami set to be released as part of hostage deal’s fifth wave
Hamas had initially delayed providing the list of the three hostages they would release.
By GADI ZAIGFEBRUARY 7, 2025 19:08Updated: FEBRUARY 7, 2025 20:25
Hostages Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami are scheduled to return from Gaza captivity Saturday, February 7, 2025 (illustration).(photo credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami are to be the next set of hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, the prime minister’s office confirmed Friday.
The three have been held captive by the terrorist organization for 491 days. Both Ben Ami and Sharabi are residents of Kibbutz Be’eri.
Levy, now 34, was attending the Nova Music Festival on October 7 with his 32-year-old wife, Eynav, leaving their two-year-old son Almog with his grandparents. Hamas killed Eynav and abducted Or to Gaza. He is a resident of Rishon Lezion and worked as a programmer at a startup company.
Sharabi’s wife Leanne and their two daughters Noya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were also murdered on October 7. His brother, Yossi Sharabi, was murdered in captivity with his body still held in Gaza. Leanne came from England as a volunteer to work at Kibbutz Be’eri where their family lived.
Ben Ami was abducted alongside his wife Raz, although she was freed during the hostage deal in November 2023. His family was among many of the hostages’ families who protested tirelessly for his release.
The remains of the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists at Kibbutz Be’eri near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen on Jan. 4, 2024. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
In his free time, Ohad spent his time cycling, though his friends whom he cycled with stopped riding together after he was kidnapped, and waited for his return to ride together again.
His daughter, Ella, posted an Instagram story responding to her father’s release, saying “Nothing could’ve prepared my lungs for this moment.”
Two of the hostages are residents of Kibbutz Be’eri
Kibbutz Be’eri issued an official statement on the release of Ben Ami and Sharabi, saying that they’re “thrilled for their release after 491 days of uncertainty, of pain and anger.
“We have not stopped praying, protesting and waiting for this moment – the moment when we will finally be able to see Eli and Ohad safe. Alongside the joy of seeing them return to us, there is immense pain and agonizing for those who are still held hostage.
“This will not go back to normal until all the hostages return safely to their families, and until all the murdered can be returned for their burial.”
So far, 13 Israeli hostages of the 33 children, women and older men set to be released in the first, 42-day phase of the agreement have come home, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have been released in exchange. Five Thai hostages have also been returned.
The Health Ministry stated that the hostages released on Saturday will arrive at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sheba Medical Center after they undergo an initial medical assessment.
Work on the second stage of the multi-phase agreement, aimed at securing the release of around 60 male hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, has begun and an Israeli negotiating team was expected to fly on Saturday to Doha, Israeli media reported on Friday.
The hostages that have been released in the deal’s first phase as of Friday are Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher, Naama Levy, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Moses, Ofer Kalderon, Yarden Bibas, and Keith Siegel. The Thai hostages also released are Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Lamnao Surasak.
END
SYRIA/LEBANON
this is interesting
Syrian army advances into Lebanese territory, clashes with Hezbollah
The confrontation between the Syrian Army and Hezbollah on Lebanese soil marks a major shift in regional dynamics.
By RIZIK ALABI / THE MEDIA LINEFEBRUARY 6, 2025 22:25
Hezbollah and Syrian flags flutter on a military vehicle in Western Qalamoun, Syria August 28, 2017.(photo credit: OMAR SANADIKI/REUTERS)
For the first time since the fall of the Assad regime and the decline of Hezbollah’s influence in Syria, Syrian Army forces aligned with the new Syrian administration have entered areas of Hermel, Lebanon, sparking fierce clashes with Hezbollah fighters.
The fighting, which began early Thursday, escalated as Syrian forces repelled Hezbollah’s attempted advances near the Syrian town of Al Qusayr, a longtime stronghold of the Iran-backed group.
A field source told The Media Line that Hezbollah fighters launched multiple attempts to push into Al Qusayr but were met with heavy resistance from the Syrian Army, which forced them back into Lebanon. As the situation escalated, Syrian forces crossed into Hawik, a Lebanese town in the Hermel region, where intense combat forced Hezbollah elements to retreat.
Lebanese political activist Omar Salloum, speaking to The Media Line, described Hawik as a border town frequently used for Hezbollah-run smuggling operations. The fighting, he said, lasted throughout the day, involving exchanges of gunfire with light and medium weapons. Mortar shells were also deployed by the Syrian Army to prevent further Hezbollah incursions near Al Qusayr, a strategic hub for smuggling weapons and drugs.
Amid the escalating violence, The Media Line obtained footage from Damascus showing Syrian Army personnel captured by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Reports suggest that these prisoners were being treated in violation of international detention standards. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports indicate that the Syrian Army had also captured Hezbollah fighters.
Fighters of the ruling Syrian body patrol the streets in Homs, Syria, December 26, 2024 (credit: REUTERS/KHALIL ASHAWI)
Syrian border with Lebanon
Since the December 8, 2024, collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime, the new Syrian administration has worked to secure its porous border with Lebanon, aiming to curb arms and drug smuggling. Several large-scale smuggling operations have been intercepted in recent weeks, reflecting Syria’s renewed effort to assert control over its territory.
Historically, Hezbollah has relied on these smuggling routes to transport weapons, narcotics, and other supplies vital to its operations. However, as Hezbollah remains engaged in a prolonged conflict with Israel, its ability to operate freely along the border has been severely weakened. Despite these setbacks, Thursday’s clashes suggest Hezbollah is attempting to reassert its presence in border regions it once controlled.
While the extent of the conflict remains unclear, the confrontation between the Syrian Army and Hezbollah on Lebanese soil marks a major shift in regional dynamics. The new Syrian government’s willingness to engage Hezbollah militarily signals a break from past alliances, adding another layer of instability to the region.
end
ISRAEL/Hezbollah
IDF says airstrikes targeted Hezbollah arms depots that violated ceasefire
Military vows to ‘prevent any attempt’ by Lebanese terror group to rearm * US State Department confirms Rubio to visit Israel during mid-February trip to Mideast
The IDF confirms carrying out strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, saying fighter jets hit a pair of sites where the Iran-backed terrorist group was storing weaponry in violation of the ceasefire reached in November.
A statement from the Israel Defense Forces describes the strikes as “targeted” and vows the military “will prevent any attempt by the Hezbollah terror organization to rearm, in accordance with the understandings of the ceasefire agreement.”
end
oh oh! delays by Hamas in releasing hostage names
ISRAEL//HAMAS
Hamas delaying list of hostage names due to Israel ‘failing humanitarian obligations’ – report
The delay is allegedly in retaliation for what Hamas claims is Israel not adhering to agreed-upon humanitarian protocol.
20 Gaza hostages still in Hamas captivity waiting to be released in the first phase of the deal.(photo credit: REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes, Hostages and Missing Families Forum, X via Section 27A Copyright Act.)
Hamas is deliberately delaying the submission of the list of hostages to be released on Saturday, sources told the Saudi state-owned news outlet Al Arabiya on Friday.
The delay is allegedly in retaliation for what Hamas claims is Israel not adhering to agreed-upon humanitarian protocol.
Sources told Al Arabiya that Hamas informed the mediators that Israel had failed to enable the entry of mobile homes and tents into Gaza,and had not provided the equipment needed to remove rubble, and had not provided enough fuel.
Hamas called on mediators, especially Egypt and Qatar, to put pressure on Israel to ensure the implementation of the agreement, the report added.
Trucks carrying aid line up near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, February 1, 2024. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)
Earlier in the morning, Hamas claimed on Telegram that not enough patients had been able to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment and that Israel was preventing field hospitals from treating the wounded.
The number of patients who left was, according to the terror group, only 120. Hamas said it has a list of 35,000 patients in “dire need of treatment outside the Strip.”
Aid trucks
Hamas also alleged that only 76 aid trucks entered the Strip and that there were no blankets or winter clothes.
The Rafah municipality said it was lacking 40,000 tents and shelter units. It also revealed that 40% of patients with kidney problems died due to lack of necessary treatment.
“Only about 10% of the humanitarian aid stipulated in the agreement has entered the Strip,” Hamas added.
The Hamas claims contradict reports from COGAT, which said that since the start of the hostage deal, over 12,000 trucks carrying humanitarian aid have entered Gaza.
end
HAMAS/ISRAEL//
Hamas doc. reveals group’s anxiety over emigration, terrorists delay hostage list release
Netanyahu’s popularity surges • Israel awaits fifth hostage exchange news
Foreign barbarians and assimilation: Hamas deeply concerned about Gazans emigrating, doc. reveals
This comes following US President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this week of his plan to relocate residents from the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries.
By ANNA BARSKYFEBRUARY 7, 2025 13:16Updated: FEBRUARY 7, 2025 13:23
Illustrative image of Hamas terrorists.(photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90, Canva, REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
Hamas sees the emigration of young Gazans from the Gaza Strip as a great concern since this population forms the nucleus of the terror group’s strength, according to a document seized by the IDF and exposed by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (MAITIC) on Thursday.
This comes following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his plan to relocate residents of the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries earlier this week.
According to unofficial data, approximately 250,000 young people have left Gaza since 2007, primarily due to economic conditions.
A survey revealed that 44% of young people in Gaza have considered emigrating, mainly for economic reasons.
The document published by the MAITIC, titled “Young People Chasing an Illusion,” and written by Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade, a brigade within the terror group’s military wing, describes emigration as a serious threat to Hamas’s power.
Hamas terrorists seen before a hostage release in Gaza City, February 1, 2025 (credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)
“Even if Trump’s plan does not materialize, the opening of the Rafah Crossing and additional border crossings could trigger a significant wave of emigration from the Gaza Strip, given the extensive destruction and uncertainty about the future,” experts from the center assessed.
Such a scenario, they argue, would pose a major challenge for Hamas, which would struggle to prevent young people from emigrating.
This phenomenon could weaken the terror group’s political and military grip on the public in Gaza.
The document reveals how the terror group attempted to combat this trend through religious and nationalist rhetoric, portraying emigration as a betrayal of Islamic values and the Palestinian struggle.
It defines emigration as a severe threat on three levels: religious, moral, and social.
Hamas warns young people against the “illusion of an easy life” in foreign countries, placing particular emphasis on the dangers of emigration for those involved in jihadist activities, describing them as a “precious treasure” that could fall into the hands of foreign intelligence agencies.
The central message is that emigration, even if it brings economic prosperity, constitutes a betrayal of the national struggle and a grave religious sin, with consequences that will be felt “in this world and the next.”
The document also expresses deep concern about the “assimilation” of emigrants and their families.
The author of the document specifically warns against marriages with foreign women (referred to as “barbarians” in the text), which could lead to the rise of a generation of children disconnected from their cultural and national roots.
The document concludes with a call against emigration from Gaza, employing a combination of religious and nationalist rhetoric.
The author presents a stark dichotomy between resistance and surrender, harshly criticizing those who choose to leave while others remain to fight.
The author reinforces his arguments by referencing a Saudi-authored booklet that warns against emigration, which was also seized by the IDF.
The booklet, based on Islamic sources, presents emigration as a spiritual and cultural threat, placing the emigrant in a constant state of alienation—torn between the desire for a comfortable life and the duty to preserve religious and cultural identity.
The booklet outlines various dangers faced by Muslim emigrants in foreign countries, including exposure to “tempting” Western culture, the health hazards in the consumption of non-halal food, exposure to diseases, pandemics, and sexually transmitted infections, alongside ongoing psychological stress and uncertainty.
Criticism of Trump’s plan
Arab states have criticized Trump’s relocation plan, reaffirming the right of Gaza’s residents to remain in Gaza and their commitment to a two-state solution.
Egypt is also leading a diplomatic effort to form a united Arab front against the proposal, seeking to rally European support as well.
Jordan’s king warned that it would undermine regional security, while Egypt emphasized that it would not allow the permanent resettlement of Palestinians on its territory.
The foreign ministers of five Arab countries also sent a joint letter to the US Secretary of State, voicing their opposition.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, issued a rare statement in Hebrew, emphasizing the “Palestinians’ right to all of Palestine, from the river to the sea.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister mocked the plan and sarcastically suggested that instead of relocating Palestinians, “Israelis should be sent to Greenland.”
Hezbollah and the Houthis have joined the chorus of opposition, accusing the US and Israel of attempting the “complete annihilation and expulsion” of the Palestinians.
The Houthis have pledged “unrestricted support” for Egypt and Jordan should they confront Washington over the issue.
The Iranian Axis has labeled the plan a grave violation of international law, criticizing the “silence of the free world” and the “cowardice” of Arab states in the face of the American initiative.
end
IRAN
Iran Inaugurates First-Ever Drone Carrier Warship In Persian Gulf
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 04:15 AM
Iran on Thursday unveiled and inaugurated its first ever drone-carrier warship, which features a 180-meter long runway for UAVS, and which is capable of carry several helicopters.
Manned by the elite paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s navy (IRGC), the vessel is dubbed Shahid Bagheri, and is further capable of launching cruise missiles.
Iran’s military and media is touting that the ship is able to travel “independently” across the globe’s oceans for up to one year, and it can go up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports.
The vessel began its life as a commercial ship, and was overhauled and completely re-outfitted for as a drone carrier.
“The Revolutionary Guards took action to transform a commercial ship… into a mobile naval platform capable of carrying out drone and helicopter missions in the oceans,” said Navy Commander of the Revolutionary Guards Alireza Tangsiri.
“The addition of this ship to our fleet is an important step in increasing the defense and deterrence capability of Iran in distant waters and in maintaining our national security interests,” Tangsiri added.
State IRNA has touted that the carrier has a capacity of carrying 60 drones. A state TV broadcast unveiling the Shahid Bagheri showed at least four helicopters and three UAVs on the warship’s runway at the time of the footage.
Tehran officials are further hailing it as the “largest naval military project” in the history of the Islamic Republic.
State media footage featuring the drone carrier in action…
Chief of the Guard’s navy Adm. Ali Reza Tangsiri described that the project to transform a commercial vessel into a drone warship took over two years, and that it even features a hospital and gym for the crew.
Some military analysts in the West have criticized that Iran’s drone arsenal mainly consists of much bigger drones, and that the released footage seems to feature smaller RC jet planes.
In that sense, it would indeed be a lot of fun to launch RC planes off this thing…
It is joining the IRGC fleet in the Persian Gulf, and is now sailing after last year’s major Iranian attack on Israel using ballistic missiles and drones. Small drone warfare is becoming increasingly prominent in hotspots around the world.
For example, Russia heavily relies on Iranian suicide drones during attacks on Ukrainian cities – something which the West has fiercely condemned.
ISRAEL/ARAB TOWNS INSIDE ISRAEL
WEST BANK/ ISRAEL
END
SYRIA/RUSSIA
end
RUSSIA/UKRAINE/
Ukraine Launches New Offensive In Kursk, Marks 6 Months Of Holding Russian Territory
by Tyler Durden
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 02:45 AM
Ukraine launched a fresh offensive on Russian territory in the Kursk region, Russia’s military confirmed Thursday, which marks six months since Kiev forces first crossed the border in a risky gambit to take and control territory inside Russian borders.
The defense ministry announced Russian troops had “foiled an attempted counter-offensive by the Ukrainian armed forces.” Kremlin officials have condemned the Ukrainian operation as a big distraction from the front lines in the Donbass, where Moscow is clearly winning.
What’s clear is that Zelensky sees Kursk as a big (and perhaps lone) bargaining chip. Ukraine has little leverage in what’s expected to be an upcoming negotiated peace settlement, so it looks to be trying to grab on to all it can, amid Trump pressure to engage in discussions with Moscow.
Zelensky in a Thursday social media post urged his forces to keep up the fight in Kursk. “The occupier can and should be beaten on its territory,” he wrote. “The Kursk operation clearly explains the meaning of the principle of ‘peace through strength’” – in what was also a clear appeal for external Western backers to step up support.
Kiev has also touted that its forces captured 909 Russian soldiers during the six-month offensive there. This as there was just another successful POW swap involving 300 troops (with each side releasing 150 of the imprisoned).
Zelensky said of captured Russians, “We have significantly replenished our exchange fund — hundreds and hundreds of Russian soldiers whom we are exchanging to bring Ukrainians back from captivity” in the context of the Kursk offensive.
But again, the Kremlin has emphasized that it stopped the new offensive. According to the AFP:
It said the new fighting was around the villages of Ulanok and Cherkasskaya Konopelka, southeast of the regional hub of Sudzha, which is under Ukrainian control. The area is about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Russia said Ukraine had deployed two mechanized battalions, tanks and armored vehicles in the attempted attack. There has been no comment on the fresh offensive from officials in Kyiv.
Russia has further claimed that Ukraine’s losses in the new assaulted totaled over 200 service members and about 50 combat and support vehicles, including eight tanks, five infantry fighting vehicles, one armored personnel carrier and 30 armored fighting vehicles, and other equipment, as cited in TASS.
But there are competing narratives on who ultimately has the upper-hand in Kursk region…
Special Report | Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion: Six Month Assessment ⬇️
A small group of Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast have complicated the Russian military's efforts to advance in Ukraine over the last six months. Roughly a division's worth of Ukrainian troops have undermined… pic.twitter.com/Y8NW64fdBf
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) February 6, 2025
Still, given six months have past since the August Kursk offensive began, regaining territory has been a struggle for Russa. But President Putin has likely not made it a top priority enough to transfer forces from the Donbass, which what Kiev has hoping he would do. The Kremlin didn’t take the bait of dividing the bulk of its forces, it appears.
END
RUSSIA/UKRAINE
ROBERT H
On Ukraine
NATO in Kursk is: 57,860 KIAs and 337 tanks of VSU destroyed. Washington and London’s understanding of the modern warfare is lacking. Yes, NATO special forces hand picked are in Kursk and die equally as well as Ukrainians. And this show wants more actors? Ukrainian KIA’s number more than 1,250,000 and counting daily. There is a reason why Ukraine can only get 1 of 10 recruits to the line of contact where they die in 30 minutes. It used to be 4 hours. This is how efficient the meat grinder is. It is why even the Columbian Mercenaries are deserting on mass not fulfilling their contracts. Contracts mean little when you are dead. And being on the contact line means you will die. And Europe wants more? Sure send in the French and Brits in quantity and they too will enrich the soil by death. The efficiency of the Russian army is being honed daily. In typical Russian fashion they make mistakes, learn and adapt and kill. Why anyone wants this experience while countries rot from within is truly a mystery.
Microplastics are making their way into human brains at higher levels than in other vital organs, according to new findings.
The study, published in Nature Medicine on Feb. 3, confirms that tiny plastic fragments are passing through the brain’s protective blood-brain barrier, potentially impacting health and cognitive function.
Researchers from the University of New Mexico (UNM) tested autopsy samples from 2016 and 2024. They found that over just 8 years, the amount of microplastic fragments in the brain has increased by about 50 percent. Brain samples from 2024 contained microplastics equal in weight to a plastic spoon.
Brains affected by dementia showed significantly higher concentrations of these plastic particles.
Finding such high concentrations in the brain was unexpected and alarming, Matthew Campen, lead researcher and toxicologist, told The Epoch Times during a press conference.
“People are simply being exposed to ever-increasing levels of micro- and nanoplastics,” said Campen. The particles are so small, they’re roughly the width of two COVID viruses standing side by side, he noted.
The rate of accumulation “is simply mirroring the environmental buildup and exposure.” As plastic breaks down over time, it degrades and becomes small enough to enter the human body and brain.
Plastic Pollution in Organs
Brain tissue contained 7 to 30 times more microplastics than other vital organs like the livers or kidneys, making it one of the most plastic-polluted tissues yet examined.
Researchers tested 52 human brain samples from both 2016 and 2024, all taken from the frontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for judgment, decision-making, and muscle movement.
In the brain, the microplastic concentration reached around 5,000 micrograms per gram—far higher than the liver and kidneys, which carried around 400 micrograms of plastics per gram.
The study also compared earlier brain samples from the eastern U.S. (1997–2013), which had lower microplastic levels, around 1,250 micrograms per gram. Their findings support a trend of gradual increases in plastic accumulation in the organs over time, with 2024 showing the highest levels.
To visualize the amount of microplastics in the brain, Campen held up a plastic spoon. Since the brain weighs around 1,400 grams (or three pounds), having 5,000 micrograms of plastic per gram would amount to over 5 grams of plastic in total—roughly the weight of a plastic spoon.
In deceased people with dementia, levels reached much higher levels of over 26,000 micrograms per gram. In the dementia samples, some particles were clumped together in areas with inflammation, raising concerns about a possible link between microplastics and brain tissue damage, according to the researchers.
However, while the study correlates microplastics to dementia, the study does not prove that higher plastic levels in the brain directly cause dementia symptoms.
It is also possible that the disease process itself may hinder the brain’s ability to clear out the accumulated plastics, Campen added.
Common Plastic Found in the Brain
Researchers found 12 types of plastic in the brain, with polyethylene (PE), commonly used in bottles, bags, and containers, making up 75 percent of the total. Other plastics included types commonly found in packaging, car parts, pipes, flooring, bottles, containers, fabrics, and other industrial products.
“It was notable that these are largely mirroring proportions of polymers that we do see in our environment,” Marcus Garcia, study co-author and postdoctoral researcher at UNM, explained to The Epoch Times during the press briefing.
The particles in the brain were mostly sharp nanoscale shards and flakes. These tiny particles are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, although Campen says it’s still unclear how exactly the particles enter the brain.
Researchers believe that micro- and nanoplastics may enter the body through eating, drinking, and breathing. These particles have been found in various parts of the body, including arteries, hearts, lungs, blood, and placentas. A study published on Jan. 30 found plastic pollution to be significantly higher in placentas from premature births.
One possible reason for the buildup, according to Garcia, is that organs like the liver and kidneys are designed to filter toxins, while the brain has more limited clearance systems.
Another theory is that brain tissue, which is about 60 percent fat, may better “trap” plastic particles.
“If you’ve ever cleaned a Tupperware bowl that had bacon grease or butter in it, you know, it takes a lot of soap and hot water. It’s really hard to get the plastics and fats apart,” Campen said. He suggests that microplastics might be “hijacking” their way into the brain along with dietary fats being metabolized.
The finding also lends concerns to plastics being used in some medical applications, like heart stents or artificial joints.
According to Campen, the physical properties of the plastic particles could be the main issue, rather than any chemical toxicity.
These plastics might obstruct blood flow in capillaries, he speculated. There is also the potential that they could interfere with the connections between brain cells. But “we just don’t know for sure.”
Bigger Picture
Despite the concerning rise in microplastics, Campen believes the data provide some optimism: The observation that plastic levels are similar in both older and younger people suggests that there may be natural processes at play to help manage or rid the body of them over time.
The researchers believe that many of these particles come from older “decades old, degraded plastics” that have been discarded and left to break down in the environment over the years, Campen said. This insight can help guide environmental policies that include older sources, rather than focusing solely on newer products.
Effective environmental policies aimed at reducing plastic pollution could help limit future exposure, Campen said. Microplastic pollution is increasing rapidly, with levels in the environment doubling every 10 to 15 years, he said, and adding that addressing the source of this pollution could help slow down this build up in our bodies.
Currently, no treatment exists to remove microplastics from the body. To help reduce exposure, Campen and his colleagues are investigating the sources of microplastics in the environment, including in soil, plants, and even meat.
“I don’t feel comfortable with this much plastic in my brain,” Campen said. “I don’t want to wait 30 more years to see what happens if the concentrations keep rising.”
maybe it’s just an idea by 47? maybe thinking outside the box by 47? but cui bono? does it benefit ‘DEVELOPERS’? WHO ARE THEY? it is times like this a hat tip is in order for Alex Berenson
I myself, I admit, am trying to get up to steam with this and think of the implications, the benefits, risks, if this is a real assertion or just bloviating? Can this be an answer?
I ask, would this ‘muscular’ American foreign policy under Trump (some call it a ‘bully foreign policy, I do not agree with this contention) drive a new Cold War
they have power & if in Executive (POTUS), they wield that, if in legislative branch, they govern with that, if judicial, as they still OWN the courts (& now not the Executive or legislative) so they
They did this same shit in Term 1 even when Trump had congress, senate, and WH in first 2 years…like now, even stronger power then…no doubt they had help then from one of the most dangerous persons ever to hold power, that being Paul ‘Benedict Arnold’ Ryan, Speaker, who thwarted every Trump move in partnership with Bitch McConnell (note, Ryan is only outdone in anti-American evil by Ovomitus Obama the Manchurian ‘not eligible to be POTUS not born in US’ etc.)…so as we see, Democrats are headed to the courts and getting judges to block all Trump’s EOs…so Trump can flash whole day with signing them, Democrats will shut them down and eventually get the courts to rule.
This is what democrats do Republicans judicially each time! This is what I mean by ragdoll…As they are doing now using the judicial branch of government!
They do not have power in the executive at present, do not hold majorities in house or senate, so they then go where they have power…the judicial branch.
And BTW, the same USAID contracts and money you raving about Musk finding, note, Republicans benefitted as much as Democrats…the surnames of Republican house and senate members are on those contracts and their children and grandchildren…just like on the Ukraine contracts…ssshhh, shit, did I just say that?
NO: Ski great Jarl Magnus Riiber retires at 27; Bangladeshi singer Sabina Yasmin collapses on stage; AU: Skyhooks guitarist “Bongo” Starkie has leukemia, DJ Kyle Sandilands has brain surgery
Dave Matthews Suddenly Cancels FireAid Benefit Performance Due to ‘Critical Illness’
January 29, 2025
Dave Matthews will no longer be performing at the two benefit concerts he was due to appear at this week. The sudden cancellation was announced in a brief statement shared on the official Dave Matthews Band Instagram page on Wednesday, Jan. 29, just one day before he was due to take the stage at the Kia Forum with John Mayer for the star-studded FireAid benefit concert raising funds for Los Angeles-area wildfire relief. The 58-year-old singer-songwriter was also scheduled to perform at another charity event the following day, but his appearance at MusiCares’ 2025 Persons of the Year benefit gala honoring the Grateful Dead has also been canceled. “Due to a critical illness in the family, Dave Matthews is unfortunately unable to perform at the FireAid and MusiCares benefits this week,” the official statement explained.
Death from Above 1979 postpones this week’s San Antonio show
January 28, 2025
Dance-rock duo Death From Above 1979 said in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram post that it’s pushing back several tour dates, including this Saturday’s show at the Paper Tiger. The sudden postponement affects Wednesday’s show in Denver as well as performances Thursday in Dallas, Friday in Austin and Sunday in Houston. “It is with tremendous disappointment that we announce the postponement of the following dates due to a sudden family emergency,” the announcement read. Death from Above 1979 consists of bassist Jesse Keeler and drummer-vocalist Sebastien Grainger. “In the balance, family is heavier than Rock’n’Roll. We you,” the message from the duo concluded.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams unwell, limiting appearances, office says
January 27, 2025
New York City Mayor Eric Adams [64] is ill and is limiting his public schedule this week as he has medical tests, his office said. “Over the last few days, Mayor Adams hasn’t been feeling his best,” Fabien Levy, a City Hall spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday evening. Levy said the mayor had several doctors’ appointments and had scheduled routine medical tests. Levy gave no further details about the mayor’s illness.
Researcher’s note – Two years ago, Adams lifted the “vaccination” mandate for city workers after firing 1,800: Link
Ricky Walden withdraws from German Masters over medical emergency
January 30, 2025
Ricky Walden has been dealt a tough blow at the German Masters, forced to withdraw at the last minute before his anticipated clash with Barry Hawkins. The news broke on Thursday morning, leaving fans surprised and Hawkins with a free pass to the quarter-finals. The 42-year-old snooker player was set to take on Hawkins at Berlin’s iconic Tempodrom, but an overnight medical emergency meant Walden couldn’t compete.
Ski great to retire aged 27 after Crohn’s diagnosis
January 30, 2025
Jarl Magnus Riiber, the most successful Nordic combined athlete of all time, will retire at the end of the season aged 27 after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The Norwegian has a record 76 individual World Cup wins, a joint-record five World Cup overall titles and eight World Championship golds in the discipline, which combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing. His retirement means he will not take part in next year’s Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. “Although the team doctors and Lillehammer hospital have given me excellent support and are optimistic I could continue competing as normal, there are uncertainties about whether my health will hold up.”
Sabina Yasmin collapses on stage, brought home from hospital
February 1, 2025
After more than a year, legendary Bangladeshi singer Sabina Yasmin returned to the stage, only to fall ill and be rushed to the hospital. On Friday evening, while performing at a hotel in Dhaka, she suddenly felt unwell and was taken to a nearby private hospital. Following initial treatment, she is now in stable condition, according to her relative Jahangir Sayeed. Sabina Yasmin had been away from the stage for over a year, spending a long time abroad for medical treatment as her cancer had relapsed. After undergoing treatment and radiotherapy, she recovered and resumed singing. On Friday evening, she was performing at the event “Our Sabina Yasmin: I Am Here to Stay” at a hotel in Banani when she suddenly collapsed on stage. Singer Dithi Anwar told bdnews24.com, “She sang continuously for about 12 songs before suddenly collapsing. She was then taken to the hospital.”
Skyhooks guitarist forced to cancel gigs after shock cancer diagnosis as band soars back into the charts
January 27, 2025
Legendary Skyhooks guitarist Bob “Bongo” Starkie [72] has been tragically diagnosed with aggressive leukaemia just as the beloved band blasted back into the charts with their iconic Living in the 70s album. Starkie has been forced to cancel his upcoming shows, receiving the shock diagnosis after he went to hospital last Thursday. Just a day after he received the diagnosis, Skyhooks soared back into the ARIA chart with the 50th anniversary reissue of the revered Living in the 70s album. The album re-entered the ARIA Australian artist chart at No.6. Among the Bob Starkie Skyhooks Shows now cancelled is a sold-out Rock The Harbour gig scheduled for February 15.
Radio host Kyle Sandilands [53] to undergo urgent brain surgery after aneurysm diagnosis
February 3, 2025
Radio host Kyle Sandilands [one of Australia’s most famous media personalities] says he will undergo urgent brain surgery for a brain aneurysm. The 53-year-old was missing from his KIIS FM show, which he hosts with Jackie O Henderson, on Friday due to illness. He told listeners on Monday he had been diagnosed after suffering “a lot of headache problems”.
Researcher's note: In 2021, Kyle Sandilands dubs his producer a ‘stupid prick’ for refusing vaccine [sic]: Link His co-host, Jackie O, has had a number of health scares the last few years. She was rushed to hospital with heart problems in November 2023, had a "mystery skin condition", found a "mystery lump", etc. Kyle Sandilands made a cringe-worthy rap music video: Get Vaxxed Baby:
Patti Smith collapses on stage in Brazil after suffering days-long migraine
January 30, 2025
Patti Smith collapsed during a performance in Brazil after experiencing a severe migraine for several days. Smith, 78, was performing with the Berlin group Soundwalk Collective, in which she recites her writing to a musical backing. Associated Press reported that the newspaper Folha de S Paulo said that Smith passed out about 30 minutes into the event while reading a piece about the climate crisis. After falling, she was taken backstage in a wheelchair. Smith returned to the stage to apologise for having to cut the performance short. “Unfortunately, I got sick, and the doctor said I can’t finish,” she told the crowd from the wheelchair. “So we will have to figure something out. And I feel very badly.” “She is now being cared for by the best doctors in the most loving way and will be back on stage tomorrow night [Thursday],” the collective said.
Angelina Jolie [49] sat down for an interview with Vanity Fair and did not hold back on details about her split from Brad Pitt, caring for her six children and her declining health. However, the impact of the divorce and the stress of directing a movie had some nasty side effects on Jolie. Her health began to decline and she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last,” Jolie said, “until it manifests itself in their own health.” The overwhelming stress caused the actress to develop hypertension and Bell’s palsy. The latter is a type of facial paralysis caused by damage to the facial nerves. In severe cases, Bell’s Palsy can last for weeks and result in the inability to close the affected eye and dropping of the corner of the mouth. Luckily Jolie’s symptoms were mild and she opted for acupuncture to treat the condition. She has since made a full recovery, but it caused to her worry a bit about how her health affects her children.
Andie MacDowell, 66, diagnosed with painful neuromuscular disorder
January 24, 2025
Andie MacDowell is battling a painful neuromuscular disorder. “I have piriformis syndrome, so it’s a muscle that kind of clamps down on my sciatic nerve, and it was shooting down my leg,” MacDowell shared on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” “I thought I was going to have hip replacement — thank God, my hips are fine,” she remarked. Piriformis syndrome occurs when your piriformis muscle compresses your sciatic nerve and results in inflammation. It can cause pain or numbness in your buttock and down the back of your leg. It can happen on one side of your body or both, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 66-year-old actress added that she practiced daily exercises to mitigate any pain. During her appearance, MacDowell made a vulnerable admission about her health, saying she thought she was “literally falling apart” after she started riding her indoor bike “like a crazy person.” The “Groundhog Day” alum additionally shared that she left Hollywood for a simpler life in South Carolina.
Piriformis syndrome causes pain or numbness in your butt, hip or upper leg. It occurs when the piriformis muscle presses on the sciatic nerve. The condition may be caused by injury, swelling, muscle spasms or scar tissue in the piriformis. Most episodes go away in a few days or weeks with rest and simple treatments.—Cleveland Clinic
Lili Reinhart Says She’s ‘Searching for Answers’ About Her ‘Mysterious’ Chronic Illness
January 23, 2025
Lili Reinhart is opening up about her health, revealing that she’s spent the last year dealing with an unknown illness. In a social media post to accompany the release of a new interview with Self Magazine, the Riverdale actress, 28, reminded readers to prioritize their health, while sharing what’s going on with hers. “I feel it’s important to show an honest glimpse at what last year was like for me, when dealing with my health issues,” she began in the caption to an Instagram carousel on Thursday, Jan. 23. Reinhart then thanked the outlet for helping to tell her story, while sharing several photos from her journey. Her cover image showed her sitting in a hospital room, which she noted was 5 a.m. in a German hospital for a “possible bladder/UTI infection.” “Being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis while simultaneously searching for answers about a mysterious autoimmunity/inflammatory disease made 2024 the hardest year of my life,” her caption continued. Another photo in her upload showed a text message screenshot with Reinhart telling someone she’d spent “the last few days” standing beside a garbage can throwing chunks of her hair out. “I just run my hands through it,” the text message said, “until it stops coming out.” Other images in her Instagram post showed more visits to the doctor, as well as a photo of her sitting on an airplane. “No greater discomfort than flying with a bladder flare,” was written over the picture. Her very next image was a post about chronic illness. “Don’t let a doctor tell you that nothing’s wrong when you know that there is,” one quote read.
Soap Vet Colin Egglesfield Shares His Latest Cancer Battle
January 22, 2025
Two-time cancer survivor Colin Egglesfield [51] announced that he was recently diagnosed with cancer once again. Egglesfield was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2006, shortly after joining the cast of All My Children as Josh Madden — the son Erica Kane thought she had aborted back in the 70s. The actor privately underwent treatment while keeping up his duties on the show, and then a year into his initial diagnosis, his doctors found that despite surgery to remove the cancer, it had spread to his other testicle. In a health update shared on Jan. 20 via his social media pages, Egglesfield revealed that he is recovering from surgery after recently being diagnosed with prostate cancer. “Thankfully, we caught my prostate cancer early, and after a year of doing a lot of research and talking to quite a few healthcare professionals, I elected to be proactive and have surgery,” he confessed.
Bhad Bhabie Shows Off Nose Job, Reveals Type of Cancer She Has
January 22, 2025
Bhad Bhabie [21] is showing off her healing nose after undergoing plastic surgery and taking the opportunity to reveal the type of cancer she has. She assured critics her procedure was doctor-approved and that people can have plastic surgery with cancer. BB shot down rumors that she has breast or lung cancer, revealing in a separate video it’s blood cancer. She added that her white blood cell count is high, which is a sign of some blood cancers or bone marrow disorders. The “Cash Me Outside” originator spoke out about her nose job and cancer diagnosis, which she originally revealed in November 2024.
Bachelorette’ star’s husband diagnosed with thyroid cancer
January 26, 2025
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno’s husband, Kevin Manno [41], was diagnosed with a form of thyroid cancer. The “Bachelorette” star appeared alongside her husband in a video shared on Instagram, where they not only discussed his diagnosis, but also encouraged fans to share their own experiences of navigating through thyroid cancer. Manno, a radio and TV host, revealed he was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer after doctors found two “malignant spots on his right side,” in addition to possible cancer in a lymph node.
Kirk Herbstreit Reveals His Wife Alison Butler Is Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
January 22, 2025
Kirk Herbstreit’s wife, Alison Butler, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. This revelation came shortly after his emotional appearance during the College Football Playoff National Championship broadcast. The ESPN analyst’s disclosure highlights a series of personal struggles his family has faced over the past year. Herbstreit’s wife, Alison Butler, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. Reflecting on the toll of the diagnosis and other family hardships, Herbstreit [55] also mourned the loss of their golden retriever, Ben, to cancer in November 2024. Adding to the emotional weight, Herbstreit recalled his [then 20 year-old] son Zak’s heart failure in 2023, which required hospitalization and led to Zak’s medical retirement from football.
Karine Jean-Pierre reveals mom’s cancer diagnosis — and why she kept it secret
January 23, 2025
Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre [50] gave Americans a look behind the podium in a telling Vanity Fair piece published on Tuesday. Jean-Pierre, who chose to keep her personal life private while working in the Biden-Harris administration, revealed a private health battle that put significant weight on her and her family. Jean-Pierre recalled attending the Bidens’ first state dinner in December 2022, saying it was “the first time the administration felt a dinner was safe to host since the pandemic began.” The state dinner was the last time Jean-Pierre “recognized my mother as the woman I grew up with.” Unfortunately, things took a turn, and just a couple of months later, her mother was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer.
Former NFL, Penn State RB Brian Milne diagnosed with lymphoma for second time
January 25, 2025
Brian Milne didn’t ask, nor want, a rematch with lymphoma. Now that he’s in one, though, the legendary Fort LeBoeuf graduate plans to defeat it as he did 35 years ago. Milne, who turned 52 on Jan. 7, has been diagnosed with lymphoma a second time. The former Penn State University and NFL running back, who lives in suburban Cincinnati, made the announcement via a Facebook post on Friday: “A few months ago, I had a swollen lymph node,” Milne said. “I didn’t ignore it because, unfortunately, I’ve already been down this road when I was 17.”
Cakaunivalu suffers heart attack after match in Darwin
January 25, 2025
Former Fiji 7s skipper Setefano Cakaunivalu, better known as Setefano Cakau, suffered a heart attack on Friday and has been admitted to hospital. The Tabadamu Rugby Club founder played for South Darwin in a Darwin A-Grade fixture against Casuarina at Skyring Rugby Park in Northern Territory, Australia. NT Rugby via Rugby Australia reported that after the match concluded, Cakaunivalu returned to South Darwin’s Warren Park clubhouse on foot where he subsequently collapsed from a suspected heart attack. Members of the South Darwin community on the scene responded quickly and performed CPR while emergency services were called. The 46-year-old was taken to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition. The NT Rugby community requested that Cakaunivalu’s privacy is respected at this time.
USAID Funneled Tax Dollars to WEF, Bill Gates, George SorosAs President Donald Trump’s administration continues to expose alarming levels of deep state corruption in the federal government, details are beginning to emerge to reveal who has been benefiting from this unprecedented misuse of American taxpayer money.READ MORE
All Trump Nominees Now Heavily Expected to Be Confirmed After Major DevelopmentsEvery one of President Donald Trump’s key nominees is now on track for confirmation after a series of last-minute shake-ups in the Senate, betting markets on Polymarket show.Republican Senator Todd Young, a key swing vote on the Senate Intel Committee, has pledged to vote “Yes” on Tulsi Gabbard, effectively securing her confirmation as Director of National Intelligence.Young had been hesitant, …READ THE FULL REPORT
FCC Probes Soros-Backed Station That Broadcasted Live Locations of ICE AgentsFederal Communication Commission chairman Brendan Carr has opened an investigation into a radio station backed by left-wing billionaire George Soros that broadcasted live locations of undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.A group backed Soros, a far-left kingmaker, purchased a stake in more than 200 Audacy radio stations across America last year. Among them was the San Francisco-based KCBS 740 …READ THE FULL REPORT
Senate committee advances Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for DNIThe Senate Intelligence Committee just voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for Director of National Intelligence. Chad Pergram reports the vote was 9-8, along party lines, and now her nomination will head to the Senate floor. Senate Intel Cmte votes 9-8 to advance Gabbard DNI nomination to the floor. Party line vote — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 4, 2025 At …READ THE FULL REPORT
Here’s How Many FBI Employees Were Tasked with Taking Down TrumpSome Federal Bureau of Investigation agents are suing the Justice Department to block them from compiling the list of agents who worked on the anti-Trump cases that have engulfed the bureau for years.The cases that went nowhere turned to vapor when Donald J. Trump completed the most remarkable political comeback in American history. The Trump White House is cleansing the …READ THE FULL REPORT
Musk’s DOGE Workers Spotted at FBI HeadquartersElon Musk’s DOGE workers were spotted at the FBI headquarters in DC on Tuesday.“Meanwhile, officials dispatched by Elon Musk have been seen at FBI headquarters. Musk has headed up efforts by President Donald Trump’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.” – CNN reported.It is unclear what the DOGE officials were doing at the FBI headquarters, however, Acting US …READ THE FULL REPORT
LATEST NEWS
FCC released ’60 Minutes’ Interview with Kamala Harris – CBS respondsThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the unedited version of Kamala Harris’s 60 Minutes interview on Wednesday. Last week, reports emerged that the FCC was investigating CBS for allegedly editing the interview in a misleading manner. Brendan Carr, FCC Chair under President Trump, had demanded that CBS provide the full, unedited transcript of the interview. BREAKING: FCC releases unedited ‘60 …READ MORE
Politico received over $8 million in taxpayer dollars—Trump just ended itPolitico is not typically associated with state-backed media like National Public Radio or the Public Broadcasting System. Founded in Washington, D.C., in 2007 and later acquired by a German media company in 2021, Politico operates in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and the EU. However, it has received funding from the U.S. government through the purchase of subscriptions used across multiple …READ MORE
AG Pam Bondi orders DOJ to stop federal funding to sanctuary citiesAttorney General Pam Bondi has directed the Department of Justice to halt all federal funding to sanctuary cities, according to a directive issued Wednesday, shortly after she was sworn into office. Bondi also ordered a review of all funding agreements with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide assistance to illegal immigrants, Fox News reported. In addition, she will oversee Justice Department …READ MORE
Mitch McConnell injured after falling down Senate stairsSenator Mitch McConnell suffered another fall on Wednesday, tumbling down marble steps after voting to confirm the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The 82-year-old senator, who has a weakened left leg due to childhood polio, has experienced multiple falls in recent years. According to Punchbowl News, McConnell fell inside a room, landing on his side while carrying a plate …READ MORE
LATEST NEWS
Trump withdraws US from UN Human Rights Council, UNRWAOn Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the agency responsible for Palestinian refugees. The order also calls for a review of U.S. participation in UNESCO, citing what the administration described as a “deep anti-American bias” within these organizations. …READ MORE
FBI releases names of 5,000 agents who worked on J6 casesOn Tuesday, the FBI submitted a list of thousands of employees who worked on investigations related to the January 6 Capitol riot to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The move comes on the same day that several FBI employees filed a lawsuit against the DOJ, alleging constitutional and privacy violations. Sources familiar with the situation told CNN that more than …READ MORE
Tulsi Gabbard nomination for DNI advances to SenatePresident Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, has cleared a key hurdle in her confirmation process, advancing with a narrow 9-8 vote from the Senate Intelligence Committee. The full Senate must now hold a confirmation vote to finalize her appointment. Leading up to the vote, some Republicans who were initially seen as potential opponents of …READ MORE
FBI officials sue Trump DOJ to block public identification of employees who worked on J6 investigationsA group of FBI agents involved in investigations related to January 6 and former President Donald Trump has filed a class action lawsuit against the Justice Department, seeking to prevent their names from being disclosed. According to reports, the agents fear being targeted for termination, demotion, or other retaliatory actions as a result of the ongoing effort to identify those …READ MORE
White House confirms first flights carrying illegals to GTMO are underwayThe White House confirmed Tuesday that the first flights transporting illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay are officially underway. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the announcement during an interview on Fox Business, emphasizing that President Donald Trump is following through on his commitment to stronger immigration enforcement. The move comes after Trump signed the Laken Riley Act last week, …READ MORE
MICHAEL EVERY/PHIL MAREY/OR OTHER EXECS //RABOBANK/
7.OIL AND NATURAL GAS ISSUES/GLOBAL/ENERGY/COAL
NatGas Volatility Blows Out To Record For March Futures
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 06:55 AM
The March natural gas contract has been on a rollercoaster ride over the past month, driven by several factors, including polar vortex blasts across the Lower 48, trade tensions, rising artificial intelligence-related energy demand under the “Powering Up America” theme, and surging liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. This heightened volatility reflects how traders are uncertain about price direction ahead of the spring months.
Bloomberg calculations based on 60-day volatility show that the March contract for NatGas has blown out to the widest level ever over what Bloomberg’s Elizabeth Elkin pointed out are traders “trying to figure out the direction for gas as LNG exports, increasing demand for gas-fired electricity to run data centers and the threat of tariffs are emerging as potential fundamental movers in a market typically dominated by weather fluctuations.”
Elkin added, “To cap it off, forecasts have swung widely over the last few weeks, making it difficult to predict how high demand will be to heat homes and businesses.”
For color on possible direction, Goldman’s Samantha Dart told clients early last week that she shifted her US NatGas price forecast from $3/mmBtu to $3.6 “to reflect tighter balances.”
Dart also noted: “We see further upside to 2026 US gas prices.
8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//
CANADA
YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS FRIDAY MORNING 6;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING
EURO VS USA DOLLAR: 1.0374 DOWN 11 BASIS PTS
USA/ YEN 152.19 UP 0.103 NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN STILL FALLS//END OF YEN CARRY TRADE BEGINS AGAIN OCT 2024/Bank of Japan raises rates by .15% to 1.15..UEDA ENDS HIKING RATES AND NOW CARRY TRADES RE INVENTS ITSELF//
GBP/USA 1.2449 UP 0.0015 OR 15 PTS
USA/CAN DOLLAR: 1.4341 UP 0.0033 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 33 BASIS PTS)
Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED UP 33.01 PTS OR 1.01%
Hang Seng CLOSED UP 241.92 PTS OR 1.16%
AUSTRALIA CLOSED DOWN 0.05%
// EUROPEAN BOURSE: ALL MOSTLY RED EXCEPT GERMANY
Trading from Europe and ASIA
I) EUROPEAN BOURSES: ALL MOSTLY RED
2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG CLOSED DOWN 241.92 PTS OR 1.16%
/SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 33.01 PTS OR 1.01%
AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED DOWN 0.05%
(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED DOWN 279.51 PTS OR 0.72%
INDIA’S SENSEX IN THE RED
Gold very early morning trading: 2866.00
silver:$32.23
USA dollar index early FRIDAY morning: 107.69 UP 14 BASIS POINTS FROM THURSDAY’s CLOSE.
The USA/Yuan, CNY ON SHORE CLOSED DOWN AT 7.2888 (ON SHORE)..CHINA MUST DEVALUE TO GOLD
THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE: (YUAN CLOSED (DOWN)…. (7.2902)
TURKISH LIRA: 35.98 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//
the 10 yr Japanese bond yield at +1.297
Your closing 10 yr US bond yield UP 4 in basis points from THURSDAY at 4.478% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%)
USA 30 yr bond yield 4.686 UP 4 in basis points /11:00 AM
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.257 UP 5 BASIS PTS.
GOLD AT 11;00 AM 2876,70
SILVER AT 11;00: 32.44
Your 11:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates: FRIDAY CLOSING TIME 11:00 AM//
London: CLOSED DOWN 26.75 pts or 0.31%
German Dax : DOWN 115.42 pts or 0.53%
Paris CAC CLOSED DOWN 34.59 pts or 0.43%
Spain IBEX CLOSED DOWN 42.20 PTS OR 0.33%
Italian MIB: CLOSED DOWN 66.07 PTS OR 0.18%
WTI Oil price 71.30 11 EST/
Brent Oil: 74.85 11:00 EST
USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE /// AT: 96.97 ROUBLE DOWN 0 AND 22/100
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.3935 UP 2 BASIS PTS.
UK 10 YR YIELD: 4.5365 UP 5 BASIS POINTS
CDN 10 YEAR RATE: 3.075 UP 11 BASIS PTS.
CDN 5 YEAR RATE: 2.751 UP 12 BASIS PTS
CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM
Euro vs USA 1.0326 DOWN 0.0060 OR 60 BASIS POINTS//HEADING TO PARITY WITH THE DOLLAR
British Pound: 1.2403 DOWN .0031 OR 31 basis pts/HEADING FOR PARITY /USA
BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD: 4.4760 DOWN 1 BASIS PTS//
JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 1.297 UP 2 and 2/100 BASIS BASIS PTS.
USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 151.36 UP .194 BASIS PTS// HEADING FOR 160 TO THE DOLLAR
USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.4292 DOWN .0015 BASIS PTS CDN DOLLAR UP 15 BASIS PTS
West Texas intermediate oil: 70.99
Brent OIL: 74.65
USA 10 yr bond yield UP 5 BASIS pts to 4.489
USA 30 yr bond yield UP 5 BASIS PTS to 4.695%
USA 2 YR BOND: UP 8 PTS AT 4.289
CDN 10 YR RATE 3.095 UP 11 BASIS PTS
CDN 5 YEAR RATE: 2.769 UP 14 BASIS PTS
USA dollar index: 107.95 UP 40 BASIS POINTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 35.97 GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/
USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE: 97.00 UP 1 AND 25/100 roubles
GOLD 2,861.00 (3:30 PM)
SILVER: 31.85 (3:30 PM)
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: DOWN 444.23 PTS OR 0.99%
NASDAQ 100 DOWN 282.76 PTS OR 1.30%
VOLATILITY INDEX: 16.28 UP 0.78 PTS OR 5.03%
GLD: $ 263.90 OR UP 0.47 PTS OR 0.18%
SLV/ $29.03 PTS OR DOWN 0.35 OR 1.19%
TORONTO STOCK INDEX// TSX INDEX: CLOSED DOWN 85.37 PTS OR 0.33%
end
TRADING today ZEROHEDGE//jobs reports
this is what zerohedge forecasted:
Tomorrow’s Jobs Report Will Finally Capture The Surge In Illegal Aliens, Lead To Another Big Negative Payrolls Revision
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 10:10 PM
Remember last August when the Biden admin finally admitted it had been rigging the jobs number, when as part of its preliminary revision it vaporized 818K jobs in the past year that were never actually added, a historical negative revision (the second biggest on record) which the Fed used as justification for its panicked jumbo 50bps rate cut just a few weeks later?
Well, tomorrow that revision – along with a dramatic increase in the US population estimate by 3.5 million primarily to reflect the surge in illegal immigration – will finally flow through fully into the jobs report, as part of a bigger overhaul of the labor market by the now-Trumpian Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the results could be dramatic.
First, some background.
Each year the US Census Bureau adjusts the weights in the Current Population Survey – the source data for labor-force statistics like the unemployment rate – incorporating updated estimates of the population’s size and composition. In the latest vintage, the Census modified its approach to estimating net international migration – for obvious reasons, the main of which being that for the past 4 years the US effectively had no southern border – which had the effect of substantially boosting its estimate of the US population since 2020.
Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data for January (due for release Feb. 7) will reflect these adjustments, capturing the cumulative undercounting of the population relative to the last vintage of Census estimates.
That, according to Bloomberg, could lead to a large population adjustment this year which could raise the aggregate unemployment rate by raising the weight of recent immigrants, who tend to have higher unemployment rates than the general population. Overall, Bloomberg expects population adjustments to lift January’s unemployment rate by 5 basis points (which as everyone not named Matt Yglesias knows, is not percent but rather one hundredth of a percent).
Here are the details according to Bloomberg:
The latest vintage of the Census Bureau’s population estimates raised the level of the civilian noninstitutional population for December 2024 by around 3.6 million relative to the prior vintage a year earlier.
The main reason was changes to the methodology for estimating net immigration. Historically, Census has relied on American Community Survey (ACS) data for its estimates of net international migration. But this approach posed two challenges:
First, the ACS data is lagged. For each vintage of population estimates, Census had ACS immigration information only for the previous year, so the data failed to capture very recent trends.
Second, ACS misses some migrants. This is supported by the divergence in recent years between the ACS immigration estimates and immigration totals from administrative data from other parts of the government.
To address this, Census adjusted its methodology to incorporate 75% of the difference between the sum of immigration totals from the administrative data and the ACS data. That resulted in a higher estimate for net immigration, lifting the estimate of the total population from 2020-2024.
Of that 3.6 million, roughly 3 million are 16 and older – the relevant population for the BLS unemployment statistics.
Historically, adjustments to the population — even relatively large ones — haven’t had much impact on the unemployment rate.In some cases the adjustments have resulted in significant changes to labor-force participation or employment rates, but usually there have been offsetting effects that dampen any change.
But for tomorrow’s report there is a risk that the updated immigration estimates could lift the unemployment rate more visibly because the adjustment could increase the survey weight of workers with a higher unemployment rate.
Bottom line: Adjustments to the population controls in January’s household survey to boost the unemployment rate by ~5 bps. Together with Bloomberg’s forecast of a decline in government jobs, the unemployment rate is expected to edge up to 4.16% in January from 4.09% a month earlier.
There’s more: since the increase in the population will also raise the level of the labor force and employment, the updated employment level will imply average monthly job growth of around 150k-170k last year — narrowing the gap between the employment figures from the household survey and the estimates from the BLS’ establishment survey.
And indeed, Bloomberg cautions that the separate, benchmarking process in the establishment survey is likely to result in significant downward revisions to nonfarm-payrolls data, bringing average monthly job growth last year down to about 150k, from around 180k before revisions.
As Standard Chartered’s Steve Englander writes (full note available to pro subs), according to the abovementioned BLS estimates as of August 2024, March 2024 NFP is likely to be revised down by 818k after benchmarking to the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). However, further QCEW revisions since August make a 670k downward NFP revision more likely, so the overall gap between NFP and CPS (as of end-2024) will be reduced to about 2mn from 4.3mn.
The adjustment supports Englander’s – and our – view that the surge in illegal aliens is more likely to be captured in NFP than CPS, as many of these workers were able to obtain employment authorization and work “legally” in the country. The household survey has likely understated annual employment growth by c.0.5mn during the past three years.
One problem the BLS will face is that participation rates and employment-to-population ratios for undocumented immigrants are highly uncertain. The BLS uses administrative data from other sources to bulk up population underestimates from standard Census and American Community Survey sources. However, no survey is likely to capture labor-force participation and employment among undocumented immigrants, so the BLS will probably have to make some assumptions based on legal immigrants and native-born labor-market participants. In addition, according to BLS methodology undocumented immigrants who have not been in contact with US Customs and Border Protection agents are unlikely to show up in either census population counts or BLS household employment. While these fully under-the-radar immigrants are a minority, CBO estimated them at c.800k for 2024.
An additional quirk is that the BLS puts most of its population revisions into each year’s January release (data to be released on 7 February). Its practice has been to introduce an abrupt upward or downward jump in January levels to capture the new population controls. This is arbitrary and does not align with monthly census population estimates. In practice, this means that m/m changes in population, employment, unemployment and labor-force numbers are largely meaningless, as they miss the big January shift. The 12M, 24M and 36M changes embed the population changes so they are relevant to the analysis. Ratios such as the unemployment rate, participation rate and employment to population remain meaningful on a m/m basis.
More to the point, as we first correctly reported and as the BLS subsequently admitted in August 2024, the March 2024 NFP would be revised down by 818k after benchmarking to the QCEW. However, subsequent QCEW revisions suggest a benchmark NFP reduction of around 670k. The overall gap between NFP and CPS will be reduced to 2.0mn from 4.3mn.
Of course, that’s not the full story. As we also reported in December, the subsequent QCEW release pointed to en even much weaker Q2-2024 employment growth than signalled by NFP. (see “Biden Lied About Everything: Philly Fed Finds All Jobs “Created” In Q2 Were Fake“). However, the benchmark revision will not correct for the overstatement of payrolls in Q2-2024 until the second quarter of 2026, or more than a year into the future, leaving us with another year of NFP distortions!
Yes, dear readers, the full extent of the labor market devastation under Biden – and just how fabricated the jobs report truly has been – will continue to be unveiled for years to come, long after Biden himself is gone.
January Jobs Growth Below Estimates Amid Massive Revisions Which Trim Unemployment, Reduce Historic Payrolls
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 08:56 AM
There were no strong convictions ahead of today’s jobs report – perhaps because everyone by now knows the numbers are all bogus and made up on the spot – and perhaps this time it was a good thing because while on one hand the payrolls print came in weaker than expected, driven by a sharp drop in private payrolls, the unemployment rate actually dropped below estimates, painting yet another mixed picture of what to expect.
Here’s what the BLS reported in Trump’s first official jobs report since he returned to the White House: total payrolls printed at 143K…
… down sharply from an upward revised 307K (256K originally) and missing estimates of 175K.
Looking further back, the change in total nonfarm payroll employment for November was revised up by 49,000, from +212,000 to +261,000, and when adding the +51,000 revision to December employment in November and December combined is 100,000 higher than previously reported
But while the sequential change in the Establishment survey was notable, what was far more remarkable was the Household survey where we saw massive population related revisions (discussed last night), which pushed the civilian labor force higher by 2.2 million to 170.744 million, while the number of employed workers also increased by over 2.2 million to 163.895 million. As a result, the Household survey has finally caught up to Establishment survey…
… and since the number of Unemployed people actually declined (to 6.849 million from 6.886 million) while the number of employed workers rose by 2.2 million to 163.9 million, the unemployment rate declined to 4.0% from 4.1%, and the lowest since May of 2024!
Despite the drop in the unemployment rate, the participation rate actually rose modestly from 62.5% to 62.6%.
All of this, of course, is in the context of the massive downward revisions to 2024 payrolls which we discussed last night, and which look as follows: roughly 600K jobs lost every month last year.
And while we will do a thorough breakdown of these numbers, perhaps the biggest surprise was in the wage department, because according to the BLS, average hourly earnings printed at 4.1% YoY, beating soundly the 3.8% estimates and unchanged from an upward revised December print (which was 3.9% before).
Developing.
end
ZEROHEDGE/HEADLINE CLOSING MARKETS
‘
END
USA DATA
Democrats Send UMich Inflation Expectations Exploding Higher In Feb
Friday, Feb 07, 2025 – 10:11 AM
With Democrats driving inflation expectations (dramatically) higher in January, all eyes will be on this morning’s UMich preliminary data for February… and right they were as 1-year inflation expectations ramped up to 4.3% (from 3.3% vs 3.3% expected). Additionally, the medium-term inflation expectation jumped up to 3.3% – its highest since June 2008…
Source: Bloomberg
Most notably, the surge in inflation expectations was due entirely to Democrats (we guess they’ve been reading Politico’s ‘tariff tax’ fearmongering too much?)…
Source: Bloomberg
Overall, sentiment slumped in February, from 71.1 to 67.8, greatly disappointing the expectation of a rise to 71.8 with both current conditions and expectations sliding…
Source: Bloomberg
Finally, the slump in broad sentiment seems driven by partisan politics of course with Democrats’ now at their least confident since Aug 2020…
Source: Bloomberg
All five index components deteriorated this month, led by a 12% slide in buying conditions for durables, in part, according to Survey Director Joanne Hsu, due to a perception that it may be too late to avoid the negative impact of tariff policy.
Expectations for personal finances sank about 6% from last month, again seen across all political affiliations, reaching its lowest value since October 2023.
Many consumers appear worried that high inflation will return within the next year.
Goldman’s rule of thumb is that every 1% increase in the effective tariff rate raises the core PCE price level by 0.1%, the bank now estimates that tariffs will provide a one-time boost to year-on-year core PCE inflation of 0.5% (vs. 0.3% previously), leaving it at 2.6% in December.
Interviews for this release concluded on February 4… so before Mexico and Canada had folded and Trump delayed tariffs.
III USA ECONOMIC NEWS
IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM
iiiC USA COVID //VACCINE ISSUES/IMPORTANT MEDICAL ISSUES
END
FREIGHT ISSUES/USA/
END
VICTOR DAVIS HANSON OR NEWT GINGRICH/TUCKER CARLSON
Hysteria has erupted here and abroad over President Trump’s threats to level trade tariffs against particular countries.
Both American and foreign critics blasted them variously as either counterproductive and suicidal or unfair, imperialistic, and xenophobic.
Certainly, tariffs are widely hated by doctrinaire economists.
They complain that tariffs burden consumers with higher prices to protect weak domestic industries that, shielded from competition, will have no incentive to improve efficiency.
Their ideal is “free” trade. Supposedly a free global market alone should adjudicate which particular industry in any country can produce the greatest good for the world’s consumers, whether defined by lower prices or better quality, or both.
Even when “free trade” becomes “unfair trade”—such as China’s massive mercantile surpluses—many neoliberal economists still insist that even subsidized foreign imports are beneficial.
Cheap imports, Americans were told, supposedly still lowered prices for consumers, still forced domestic producers to economize to remain competitive, and still brought “creative destruction,” as inefficient domestic industries properly gave way to more efficient, market-driven ones.
But many exporters to the U.S. are propped up by their own governments.
They may seem more competitive only because their governments want to dump products at a loss to capture market share, subsidize their businesses’ overhead to protect domestic employment or seek to create a monopoly over a strategic industry.
Yet when Trump threatened to level tariffs against Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela, China, or the European Union, they were not primarily aimed at propping up particular inefficient U.S. industries at all.
Instead, an exasperated Trump threatened Mexico with tariffs for three reasons.
It refused to address its cartels’ illegal multibillion-dollar export of lethal fentanyl into the United States.
The cartels buy Chinese-supplied raw fentanyl with impunity, disguise it to resemble toxic drugs, and smuggle the product across a porous border.
The result over the last decade is more dead Americans from fentanyl than the total number of all U.S. soldiers lost in the wars of the twentieth century.
Second, Mexico had stonewalled all American efforts to stop their export of millions of illegal aliens into the United States—10-12 million in the last four years alone.
Mexico adds insult to injury by raking in profits from some $63 billion in remittances sent from its former resident citizens now residing in the United States and often subsidized by American taxpayers.
Third, Mexico grows its American trade surpluses each year. The imbalance is now a mind-boggling nearly $170 billion.
Trump threatened Canada because it has so far refused to police its side of an open and increasingly dangerous border. And it has racked up a $50 billion surplus by leveling asymmetrical tariffs on lots of U.S. products.
Canada also has refused to keep its NATO promises to spend 2 percent of its GDP on defense.
Canada’s pathetic 1.37 percent expenditure is predicated on American magnanimity. The U.S. alone protects Canada under the American North American nuclear shield and subsidizes NATO deadbeats like Canada by funding some 16 percent of the budget of the 32-nation alliance, as well as policing the international seas.
As for Venezuela and Colombia, both communist nations have deliberately emptied their prisons to send hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens into the U.S.—many of them violent felons. They do so either out of crass self-interest, hatred, or a strategic desire to weaken America.
China is a special case.
Its entire 20th-century ascendance was based on stealing U.S. technology, dumping its products on the U.S. market below the cost of production to capture market share, and forcing American corporations to relocate, offshore, and outsource—leaving our industrial hinterland a “rustbelt.”
The European Union runs a gargantuan half-trillion-dollar surplus with the U.S.
How?
Because for nearly the last 80 years, the U.S. has subsidized its defense during the Cold War and afterwards.
Europe acts as if it is recovering from World War II, so it can hit up a supposedly limitlessly rich American patron with asymmetrical tariffs.
Consider the various Trump “tariffs” leveled by an exasperated, and now $36 trillion-indebted, America.
Almost none of them meet the traditional definitions of an industry-protecting tariff.
Instead, they are the last-gasp tools of American leverage used only when decades of bipartisan diplomacy, summits, entreaties, and empty threats have all failed.
So, Trump is not a mercantilist.
Instead, he is trying to stop the multimillion-person influx of foreign criminals, the crashing of the border by millions of illegal aliens, the cartels’ export of American-killing drugs, the violation of past trade agreements, and allies from using America to subsidize their own defense.
The Trump tariffs are the last, desperate effort to reestablish global reciprocity and keep America safe.
And our “shocked” friends, allies, and enemies privately have known that all too well.
END
KING REPORT
The King Report February 7, 2025 Issue 7426
Independent View of the News
Treasury Secretary Bessent Says Trump Is “not Calling for the Fed to Lower Interest Rates” Instead, he claims that the administration’s focus is laser-locked on long-term borrowing costs, specifically the 10-year Treasury yield. “He and I are focused on the 10-year Treasury,” Scott said… Scott’s claims are a bit odd since as Cryptopolitan reported on Jan. 24, Trump did say “I’ll demand that interest rates drop immediately. And likewise, they should be dropping all over the world. Interest rates should follow us all over.”…Scott then laid out exactly why long-term yields are more important to Trump’s economic strategy, explaining that expanding the US energy supply will help curb inflation… “The US has a serious spending problem, which is fast becoming a detrimental economic problem. My focus is on the national debt and the budget deficit. I want to bring it down and increase the GDP. D.O.G.E is exactly what we need.”… https://www.binance.com/en/square/post/19921091841489
Earlier this week, Trump said he agreed that the Fed should pause its rate cuts.
It has been well-documented that after the Fed started cutting rates, bonds tanked, driving yields substantially higher. Only two weeks ago, DJT was demanding that rates decline. Apparently, Bessent educated Trump about how the bond market was reacting to Fed rate cuts. Ergo, DJT has seen the light.
Add in the fact that there are massive shorts US debt markets, mix in the DOGE factor, and presto! You have a strong US debt market rally.
PS – Next week, the Treasury will auction $125B of debt with these tranches: $58B in 3-year notes, $42B in 10-year notes, and $25B in 30-year bonds.
Trump Will Seek to End Carried Interest, Expand SALT in Tax Bill – BBG That list included two new items that Trump didn’t highlight on the campaign trail — the end of the carried interest tax break and ending breaks for sports team owners… The carried-interest tax break allows private equity managers and venture capitalists to pay lower rates on their earnings from the investments they make… https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-seek-end-carried-interest-184956595.html
The Bank of England, as expected, cut rates for the third consecutive time by 25bps (to 4.5%). The surprise was that two board members wanted to cut rates by 50bps. This felled the pound.
Hawkish BOJ policymaker urges raising rates to at least 1% Naoki Tamura… Inflationary risks were building up as companies continue to pass on rising raw material and labour costs, which required lifting the BOJ’s policy rate to levels deemed neutral to the economy, he said… https://t.co/jv5v0jVxou
Ford’s weak guidance sends auto maker’s stock sliding 6% Ford called for 2025 adjusted profit before interest and taxes of between $7 billion and $8.5 billion, which would be down from last year’s adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of $10.2 billion. It would also be weaker than Wall Street’s consensus for $8.3 billion… Ford’s sales for the fourth quarter clocked in at $48.3 billion, a 2% increase over the fourth quarter of 2023. The automaker earned an adjusted 39 cents a share in the quarter, up from 29 cents a share in the year-ago period. Analysts polled by FactSet expected adjusted EPS of 34 cents a share on sales of $47.4 billion… https://t.co/sxqd8J0XtS
Ford expects to rack up EV losses of up to $5.5B in 2025, sending shares skiddinghttps://trib.al/Dl9wMrj
The weak volume on Wednesday presaged the tepid market action on Thursday. The major theme was the DJIA declined 125.65 points. Nothing notable occurred in the markets because, as we warned, traders are conditioned to be cautious ahead of Employment Reports.
ESHs traded modestly higher but sideways from the Nikkei opening until they jumped higher at 19:00 ET. After hitting 6095.75 at 19:03 ET, ESHs went inert until they broke down at 19:34 ET. ESHs then traded in a 21-handle range until ESHs tumbled at 14:26 ET. ESHs eventually hit a daily low of 6070.00 (6106.25 high) at 14:34 ET.
The late rally and last-hour hour manipulation forced ESHs to 6093.50 at 15:30 ET. The late manipulation, and it was blatant and illegal, pushed ESHs to a daily high to 6108.50 at 15:55 ET.
After the close, Amazon reported Q4 EPS of1.86, 1.50 expected; Q4 Net Sales of $155.59B, $114.27B expected. AMZN forecasted Q1 net sales of $151.0B to $155.5B, $158.64B was expected. AMZN plunged to 221.72 (-7.2%, 238.825 close); ESHs plunged to 6075.00 at 16:02 ET.
Positive aspects of previous session The DJTA and NY Fang+ Index rallied modestly. Precious metals retreated.
Negative aspects of previous session Gasoline rallied smartly but oil declined modestly. The DJIA declined moderately; USHs were -2/32 at the NYSE close.
Ambiguous aspects of previous session Have bonds changed trend?
First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Down; Last Hour: Up
Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 6071.48 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 6084.03; 6046.83
@shellenberger: It appears that CIA, USAID, and OCCRP were all involved in the impeachment of President Trump in ways similar to the regime change operations that all three organizations engage in abroad. The difference is that it is highly illegal and even treasonous for CIA, USAID, and its contractors and intermediaries, known as “cut-outs,” to interfere in US politics this way… https://x.com/shellenberger/status/1887282681609588759
@DailySignal: @PressSec calls out Democrats who are outraged that American taxpayers don’t want their money going to “sex changes in Guatemala,” and “a new ‘Sesame Street’ show in Iraq,” but stay quiet on the federal government’s negligence regarding California and North Carolina disaster relief. https://x.com/DailySignal/status/1887211297265029497
@DefiyantlyFree: Before Samantha Powers was in charge of USAID, she was the UN ambassador for Obama. Strangely in that role she spent time unmasking the identities of US citizens, one per day to be exact in 2016. Right around the time the Russia collusion hoax began. Total coincidence.
@americasgreat: DOGE employees auditing the FBI have discovered that a couple of FBI special agents are still listed on the payroll, even though they’ve been missing and inactive since 2018. Isn’t it a federal crime?https://t.co/HIq7gYK6qJ
Democrat senators have delayed the vote to confirm Kash Patel as FBI Director for one week out of spite. Dems have nothing but spite, venom, and histrionics. Even they know running on leftist causes is over.
@elonmusk: Why did Dem Senator Durbin block release of the Epstein client list? What is he hiding?
Trump DOJ slaps Illinois, Chicago with lawsuit over sanctuary laws The lawsuit filed in Illinois, against Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and others, claimed that several state and local laws are “designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.“… https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-doj-files-lawsuit-against-illinois-chicago-lawsuit-sanctuary-laws
@libsoftiktok: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds sent a letter to Sheriff Dan Marx after he said “we will make every effort to block, interfere and interrupt [ICE’s] actions.” Gov Reynolds says she filed a complaint with the Attorney General and gives him a lesson on the law. https://t.co/UJeJtzGsFN
@GuntherEagleman: Someone leaked ICE’s plan to the Tren de Aragua gang before their operations this morning in Aurora, CO. Tom Homan said he’s contacting the DOJ about prosecuting the leaker. There is a traitor among the ranks. https://x.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1887552823530779113
Fed Balance Sheet: -$7.251B with Notes & Bonds -$9.689B; Reserves at Fed: -$47.72B
Today – Traders will play for the Friday Rally after they adjust to the January Employment Report. Because Fed officials have stridently proclaimed that they are on pause and must wait for Trump’s policies to be instituted, the January Employment Report has little relevance.
Even an unusual report should have only a transitory effect. With Trump acquiescing to a pause, there is no pressure on the Fed to act or pontificate. The Jan NFP Whisper Number is +200k; the survey is 175k.
Expected economic data: Jan NFP 175k, Mfg.1k, Rate 4.1%, Wages 0.3% m/m & 3.8% y/y, Workweek 34.3, Labor Force Participation Rate 61.5%; Feb UM Sentiment 71.8, Current Conditions 73.7, Expectations 70.1, 1-yr Inflation 3.3%, 5-10-yr Inflation 3.2%; Dec Consumer Credit $14.55B; Fed Gov. Bowman 9:25 ET, Fed Gov. Kugler 12:00 ET
ESHs -1.25; NQHs +1.75; and USHs are +4/32 at 20:10 ET. Thursday night trading is very quiet.
S&P Index 50-day MA: 6000; 100-day MA: 5902; 150-day MA: 5771; 200-day MA: 5651 DJIA 50-day MA: 43,788; 100-day MA: 43,208; 150-day MA: 42,251; 200-day MA: 41,419 (Green is positive slope; Red is negative slope)
S&P 500 Index (6083.57 close) – BBG trading model Trender and MACD for key time frames Monthly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5382.09 triggers a sell signal Weekly: Trender is positive; MACD is negative – a close below 5735.66 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5962.31 triggers a sell signal Hourly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 6045.42 triggers a sell signal
Former USAID official Mark Moyar says ‘corruption’ at agency ‘subverted’ Trump White House Moyar says he was ‘effectively fired’ after reporting waste, abuse at USAID “… there was a large resistance element. And in one case, I was at a meeting, and they talked about how there was this aid going into Syria, and we needed to hide it from the White House, because we don’t want President Trump finding out about it and canceling it.” https://www.foxnews.com/politics/former-usaid-official-mark-moyar-says-corruption-agency-subverted-trump-white-house
Actor @RealJamesWoods: It’s all Democrat money laundering. Elon Musk will expose the parasites sucking the lifeblood out of our beautiful country, and it will all go back to crooked Democrats. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. You still think Seth Rich was killed in a random mugging?
@nataliegwinters: The secrecy of the USAID grant database is by design. Look up the addresses of entities receiving millions of dollars on Google maps and you’ll find shacks or empty land. It’s pure money laundering. https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1887279648083480979
@ParkerThayer: Here are 20 grants made by USAID over the last four years totaling $459,879,230 with redacted names and descriptions. We don’t even get to know what continent the money was sent to.https://t.co/j8DqBIp4Ei
@LizCrokin: Oh look, USAID was funding charities where Marina Abramovic is on the board of directors. You know she’s the Satanic witch who conducts spirit cooking dinners and other demonic rituals with her pals like John Podesta, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z — no biggie! So, was the USAID funding Satanic rituals too with your taxpayer money?https://x.com/LizCrokin/status/1887316930429878687
@Geiger_Capital: WikiLeaks on USAID funding journalists…“USAID was funding over 6,200 journalists across 707 media outlets and 279 ‘media’ NGOs… including nine out of ten media outlets in Ukraine.” A legitimate propaganda network. https://t.co/y4fPiqsb1G
@joelpollak: The exposure of USAID has been a revelation. I had wondered why @SamanthaJPower had chosen to lead that agency rather than moving “up” after being UN Ambassador. The USAID turned out to be more powerful: that’s where the money is, and the ability to reward (and control) friends.
@Cernovich: $90,000,000 in USAID for HIV in San Francisco? Would love to see where this money REALLY goes. https://t.co/tzSYY36qN6
@Cernovich: Billions upon billions of dollars to open borders NGO’s like Lutheran Social Services for unaccompanied children. This raises multiple questions. WHERE THE F ARE THE CHILDREN? This needs to be investigated immediately. Criminal DOJ. https://x.com/Cernovich/status/1887267531267940517
@SarahisCensored: The Lutherans were given over $600 million dollars (that we know of), but did zero background checks. Ilhan Omar’s father and many other were regime officials fleeing justice were SPONSORED by the Lutherans. Nur Omar Mohamed was involved in Somalia’s Brutal Marxist Dictatorship. The Lutheran immigration service is responsible for sponsoring Ilhan Omar’s father, a Marxist colonel. Ilhan Omar is funded and paid for by the Muslim Brotherhood via CAIR and other similar organizations. https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/1887601386851901709
@JMichaelWaller tweeted on Thu, Oct 18, 2018: Honduran illegal “migrant” on caravan to US is shown passing through Guatemala carrying a US Agency for International Development (@USAID) logo. It’s suspected that USAID funded groups that are organizing these illegal caravans… https://twitter.com/JMichaelWaller/status/1053004678705889280?s=02
@JMichaelWaller: Senator @ChrisVanHollen (D-MD), whose state is home to huge USAID contractors, sits on 2 panels that control USAID money: 1) Appropriations Subcommittee for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; 2) Ranking Member, Subcommittee on State Department & USAID Management… Senator Van Hollen was born into the CIA family. His mother, Eliza, was a Russian language expert who held senior CIA posts, including chief of the intelligence bureau for South Asia. She also worked in the State Department Bureau of Intelligence and Research…
@DefiyantlyFree: USAID granted $122 million to groups aligned with designated terrorist organizations, according to the Middle East Forum. That in and of itself is enough of a reason to shut the whole thing down. https://twitter.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1887359758782353612?s=02
@JoshWalkos: USAID has a contract with an “Undisclosed Domestic Awardee” worth $249.9 Million for Ukraine grain and oilseed farmers with a “special focus on disadvantaged female farmers”. The address for the “undisclosed” recipient is the General Services Administration. https://t.co/tsxzfYqZJZ
This New York City teachers union received $22,480,948 in taxpayer funds. https://t.co/ncBYHbTqFN (How much did the union recycle back to Dem pols?)
WH official @StephenM: For the last four years before President Trump’s inauguration we had no democracy. Joe Biden was a puppet in charge of nothing. The corporate media and Democrat Party engaged in a monstrous coverup to conceal this now indisputable truth. Our government was instead run by unelected bureaucrats who ruthlessly weaponized state power against their political enemies, engineered mass illegal voting in our elections, installed a draconian censorship regime, instituted a colossal system of state-sponsored racial discrimination, orchestrated a vast border invasion to try to permanently alter the balance of power, trafficked half a million children across the border, allowed criminals to freely terrorize our citizens, and raided the treasury to fund a political army of Marxist radicals in a bid for permanent control over US institutions. President Trump saved America and democracy itself.
@GenFlynn: Former USAID Director Samantha Power should be indicted for what she’s been doing with our hard-earned U.S. taxpayer money. This is out of control and her problems run far deeper than ripping off the American people (see below). She’s part of the Obama and Susan Rice team of leftists who’ve been running our country into the ground for far too long now. “Power was directly involved in the Obama administration’s surveillance of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and sought to obtain Michael Flynn’s redacted identity using an “unmasking” request on at least seven occasions… despite testifying under oath before the House Intelligence Committee that she had “no recollection” of ever making such a request even once.” Do not kid yourselves for those reading this far, there has been a sustained effort by the globalists to destroy America as the last bastion of sovereign freedom. We can survive this but those Marxist leaders at the forefront (some mentioned here but there are many more), MUST be held ACCOUNTABLE.
@amuse: 60 Minutes allows Kamala Harris to lie while the cameras are rolling. When they’re off they confront her asking her for the truth. https://x.com/amuse/status/1887453496506785812
@TrumpDailyPosts: CBS and 60 Minutes defrauded the public by doing something which has never, to this extent, been seen before. They 100% removed Kamala’s horrible election changing answers to questions, and replaced them with completely different, and far better, answers, taken from another part of the interview. This was Election changing “stuff,” Election Interference and, quite simply, Election Fraud at a level never seen before. CBS should lose its license, and the cheaters at 60 Minutes should all be thrown out, and this disreputable “NEWS” show should be immediately terminated. With the new Democrat scandal that just arose with respect to USAID illegally paying large sums of money to Politico and other media outlets, the question must me asked, was CBS paid for committing this FRAUD??? Many other questions to come! This will go down as the biggest Broadcasting SCANDAL in History!!!
@ScottPresler: Dear @elonmusk, we purchased the Pennsylvania voter rolls & are using AI technology to detect fraudulent voter registrations. We found active voters registered in both PA & other states. Perhaps we can create the Department of Voter Efficiency (DOVE). Let’s chat.
@ACTBrigitte: “This is like Trump’s superpower. Finding a bunch of 80-20 issues and getting on the 80 and everybody who is reflexively against him gets on the 20. Now the Democrat Party has a 31% approval rating. This is why!”Brilliant analysis on how TDS has driven the left to insanity. https://x.com/ACTBrigitte/status/1887354471589536187
Politico is nothing but a sham and cost the taxpayer huge sums of money
(zerohedge)
Trump Nukes All Govt-MSM Contracts After Politico Firestorm, Will Axe 97% Of USAID Staff
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 06:50 PM
In light of the firestorm over tens of millions of dollars going from the US government to various media outlets in the form of subscriptions, particularly Politico, President Trump has directed the General Services Administration to terminate “every single media contract” expensed by the agency, according to an email obtained by Axios.
“GSA team, please do two things,” the email begins.
Pull all contracts for Politico, BBC, E&E (Politico sub) and Bloomberg
Pull all media contracts for just GSA – cancel every single media contract today for GSA only.
The move comes after internet sleuths discovered tens of millions of dollars going towards Politico Pro subscriptions, with particular focus on one $8 million allocation.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the executive branch would cancel their contract with Politico…
.@PressSec: "I can confirm that the more than $8 million taxpayer that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico will no longer be happening."
…and today we find that it goes much further than just the rag that laundered the deep state’s ’51 intel officials’ Hunter Biden laptop propaganda. For example, the NY Times was also cut off.
Treasury leadership verified that their NYT contracts were cancelled today. https://t.co/cd3STUgrzF
Politico responded on Thursday, claiming that they have “never received any government funding — no subsidies, no grants, no handouts. Not one dime, ever, in 18 years.”
No, just tens of millions in Politico Pro subscriptions from the government. Like Hunter Biden received $200,000 for a painting of his excrement, which was totally not influence peddling.
Deep Cuts To USAID
Meanwhile, the White House is also planning to cut USAID’s staff from roughly 10,000 employees to just 294 – a 97% reduction, after Elon Musk’s DOGE team revealed that the international aid organization has essentially been funding woke pet projects and anti-American activities.
On Tuesday, the administration put a stop on all USAID work and placed all employees on leave, with thousands of overseas workers to be recalled within 30 days.
According to Reuters, Secretary of State Marco Rubio – who was placed in charge of USAID earlier this week, said that the Trump administration was identifying and designating critical programs that would be exempted from the stop work order and deep cuts.
According to the report, over 2/3 of USAID’s workers are located outside the United States. As of 2023, the ‘aid’ organization managed more than $40 billion in projects. USAID’s website informed people that as of midnight on Friday, February 7, “all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.”
END
The FBI are crooked bastards. Hope Trump nails these guys
(zerohedge)
FBI Turned Blind Eye While Its Informant Stole $190K From Jan. 6 Protestor: Court Filing
A bombshell court filing alleges that an FBI informant stole some $190,000 from a Jan. 6 protestor, and that the bureau turned a blind eye to the crime to protect its source.
The court filing comes from former FBI agent and Project Veritas contractor Jared Wise, who was arrested in 2023 for his own involvement with Jan. 6. Wise had his charges dropped last month, and provided an exclusive interview to Headline USA to respond to accusations from Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe that he tried to “ensnare” O’Keefe in a plot to secretly record FBI agents.
During his interview with this publication, Wise declined to go into detail about what he did and saw on Jan. 6—saying that he intends to reveal that information soon to reporter Julie Kelly.
However, Wise publicized the information about the thieving FBI informant this week on this Twitter/X account, and he referred this reporter to a motion for vindictive prosecution, which he filed in December. That motion contains stunning details about how the FBI informant allegedly stole from him with impunity.
According to Wise’s motion, in 2020 he invested in a French real estate property with a U.S. citizen residing in France. Wise identified the man only as “GED,” but Headline USA was able to track down his identity as Gregory Edmont de la Doucette by looking up a separate civil lawsuit filed in December.
The two men closed their real estate deal in September 2021. But soon thereafter, Wise began to have serious concerns about the status of his investment.
Over the next few months, Wise questioned Doucette about his investment, and accused him of running a scam.
That was when Doucette reported Wise to the FBI, he said.
“In January 2022, GED provided information to the FBI that Wise was present in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021. GED provided information about Wise to the FBI to protect himself from consequences of his own crime against Wise, as he began to realize that Wise was uncovering GED’s fraud,” Wise said in his December motion.
“GED correctly believed that providing information to the FBI about Wise (GED’s own victim) and J6 would help inoculate himself from any liability related to his own scheme to defraud Wise.”
Wise was arrested in May 2023, but that didn’t dissuade him from trying to report Doucette’s alleged real estate scam to the FBI. However, the FBI refused to investigate Doucette, he said.
The FBI even went as far as investigate Wise for trying to contact Doucette, he said.
“In August 2024, the government sought new charges against Wise related to him contacting GED about GED’s fraud, but those efforts were not successful. In response to failing to secure a new indictment, the government then obtained revised release conditions which prevented Wise from having any direct or indirect contact with GED,” his motion said.
Woah I looked up Jared's case and he details this stunning scandal in a motion he filed last December.
In a nutshell: An FBI informant allegedly stole some $190,000 from a Jan. 6 protestor, and the bureau turned a blind eye to the crime in order to protect its source. https://t.co/MOQehGEquypic.twitter.com/KLRPOU6q9G
Wise’s motion said he believes the FBI protected Doucette specifically because he was informing for the bureau.
“If the FBI were to meet with Wise and accept the information implicating GED in a complex international fraud scheme of at least $190,000 (and possibly up to $700,000 with an additional victim as alleged by a third party with direct knowledge), it would create a complicated situation in which it would need to account for criminal activity by one of its sources, and the information might also impact the prosecution of Wise,” he said.
“Hence, the easiest strategy to prevent the dilemma is to simply refuse to meet with Wise and never learn of the claims,” he said. “Wise avers that the FBI is knowingly protecting one of its sources who has conducted criminal activity, which is reminiscent of the FBI protecting mob boss Whitey Bulger for many years.”
Wise’s December motion was unsuccessful, but that became a moot point when the DOJ dropped all charges against him last month.
Wise continues to seek accountability for Doucette, who could not be reached for comment.
Wise’s December motion said he won a civil judgment against Doucette in France last September. Headline USA was unable to find that judgment, but did find a separate civil lawsuit Wise filed in federal court, also in December.
No attorney was listed for Doucette, and he does not seem to have been served with the U.S. lawsuit yet.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
END
GREG HUNTER
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