Colin Twiggs, Author at the patient investor

October 30, 2012

What’s the use of economics? | Alan Kirman | vox

This column by Alan Kirman highlights the problem with macroeconomics today:

The simple question that was raised during a recent conference organised by Diane Coyle at the Bank of England was to what extent has – or should – the teaching of economics be modified in the light of the current economic crisis? The simple answer is that the economics profession is unlikely to change. Why would economists be willing to give up much of their human capital, painstakingly nurtured for over two centuries?

…….rather than making steady progress towards explaining economic phenomena professional economists have been locked into a narrow vision of the economy. We constantly make more and more sophisticated models within that vision until, as Bob Solow put it, “the uninitiated peasant is left wondering what planet he or she is on” (Solow 2006).

via What’s the use of economics? | vox.

Colin Twiggs

Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Trading Diary and Patient Investor newsletters.

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

Focusing on interest rates and financial market liquidity as primary drivers of the economic cycle, he warned of the 2008/2009 and 2020 bear markets well ahead of actual events.
He founded PVT Capital (AFSL No. 546090) in May 2023, which offers investment strategy and advice to wholesale clients.

October 30, 2012

Motivating people, getting beyond money | McKinsey

Interesting opinion piece by Martin Dewhurst, Matthew Guthridge, and Elizabeth Mohr (NOVEMBER 2009):

Numerous studies have concluded that for people with satisfactory salaries, some non-financial motivators are more effective than extra cash in building long-term employee engagement in most sectors, job functions, and business contexts. Many financial rewards mainly generate short-term boosts of energy, which can have damaging unintended consequences…..

via Motivating people, getting beyond money – McKinsey Quarterly – Organization – Talent.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 30, 2012

Australia: Stocks may be fully priced

Christopher Joye from the AFR suggests that Australia’s sharemarket may be “fully priced”:

New analysis from UBS poses an interesting puzzle: we have yet to see ASX earnings per share recover to pre-crisis levels. Top-rated UBS strategists Matthew Johnson and Andrew Lilley find that “aggregate equity market data shows declining earnings and weakening corporate balance sheets” in 2012…..

via Sting in inflation surprise.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Asia: China & Japan weak, India & HK bullish

China’s Shanghai Composite Index respected resistance at 2150 and the descending trendline, indicating another down-swing. Breach of support at 2000 would confirm. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below its rising trendline would strengthen the bear signal.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2150 – ( 2500 – 2150 ) = 1800

Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates buying pressure on Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index. Breakout above 22000 would indicate a primary advance with a long-term target of 26000*.

Hang Seng Index

* Target calculation: 22 + ( 22 – 18 ) = 26

India’s Sensex continues to test its new support level at 18500. Recovery above 19000 would confirm the primary up-trend, while breach of support at 18000 would warn of a test of primary support at 16500. Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum favors a primary advance.

Sensex Index

* Target calculation: 18.5 + ( 18.5 – 16.0 ) = 21.0

Singapore’s Straits Times Index is in a weak up-trend, consolidating below 3100. Breach of support at 3000 would test the lower edge of the trend channel. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would suggest further consolidation, while a fall below -5% would indicate a primary down-trend.

Straits Times Index

Japan’s Nikkei 225 is testing resistance at 9200. Breakout would indicate a rally to 10200. Oscillation of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero, however, continues to indicate a down-trend. Respect of 9200 would indicate another test of primary support at 8500.

Nikkei 225 Index

* Target calculation: 9200 + ( 9200 – 8200 ) = 10200

South Korea’s Seoul Composite index is testing support at 1900. Breach would warn of a correction to primary support at 1750. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would strengthen the bear signal.

Seoul Composite Index

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Here Comes the Dollar Wave Again | WSJ.com

Wall Street Journal opinion on the impact of QE3 on Asia:

If Asia stays true to form, the world is in for a bout of foreign-exchange interventions — some coordinated, some not — in a quest for stability. Yet these interventions will only encourage greater speculative flows, as some investors start betting on the next policy move. This would be America’s problem, too, given the growing number of American businesses trading with Asia that will grapple with a chaotic exchange-rate system…….

via Review & Outlook: Here Comes the Dollar Wave Again – WSJ.com.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Washington Inc.

This extract is from a 2011 opinion I wrote titled Has democracy failed us or have we failed it?

Elections are an expensive business and no candidate is likely to achieve re-election without financial backers, making them especially vulnerable to outside influence. The finance industry alone made $63 million in campaign contributions to Federal Candidates during the 2010 electoral cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That will buy you a lot of influence on the Hill, but is merely the tip of the iceberg. Interest groups spent $3.5 billion in that year on lobbying Congress and federal agencies ($473 million from the finance sector). While that money does not flow directly to candidates it acts as an enticing career path/retirement plan for both Representatives and senior staffers.

The revolving door between Capitol Hill and the big lobbying firms parachutes former elected officials and staffers into jobs as lobbyists, consultants and strategists — while infiltrating their best and brightest into positions within government; a constant exchange of power, influence and money. More than 75 percent of the 363 former senators or representatives end up employed by lobbying firms, either as lobbyists or advisors.

Revolving doors continue to plague Washington and financial market regulators. Enforcing lengthy “restraint of trade” periods between the two roles would restrict this. Preventing politicians from joining lobbying firms for two to three years — and financial regulators from joining Wall Street for a similar period — would reduce the risk of “captive regulators”.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

A Hard Landing Down Under | The Big Picture

Andy Xie has a bearish outlook on China and believes 2013 could be a tough year for Australia:

The market went from not believing in China’s growth story a decade ago to extrapolating past performance into the infinite future……The year 2008 should have been the end of this boom cycle. China’s stimulus misled the market into believing otherwise…..The Australian economy is probably a bubble on top of China’s overinvestment bubble. The latter’s unwinding will sooner or later trigger the former to do so, too…..

via A Hard Landing Down Under | The Big Picture.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Five steps to fix Wall Street

Some more thoughts on the five steps former FDIC chair Sheila Bair suggested to reform the financial system.

Break up the “too big to fail” banks
My take is that breaking up may be difficult to achieve politically, but raising capital ratios for banks above a certain threshold would discourage further growth and encourage splintering over time.
Publicly commit to end bailouts
Just because the bailouts were profitable isn’t a good reason to give Wall Street an indefinite option to “put” its losses to the Treasury and to taxpayers.

As Joseph Stiglitz points out: the UK did a far better job of making shareholders and management suffer the consequences of their actions. Sweden in the early 1990s, similarly demanded large equity stakes in return for rescuing banks from the financial, leading some to raise capital through the markets rather than accept onerous bailout conditions.
Cap leverage at large financial institutions
I support Barry Ritholz’ call for a maximum leverage ratio of 10. That should include off-balance sheet and derivative exposure. Currently the Fed only requires a leverage ratio of 20 (5%) for well-capitalized banks — and that excludes off-balance-sheet assets.
End speculation in the credit derivatives market
Bair pointed out that we don’t get to buy fire insurance on someone else’s house, for a very good reason. How is speculating using credit derivatives any different?

Again Ritholz makes a good suggestion: regulate credit default swaps (CDS) as insurance products, where buyers are required to demonstrate an insurable interest.
End the revolving door between regulators and banks
When regulators are conscious that, with one push of the door, they could end up working for the organizations they are today regulating – or vice versa – “it corrupts the mindset”

A similar revolving door corrupts the relationship between politicians and lobbyists. Enforcing lengthy “restraint of trade” periods between the two roles would restrict this.

via 5 Steps Obama or Romney Must Take to Fix Wall Street.

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Australia: ASX 200 trend channel

The ASX 200 failed to hold on to early gains Monday. Reversal of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow below zero indicates medium-term selling pressure. Expect a test of the lower trend channel. Weakness in US or Asian markets could cause a breach of the 4400 support level, indicating a correction to 4000. Respect of support, however, would indicate a healthy up-trend — and an advance to 4900*.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 4450 + ( 4450 – 4000 ) = 4900

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.

October 29, 2012

Europe: Dax buying pressure

Germany’s Dax continues to test medium-term support at 7200. Respect of support would signal strong accumulation. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow oscillating above zero indicates buying pressure. Breakout above 7600 would confirm a primary up-trend.

Dow Jones Europe Index

* Target calculation: 7000+ ( 7000 – 6000 ) = 8000

The FTSE 100 (daily chart) is testing support at 5740/5750. Long tails suggest short-term buying pressure but bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling. Breach of support would signal a correction. Breakout above 6000/6100 is unlikely at present, but would offer a long-term target of 6750*.

FTSE 100 Index

* Target calculation: 6000 + ( 6000 – 5250 ) = 6750

Colin Twiggs

Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.