Author: Colin Twiggs

Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He founded PVT Capital (AFSL number 546090), which provides income and growth strategies to wholesale clients. Colin also co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Patient Investor newsletter. Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies macro trends in the global economy and then combines fundamental and technical analysis to evaluate opportunities in sectors that stand to benefit. 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.
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Labor Shortage May Help China Adjust to Slower Growth – WSJ.com

Reflecting the tight labor market, wage income for urban households rose 13% year-on-year in the first half, and average monthly income for migrant workers rose 14.9%, according to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics…… At current rates, China’s private-sector manufacturing wages will double from their 2011 levels by 2015, and triple by 2017, eroding competitiveness and denting the exports that have played a key part in China’s early growth.

via Labor Shortage May Help China Adjust to Slower Growth – WSJ.com.

Comment:~ It makes you question official inflation figures of just 2.2 percent when wage increases are significantly higher.

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A lack of money isn't the problem: it's time to shrink – The Drum – ABC News

Alan Kohler: Debt was built up through 30 years of current account imbalances after currencies were finally unshackled from the gold standard in 1971, and the depression of the 70s came to an end in 1982.

Central banks, principally the Federal Reserve, complied in the process of debt build-up by holding down interest rates and allowing asset prices to rise, keeping balance sheets in the black.

The credit crisis of 2007-08 brought asset prices down rapidly and rendered banks suddenly insolvent, so they had to be recapitalised by governments. Now the governments of Europe, the US and Japan are insolvent, and the only question is when the central banks will monetise their debt – that is, print more money and buy their debts…..

via A lack of money isn’t the problem: it’s time to shrink – The Drum – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

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Treasury yields continue to fall

10-Year Treasury yields are testing support at 1.45 percent. Breach would offer a target of 1.20 percent*. Declining yields suggest that money is flowing out of stocks and into bonds. Recovery above 1.70 percent is unlikely but would suggest another stock market rally.

10-Year Treasury Yields

* Target calculation: 1.45 – ( 1.70 – 1.45 ) = 1.20

Latest stats from the Fed show holdings of Treasury notes and bonds increased by $3.9 billion over the last week, which may have contributed to the decline. Holdings of (short-term) Treasury bills fell to $14.6 billion, leaving little room for further “Twist” operations — where the Fed swaps short-term holdings for long-term Treasuries.

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Australia and the Endgame

John Mauldin: We wrote about Australia in a full chapter of Endgame. Their economy never really suffered in the recent debt crisis, in large part due to their growing housing market and their trade with China. If you talk to the average Aussie, they think that all is right with the world. They acknowledge a few issues but see nothing major like the rest of the world has experienced. Jonathan and I think otherwise. Their housing market is by recent standards in a clear bubble (which I know will get me a lot of email). Their banking system is dominated by foreign deposits (shades of Northern Rock, but not as bad as Iceland). They are vulnerable to a Chinese economic slowdown. I should note that Chinese GDP growth was “down” to 7.6% last quarter. That China might slow down should not come as a surprise. No country can grow at 10% forever. Eventually the laws of large numbers and compounding take over. All that being said, Australian government debt and deficits are under control. Any problems should be of the nature of “normal” business cycle recessions and accompanying issues.

Comment:~ Massive Chinese stimulus saved Australia from the GFC but that is no reason to become complacent. As Steve Keen recently pointed out, Australia is in a similar position to Spain in 2006. Spain was generating a fiscal surplus which it used to reduce government debt below 40% of GDP, but its banks were exposed to a large housing bubble funded by offshore deposits. Australian banks are similarly exposed to offshore funding and are leveraged 50 to 1 on residential mortgages (Macrobusiness May 4, 2012) — even after adjusting for mortgage insurance — leaving them highly vulnerable to a contraction. We also need to recognize that Australia is not exposed to a slowdown in China’s GDP growth, but to a slowdown in Chinese spending on infrastructure and housing. While GDP growth may fall to zero, the Chinese economy will still survive, but what are Australia’s chances if that is accompanied by say a 50 percent fall in new infrastructure and housing projects? The fall in iron ore and coking coal exports would have a far greater impact on the Australian economy.

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Why Our Elites Stink – NYTimes.com

David Brooks: Today’s elite is more talented and open but lacks a self-conscious leadership code. The language of meritocracy (how to succeed) has eclipsed the language of morality (how to be virtuous). Wall Street firms, for example, now hire on the basis of youth and brains, not experience and character. Most of their problems can be traced to this.

If you read the e-mails from the Libor scandal you get the same sensation you get from reading the e-mails in so many recent scandals: these people are brats; they have no sense that they are guardians for an institution the world depends on; they have no consciousness of their larger social role…..

via Why Our Elites Stink – NYTimes.com.

Comment:~ The first thing we need to teach college students is ethics.

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Forex: Euro, Pound Sterling, Canadian Loonie, Australian Dollar and Japanese Yen

The Euro broke medium-term support at $1.23, signaling a test of the 2010 low at $1.19/$1.20. Declining 63-day Twiggs Momentum warns of a strong down-trend. Breach of the 2010 low becomes likely if the ECB had to indicate an intention to directly or indirectly purchase government bonds — and would suggest a long-term decline.

Euro/USD

Pound Sterling broke through €1.26 against the Euro and is now retracing to test the new support level. Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum indicates an accelerating up-trend. Respect of support is likely and would offer a target of €1.29.

Pound Sterling/Euro

* Target calculation: 1.26 + ( 1.26 – 1.23 ) = 1.29

Canada’s Loonie is weakening against the Aussie Dollar but long-term bullish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum (and breach of the descending trendline) warns of reversal to an up-trend. Breakout above parity would confirm.

Canadian Loonie/Aussie Dollar

The Aussie Dollar broke support at $1.02 USD and its recent broadening wedge on the 2-hour chart. Expect a decline to $1.01; confirmed if short-term support at $1.015 is broken.

Aussie Dollar/USD

* Target calculation: 1.02 – ( 1.025 – 1.015 ) = 1.01

A long-term chart shows the US dollar forming a bottom against the Yen after long-term bullish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum and breach of the descending trendline. Breakout above the current descending trendline and resistance at ¥80 would indicate another test of ¥84/¥85, while breach of that level would confirm a primary up-trend.

Aussie Dollar/Japanese Yen

* Target calculation: 84 + ( 84 – 78 ) = 90

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S&P 500: Weak rally suggests down-turn

The S&P 500 is advancing on the weekly chart toward another test of 1420, but falling momentum warns of a primary down-trend. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would indicate a primary decline. Failure of primary support at 1270 would confirm, offering a target of 1170*. In the shorter term, recovery above 1370 would indicate a test of 1420. Breakout above 1420 is unlikely at this stage — especially with money flowing into bonds.

S&P 500 Index Weekly Chart

* Target calculation: 1270 – ( 1370 – 1270 ) = 1170

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Dollar rises, gold and silver threaten support

The US Dollar Index rallied to test resistance at 83.50. Breakout would target the 2010 high of 88.00. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum oscillating above the zero line indicates a strong up-trend.

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 82 + ( 82 – 78 ) = 86

Spot Gold is consolidating above primary support at $1530 per ounce. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero signals a primary down-trend. Downward breakout would offer a target of $1300*……. unless the Fed introduces QE3.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1550 – ( 1800 – 1550 ) = 1300

Spot Silver is similarly testing primary support at $26 per ounce. Breakout would offer a target of $16*….. again with the QE3 caveat.

Spot Silver

* Target calculation: 26 – ( 36 – 26 ) = 16

Commodities continue in a primary down-trend, warning of a global economic down-turn. Respect of resistance at 295 by the CRB Commodities Index would warn of another primary decline, with a target of 235*. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum oscillating below zero indicates a strong down-trend. Penetration of the descending trendline is unlikely, but would suggest that a bottom is forming.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 265 – ( 295 – 265 ) = 235

Brent Crude is also testing resistance — and the descending trendline — at $100 per barrel. Respect would indicate another decline, with a target of $75 per barrel*. There are two wild cards that could impact on price: tensions with Iran and QE3.

Brent Crude and Nymex WTI Light Crude

* Target calculation: 100 – ( 125 – 100 ) = 75

The gold-oil ratio (measured against Brent crude) is close to its mid-point of 15.0, offering little in the way of overbought/oversold readings for gold over the last  few years (after a false overbought reading — above 20 — in 2009).

Gold/Brent Crude Ratio

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Is America the greatest country in the world?

Beginning scene of the new HBO series The Newsroom answers the question: “Why is America the greatest country in the world?”

An honest three and a half minutes of television…. [strong language]

Hat tip Barry Ritholz/Doug Kass

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Laffer: Increasing taxes will cause a double-dip recession

Art Laffer of Laffer Associates warns that attempts to increase taxes on the top 2% of earners will drive the economy back into recession: “They employ everyone else, invest capital and provide the economic recovery” he said.

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000101378.

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