Colin Twiggs, Author at the patient investor

February 3, 2013

The Global Leadership Vacuum: Europe Incapable, America Unwilling | SPIEGEL ONLINE

Gregor Peter Schmitz writes:

In 1998, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright called America the “indispensable nation.” But now, 15 years later, it is primarily an exhausted one, a global power in decline that has its gaze turned toward the domestic front rather than Afghanistan or the Middle East.

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.

February 3, 2013

A Putrid Smell Is Suddenly Emanating From European Banks | Business Insider

Wolf Richter writes:

A nauseating whiff came from Barclays Friday, when it leaked out that it has been under investigation by the Financial Services Authority and the Serious Fraud Office in Britain for illegal fundraising in 2008. Allegedly, the bank secretly loaned £5.3 billion (US $8.4 billion) to one of Qatar’s sovereign wealth funds, which then turned around and with great public fanfare pumped that money back into Barclays — a scheme to raise capital on paper to escape a government takeover during the financial crisis…..

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.

January 30, 2013

Federal Reserve FOMC statement | Press Release

…..Although strains in global financial markets have eased somewhat, the Committee continues to see downside risks to the economic outlook. The Committee also anticipates that inflation over the medium term likely will run at or below its 2 percent objective.

To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee will continue purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month and longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $45 billion per month……

To support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability, the Committee expects that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends and the economic recovery strengthens. In particular, the Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that this exceptionally low range for the federal funds rate will be appropriate at least as long as the unemployment rate remains above 6-1/2 percent, inflation between one and two years ahead is projected to be no more than a half percentage point above the Committee’s 2 percent longer-run goal……

Read the complete statement at FRB: Press Release–Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement–January 30, 2013.

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.

January 30, 2013

History Of Federal Reserve Tightening | Business Insider

Matthew Boesler writes:

Deutsche Bank Chief U.S. Equity Strategist David Bianco says, “Don’t fear interest rate normalization.” That’s the title of one of his recent research notes, which takes a deep dive into what happened to markets each of the 15 times the Fed has embarked on policy tightening since 1965. Bianco writes, “DB economists and rate strategists forecast an unchanged Fed Funds rate until 2014. However, they forecast a 3.0% 10yr Treasury yield at 2013 end. When QE ends it will likely be akin to early-cycle Fed tightening and the uptick in long-term yields will represent a cyclical rise in rates, both of which are bullish.”

Chart analysis of previous tightening cycles at History Of Federal Reserve Tightening – Business Insider.

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.

January 28, 2013

Is gold really undervalued?

I agree with James Turk that gold is a currency. It does not generate income and is simply a store of value. Demand for gold will rise in times of uncertainty and when fiat currencies, against which it is traded, are being debased by central bank balance sheet expansion. Now central banks have been printing money since the global financial crisis in 2008, so why is gold not soaring into the stratosphere as Turk predicts?

Spot Gold

The answer lies with global deleveraging. Central banks are attempting to counter the strong deflationary effect of private sector debt repayment. The inflationary effect of their activities is largely offset by deflationary forces emanating from the GFC. If we compare the performance of gold to the CRB and DJ-UBS Commodity Indices it is clear that most commodities have not risen in tandem with gold and there is little evidence of inflation.

US Dollar Index

Copper recovered after the GFC but also seems to have hit a ceiling.

US Dollar Index

Only Brent Crude shows similar price escalation to gold. Nymex WTI Crude is far more subdued.

US Dollar Index

Without strong inflation, gold is unlikely to continue its meteoric rise. More so if there is a down-turn in crude oil and copper. Watch closely.

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.

January 28, 2013

For Stocks, Are Record Highs Warranted? | WSJ

Steven Russolillo at WSJ writes on the latest morning note from Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group:

Colas says he believe stocks are “clearly setup for a pullback” over the next month, given the strong complacency that has engulfed investors of all stripes. That said, he says stocks still look attractive over a longer-term time horizon.

via For Stocks, Are Record Highs Warranted? – MarketBeat – WSJ.

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.

January 28, 2013

Cosco Expects Large 2012 Loss | WSJ.com

Colum Murphy at WSJ writes:

SHANGHAI—China Cosco Holdings Co., the country’s largest shipping company by fleet size, said it expects to report a large net loss for 2012, marking the second year of losses in a row and an imminent downgrading of the status of its yuan-denominated A shares by the Shanghai Stock Exchange. State-controlled Cosco, whose businesses include container and dry-bulk shipping as well as port operations, said Friday the expected loss would be the result of a weak container shipping market and high fuel costs.

Weak container shipping reflects poor manufactured exports.

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.

January 27, 2013

Financial hangover is Britain's biggest growth headache

David smith writes:

Sir Mervyn King, in Tuesday’s final regional speech as Bank governor, in Belfast, barely mentioned fiscal policy as a factor in the slow recovery. Instead, as well as the high-inflation squeeze on real take-home pay and the eurozone, he focused on another financial factor.

The problem, he said, was “the extent to which the balance sheets of the major UK banks had grown before the crisis hit, and had been financed primarily by borrowing.

“So the subsequent reduction in bank lending – the deleveraging – was greater here than in many other countries. That deleveraging has as its counterpart a reduction in the amount of (broad) money in the economy and a reduced willingness on the part of banks to expand lending.”

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.

January 25, 2013

Visible Hand Of The Fed | Business Insider

Lance Roberts writes:

While the Fed programs that we have witnessed since the financial crisis are historically unique — liquidity driven markets are not. We have witnessed the effects of excess liquidity in the bull market cycle prior to the 2008 financial crisis. The only difference during that cycle was that, through government intervention, real estate was turned into an ATM allowing mortgage equity withdrawals to be the liquidity source for the economy and the markets…….

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.

January 25, 2013

ASX 200 approaches key resistance level

The ASX 200 is headed for a test of resistance at 5000, supported by rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum and 13-week Twiggs Money Flow (shown below) signaling buying pressure. Breakout would signal an advance to 6000. S&P 500 breakout above its 2007 high would enhance buying pressure, while failure would suggest a re-test of medium-term ASX 200 support at 4500.

ASX 200 Index

* Target calculation: 5000 + ( 5000 – 4000 ) = 6000

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.