Countries & Regions Archives - Page 142 of 373

September 7, 2014

Financial reform: Call to arms | FT.com

Martin Wolf on how much capital banks should be required to hold:

The new regulatory regime is an astonishingly complex response to the failures of this model. But “keep it simple, stupid” is as good a rule in regulation as it is in life. The sensible solution seems clear: force banks to fund themselves with equity to a far greater extent than they do today.

So how much capital would do? A great deal more than the 3 per cent ratio being discussed in Basel is the answer. As Anat Admati and Martin Hellwig argue in their important book, The Bankers’ New Clothes, significantly higher capital – with true leverage certainly no greater than 10 to one and, ideally, lower still – would bring important advantages: it would limit the implicit subsidy to banks, particularly “too big to fail” ones; it would reduce the need for such intrusive and complex regulation; and it would lower the likelihood of panics.

An important feature of higher capital requirements is that these should not be based on risk-weighting. In the event, the risk weights used before the crisis proved extraordinarily fallible, indeed grossly misleading…..

There is no magic in the number of 10 times leverage (or 10% Tier 1 Capital to Total Assets) but the larger the buffer, the greater the protection against fluctuations in asset values. The Basel III minimum leverage ratio of 3% is too low to offer adequate protection, even with the highest quality assets, and while 10% is not readily attainable in the short-term, it makes a suitable long-term target.

September 7, 2014

A Prominent Financial Columnist Is Calling For Radical Reforms To The Global Economy | Business Insider

From The Economist review of Martin Wolf’s new book “The Shifts and the Shocks: What We’ve Learned–and Have Still to Learn–from the Financial Crisis”:

To make finance safer, Mr Wolf suggests replacing a fractional reserve banking system, which takes in deposits and lends most of them out in longer-term loans, with a system of “narrow banking”, where deposits must be backed by government bonds. To sustain demand without relying on dangerous asset bubbles, he proposes permanent “helicopter money”, where governments run deficits that are financed by the central bank. For a man of the mainstream, this is brave stuff.

Fractional reserve banking is inherently unstable and responsible for many of the problems in our economic system, but abandoning it completely in favor of “narrow banking”, where deposits are fully-backed by government bonds, seems unnecessary. Increasing Tier 1 capital requirements to 10 percent of total exposure, from the current 3 to 5 percent, should provide a sufficient buffer to withstand most financial shocks. Rapid expansion of credit during an asset bubble would be difficult, with high capital requirements forcing banks to be more selective in their lending. Even more so if supplemented by central bank monetary policy to counteract rapid deposit growth.

September 7, 2014

Democracy in the Twenty-First Century by Joseph E. Stiglitz – Project Syndicate

From Joseph Stiglitz:

What we have been observing – wage stagnation and rising inequality, even as wealth increases – does not reflect the workings of a normal market economy, but of what I call “ersatz capitalism.” The problem may not be with how markets should or do work, but with our political system, which has failed to ensure that markets are competitive, and has designed rules that sustain distorted markets in which corporations and the rich can and unfortunately do exploit everyone else.

September 5, 2014

European ceasefire

Neil MacFarquhar reports in The New York Times:

After five months of intensifying combat that threatened to rip Ukraine apart and to reignite the Cold War, the Ukrainian government and separatist forces signed a cease-fire agreement on Friday that analysts considered highly tenuous in a country that remains a tinderbox…..

The agreement resembles, almost verbatim, a proposal for a truce issued by President Petro O. Poroshenko in June.

It includes amnesty for those who disarm and who did not commit serious crimes, and the exchange of all prisoners. Militias will be disbanded, and a 10-kilometer buffer zone — about six miles — will be established along the Russian-Ukrainian border. The area will be subject to joint patrols. The separatists have agreed to leave the administrative buildings they control and to allow broadcasts from Ukraine to resume on local television….

There appears plenty of skepticism as to whether the ceasefire will hold… and whether Russian forces will withdraw, but markets welcomed the announcement.

Germany’s DAX is testing resistance at 9700/9800. Breakout would indicate a fresh advance, while follow-through above 10000 would confirm a target of 11000. Recovery of 13-week Twiggs Money Flow above zero suggests selling pressure is easing. Retreat below 9250, however, would warn of another test of primary support at 9000.

DAX

* Target calculation: 10000 + ( 10000 – 9000 ) = 11000

The S&P 500 rallied above 2000. Follow-through above 2010 would confirm an advance to 2100*. Sideways movement on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow, however, suggests further consolidation. Reversal below 1990 is unlikely, but would warn of another correction.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 2000 + ( 2000 – 1900 ) = 2100

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) remains low, typical of a bull market.

S&P 500 VIX

Shanghai Composite Index, responding to PBOC stimulus, broke resistance at 2250 to signal a primary up-trend. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates accelerating buying pressure. Target for the advance is 2500*. Reversal below 2250 is unlikely, but would suggest further consolidation between 2000 and 2250.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 + ( 2250 – 2000 ) = 2500

The ASX 200 broke short-term support at 5620, but with both US and Chinese markets entering a bull phase retracement is likely to be short-lived. Breakout above 5680 would confirm an advance to 5850*. Bearish divergence on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow warns of medium-term selling pressure, but a trough above zero would indicate that buyers are back in control. Reversal below 5540 is unlikely, but would warn of a test of primary support.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5450 ) = 5850

September 4, 2014

Extent of the Russian “incursion” in Ukraine

Russian “humanitarian” convoy in Ukraine. Link posted by Gary Kasparov

September 4, 2014

Iran Didn’t Create ISIS. We Did | The Diplomat

From Ben Reynolds:

….No one is innocent in the Iraqi and Syrian civil wars, but Iran is not primarily responsible for the current state of affairs. The U.S. and its allies destabilized Iraq and Syria in turn, creating safe havens for extremists that previously did not exist. U.S. allies provided the material support that allowed ISIS and groups like it to become threats to the entire region, despite lacking any substantial popular base in Syria and Iraq. It is not unreasonable for Iran and Hezbollah to fight against these groups, which murder and enslave Shia and other religious minorities. Their actions conceivably fall under one of the West’s favorite principles of international law: the duty to protect.

September 3, 2014

ASX 200 retraces to test new support level

The ASX 200 broke resistance at 5650, but is now retracing to test the new support level. Reversal below 5620 would warn of another test of 5450, but respect of support is more likely and follow-through above 5680 would confirm an advance, offering a target of 5850*. Completion of another 21-day Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would strengthen the signal.

ASX 200

* Target calculation: 5650 + ( 5650 – 5450 ) = 5850

Low readings for the ASX 200 VIX are typical of a bull market.

ASX 200

September 3, 2014

Asian tiger leap

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is retracing to test support at 24000. Respect is likely and recovery above 25000 would confirm a primary advance to 27000*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow signals buying pressure. Failure of support at 24000 is unlikely, but would warn of a correction.

Hang Seng Index

* Long-term target calculation: 24000 + ( 24000 – 21000 ) = 27000

China’s Shanghai Composite Index broke resistance at 2250, confirming a primary up-trend. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates medium-term buying pressure. Expect retracement to test the new support level.

Shanghai Composite Index

* Target calculation: 2250 + ( 2250 – 2000 ) = 2500

India’s Sensex is testing resistance at the target of 27000*. Completion of a 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero indicates that buyers have taken control. Expect retracement to test the new support level at 26000. Penetration of the secondary trendline is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to the primary trendline.

Sensex

* Target calculation: 21000 + ( 21000 – 15000 ) = 27000

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index followed through above 15500, suggesting a test of resistance at 16000/16300. Declining 13-week Twiggs Money Flow continues to warn of medium-term selling pressure, but respect of the zero line would signal that buyers have taken control. Reversal below 15500 is unlikely, but would warn of a test of 14800.

Nikkei 225

September 3, 2014

Footsie resilient while Euro, DAX falter

The Euro is in a primary down-trend, having broken support at $1.35. Declining 13-week Twiggs Momentum (below zero) confirms. Expect short-term support at $1.31 on the weekly chart, with long-term support at $1.27/$1.28.

Euro

Germany’s DAX encountered resistance below 9700/9800 and 13-week Twiggs Money Flow below zero warns of selling pressure. Reversal below 9300 would warn of another test of primary support at 9000.

DAX

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 found similar resistance at 3200. A 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero, however, would indicate buying pressure, while a fall below zero would warn that sellers dominate. Reversal below 3100 would warn of another test of primary support at 3000.

Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50

The Footsie shows more resilience, testing long-term resistance at 6850/6900. 13-Week Twiggs Money Flow oscillating above zero indicates long-term buying pressure, but there is a major psychological barrier at 6900/7000 (the 1999 high) that has to be overcome. Breach of support at 6500 is unlikely, but would warn of a reversal.

FTSE 100

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

September 3, 2014

Dow finds support

Dow Jones Industrial Average retraced to test support at 17000. Respect is likely and would indicate a fresh advance. Follow-through above 17150 would confirm a target of 17500*. Recovery of 21-day Twiggs Money Flow above its July peak would strengthen the signal. Reversal below 16950 is unlikely, but would warn of another correction.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

* Target calculation: 16500 + ( 16500 – 15500 ) = 17500

The S&P 500 is also testing support — at 2000. Respect would offer a target of 2100*. Follow-through above 2005 would confirm. A small trough above zero on 21-day Twiggs Money Flow is encouraging, but reversal below 20% would warn of selling pressure. Failure of short-term support at 1985/1990 is unlikely, but would warn of another correction.

S&P 500

* Target calculation: 2000 + ( 2000 – 1900 ) = 2100

Low CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) readings are typical of a bull market.

VIX Index

Bellwether transport stock Fedex respected support at $144/$145, indicating another advance. Follow-through above $154/$155 would confirm a healthy up-trend — for both the stock and the economy. Likewise, a 13-week Twiggs Money Flow trough above zero would suggest long-term buying pressure and another primary advance. Breach of support is unlikely, but would warn of a correction to primary support at $129/$130.

Fedex

* Target calculation: 145 + ( 145 – 130 ) = 160