US & Canada Archives - Page 114 of 171

November 28, 2012

Euro recovers

The Euro is testing its long-term descending trendline in response to the weakening dollar. Breakout above $1.315/$1.32 would confirm the primary up-trend signaled earlier by 63-day Twiggs Momentum recovery above zero.

Euro/USD

* Target calculation: 1.315 + ( 1.315 – 1.265 ) = 1.365

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.

November 28, 2012

The Numbers Racket at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions

Steve Landsberg points out the flaw in the often-quoted statistic that the median US worker has enjoyed hardly any income gain over the past few decades, with median wages growing from $25,000 in 1980 to $25,700 in 2005:

Each demographic group has progressed, but at the same time, there’s been a great influx of lower income groups — women and nonwhites — into the workforce. This creates the illusion that nobody’s progressing when in fact everybody’s progressing.

Actual growth rates are as high as 75% for white women and 62% for nonwhite women.

via The Numbers Racket at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics.

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.

November 27, 2012

EconoMonitor » The U.S. is sliding down an investment slope

Thomas Grennes & Andris Strazds highlight the contraction in US private investment since the GFC:

Recent evidence…….suggests that while U.S. GDP growth has surpassed its pre-crisis level, investment has been declining. A comparison with China would not be appropriate due to differences in growth rates and the level of economic development, but even a comparison with the EU-15 is not flattering to the U.S. A look at the Gross Fixed Capital Formation to GDP ratio shows that since the onset of the financial crisis in 2007 the U.S. has been lagging behind the EU-15 countries with respect to investment in long-term assets…….

The chances of China successfully switching from an export-driven economy to internal markets are small. And the US is unlikely to materially lift exports. So their conclusion appears unavoidable.

If insufficient investment results in the U.S. having to adjust by lowering consumption rather than increasing output, the rest of the world will also have to adjust in a way that is reducing growth; namely, produce less.

via EconoMonitor : Thoughts From Across the Atlantic » The U.S. Is Sliding Down an Investment Slope.

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.

November 26, 2012

Mark Carney Named New BOE Governor | WSJ.com

Mark Carney, who currently runs Canada’s central bank, will be the next governor of the Bank of England, the British government announced Monday, in a surprise pick that underscores U.K. officials’ thirst for fresh blood at the powerful institution……

via Mark Carney Named New BOE Governor – 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.

November 26, 2012

Canada: TSX Composite rallies

The TSX Composite is headed for another test of resistance at 12500. Breakout would signal an advance, offering a target of 13250*. Rising 63-day Twiggs Momentum suggests a primary up-trend. Reversal below 11750 is unlikely but would test primary support at 11200.

TSX Composite Index

* Target calculation: 12500 + ( 12500 – 11750 ) = 13250

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.

November 26, 2012

US rally but signs of a top

The S&P 500 broke resistance at 1400 and the descending trendline on the daily chart, indicating that the correction is ending. Expect retracement to test support. A higher trough would be a bullish sign.

S&P 500 Index

The weekly chart still shows bearish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum and reversal below zero would warn of a primary down-trend. Breach of resistance at 1425 would signal another advance but expect resistance at 1475.

S&P 500 Index

The Nasdaq 100 is similarly headed for a test of 2800. Bearish divergence on 63-day Twiggs Momentum warns that a top is forming. Respect of 2800 would strengthen the signal, indicating reversal to a primary down-trend.

Nasdaq 100 Index

* Target calculation: 2400 – ( 2800 – 2400 ) = 2000

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.

November 22, 2012

Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries | PBS NewsHour

US health care costs are high relative to other OECD countries but average US life expectancy (78.7 years) in 2010 is below the OECD average of 79.8 years. These two OECD charts sum up the problem:

OECD health spending by country

Cost of medical procedures

Germany (DEU) is lowest for most procedures — in many cases less than half — and the quality of the treatment is excellent.

via Health Costs: How the U.S. Compares With Other Countries | PBS NewsHour.

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.

November 22, 2012

Euro and Aussie Dollar long tails

The Euro reversed direction in response to the weakening dollar, breaking resistance at $1.28 to indicate another test of $1.31/$1.32. Respect of the new support level would confirm.

Euro/USD

The Aussie Dollar likewise displays evidence of buying pressure, with long tails below resistance at $1.04. Breakout would offer a target of $1.06*. Reversal of of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero, however, would warn of a primary down-trend.

Aussie Dollar/USD

* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.02 ) = 1.06

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.

November 21, 2012

Euro and Aussie Dollar meet resistance

The Euro respected resistance at $1.28 and another test of medium-term support at $1.265 is likely. Breach of support would indicate a correction to $1.23.

Euro/USD

The Aussie Dollar likewise respected resistance, at $1.04. Follow-through below $1.03 would test primary support at $1.02/$1.015. Recovery above $1.04 is unlikely but would test $1.06*. Reversal of of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would suggest a primary down-trend.

Aussie Dollar/USD

* Target calculation: 1.04 + ( 1.04 – 1.02 ) = 1.06

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.

November 18, 2012

The Foolproof Way

In his 2003 paper Escaping from a Liquidity Trap and Deflation: The Foolproof Way and Others Lars E.O. Svensson describes his Foolproof Way of escaping from a liquidity trap — experienced by countries such as Japan, and lately the US, when central bank interest rates are close to zero.

The Foolproof Way consequently consists of announcing and implementing three measures: 1) an upward-sloping price-level target path, starting above the current price level by a price gap to undo; 2) a depreciation and a crawling peg of the currency; and 3) an exit strategy in the form of the abandonment of the peg in favor of inflation or price-level targeting when the price-level target path has been reached.
As discussed in the previous subsection, a currency depreciation and a crawling peg is unique in providing the central bank with a concrete action that demonstrates the central bank’s commitment to a higher future price level, establishes credibility for the peg, induces private-sector expectations of a higher future price level, and stimulates the economy by reducing the real interest rate. As argued, via a depreciation and a crawling peg with a rate of appreciation approximately equal to the average foreign interest rate, the central bank can actually implement approximately the optimal way to escape from a liquidity trap and strike the optimal balance between current stimulus of the economy and the future price level. Furthermore, as discussed, the exchange rate is unique in providing a relatively direct measure of the private-sector expectations of the future price level.

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.