Business

BofAML's Mike Cantopoulos' distaste for corporate fundamentals, displeasure with the efficacy of QE and easy monetary policy on spurring growth and inflation, and concerns that a further deterioration in credit conditions will create deeper economic troubles not appreciated by many have left credit markets with poor default adjusted valuations and little room to absorb a negative shock. He highlights nine key reasons below why BofAML believes this rally won't last (and in fact may have already seen its end).

Submitted by Charles Hugh-Smith of OfTwoMinds blog,

The problem is that limiting financialization will implode the system.

The majority of American households feel poorer because they are poorer. Real (i.e. adjusted for inflation) median household income has declined for decades, and income gains are concentrated in the top 5%:

WTI crude prices are unimpresed at the rig count data today (after spiking off the dismal jobs data). Total rig count fell 5 to 415 - a new record low while oil rigs fell 4 to 328, tracking lagged oil prices to their nadir.

19th weekly decline of the 20 weeks in 2016... will it change as laged oil prices pick up?

With the total count continuing to crash to new record lows...

Submitted by Pater Tenebrarum via Acting-Man.com,

Tax Receipts vs. the Stock Market

Following the US Treasury’s update of April tax receipts, our friend Mac mailed us a few charts showing the trend in corporate tax payments. Not surprisingly, corporate tax payments and refunds mirror the many signs of a slowing economy that have recently emerged. An overview in chart form follows below. First up, corporate tax receipts in absolute figures.

By EconMatters

No Parking Sign Means NO Parking

One of my friends in Houston Texas recently had a run-in with a driver of a company called NeighborFavor Inc. d/b/a Favor Delivery.