Business

"2015 was unsually poor."

That's how Citi's iconic credit strategist Matt King begins his latest report, starting with a chart we have shown previously, namely that total returns across most asset classes in 2015 were downright miserable - "near zero or worse" - and that as a result the active manager comunity was humiliated to a degree not seen since 2008, especially in the high yield space, where as we know, several liquidating mutual and hedge funds were forced to gate over the past month.

Remember 'The Santa Claus Rally' that Bob Pisani said "we should expect" - well The Dow is now down over 1200 points from the highs just before the end of the year and extending those losses as Reuters reports, PBOC advisors are said to call for steeper yuan depreciation, pressuring the government to depreciate by 10-15%.

Dow collapse...

As all major US equity indices are in free-fall since the start of December...

Submitted by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,

China Matters

Over the past few days I have repeatedly heard the following statement:

“China isn’t that important as it is only 7% of the U.S. economy.”

While that may be a true statement in relation to the economy, it is a far different matter when it comes to the financial markets.

With WTI trading with a $32 handle, collapsing below December 2008's $32.40 lows briefly overnight, OPEC's broad basket price for crude has also reached a worrisome milestone. Amid Saudi price cuts to Europe, the basket price was set at $29.71 today - the first print below $30 since April 2004.

WTI broke 2008 lows overnight... and then ran stops to overnight highs...

and following the inclusion of Indonesia's crude oil price, OPEC's basket price is back below $30...

For the first time since April 2004...

Submitted by Jim Quinn via The Burning Platform blog,