Business

Authored by Gilbert Berdine via The Mises Institute,

Enter “outrageous drug prices” into Google and you will receive plenty of examples. As reported here, Marathon Pharmaceuticals planned to charge $89,000 per year for its Emflaza brand of the corticosteroid deflazacort. Deflazacort was introduced in 1969 and is available outside the U.S. for less than $2 per tablet. US patients with muscular dystrophy have been obtaining the drug for around $1,500 per year from foreign sources.

While most banks have in recent weeks expressed concerns about the recent, near record high levels in the S&P - which is now 67 points above Goldman's year end price target of 2,400 - few have been willing to go out on a limb and announce they are short the market, and that the bull market is now over (unlike Gartman who on Friday staked his reputation that the "Bull market has come to an end" only to unleash another rally in the S&P in the next two days).

Authored by Wolf Richter via WolfStreet.com,

Are we blinded yet by the brilliance of corporate earnings?

“Adjusted” earnings growth is 10.2% year-over-year in the second quarter, according to FactSet, based on the 91% of the companies in the S&P 500 that have reported results. The energy sector was a key driver, with 332% “adjusted” earnings growth from the oil-bust levels of a year ago.

The market should bounce this morning, but after that we’re heading down.

The technical damage from last week was severe with the bull market trendline that has supported stocks since early November being violated on the S&P 500.

Moreover, stocks finished down during August options expiration week in six of the last seven years. So there is also a negative historical pattern for this week.

In light of today's euphoric market reaction, which has seen the VIX plunge by over 3 vols, or 20% lower, to just over 12 and sent both the Nasdaq and S&P higher by 1% on relief that there were no mushroom clouds of the weekend, the jury is out whether last week's sharp risk off, short-vol mauling will persist or be just another BTFD opportunity. But while last week's tension may already be forgotten, some disturbing trends persist.