Europe

On Thursday, just as the S&P hit its latest all time high, the broad US equity index surpassed the 266% increase recorded during the 1949 to 1956 bull market from its March 2009 "generational lows", in the process becoming the 3rd strongest bull market - artificial and central bank-driven as it may be - in history.

It also prompted Citi to calculate the odds of an imminent market correction (one starting in the next 3 months) at 45%. 

Authored by John Rubino via DollarCollapse.com,

For what seems like decades, other countries have been tiptoeing away from their dependence on the US dollar.

China, Russia, and India have cut deals in which they agree to accept each others’ currencies for bi-lateral trade while Europe, obviously, designed the euro to be a reserve asset and international medium of exchange.

These were challenges to the dollar’s dominance, but they weren’t mortal threats.

The German government has opened an probe into an illegal Pentagon arms trafficking operation after a bombshell investigative report on the secret program went viral this week.

Late on Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Julian Assange might be able to provide proof that there's no truth to the Russia collusion narrative - even as Facebook’s admission that it sold at least $100,000 worth of advertising to a Russian troll farm bent on bolstering support for President Donald Trump has purportedly revived the narrative in the eyes of Trump's political opponents.

Authored by Sara Potter via FactSet,

Last week, I detailed the various factors leading up to the stock market crash of October 19, 1987. As we approach the 30-year anniversary of Black Monday, are there signs that the bull market of 2017 could end in the same way? Let’s compare the financial, economic, and political factors now and then to paint a better picture.