Europe

Authored by Komal Sri-Kumar via Bloomberg.com,

Donald Trump’s appeal last November was linked to two factors. Both are now putting the valuation bubble in equities at risk.

The former chairman of one of Spain's largest banks has been found dead with a shotgun blast to the chest in a private hunting estate in southern Spain, the country's Civil Guard said Wednesday.

Authored by Mac Slavo via SHTFplan.com,

When social security was first implemented in the 1930’s, America was a very different country. Especially in regards to demographics. The average life expectancy was roughly 18 years younger than it is now, and birth rates were a bit higher than they are now. By the 1950’s, the fertility rate was twice as high as it is in the 21st century.

• Republicans consider bipartisan healthcare talks (Reuters)
• Health Care Collapse Could Leave Trump Winless in His First Year (BBG)
• Republicans to Push Ahead on Repeal of Affordable Care Act (WSJ)
• Obscure Coal CEO Rains Money on Trump While Outflanking Rivals (BBG)
• GOP Tries to Regroup on Obamacare Repeal as Trump Lashes Out (BBG)
• Insurers start to press on subsidies (Reuters)
• Russian lawyer who met Trump Jr. says ready to testify to Congress (Reuters)
• Discovery, Scripps Networks in Cable-TV Merger Talks (WSJ)

In what has been a less exciting session than the previous two, the euro retraced some recent gains as traders grew concerned they may have overestimated the ECB's hawkish bias ahead of Thursday’s rate decision; in turn the dollar edged higher after the collapse of the GOP healthcare bill sent it to the lowest since September on Tuesday.

Not even Citi could infuse any  excitement in the overnight session, which its called "Purgatorial":