Europe

Former FX trader and fund manager Richard Breslow is worried. Worried about investors' level of delusion in the markets and worried that central bankers are so convinced of their own omnipotence, that they have become blind to any potential risks just out of their immediate sight. One glimpse at the following chart is all you need to know, Central Banks are the only game in town... and given their recent statements, they don't know that (even though investors believe they do)...

Via Bloomberg,

A lot changed over the past 4 days, starting with Draghi's unexpectedly hawkish speech earlier this week (subsequent ECB clarification notwithstanding), followed by a barrage of hawkish Fed speakers - including Yellen - all of whom warned that risk assets are overvalued, then the heads of the BOE and BOC, who also came out surprisingly hawkish and warned rates hikes are coming, and finally the conclusion of the ECB's forum in Sintra, where the hawkishness was palpable. In short: coordinated global central bank tightening, or at least jawboning.

Washington Has Been At War For 16 Years: Why?

Paul Craig Roberts

For sixteen years the US has been at war in the Middle East and North Africa, running up trillions of dollars in expenses, committing untold war crimes, and sending millions of war refugees to burden Europe, while simultaneously claiming that Washington cannot afford its Social Security and Medicare obligations or to fund a national health service like every civilized country has.

Yesterday's 'dead cat bounce' in FANG stocks has been erased as broad-based weakness stemming from increasing recognition of hawkish central bank chatter is hitting stocks and bonds. Bank stocks bounce after stress test 'success' are saving some indices from bigger losses.

FANG stock erased yesterday's gains...

Bank stocks bounced overnight and remain green but are fading as the day progresses...

All major indices are in the red with The Dow holding up better as Nasdaq is hit hard...

• Global Bonds Gyrate as Investors Try to Parse Central Banks’ Next Stimulus Moves (WSJ)
• Republicans struggle to salvage healthcare effort (Reuters)
• States' Medicaid spending to increase (Reuters)
• Apple's iPhone turns 10, bumpy start forgotten (Reuters)
• Fed’s Stress Tests: All Banks Cleared on Payouts to Shareholders (WSJ)
• Bitcoin's Become So Volatile That It Looks Like a Steroidal ETF (BBG)
• They Built the First Phone You Loved. Where in the World Is Nokia Now?  (BBG)