Europe

Something has changed according to Jeff Gundlach.  After claiming that a rate hike is "inconceivable" as recently as a month ago, a stance which he softened somewhat in recent days, Gundlach said that the Fed has changed the conditions required for a potential interest-rate hike this year.

Cited by Bloomberg, Gundlach believes that the Fed's thinking has shifted from, 'if the data pattern improves we will have the green light to hike,' to 'unless the data pattern weakens we have the green light to hike.'"

Early this morning, following news of the tragic crash of yet another airplane, Donald Trump was the first to suggest that the catastrophe was the result of "yet another terrorist attack"...

Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris. When will we get tough, smart and vigilant? Great hate and sickness!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2016

Submitted by Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

Greek Pipeline Breakthrough To Challenge Russian Gas Dominance

After years of debate, political jockeying and acrimony, a major pipeline project to bring natural gas to Southern Europe has broken ground.

For Caterpillar, the great recession was bad, for about 19 months. In May 2010, after declining sharply for just under two years, CAT posted it first positive global retail sales comps and never looked back... until December 2012 when comp sales once again turned negative and have been negative ever since. For the past 41 months!

The breakdown showed that contrary to popular opinion, there has been no pick up in demand for heavy industrial machinery anywhere around the globe.

Submitted by Michaela Whitton via TheAntiMedia.org,

Iceland’s anti-establishment Pirate Party continues to lead nationwide polls as the most popular choice for the next elections. The party — whose policies include internet freedom, drug decriminalisation, and open democracy — has consistently led the polls for the last year and, as a result, has secured more funding than any of its rivals.