United States

One month ago we were quite amused by what at that time was one of the most ridiculous short squeezes we have ever seen when the stock of Peabody Energy, exploded higher from $2 to about $6 in days on... nothing.

Many scratched their heads at this move as nothing fundamentally had changed in the company's deteriorating operations, and its bonds are among the most distressed issues trading currently. The move was even more bizarre when just a few days later Peabody warned it may file for bankruptcy protection imminently.

With oil losing some of its euphoric oomph overnight, following the API report of a surge in US oil inventories, and a subsequent report that Iran's oil minister would skip the Doha OPEC meeting altogether, the global stock rally needed another catalyst to maintain the levitation.

Just 24 hours ago we explained the beginning of the end of the US automaker "house of cards," detailing how the tumble in used-car-prices sets up a vicious circle as Goldman warns "demand has plateaued." This is most evident in the surge in pre-owned vehicle inventories to record highs, forcing, as WSJ reports, dealers to lower prices, further denting new-car pricing.

Submitted by David Stockman via Contra Corner blog,

Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,

Wall Street is counting its winnings from seven years of easy money.

 

The results represent a clear victory for Wall Street over Main Street, according to the team of Michael Hartnett, BofA’s chief investment strategist.