Since The December 16th FOMC decision to hike rates, Gold is up over 2%, Bonds up 1%, and stocks down 3% suggesting the word "error" with regard Fed policy. As The FOMC Minutes are released, traders anticipate confident-hawkishness and a focus on ignoring current data in favor of preferring their own confident outlook:
Authored by Nomi Prins, author of "All The Presidents' Bankers", via NomiPrins.com,
Submitted by Frank Shostak via The Mises Institute,
On Wednesday December 16, 2015, Federal Reserve Bank policymakers raised the federal funds rate target by 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent for the first time since December 2008. There is the possibility that the target could be lifted gradually to 1.25 percent by December next year.
Submitted by Leonard Brecken via OilPrice.com,
The days of E&P companies using external debt financing to fuel growth have most likely come to a close.
The one thing executives should have learned in 2015 is that Wall Street can for long periods of time remain disconnected from fundamentals and can swing to extremes. Another lesson from 2015 is that OPEC can no longer be relied upon to set prices.
Thus, the debt fueled financing boom in the shale space will most likely never return.
Submitted by Michael Lebowitz via 720Global.com,
“It’s self-defeating to use the wrong monetary policy.” -Ben Bernanke