Risk: As described by Chanos, Hendry and Gundlach

Some videos new and old which may provide some perspective on the recent downgrade of America by Standard and Poors and the current market thrashing.
I could attempt to write something eloquent but I'm busy right now. Instead I'll refer you to some successful investors voicing their opinions.

Chanos talking about credit ratings versus CDS rates
http://youtu.be/kRxAMM7UU_k

Gundlach on how the US will never not pay its debt, it just may pay its debt back with devalued currency
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000037858

A series by Hugh Hendry from late last year which I don't believe I have published before.  Considering the current market thrashing I think the discussion is important.
part 1: http://youtu.be/zvzKgjaVnlE
part 2: http://youtu.be/MJSO3H4GLqw

ht: HistorySquared

Home prices going up? Not until you show me the money.

Are home prices going up in a sustained manner anytime soon? No

A recent presentation by Australian Professor Steve Keen inspired me to search for a similar American data series. One exists and it does not predict any sort of sustained bounce in American home prices. (I am simplifying Mr. Keen's presentation as he looks primarily at the 2nd derivative of loan levels but the level of destruction in American mortgages outstanding is epic)

As Mr. Keen states, it is not people who buy homes, it's people with money who buy homes.  Just to show you the magnitude of the home devastation we are experiencing here's the entire home loan series:

For the entire data series, going back to the mid 50's we've never seen a year over year decline in the total value of home loans outstanding.  Yes, some of this decline is due to homes being foreclosed and the loans vaporizing as a result, but that also eliminates yet another person who cannot trade up from their current home to something larger as their equity and credit score head towards zero.

Until we see year over year growth in mortgages outstanding we will not see a sustained nationwide rise in home prices. We will of course see localized variation in this with some pockets of growth but nothings happening until You show me the money.



Disclosure: The author is short some housing related stocks.

Italian and Spanish yields keep climbing

I recently highlighted the rise in Spanish and Italian government bonds yields. Today they are shooting higher yet again and I'm certain this is a contributing factor to the equity market's weakness, US budgetary problems notwithstanding.

I usually don't mention my trading activity but I sold off an equity ETF position Friday due to this European contagion situation.

The challenge of Google+ and entering my circle of trust

I recently signed up for Google+ and in typical Google style its somewhat spartan in style and instruction on how to use it.  I'm slowly stumbling around trying to figure the system out.

There are some improvements over Facebook in my opinion, most specifically the 'circle' system where you can place individuals in multiple different groups so as to filter and direct your comments, pictures and information to specific groups.

Even if Google+ is 'superior', will it eventually exceed Facebook in popularity?  Not necessarily.  Part of the challenge Google+ faces is the size of their network is MUCH smaller than Facebook's (which is currently over 750 million people!) Network size is very critical as a social network with very few 'nodes' provides a much lower utility even if it's 'better'  [See Metcalfe's law]  Google+'s strategy of slowly rolling out the system via invites from current members mitigates this problem as people are automatically creating more connected 'nodes' in the network instead of random additions you don't personally know.

Right now my plan is to use Google+ as a social media outpost/gateway for my twitter and virtual friends versus Facebook for my 'in the flesh'  friends.  It will be curious to see how the two competing social media platforms evolve.

Many thanks to downtown Josh Brown for being the first person to put me in one of his circles.  Hopefully I'm not in the deranged fanboy category but in the circle of trust...

Club Med Hangover -- Bond yields climbing in Spain and Italy

Nearly a month ago I mentioned rising yields in Spain possibly causing problems.  I underestimated the number of countries. Both Italy and Spain's treasury yields have spiked higher.

Italy 10 year

Spain 10 year

Spain 10 year versus German 10 year

 

None of the charts are pretty.  While Italy was getting most of the headlines for the rate of yield increase please note how Spain's yields are higher.  Any EU country bordering the Mediterranean is having serious problems right now.

North Korea watch -- look out for some sabre rattling?

North Korea is rumored to have recently closed all universities and put the students to work:

From North Korea Econ Watch

The reports said the students would be put to work on construction projects in major cities and on other works in a bid to rebuild the economy. This could indicate that the country’s food crisis and economic problems are worse than previously thought.

Combined with reports of additional EU aid it appears the speculation of severe stress in the Hermit Kingdom appear to be correct.

From the Guardian

The European commission is to give €10m (£9m) in urgent food aid to North Koreans on the brink of starvation, after negotiating for "unprecedented access" to ensure that the food goes straight to those most in need.

With North Korea on the ropes I wouldn't be surprised to see some sabre rattling and more than your usual number of threats and provocations in the near future.  South Korea recently winning the 2018 Winter Olympics bid provides North Korean a new 'delicate' target to threaten as well. 

Economics for the post MTV Generation -- It's the debt stupid

I previously mentioned an entertaining video regarding the competing economic theories of Keynes and Hayek.  Here is round two, and while its a few months old it deserves attention.

When watching the video pay close attention to the assistants to each boxer, you may recognize some other names as well as what appears to be Chairman Ben Bernanke in the first row of the meeting.





While the debate over monetary and fiscal stimulus continues (most recently as the wrangling over the federal debt limit) I'd like to repeat a graph I've shown before.

Total US debt (private, corp, government) to GDP rose for this entire data series until the great financial crisis of 2008.  Since then its been dropping and this is one reason our recovery has felt so sluggish as corporations and individuals continue to delever.

I have mentioned before how even with a very steep yield curve we are not seeing a rebounding economy and others have noticed this as well; the steep yield curve mechanism appears broken.

From Bonddad:

for virtually the entire period beginning in late 1929 and continuing right through the Great Depression and into the 1950s, the yield curve was resolutely positive. And yet that period coincided with the two worst downturns in the last 100 years, as well as three other recessions.

Until the private sector deleverages monetary policy levers will be less effective. I have suspicions as to how Mr. Bernanke will 'fix' this problem but I'll leave that to a later post with evidence.

So what explains the current crisis and malaise? I think Steve Keen is on to something.  I strongly suggest you watch this video and examine his theories.

edit: sorry about the autoplay. Hit the pause button to stop it.



http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/01/steve-keen-on-the-modern-economy-and-the-outlook/
http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2010/07/07/naked-capitalism-and-my-scary-minsky-model/
http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2009/12/01/debtwatch-no-41-december-2009-4-years-of-calling-the-gfc/