S&P 500 FINANCIALS INDEX
| Value | 196.11 | |
| Change | -0.13 (-0.1%) |
The MLP index was off a fraction & has been flattish above 350 over the last 2 weeks. Of course, sideways after setting an all time record is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when a few MLPs have gone (earned) ex-distribution this week. The REIT index fell 1 to the 219s, only 7 below its recent yearly highs & junk bond funds were higher.
Alerian MLP Index --- 2 months
Dow Jones REIT Index --- 2 months
10-Year Treasury Yield Index --- 2 months
Oil inched up while gold was able to recoup some of last week's big losses. It only needs another 30+ to reach new record prices.
| CLZ10.NYM | ...Crude Oil Dec 10 | ...82.18 | .... 0.25 (0.3%) |
| GCX10.CMX | ...Gold Nov 10 | .....1,342.10 | . 19.90 (1.5%) |
+++Gold Super Cycle+++
Bond dealers & investors were asked by the Federal Reserve (FED) for projections of central bank asset purchases over the next 6 months & likely effect on yields, as it seeks to gauge the possible impact of new efforts to spur growth. The FED meets on Nov 2 & 3 to consider steps to boost an economy that’s only stumbling. William Dudley, president of the NY FED & vice chairman of the FOMC, set expectations of about $500B for a new round of so-called quantitative easing (QE) recently. Treasury 10-year notes rose for the first time in 7 days today, pushing the yield down 5 basis points to 2.65%. The yield had climbed to the highest in more than a month yesterday on speculation that the FED will buy less debt than some traders had been expecting. Treasury officials say they want to avoid any disruption to the $8½T (that's T as in TRILLION) market in gov debt as the FED weighs restarting purchases. We're back to making it up as we go along & now they admit that they are talking about $T of dollars.
Fed Asks Dealers to Estimate Size, Impact of Debt Purchases
Treasury Yields:
| U.S. 3-month | 0.12% | |
| U.S. 2-year | 0.36% | |
| U.S. 10-year | 2.65% |
General Motors is preparing an initial public offering (IPO), to reduce debt & other obligations by $11B, cutting interest costs & preferred dividends by $500M annually. It has paid $2.8B to the UAW retiree health-care trust & will buy back $2.1B of preferred stock from the Treasury (that's us!) & contribute at least $6B to hourly & salaried pension funds after its IPO. GM will purchase the Treasury’s 84M series A shares at $25.50 per share. With the repurchase, taxpayers will have received $9.5B in repayments, interest & dividends, from GM since the automaker emerged from bankruptcy in Jul 2009. The Treasury’s total funds invested in GM include $13.4B under the Bush administration & $36.1B under the Obama administration. This is a dramatic improvement over the chaotic period for banks & auto companies more than 1 year ago. Unfortunately the money received by the Treasury is only chump change when compared with massive deficits. This week's new borrowings alone (if my memory swerves me correctly) were $102B.
GM Paying Down Debt, Other Obligations by $11 Billion
The 3M (MMM) earnings & its reception were a major disapointment. The stock dropped 5.30 (6%). Earnings were good, but they repeated the common story about foreign markets doing very well while US markets are struggling. Earnings increases come from overseas & cost containment, not a bullish sign for a recovering economy. In addition cutting costs means the company is not hiring new workers in US, a top national priority. There is more talk that foreclosure problems are not getting better. Besides the foreclosure mess which surfaced 2 weeks ago, foreclosures are on the rise because, among other things, so called good mortgage-holders are having problems making payments. Tomorrow the GDP report for Q3 will be reported & expectations that it will be bland, another reminder that high unemployment rates will keep dragging on.
Dow Jones Industrials --- 2 months
Get your favorite symbols' Trend Analysis TODAY!
Link to the 2 week Free Trial!
Find out what's inside Trend TV!!
No comments:
Post a Comment