Monday, March 14, 2011

Markets tumble following Japanese disaster

Stocks fell at the start of trade & continue weak.  Dow is down 128 to below 12K, decliners ahead of advancers almost 4-1 & NAZ fell 28.  Selling in bank stocks took the Financial Index to a 2 month low.

S&P 500 FINANCIALS INDEX

Value 219.11 One-Year Chart for S&P 500 FINANCIALS INDEX (S5FINL:IND)
Change   -3.45  (-1.6%)


The Alerian MLP Index fell 2 to 364 & is flat YTD.  The REIT index fell 2+ to below 231 but junk bond funds were flattish.  Treasuries were little changed on the confusion from the Japanese disaster.  Oil prices fell as analysts sorted out how much the disaster in Japan will affect global energy demand.  Japan, the world's 3rd-largest oil consumer, was hit with a devastating earthquake & tsunami. Some parts of northeastern Japan are still without electricity. 3 of 5 major oil refineries are shut down, & authorities are still trying to stabilize damaged nuclear plants.  Oil went below $100, but rebounded to just over $100 while gold inched up to $1424.

Treasury yields:


U.S. 3-month
0.07%
U.S. 2-year
0.58%
U.S. 10-year
3.34%

JPMorgan Chase Capital XVI (AMJ)


stock chart



Bank of Japan Injects Record Cash

Photo:  Bloomberg

The ¥ retreated from a 4-month high after the Bank of Japan took extraordinary measures to support the economy in the wake of the calamitous earthquake & tsunami.  The central bank injected a record 15T ¥ ($184B) into financial markets to keep credit flowing in the economy & ramped up an asset-buying program by 5-40T ¥.  Such support is meant to bolster stocks & prices, while the huge supply of ¥ helps lessen the currency's value.  The ¥ climb against the dollar (up 14% in the past 12 months) has pressured the profitability of Japan's exporters & weighed on the economy.  Japan's crisis has bolstered the ¥ even further because investors expect the Japanese public & insurance companies to buy back their home currency in order to fund the country's reconstruction, increasing demand for the ¥.

JAPANESE YEN 81.7425 -0.1020 -0.1%

Last night, the dollar bottomed at 80.64¥, its weakest level since early Nov (just above the post-World War II low of 79.75¥ struck in 1995).  The crisis is likely to keep up demand for the Japanese currency. After another huge earthquake in Japan, in 1995, the ¥ gained about 20% against the dollar in 3 months.

Bank of Japan Pumps Cash, Boosts Asset Purchases by $61B


Warren E. Buffett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway, testifies before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission during a public hearing in New York in this June 2, 2010 file photo. Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Photo: Yahoo


Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) will buy Lubrizol (LZ) for $9B in cash to tap rising demand for chemicals used to operate engines & machinery.  LZ shot up 28.58 to 134  while BRK-A dropped about $2K to $126K.

Buffett Commits $9 Billion for Lubrizol After Auto, Train Bets

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A)


stock chart


Japanese stocks sold badly overnight, as expected:

^N225  ...Nikkei 225...9,620.49 ...Down 633.94  (6.2%)

Worldwide problems dominate the news.  The Japanese disaster will take time to sort thru as the clean up is just beginning.   Libyan rebels may be losing their fight with unrest continuing in many Mideast countries.  The MLP index is sluggish, 350 looks to be an important line of resistance (35 for AMJ).  Once again, Dow did not hold 12K.  Over the short term, investors with defensive holdings & higher positions in cash will be better prepared for buying opportunities.

Dow Industrials (INDU)


stock chart





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1 comment:

陳順銓Chen,Shun-Chuan said...

These Chinese who are bloodier, dirtier, more depraved than the Japanese military during the rape of Nanking in World War II have stepped over their countless innocent victims. Don’to be fooled because China is extremely low class: they are not human. Using technology China has infiltrated all places in this world utilizing inhumane methods to terrorize innocent laborers and establishing a stable of their demons (politicians, reporters) who slaughter throughout the free world.

災難國難,小心中國讀心侵腦的恐怖暴行活動
讀心侵腦,現代的中國人你要小心他們沒人性的一面
希特勒變英雄-小心中國變了共產黨變了的大謊言
小心中國恐怖地控制你情緒、思想、行為不要因為不知道很簡單就被中國給陷害了

人類浩劫,讀心侵腦崛起極下賤殘暴的中國,被政府、電視媒體(例如tvbs)睜眼說瞎話、漠視的中國大暴行,侵腦極殘暴中國豬大規模侵略世界對可能數億手無寸鐵平民施工、恐怖活動、顛覆、極暴力濫虐、大屠殺、在自由世界養妖魔鬼怪(政客記者

您正經歷人類重大災難的轉捩點,希望您有勇氣為下一代選擇正義。
陳順銓Chen,Shun-Chuan
Taiwan
http://map.answerbox.net/user-615153.htm