The "Debate" and The "Markets"

One big yawn: That was the "market's" reaction to the "debate." 

Did you watch the "debate"? If so, you know what transpired. If not, did you really miss anything? 

Now they're talking a second "debate." Will anyone watch that? Maybe if they get the two old guys from the Muppet Show to fill in. Just a thought.

Did you watch the "markets" following the "debate"? Did anything of interest catch your attention? The only surprise was that the usual month-end "window dressing" of stock prices (pushing them up) to bolster results of the big investment concerns didn't really happen. Outside of that mildly interesting observation, there's nothing much to say.

As for the quotes ("), that's what really connects the "debate" with the "markets."

The reason for quotes for the "debate" should be obvious. It's to protect the meaning of the word. A debate should be a formal discussion on a particular topic (or topics) in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward. Was that what transpired last night?

As for the "markets," we've opined on the this somewhat over recent months. More and more, these markets appear to be the construct of outside interests and/or forces intended to manipulate beyond the traditional historic manipulation that markets were always subjected to. So much so that we need the quotes to distinguish them from real markets.

Now, in fairness, were markets that much less phony or manipulated in the past? Well, it'd be an interesting research project. But just as I didn't have time to waste on the "debates," I'll leave that project to whomever out there might be capable and interested enough to pursue it. That's a project I'll gladly hand off.

Indeed, we've got a new project - something real - to pursue at the moment. And it came just in time.

Frankly, the everyday stuff we do to run our business has become a bit frustrating. For example, we typically research various indexes and ratios month-end. We record the results in a document that preserves our findings. The indexes are the usual ones with some fancier ones thrown in. The ratios have been culled over time from our long-standing reading and research. They have been useful in informing us about what's going on "under the hood" of the markets, somewhat useful in helping us to anticipate what might occur int he future. 

But recently, we've noticed that many of these have, in fact, become less informative and less predictive. It's like the markets were once one thing, but now they're another.

Is all this a temporary thing? 

Re the "debate" or "debates" we can rest assured that as long as the Dem Muppet Old Man remains as a candidate, the quotes will stay in place. 

Of course, after Thursday's show, many more folks have been forced to face what's been apparent to many other folks. Even the venerable Ray Dalio, former head honcho of the world's biggest hedge fund and current elder statesman who seems sincere in his desire to lend his wisdom to the rest of us has announced that the Democrats either replace their current Muppet Old Man with someone - anyone - else or they'll inevitable lose. Such a change would make the quotes go away - maybe.

On the "markets" side of the equation, what would erase the quotes?

It's a good question. One that will have to wait. 

For now, we enter the July 4th Holiday Week. With lots of folks working from home, travelers have already descended on airports, or headed off in their cars for other places. It's believed more folks than ever before will be traveling this July 4th. Why? Don't know. Ask them. It's all I can do to keep up with work and plan our annual July 4th BBQ. It'll certainly be more interesting and beneficial than either the "debate" or the "markets."