All quiet on the blogstern front

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jul 9, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments You may have noticed that I have been posting to the blog less than in the past.  Don’t be alarmed.  I am still diligently tracking businesses, the economy and the financial markets.  However, there really has not been much to comment upon of late.  The investment opportunity world is basically in a state of stasis, treading fearful waters, and waiting around for some good news to change...
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The U.S. Treasury currency report

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jul 9, 2010 in Blog | 2 comments Yesterday the U.S. Treasury Department releases its semi-annual currency report.  The big news was that the language toward China was significantly softened.  In the past China has been described as a currency manipulator.  But last month the Chinese stated their intention to let their Yuan currency rise relative to the U.S. dollar.  They did in fact allow that to occur.  However, the amount of...
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Earnings expectations driving market rise?

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jul 9, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments Today’s Wall Street Journal is reporting that the recent rally in the stock market is largely attributable to second quarter earnings expectations taking hold of investors.  Several weeks ago I said that most of the news that could drive financial market levels was negative, but for the glimmer of hope of a good second quarter earnings season. While some companies have already reported,...
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The Spanish succeed in raising debt

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jul 2, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments Recall that in the last several weeks I discussed the importance of the upcoming Spanish government debt auction.  I felt that it would be an indicator of the investment community’s faith in the European’s ability to have staved off their debt crisis.  Well yesterday saw Spain raise its full intended amount of 3.5 billion euros.  Another indicator of the financial markets’...
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Census bureau jobs end = increase in the jobless

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jul 2, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments In the month of June the U.S. economy shed 125,000 workers.  However, the U.S. government single-handedly represented 225,000 of the lost jobs as the temporary jobs of the U.S. census were shed.  What that means is that net, the U.S. economy added 100,000 jobs.  Expected jobs lost were 110,000. Analysis: Clearly the economic statistics of late are suggesting that the U.S. economy may experience...
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Not surprisingly, June consumer confidence declines

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jun 30, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments Hello folks! Consumer confidence fell very sharply in the month of June according to the Conference Board, the compilers of the information.  Specifically it fell to a 52.9 reading from May’s revised figure of 62.7.  This result was almost ten points below economists expectations of 62.5. Analysis: I am surprised by the magnitude of the decline, but I am not surprised that consumer...
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Unexpected Greek foray into debt markets

Posted by Jason Apollo Voss on Jun 29, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments This Euro-year has all been about scrutiny of those profligate spenders, the Greeks.  May’s big worldwide stock market declines were largely triggered by fears of a Greek budgetary collapse and the contagion it would have throughout Europe.  Now those Greeks are back in the realm of the unexpected. Specifically, it was announced yesterday that Greece intends to tap worldwide debt markets...
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