weekend notes

Hope all goes well… “When I run massive positions, at best I feel apprehensive, but I usually feel like crap,” he admitted, lightening up enormous European longs. “I don’t know what I would’ve done on Sunday if markets had been open.” Last weekend was the most politically volatile in recent memory. “Having them closed probably saved me from myself,” he admitted, knowing stocks would’ve tanked on t

Hope all goes well… “When a market breaks more than 20%, it’s brutal,” whispered the CIO, ear to the ground, listening for sounds of opportunity. Greeks groaned, Germans grunted. “Investors mentally budget for a 10% loss, some even budget for 20%, but no one prepares for 33%.” Brazilians bawled, South Africans squealed. “So when a market falls through 20%, it usually gets a lot uglier.” Amidst Tur

Hope all goes well… “If the government’s intention is clear,” said the CIO, late at night from Hong Kong, “people will always run ahead of it.” Only the rare soul stands defiant before a determined tank. “Beijing wanted a gradual rise in stocks, but received a year’s gain every two weeks.” Policy-makers and regulators found themselves ill-equipped to deal with the proliferation of leverage across

Hope all goes well… “Completely unexpected,” he said, from Europe Saturday night. “They were so close, their differences were meaningless.” Political analysts scurried around the CIO, searching for motives, meanings, machinations. “Did Tsipras ever really want a deal? Did Merkel? Is the die now cast? How will the ECB act Sunday, Monday? When will they drop the hammer on Greek banks? Will they acti

Hope all goes well… “Landing an airplane is a complicated task, but you do the same things every time,” said Eagle, swooping down from Gotham’s highest perch, to visit my new nest. “But surfing, now that is truly complex; you’re riding a wave,” he explained, narrowing focus. “The Fed thinks they’re landing, when actually they’re surfing.” We looked out across Long Island Sound, clouds reflecting o

Hope all goes well… Pulled up to the complex. For his first lacrosse practice. A field of unfamiliar faces. So Mara asked Jackson if he’d like some company. “No Mom, I got this, I’m gonna go rock this town.” And off he went. Which officially ended our move from out West, and kicked off our new life back East. Dusted off an anecdote from back in the day. See you next Sunday with full wknd notes. We

Hope all goes well… “I could give you the greatest reasons on earth why the market’s going to implode,” said Yoda, high in the Rockies. “But the entire intelligent world other than Jeremy Siegel have already listed them.” Draghi asked for more volatility this week and got it. So anxious traders, eyeing surging yields, drilled stocks for the 2nd time in a month. Yet prices barely budged. “It’s natu

Hope all goes well… Taking my one-way ticket to the airport today. Leaving California behind; an extraordinary eleven-year adventure now complete. Heading East, a new chapter. And feeling sentimental about it all, dusted of an anecdote on winding paths (see below). Should be back next Sunday with full wknd notes. But of course moving is more stressful than death, divorce, and getting caught short

Hope all goes well… “So Yellen told us in March she doesn’t want the Euro below 1.07,” said the CIO, uncharacteristically uninspired. “And the ECB has now told us they don’t want it above 1.15,” he yawned. “Tell me, who do you want to fight?” Markets are chopping in ranges. With the exception of Chinese equities. And slowly, quietly, Japan hit 20yr highs, as the S&P 500 made a new record. “Gue