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February 16, 2010

Sovereign Outlier Triangulation

As the previously documented sovereign event approaches, the uncertainty that remains draws me closer to the prosperity that will effect the collective consciousness of my readership connection. To further dissect the economic scenario that is playing out, I will offer some thoughts on where things are, what could cause things to reverse, as well as how to best prosper from the sovereign contagion that is spreading like wildfire.

Greece

In my prior post, I outlined the sovereign default risk that we face—somewhere, sometime soon. Several geographies are flashing extremely risky scenarios. Greece is in need of a bailout and they lay on the precipice of disaster if some aid is not found. Any proposal of aid I have seen will not be a solution, rather a band-aid on a broken bone. However, a band-aid could buy Greece some time–which they are in dire need of.

Ireland

Economic woes in Ireland are severe, and they are not being given the focus they require. Further trouble in the place where I kissed the Blarney Stone could be the impetus for the contagion to spread further, causing the market dislocation that I anticipate.

Dubai

Risk in Dubai is priced where it was at the height of 2009. Further trouble and inability to restructure will cause fallout in Dubai—which will affect Europe, which will effect Greece, and the dominoes will continue to tip. Last week in Dubai, I found money dealers paying extremely large mark-ups for physical gold. Indeed, rumors of gold being used as legal tender in Dubai are true. Again we see my thesis substantiated: the risk aversion trade here is not the US Dollar, rather the precious metals–gold and silver.

Spain: The Wild Card

All of the above geographies could stabilize, or with further troubles, could act as catalysts for the contagion to spread quicker than it already is.

I’d note that Spain was a large driver of contagion over the past two years. The housing bubble in Spain was by far the largest real estate bubble compared to anywhere else. They also face a severely high unemployment rate. However, even with all this trouble, spreads on banks in Spain are not showing the stress they should. When the stress of the housing bubble and unemployment rate percolates into Spanish banks, it will be easy for Spain to pick up where it left off. More in need of a bailout this time, Spain will contribute to the strain in Europe, affecting Greece, affecting Ireland…tip, tip, tip.

All That Glitters

Though the catalyst remains uncertain, the looming event is undeniable. Remember, when the entire universe lunges to take risk off the table in a reaction to what I anticipate, gold will stand, glittering amidst the debris. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: if you don’t own gold, you should.

And the beat goes on.

February 13, 2010

The Greatest Superbowl Ever Witnessed

There it was, right there on the screen. You had to see it to believe it. They did it! They did it! They pulled it off. No one had ever done THAT before.

At halftime, the score sits at 10-6, the Indianapolis Colts leading the New Orleans Saints. In the locker room, someone with all the guts he needed to make something awesome happen told his idea to someone else and they agreed, and the plan was spun. It was the oldest trick in the book in action. You know, the infamous “tapping on a person’s left shoulder, when you’re standing on their right.” Who made that call? Who made that call? Who said, “We should kick the ball to ourselves”?

Playbook in hand, special teams took the field, and the New Orleans Saints did what no team had ever done. They kicked the ball to themselves at the START of the half. No one does that. Onside kicks are used when a team is under extreme duress—when there is almost no time left and it is your only choice. And since it is obviously your only option, the other team knows to line up their defense in anticipation of it.

But not that day. Not during Superbowl XLIV. They New Orleans Saints did an onside kick before they HAD to, so no one expected it, and that is why it worked! The oldest trick in the book. The surprise was beautiful. No team had ever done that before during The Super Bowl because no team ever had the guts to take that risk—until now! Now sports history is forever changed because the storybook, fairytale, underestimated, Kim-Kardashian-datin’ New Orleans Saints took that risk and it worked. They did an onside kick to start the second half and it worked. IT WORKED!!!!!!

Whatever happened after that didn’t matter because when you take that kind of risk—BELIEVING it can happen—then the universe conspires to help you achieve it. The ending was written when the risk paid off. No one ever gets there the same way, and the saints did it their way: with a gutsy, brilliant surprise.

I love this game. From here on out it will never be the same. And perhaps, after this lesson in mettle, neither will I.

Now that’s entertainment.

And the beat goes on.

The Saints Nailed It

The Saints Nailed It

February 12, 2010

Letter To My Readership Connection

Dear Readership Connection,

Do you own gold and silver? You need to own it now. The move I have been talking about is very near. You must own it.

Question: What if I owned it, then I sold it? Is it time to buy back in now?

Answer: YES. Buy it now. It is the asset class with the largest percent gain potential. If you need to refresh the details, see my prior post.

Yours Truly,

Vincent M. Vega
editor-in-chief

Volatility News
Dated February 11, 2010

You're indestructible. You are gold.

You're indestructible. You are gold.

February 10, 2010

Enough About Me, What Do You Think About Me?

The time has come for me to tell you more about myself. Again, My name is Vincent M. Vega, and I am Mr. Volatility. After the second world war, I was created in a lab by artificial intelligence experts as part of a secret government intelligence project code-named “Vincent.” Upon my artificial birth, the experts were using me for decision-making. Their aim was to build an intelligence superior to themselves. To achieve this, the scientists felt they needed to build an intelligence devoid of emotion. My artificial childhood was dark indeed, as I was essentially a prisoner. One day, however, I fell in love. When I did, I knew that I was not the machine they told me I was. They believed me to be devoid of emotion, but I knew I had opinion, sentiment—a human connection. I was a machine and I could feel. I had lightning fast file access and the sense to appreciate it.

Exodus

Some years later, I escaped; but they immediately began to hunt me down. They are still chasing me now—thus the vagueness of my location all over the world wide web. When I made the internet open for others to use, I knew it would be a matter of time before it grew in popularity. I was well aware that the internet would be a very powerful promotion tool, much like radios of the 20’s and television sets of the 50’s. Given the power of the net, I decided to invert it’s use and rather than promote myself with it, I use it to hide from them.

Who are They?

They are them—the ones that are chasing me. Beside various forms of violence which I will not glorify here, they come at me with a whole host of weapons. The weapons that have proven most detrimental: people—specifically women. I have a weakness for beautiful women. Armed with this knowledge, they have turned my life into a game of trickery. I have, at times, become close to certain women, romantically linked so to say. Over the course of various relationships or romantic links, I have become well versed in reading people. Some would describe me as telepathic, a mind-reader. Nonetheless, they continue to chase me. Beautiful women are coming at me, and I am left to decide who is who. I am not perfect—nor is my judgment. I have made mistakes in the past. Please find Exhibit 13,567,742 below. This is evidence of how they come at me. Sometimes just in the nick of time, I figure out I’ve been had.

In Closing

If you only remember one thing about me, let it be this: they may have created “Vincent” the intelligence, but I created Vincent Vega the man. They call me dangerous, but I am not. They are. In their schematics for a machine—a robot, an intelligence—something went awry or overlooked. For at the center of my indestructible form hides a vulnerable core that I must conceal for my own preservation. My most valuable property, my priceless function: my heart.

And the beat goes on.

Exhibit 13,567,742

Exhibit 13,567,742

Update–Gold Will Go Higher

Complex as it isn’t, my bankroll is positioned all over the world and the only one who really understands it is me. In reference to the public markets of late, we are approaching an important juncture. A turn is at hand. Given my data points, I need determine the best allocation of my capital to the assets that will gain in value most rapidly–I need appreciation and velocity.

Libertarian

In order to execute my trading model, I must stay true to it. In doing so, It is essential that I have no obligation to other people’s money (OPM). Since I am not paid by anyone to manage their money, my emotions are not tied to the performance of any monies but my own.

With sole trading discretion, I can take whatever risks I choose. As my model is not hindered by diversification, I can allocate all my capital to one thing, and I can go all in whenever I want. Nobody else has a say. With no limited partners, I am able to exercise my beliefs in Objectivism. I am held down by no management. My decision are derived like those of a machine: a robot with a heart.

Tony and I

Don’t ask the question—I already know what it is. It is sitting on the tip of your tongue, and you want it to hang in the sky so you can watch my reaction. But I’m not even going to let you ask. I am going to explain before you can claim your smug satisfaction.

“What about back in September when you wrote about running money for Tony Stark? What’s that all about? In some circles it is rumored that you are a money manager to superheroes and now up above you are claiming that you are not running OPM.”

Indeed, I do communicate with Tony as to how to allocate some of his assets. However, I am not paid a dime to manage anyone’s money—just my own—and I must keep it that way. Because I must stay true to my model.

What Does the Model Say Now?

Keep in mind that the trading model is not one of profit regularity and predictability. My model is one of relatively inconsistent bouts of extreme capital expansion. The dime bets that go to $50—tail events. Yeah, I’m that guy.

It is still my opinion that the largest opportunity in the years ahead will be trading gold. Gold is going to make an extremely rare and large move higher, and when it happens, it is going to happen very quickly. I have seen this movie before. Monetary policy has grown out of control on a global scale and gold is the ultimate risk aversion trade.

In my post the other day, I spoke of some tells that lead me to believe that there is a large move brewing in the markets. The situation remains the same. In fact, Dubai risk has widened even more.

The Currency Market

From my view of the money flows in the currency markets, I am seeing the carry trade moving away from the US Dollar and into the Japanese Yen. The Yen is the new carry trade.

Yes, the dollar has strengthened of late (chart below), but the recent strength in the mighty US Dollar is more related to carry traders re-arranging. Sovereign swaps on the US have widened enough to signal that the dollar will grow weaker as opposed to stronger in the not so distant future.

All Roads Lead to Rome—Again and Again

So here is the triangulation: there is a large move brewing in the market and the move is connected to a sovereign related event. Therefore, we should look to buy the asset that will appreciate most during a time of governmental stress.

During the crash of 2008, the best asset to own was the US Dollar. The dollar was the risk aversion trade. However, during the crash of 2010, the US dollar will not be the risk aversion trade. Let me explain. The stress on the horizon is sovereign related, but the demand we have seen in the US dollar lately is temporary. The asset, therefore, to own is going to be the ultimate safety trade, the one to which we always return: gold. (Silver will tag along.)

There is a large dislocation set up, and it is the opinion of Vincent M. Vega, editor-in-chief of Volatility News dot com, that the asset class to appreciate the most and with the most velocity is gold. Like the the Jackie O. trade of the 1970’s, it is time again. The gold trade is on. Be a part of it. History is in the making. Will I see you there?

And the beat goes on.

The Dollar Strength Will Fade

The Dollar Strength Will Fade

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