Western Sydney ‘Shack’ Listed for over $1m Ignites Debate
An aging fibro three‑bedroom house on Chapman Avenue in Penrith has been listed for $1.045 million, just below the suburb’s $1.075 million median. The property, bought for about $110,000 in 1999, would represent an 850 percent price jump if sold at the guide price. The listing has ignited a vigorous Reddit discussion, with users decrying the price as evidence of a housing affordability crisis. Analysts note the R3 zoning could allow higher‑density redevelopment, adding another layer to the debate.
Jemmia Diamond Hosts Vietnam UAE Trade Dialogue with Ambassador
On February 9, Jemmia Joint Stock Company welcomed UAE Ambassador Dr. Bader Almatrooshi to its Ho Chi Minh City headquarters for a Vietnam‑UAE trade dialogue. The session gathered Vietnamese firms from real estate, agriculture, robotics, renewable energy and other sectors to discuss cooperation...
India Aims to Raise $19.7 Billion From IPOs of State-Run Firms by 2030
India plans to raise 1.79 trillion rupees (about $19.7 billion) by selling stakes in state‑run firms through IPOs by the 2029/30 fiscal year. The effort is part of a broader $183.7 billion asset‑monetisation drive announced by NITI Aayog, following an earlier phase that fell...
HAL Correction a ‘Wait and Watch’; Select Midcap IT Names Emerging Despite AI Disruption: Mayuresh Joshi
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) slipped 3‑4% amid order‑book optimism, prompting investors to adopt a wait‑and‑watch stance. The stock trades near 30‑times trailing earnings, making it pricey despite strong defence pipeline visibility. Mid‑cap IT names such as KPIT Technologies, Mphasis and...
Trade Opposite After Fakeout: Short Sweep High, Long Sweep Low
Turtle Soup · Sweep High = Short · Sweep Low = Long Wait for the fakeout, then enter opposite.
Japan Mulls Revising Liquidity-Support JGB Auctions to Ease Market Pressure - Report
Japan's Ministry of Finance is weighing changes to its liquidity‑enhancement auction framework for government bonds, aiming to ease supply pressure on the super‑long end of the curve. From April, the mid‑term bucket could be narrowed from a 5‑15.5‑year range to...
Afghanistan Bombing: What’s Pakistan’s Strategy as India-Taliban Ties Grow?
Pakistan’s military responded to a spate of cross‑border attacks by launching airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, claiming to hit TTP sanctuaries and killing dozens of militants. Kabul rejected the narrative, saying the strikes hit a religious school and...
Credit Card Debt Hits a Record $1.28 Trillion—Why This Is a Problem for First-Time Homebuyers
The Federal Reserve’s latest household‑debt report shows U.S. credit‑card balances surged to a record $1.28 trillion in Q4 2025, up $44 billion from the prior quarter. This rise tightens the financial picture for first‑time homebuyers, who already face limited savings and tighter credit...
Swiss Franc to Stay Favourable Amid Safe Haven Allure
The Swiss franc is consolidating its role as the premier safe‑haven currency, with EUR/CHF breaking below the 0.92 support level early this year. Analysts from RBC, Morgan Stanley and Credit Agricole argue that ongoing geopolitical tensions and weak economic data...
China’s New Export: Aircraft Debt
China’s state‑owned COMAC is exporting its C909 and C919 aircraft alongside tailored financing, leasing and equity deals, turning planes into long‑term financial levers. The most visible case is Laos, where COMAC holds a 49% stake in Lao Airlines after a lease‑to‑equity...
U.S. Plant Retirements Clash With Surging Power Demand
The U.S. plans to retire ~11 GW of power plants in 2026, mostly coal & aging gas Don’t count on it. Power demand is surging faster than new generation can be brought into the grid. Renewables aren't fit for purpose except at the...
Pending Home Sales Reach All-Time Low
The most worrying stat of the month: Pending Home Sales falls to lowest level lowest level ever recorded.
Russia's Kaspersky Fights Western Sanctions
Kaspersky Lab faces a cascade of Western sanctions that have crippled its European and U.S. operations. Germany’s BSI warning has slashed German sales by roughly 80%, while the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments have barred Kaspersky products and placed senior...
FPA Short Duration Government ETF Q4 2025 Commentary
FPA Short Duration Government ETF posted a 1.05% return in Q4 2025 and a 6.84% gain for the full year. The performance was driven by Treasury interest income and price appreciation as yields fell across the curve. The fund kept its...
Blue Planet Expands Operations to Dubai Market
Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, a Singapore‑based leader in sustainable waste management, announced the formation of Blue Planet Environmental Services L.L.C. in Dubai. The new UAE entity will deliver integrated circular‑economy solutions—including organic waste recovery, recycling, landfill mining, and industrial services—across...
Raising Thailand’s Productivity Through Regulatory Reform
Thailand’s labour productivity has stalled, averaging just 2.1% growth from 2015 to 2023, down from 3.7% in the 1990s‑2010 period. OECD product‑market regulation (PMR) scores rank the country among the most restrictive economies, with a 2.4 rating – the fourth...
What I Told Israeli Lawmakers About Reviving Regional Integration
Five and a half years after the Abraham Accords, U.S. and Israeli officials argue that regional integration remains viable despite the Gaza war and a Saudi‑UAE rift. The article stresses that advancing phase two of Trump’s Gaza reconstruction plan—contingent on...
Perth’s Coastal North Is Booming — and Prices Are Still Less than Inner Suburbs
Perth’s north‑west corridor, from Scarborough to Yanchep, is experiencing a property boom driven by beach lifestyle, new transport links and master‑planned estates. Over 94,000 residents have moved into the area since 2014, and the median house price reached $975,000 in...
HMC Says “Fantastic” Wind, Solar and Battery Assets Can Rival Real Estate as the Fund’s Biggest Earner
HMC Capital’s Energy Transition Fund, after buying Neoen’s Victorian renewable assets and battery developer Stor‑Energy, secured a KKR commitment of up to $603 million, falling short of its $1 billion target and prompting a 16% share decline. CEO David Di Pilla defended the...
Westfield Operator Scentre Group Grows Income for Fifth Consecutive Year
Scentre Group, operator of 42 Westfield malls in Australia and New Zealand, reported its fifth year of consecutive growth in 2025. Customer visits rose 2.7% to 540 million, occupancy reached 99.8%, and business partner sales hit $30 billion. Funds from operations increased 4.9%...
Taxes Are a Year‑Round Game, Not a One‑Time Event
Treating taxes as a one time event is a middle class move. It’s why you overpay in taxes every year. It’s a year round game for the wealthy.
Apple to Shift some Mac Mini Production to Houston From Asia, WSJ Reports
Apple announced it will begin assembling a portion of its Mac Mini desktop computers at Foxconn’s new plant in north Houston later this year, while maintaining Asian production lines. The move aligns with the company’s broader $600 billion U.S. investment commitment...
Staples Surge Ahead While Discretionary Set to Lag
Proctor & Gamble higher by another 2% today- Staples stocks like $PG continue to make upward progress, while Retail & Casinos underperforming within Discretionary @IBDinvestors @marketsurge https://t.co/XW54gpjWXm In tonights note, i discuss why Discretionary still could lag Staples for...
USD/CNY Drops to 2½-Year Low as Onshore Yuan Surges
The on‑shore yuan surged to a 2½‑year high as USD/CNY slipped below 6.90, reaching 6.8954. The People’s Bank of China posted a slightly firmer daily midpoint of 6.9414 and reduced the usual damping in the fixing process. This narrower gap...
Visa Expands Latin America Footprint: To Acquire Argentina’s Prisma Medios De Pago and Newpay
Visa announced the acquisition of Argentina’s Prisma Medios de Pago and the fintech platform Newpay, marking a strategic push into Latin America’s payments ecosystem. The combined deal, valued at over $200 million, will be funded largely with cash. By integrating Prisma’s...
Trump's Tariff Rate Uncertain: 10% Formal, 15% Unconfirmed
Trump's 10% global tariff was formalized in a proclamation from Friday and goes into effect at midnight tonight. He later said he would raise it to 15% but with three hours to go, is yet to do anything formal to...
Home Loan Dealbreaker: Credit Score Red Flags Lenders Won’t Ignore
A strong credit score remains the linchpin for securing a home loan, especially as interest rates climb and property price growth slows. Lenders assess borrowers through the five C's—character, capacity, capital, collateral and conditions—using the credit report as a proxy...
Vanguard's Clunky App Discourages Active Trading, Use Auto‑Buy
Vanguard literally has the worst Ul and app. Charts aren’t real time. Absolutely terrible. But that's by design. They want you to prevent you from trading too much, making FOMO decisions or even logging in. Set up automatic buys and just don't...
Trump’s ‘Pro-Israel’ Policies Are Israel’s Biggest Liability
Donald Trump’s tenure produced headline‑grabbing pro‑Israel actions, including the Abraham Accords, the Jerusalem embassy move, and the killing of Qasem Soleimani, which were celebrated as diplomatic victories. Yet the article argues that his maximalist, transaction‑focused style has created strategic liabilities for...
Piyush Goyal Virtually Interacts with Canada Minister Maninder Sidhu, Discusses Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held a virtual meeting with Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu to revive the stalled India‑Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The dialogue coincides with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s upcoming visit to India and...
PBOC Sets USD/ CNY Reference Rate for Today at 6.9414 (Vs. Estimate at 6.9249)
The People’s Bank of China set today’s USD/CNY reference rate at 6.9414, slightly above the 6.9249 market estimate. The central bank maintains a +/-2% trading band around this midpoint, allowing modest yuan fluctuations. In parallel, the PBOC injected 526 billion yuan...
State Tax Wars: Diverging Paths or Converging Trend?
Over the past few decades, this has largely played out along the lines of the states' predominant political ideologies, but I wonder how long this trend can continue. At some point, do states raising their taxes see enough of an...
Accelerating Trade Imbalances Will Deepen Global Tensions
Good PIIE paper by Tamim Bayoumi and Joseph E. Gagnon on the consequences of accelerating trade imbalances. They warn that trade tensions are likely to get worse, something I have been saying for years and continue to say. I don't...
People's Bank of China Sets 1 and 5 Year Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) Unchanged
China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, announced that both the 1‑year and 5‑year Loan Prime Rates (LPR) remain unchanged for the ninth consecutive month. The 1‑year LPR held at 3.45% while the 5‑year LPR stayed at 4.20%, reflecting...
World Pivots to India as US Tariffs Alienate Allies
#IndiaWatch 🇮🇳: At the margin, the world is making a Pivot away towards India. TRUMP’S TARIFFS = MAKING LOTS OF US ENEMIES. https://t.co/3H8maAoa62
Citrini Predicts 38.2% Retrace by Mid‑2028
So the Citrini piece is looking for about a 38.2% retracement by mid 2028 after an October '26 peak. Fibonacci is everywhere. 👀 @JC_ParetsX https://t.co/Ppnb1uG5Xl
AI Fears Create Buying Opportunity for Strong Companies
Tech is getting hammered on AI worries, but is this really just another opportunity to buy solid companies when they are cheap? We think so. https://t.co/YjUXwZUJx9
China Buys FX as Yuan Rises to Curb Appreciation
A little more complicated -- China consistently buys more fx when the CNY is appreciating (whether for structural or cyclical reasons). Exports start converting, and controlling the pace of appreciation takes intervention. Subtle point, but clear in the data
AI Boom Keeps Payroll Flat, Cuts Original Workers
The software industry's payroll has been flat since ChatGPT launched. The AI productivity boom may be eliminating the workers who created it first. 🔒 Members-Only https://t.co/xRx5vLZILo
TICO Faces 99.5% Owned Toyota Tender
I've been a bit quiet on here for a while. I'm still busy over at @smartkarma. Over the weekend I published two pieces on TICO (Toyota Industries Co (6201 JP)) which is currently undergoing a Tender Offer by Toyota Asset...
Bloomberg's Oil Glut Narrative Shows They're Six Months Late
Bloomberg is still arguing “oil glut” & saying the correlation between geopolitics in the Middle East & oil prices is "broken" How can @bbgoriginals be 6 months behind the curve & still be in the news business? #Oil #EnergyMarkets #Geopolitics #Commodities...
Shadow Oil Fleet Stressed, Sanctions Spur Higher Prices
The shadow oil fleet isn’t gone — it’s under stress Seizures raise costs & strand barrels, but doing more against Russian & Iranian flows means higher oil prices & inflation https://t.co/P5EDN7PrRY #Oil #Sanctions #EnergySecurity #Russia #Iran #Geopolitics
Weighted Avg 2.3% Signals Bullish Breakout Over CBO
The probability weighted average of both @jasonfurman and the survey average is 2.3%*, i.e. solid breakout. That's bullish; CBO is at 1.8%. *(Assumes 5% for the >4% phase transition scenario. I figure probabilities of higher figures quickly fall to...
IBuyer Hype Faded: Reality Beats the Takeover Myth
Throwback to when the iBuyer model was going to take over the real estate market.
Japanese Builders Double Down on U.S. Housing Market
Japan’s big bet on the U.S. housing market got even bigger today Japanese builders are rapidly acquiring U.S. homebuilders—now Daiwa House is buying United Homes That's just 10 days after Japan-based Sumitomo Forestry said it's buying Tri Point Homes https://t.co/UnPOshRdS1
Follow Prices, Stay Opinion‑Free: A Liberating Approach
You can follow price and not have an opinion. It’s pretty neat and freeing. Highly Recommend.
Section 122 Tariffs Reduced to 10% From 15%
Section 122 tariffs now being collected at 10%, not Trump's weekend 15%. Clearly, a well-oiled tariff machine here. 🤷🤷 https://t.co/5MjbcrZuXD https://t.co/jb72H2AZQ8
Earn When Consensus Loses: +17bps Long/Short Gain
The Fam was flat in the Long Only and +17bps in the Long/Short Book today We like days like this. Save and make money when the consensus crowd is losing theirs https://t.co/QFJjbKycEg
China’s $100B/Month FX Buying Blocks Dollar Diversification
Me, in the Financial Times -- On the surge in China's intervention, and the impossibility of diversifying away from dollar assets/ Treasuries when the state banks are buying $100b a month in FX 1/ https://t.co/Pc78czuld9
Historic Shift: Growth to Value Gains Momentum
💫Historic Rotation From Growth-To-Value 💫The HALO Effect 💫THINGS OVER PAPER Continues 💫The Best Analyst You’ve Never Heard Of ;-) Open to all 😘 https://t.co/ktb2nCSe5S