[1010RD]

Europe and Japan have done everything wrong on shrinking working populations and growing welfare populations. I think globally, we’re the only ones left standing. It’s almost a post WW2 situation, only we don’t have Ike. Instead we’ve got Alger Hiss running the country.

I think we’re going to putz along for a couple more years until the One is done.

[expat_panama]

	Markets		Yesterday		Futures (3 hrs. before)
	metals		Rebound w/ gold $1,201.55 & silver $16.13		1.20%
	stocks		...rebounded furiously Wednesday. Investors treated news from the Federal Reserve's final meeting in 2014 on interest rates like it was a Christmas gift from a cherished relative. The Nasdaq composite rallied 2.1%, ending a three-day slide and recouping well more than half of those losses. The S&P 500 wasn't far behind, up 2%. Volume grew on both exchanges... (more at IBD)		1.25%

--plus:

Initial Claims
Continuing Claims
Philadelphia Fed
Leading Indicators
Natural Gas Inventories

--and:

• Fed rate wording boosts Asian stock markets   Madison.com
• Putin Says Shouldn't Waste Currency Reserves as Recession Looms Bloomberg - 2 hours ago President Vladimir Putin said the central bank shouldn't waste reserves on the market to help protect the ruble as he told Russians to brace for recession.
• Don't Wait For a Santa Claus Market Rally - Jonathan Ratner, National Post
• Red Flags Despite Fed Induced Rally - Michael Kahn, Barron's

[Wyatt's Torch]

Yeah right now we are the “tallest midget” economy... Ringing endorsement...