Posted on

Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) breaks down the impact of the Trump administration’s crippling sanctions on Iran.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S Treasury Department on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program, just days before senior American and Iranian officials are expected to hold talks in the Middle East sultanate of Oman. Five entities and one person based in Iran are cited in the new sanctions for their support of Iran’s nuclear program. The designated groups include the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and subordinates Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, Thorium Power Company, Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company and Azarab Industries Co. “The Iranian regime’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “Treasury will continue to leverage our tools and authorities to disrupt any attempt by Iran to advance its nuclear program and its broader destabilizing agenda.”The new sanctions come as President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that he was dispatching senior envoys to hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear program, while warning the Iranians they would be in “great danger” if the talks don’t succeed in persuading them to abandon their nuclear weapons program.

The United States is increasingly concerned as Tehran is closer than ever to a workable weapon.

Posted on

30-year bonds on Thursday auction yielded 4.813%

The US Treasury sold $22 billion in 30-year bonds on Thursday at a yield of 4.813%.  The result represents a 30  basis points increase in the past month from level of 4.51%, and a increase from the 52 week low of 3.90% and a  almost 100 bases (1%) point rise

As i was preparing to publish the 30 year just ticked up to 4.03%

NN: fair warning when we get 5.25% we ill start zero operations.  not now but soon
Posted on

Mark Spitznagel predicts 80% stock market crash, calls current plunge a ‘trap’

 

Mark Spitznagel, a well-known investor, has said that yesterday’s stock market decline may be a precursor to a larger event in the future. Referring to the plunge as a “trap,” he said that he anticipates an “80% crash when this is over,” according to a MarketWatch report. “I just don’t think this is it,” he added. “This is another selloff to shake people out. This isn’t Armageddon,” Spitznagel said. “That time will come as the bubble bursts. This is a most contrarian view right now. Promise.”  This comes after Spitznagel having been calling for a bigger crash, which he feels would be the worst since 1929. He had previously warned investors in 2024 to not get caught off guard when the stock market turns for the worse and end up being the “sucker” who sells when the market is down and buys when it’s up.

NN: tariffs are a consumption tax on foreign made goods

BlackMask Pod Cast:

Posted on

Ackman praises Trump’s ‘brilliant’ tariff pause

“Thank you on behalf of all Americans,” Ackman

Billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman on Wednesday praised President Trump’s decision to implement a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs against foreign trading partners, with the exception of China. “This was brilliantly executed by @realDonaldTrump,” Ackman wrote on the social platform X. “Textbook, Art of the Deal.” His praise came after Trump ratcheted up tariffs to 125 percent on Beijing in response to retaliatory tariffs from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. The administration, early Wednesday, levied a 104 percent import tax on the nation after China imposed a 34 percent reciprocal tariff on the U.S. following the president’s announcement of new duties last week. In return, the Chinese government raised tariffs on the U.S. by 50 percent, bringing the overall level to 84 percent. On Wednesday afternoon, Trump announced the 90-day pause and the increase of import taxes on Beijing.“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately. At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The halt follows a chaotic past few days for markets across the globe amid the mounting trade war and as fears rise in the U.S. about a possible recession. The 3-month reprieve on reciprocal tariffs, which went into effect overnight, caused the stock market to see a surge. Shortly after the president made the announcement, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 2,000 points. “Thank you on behalf of all Americans,” Ackman, who originally pressed Trump for a pause over the weekend, wrote Wednesday in a separate X post. He doubled down on his initial request Tuesday, saying he was supportive of the tariffs but wanted the president to allow room for negotiations. Earlier Wednesday, the billionaire also suggested small businesses could struggle due to the president’s expansive trade agenda and reiterated his suggestion that the Trump administration hit the brakes on sweeping import taxes. “If the president doesn’t pause the effect of the tariffs soon, many small businesses will go bankrupt,” Ackman said on X. “Medium-sized businesses will be next.”

blackmask pod cast: trump standing at  the blackhole abyss

 

 

Posted on

Trump: Be cool, everything will work out well Politics

United States President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to urge the nation to “BE COOL,” as everything “is going to work out well.” “The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!” he insisted. Trump’s comments come as the trade war across the globe is heating up. After Washington’s reciprocal tariffs went into effect at 12:01 am ET, with levies on China reaching 104%, some countries decided to react promptly. Earlier today, Beijing announced that its tariffs on US goods will be raised to 84% and come into effect on April 10. Meanwhile, the European Union also agreed to up its duties against some US sectors, with the implementation starting on April 15.

nn: i am cool! are you cool?
Posted on

Oil dips 6.5% after China’s new tariffs on US goods

Crude oil prices extended their losses on Wednesday, plunging by more than 6% after China announced it raised its trade duty on goods from the United States from 34% to 84% in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, including a cumulative levy rate of 104% on Chinese imports. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May’s settlements plummeted by 6.55% at 7:03 am ET to sell for $55.72 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent for June’s deliveries nosedived by 6.22% and sold for $58.99 per barrel at 7:04 am ET.

Posted on

China hit with 104% Tariffs

The War has Started

United States President Donald Trump’s country-specific tariffs as of 12:01 am ET have been activated. Chinese goods now face a massive tariff rate of 104%.

China so far is not backing down in this very dangerous  tariff war. I am seeing China starting to liquidate part of its vast holdings in US government debt. Rates are rising which is great for our upcoming zero bond trade in the next few months.

I believe in the SHORT term China will cease hostilities

 

Posted on

Trump’s targeted tariffs kick in, China hit with 104% levy

United States President Donald Trump’s country-specific tariffs took effect as of 12:01 am ET, meaning that Chinese goods now face a massive cumulative tariff rate of 104%. Beijing, for its part, has thus far shown no signs of backing down in the all-out tariff war, vowing on Tuesday to fight Trump’s trade policies “to the end” and respond with countermeasures. Several Chinese state-owned investment holding companies pledged to increase share investment, in a bid to calm a stock market shaken by recession fears. Trump, meanwhile, expressed his confidence in Beijing wanting to make a deal “at some point” and claimed that the Asian nation was manipulating its currency to offset the impact of the tariffs. China is one of the roughly 60 countries hit by the custom-tailored tariffs, which are substantially higher than the 10% baseline duty that was imposed on most nations over the weekend. All of the nations impacted by this new round were labeled by Trump as “worst offenders” when it comes to trade practices.

NN: THIS IS A BIG AWH SHIT
Posted on

Everybody and their dog is SHORT oil

HIGH FREQ FREAK OUTWTI Sinks 14% in Two Days 

Oil tumbled to a four-year low

Algo traders, high  frequency cocaine addicts. and candle stick assholes, which tend to exacerbate price swings, switched to 73% short in WTI, compared with 9% short in  just one day

Such a dramatic shift in positioning has only ever occurred in the event of a major economic meltdown,

PLAY BLACKMASK POD CAST BELOW

HIGH FREQ FREAK OUT

Posted on

Oil climbs 1%, recovers slightly from losses

Crude oil prices rebounded slightly on Tuesday after plummeting and hitting a four-year low yesterday, stoked by fears of global recession after United States President Donald Trump announced his reciprocal tariffs, which caused a significant market selloff.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May’s settlements climbed by 1.37% at 1:20 am ET to sell for $61.48 per barrel. Meanwhile, Brent for June’s deliveries advanced by 1.23% and sold for $65.04 per barrel at 1:22 am ET.

nn: like i so stated wti in the fifties is a non starter. and i believe a important bottom is in. after all everyone was selling