Monday Morning Linkfest

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 29, 2010

Money Bikini Image Courtesy of Ujena.com

New York Magazine: "Axl Rose Files Lawsuit Because He Hates Slash So Much"

Zero Hedge: "The Grand Unified Theory Of Physics And Economics"

Wall St. Cheat Sheet: "Why I Sold My Gold"

Forbes: "Will The Next Internet Revolution Be Televised"

Barrons: "Citi Ups Hewlett-Packard Target to $70"

Wall Street Journal: "Leaked US Cables Expose Tension With China"

NY Times: "Markets Slip Following Details Of Irish Aid"

Are Portugal and Spain next? The markets seem to think so...

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels?

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 24, 2010.Image by Colin & Sean Doyle

Et tu, Kenny?

Yesterday, the FBI issued a "wide ranging" subpoena to Citadel, the powerhouse Chicago based hedge fund run by Ken Griffin. Citadel joins fellow hedge funds Diamondback , Level Global, and SAC Capital (amongst others) in receiving FBI subpoenas as regards insider trading. Rumors are running wild as to what exactly the feds have on some of America's most powerful hedge fund managers. However, there is little doubt that the government is targeting the biggest fish in the sea.

As more big name traders get pulled into this insider trading investigation I must admit this situation is starting to remind me of baseball's steroid scandal. In many ways Steve Cohen and Ken Griffin are the McGwire and Bonds of the trading world. Their (Cohen's and Griffin's)average yearly returns of 20-30% are huge (the market equivalent of 70 home runs), and to many observers unbelievable. Like McGwire and Bonds, there has long been whispers that big hedge fund managers use "shortcuts" to give them an unfair advantage (i.e insider information). From my perspective, I do hope the rumors and allegations are false, as Cohen and Griffin are some of my trading heroes. But then again, so were Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens...

Links:

CNN Money: "Don Chu Arrested in Insider-trading Probe."

NY Post: "Targeted Hedge Funds Are Toast."

Fortune: "Why The Feds Want Steve Cohen."

World's Greatest Trader In Serious Trouble?

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 22, 2010.

Photo Courtesy of Vanity Fair.

Steven A. Cohen, kingfish of the mammoth SAC Capital and holder of WSB's unofficial appellation "World's Greatest Trader" (see here and here) may be in the sights of FBI. According to Henry Blodget of Business Insider, a major goal of the government's huge investigation into institutional insider trading is "nailing SAC Capital." Say it ain't so Stevie!

This afternoon, according to the Wall Street Journal, the FBI raided the offices of Level Global and Diamondback Capital Management, two hedge funds run by former managers at SAC Capital. Level Global is run by David Ganek, who like his mentor is an avid art collector with a knack for picking stocks. Diamondback Capital is run by Richard Schimel, another decorated SAC alum.

Rumors have long circulated that Steve Cohen was the object of an FBI investigation, and thanks largely to a disgruntled ex-wife his once stellar reputation has taken a hit in recent years. However, after all of this scuttlebutt, is Cohen the biggest fish the FBI has in their ever widening net?

Image by Sean & Colin Doyle.

Perhaps there is an even bigger figure in this insidious institutional insider trading debacle. One who posses even more power than Stevie Cohen. A man long rumored to be the Dark Lord of the Sith himself....Lloyd Blankfein!

Only time will tell on this front. Until then, let's hope Steve Cohen is innocent as he has been a hero to many traders, including this one.

Here's some linkage:

NetNet w/ John Carney: "The Government May Still Have Nothing On SAC Capital."

Forbes: "Wall Street Braces For Insider Trading Charges."

Fun With Furry Animals!

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 17, 2010.

Quantitative easing explained...

Benny The Bondtrader.

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 17, 2010.

Benny has taken to the bond pits! Flush with cheese from his new $600 billion (federal reserve) hedge fund he started with some of his FOMC bros, Ben Bernanke has gotten into the bond trading racket. With an eye on US treasuries, "The Chairman" as he likes to be called, is looking to build a strong position in American debt. When told by some close associates that he (Bernanke) was getting a big head over his trading prowess, Bernanke responded, "George Soros ain't got nothing on me!!"

Chart Courtesy of Bloomberg Businessweek.

Ol' Bud Fox Has Still Got It.

Posted by Colin Doyle, November 4, 2010.

----------------------------------------------------------------

A random search on Google of the following terms:

Coke, Hookers, Coke

Voila....

Left Wing Nuts In San Francisco Ban Happy Meals

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 3, 2010.Photo Courtesy of Mario Anzuoni / Reuters.

First off, I apologize for the obvious redundancy of the title. Apparently the Politboro in the City by the Bay has outlawed the Happy Meal. You know the Happy Meal, that innocuous glob of cheap deliciousness that is often packaged with an equally cheap (and innocuous) little toy. Yes, I know, San Francisco is home base to Comrade Pelosi and her apparatchiks, but even I was surprised by this dastardly attack upon an American institution.

In order to counter this vile aggression, the patriots at McDonalds have brought back their secret weapon....The McRib!!! Your move, Nancy pants.

Here's the linkage:

The Week: "San Francisco's Happy Meal Ban"

The Midterms Are Here.

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 1, 2010.

A homeless man begs President Obama as he (Obama) leaves a French restaurant in Chicago yesterday. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters/ Larry Downing.)

Two years have passed since the historic election of Barack Obama and America is still mired in the longest economic slump since WWII. Unemployment stubbornly hovers around 10% despite a myriad of Government and Federal Reserve programs and strategies. The American people have lost faith in both public and private solutions to an economic mess which they feel they did not create. Enter the Tea Party. A loose confederation of fiscally concerned citizens and oddballs.

Because of this nascent and controversial political movement, Republicans are expected to take back control of the House of Representatives and make major strides in the Senate. This conservative retake will deal a serious, if not fatal, blow to the Obama governing coalition. The burning question now, is how will this newly divided government effect the still fragile "recovery?"

If you are in the Krugman-Keynesian camp, you believe that the only way out of this economic black hole is massive government intervention and Federal Reserve quantitative easing. If you are in the Santelli-Ryan camp you see a government debt monster that eats away at the entrepreneurial spirit of America and leaves us uncompetitive in the global economy.

Image Courtesy of The New York Times/ Election 2010.

So, depending on which camp you're in, the results of today's election are either financial armageddon or fiscal salvation. Just the kind of hyperbole we need at this economically frail moment! Happy voting!

The Old Double Irish.

Posted by Sean Doyle, October 23, 2010.

Don't be evil. Or pay taxes. So it turns out Google (GOOG), everybody's favorite search engine/ intelligence agency, used a technique referred to as the "Double Irish" to save some $ 3.1 billion in taxes. It's a little complicated so I'll leave the pretty Double Irish duo below to explain it. Basically it involves income shifting, "Dutch sandwiches," and whole bunch of clever cross border loopholes. I guess if it's legal it's not evil. Go Goog!!!!

Back in Cramer's day a "Double Irish" meant two shots of Jameson at lunch....

Here's some linkage:

NY Mag: Google Uses the "Double Irish" and the "Dutch Sandwich" to Avoid Billions in Taxes.

Bloomberg: Google's 2.4% Rate Shows How $ 60 Billion Lost To Tax Loopholes.

Well, That's Not So Bad...

Posted by Sean Doyle, October 21, 2010

Cartoon courtesy of Dave Granlund.

Jeez!! What's the big deal anyway?

The FHA announced today that the taxpayer bailouts of Fannie and Freddie could cost another $363 billion through 2013 in a worst case scenario (i.e: double dip recession). This is in addition to the $148 billion in taxpayer dough that's already been spent since the government seized the bloated old couple. That's only half a trillion dollars! That's not so bad. Why's everyone freaking out? It's not like our government is running deficits or our debt to GDP levels are reaching scary levels....