Volatility Returns; Oil Price Dips; Spanish Bond Auctions on Economic Radar

Yesterday's vapor rally was actually all about options expiration, it turns out, because as quickly as the control freak rats running Wall Street's biggest brokerages went piling in, they scrambled back out today, leaving the momentum stocks stuck in lifeless atrophy, hollowed out dead carcasses once the meat was taken from their bones.

Until such a time that the criminal element that brought us the financial collapse of 2008 is rounded up and summarily dismissed - which will likely never happen - expect more events such as the past two days to become more of the norm than the exception. Wall Street is a slimy, cheater's paradise where skimming a few decimal points worth of profit makes one a hero in a market that makes about as much sense - from a fundamental basis - as the dribbling rant of an imbecile.

The problem is that while imbeciles are generally disregarded and institutionalized, the leaders of the Wall Street horde are treated like rock stars in the financial realm, supposedly blessed with infinite knowledge of markets, economics and business, when in fact they are no better than underworld goons adept only at making the best of a rigged game.

There really is no sense investing in stocks, though some savvy players may be able - for a time - to make some money day-trading or playing the options game. The odds for the individual investor are stacked heavily against them and in favor of the controlling crowd that is the brutish Wall Street gang, who controls the direction of trades via futures manipulation, high frequency trading (HFT) and nearly unlimited amounts of money.

One might be inclined to take some pleasure in seeing the price of oil drop today in hopes that retail gas prices would soon follow, though it's likely only temporary and a hedged-out ploy at best, a cynical trade on the hopes and dreams of the average consumer that is just as likely to turn back up tomorrow as continue its decline.

Everything related to stocks, commodities and currencies is completely manipulated, if not by the bankers and brokerages, then by the central banks, and false. Still, we play along, hoping that some day, something will change the status quo and markets will once again be recognizable. It's a fruitless hope for most, as those in control will stay in control whether the markets go up, down or sideways.

The real shame is the fate of millions of Americans and citizens of other developed nations who have put their faith and money into such a sham of leadership, which shows almost daily its contempt for morality and principled investing and governance. A day of reckoning may come, but those worst affected will be the ill-informed general public which has dutifully played in the sandbox of the elitists.

Tomorrow's fiasco de jour will focus on long-dated Spanish bond auctions and the usual nonsense that is the weekly unemployment claims figure.

Dow 13,032.75 82.79 (0.63%)
NASDAQ 3,031.45 11.37 (0.37%)
S&P 500 1,385.14 5.64 (0.41%)
NYSE Compos... 8,030.39 33.69 (0.42%)
NASDAQ Volume... 1,573,320,125.00
NYSE Volume 3,436,646,250
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 1759-3788
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 105-92
WTI crude oil: 102.67, -1.53
Gold: 1,639.60, -11.50
Silver: 31.49, -0.19