Stocks Drop on Fears of NO QE by Fed

Nothing but headlines and rumors are moving the markets these days - and, incidentally, it's Monday, so stocks must go down - and, since Europe's already been sated by ECB president Mario Draghi's new proposal to bail out all sovereign nations in need by purchasing one, two and three year bond issues in exchange for said nations' acceptance of "conditions," all eyes have turned to the two-day FOMC meeting at which Chairman Ben Bernanke is supposed to announce his own version of bond-buying (AKA, QE3).

But, as with all things Ponzi-oriented and subject to whims, official data and sentiment - to say nothing of the upcoming presidential election - speculators, insiders, hedge fund managers and other market participants are a little nervous about what's to come on Wednesday afternoon, when the FOMC will surely announce no chance in policy, keeping rates at zero, and after that...

Chairman Bernanke may well hint at new stimulative measures or actually set a date for a plan to proceed, or, he may weigh all the factors, including Friday's uninspired non-farm payroll data, and do nothing (which would be, historically speaking, the correct path).

If that's the case - and that's what had investors worried in the final hour of trade today - then expect a sharp pull-back from the currently-inflated levels on the major indices. Additionally, the German high court is set to rule, earlier in the day on Wednesday, on the constitutionality of the ESM, and that could be an even bigger deal.

Some 70% or more of the German populace is opposed to the ESM, the funding mechanism that is supposed to - just like all other failed plans - save the Euro, because the bulk of the fund would be bourn by Germany and the good people of that country who pay taxes, which are already viewed as too high. The thought of more taxation in Germany, one of the highest-taxed nations in the world, is unpalatable to most, but taxpayers, alas, do not have a vote. The ruling will come at about the time markets open in the US, setting up for what could be a wicked roller coaster ride.

Thus, there's enough nervousness on Wall Street to make even the coolest of operators break into a cold sweat these days, as uncertainty exists at all levels of economies globally and in the political world.

Today's double digit losses on the major exchanges could be nothing more than profit-taking, or a precursor to some terrible future without government stimulus on both the European and American continents.

How sad. Brokers and dealers might actually have to do some fundamental analysis for a change instead of depending on round after round of money printing to keep the stock markets at nose-bleed levels. Time will tell, and the time is nigh.

Dow 13,254.29, -52.35 (0.39%)
NASDAQ 3,104.02, -32.40 (1.03%)
S&P 500 1,429.08, -8.84 (0.61%)
NYSE Composite 8,192.40, -42.11 (0.51%)
NASDAQ Volume 1,578,686,000
NYSE Volume 3,213,290,000
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ Advance - Decline: 2228-3284
Combined NYSE & NASDAQ New highs - New lows: 332-38
WTI crude oil: 96.54, +0.12
Gold: 1,731.80, -8.70
Silver: 33.63, -0.06