tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:30:39 +0000Stock Market Commentaryhttp://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)Blogger321125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-3646646875725131096Thu, 02 Jul 2020 14:50:00 +00002020-07-02T08:11:50.894-07:00 I hope this finds you well. The first half of 2020 is finally over and it certainly felt more like a decade than half a year. There was more activity politically, economically, and in the markets than in any six month period I can remember. It seems remarkable that a mere three months ago the market hit a new low, accentuated by a near record decline of 12% in a single day. &nbsp;A mere http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/07/i-hope-this-finds-you-well.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-9078898118439628688Fri, 01 May 2020 16:30:00 +00002020-05-01T09:30:02.897-07:00Good Morning I hope this finds you and your family safe. The markets rose over 10% in April, the first time in recorded history we have witnessed a double digit drop in one month followed by a double digit increase the next. The bounce in the markets has been fueled by the largess coming from the Fed, the federal government, and a peak in infection rates. As first quarter earnings reports beginhttp://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/05/good-morning-i-hope-this-finds-you-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-2225801066605740300Thu, 23 Apr 2020 16:24:00 +00002020-04-23T09:24:20.187-07:00Good morning I hope this finds everyone safe and well. I've been working from home for over five weeks now and in addition to discovering how many gardeners work in my neighborhood, I reverted to a skill from high school and gave myself a haircut last weekend.&nbsp; Video available upon request. This morning's note is entitled "We've Never Seen…" because I am sure I have heard that phrase used http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/04/good-morning-i-hope-this-finds-everyone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-1855357027387131034Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:25:00 +00002020-04-10T09:25:06.048-07:00 We Have No Clue "To date we have no clue how many people have been infected. This could be an extraordinarily important piece of how we're going to get over this epidemic." Eran Bendavid, infectious disease physician, Stanford University While the world is full of unknowns and the future is unpredictable, hearing these words uttered from a leading infectious disease specialist certainly makes http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/04/we-have-no-clue-to-date-we-have-no-clue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-2761267632486795715Fri, 27 Mar 2020 14:09:00 +00002020-03-27T07:09:54.705-07:00Good Morning Another day, another 3% + move in the markets.&nbsp; This is starting to feel normal. After falling into a bear market faster than any time in history, the market just posted one of its strongest weekly rebounds ever. The questions I began receiving yesterday afternoon can be summarized in one short line "is the Bear Market over?" In my view the answer is "not yet."&nbsp; History, http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-bear-market.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-880075733631620697Thu, 19 Mar 2020 19:27:00 +00002020-03-19T12:27:47.084-07:00 This morning I was fortunate to be able to participate in a call with former Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff and former Director of Operations for the CIA Chad Sweet.&nbsp; Their knowledge on pandemic preparation, security, etc, is invaluable.&nbsp; I want to pass along some of the important pieces of information from that call.&nbsp; Additionally, I have spoken with many of our http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/03/every-note-is-about-corona-virus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-3753156431059927867Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:44:00 +00002020-03-12T14:44:24.981-07:00 I typically like to write on Fridays, however, given how rapidly the economic conditions are deteriorating (along with the markets) as the hysteria spikes, this morning seems like a good time to send out some thoughts. First, the virus. According to the CDC, 80% of people will experience cold or flu-like symptoms if they contract the virus. The remaining 10-14% will experience more severe http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2020/03/corona-virus-economic-impact.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-196576397396958562Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:14:00 +00002019-11-12T07:14:16.253-08:00Elizabeth Warren has proposed economic "plans" to effectively take the assets of one group of citizens and give them to another. Many think she is giving those stolen assets to those in need, but instead they will go into the pockets of government, swelling the public sector at the expense of the private sector. The note below is a simple parable from Brian Westbury highlighting the folly in http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2019/11/why-income-redistribution-fails.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-6574534485080854688Thu, 11 Jul 2019 14:06:00 +00002019-07-11T07:06:20.161-07:00The first Democratic debate was quite the "promise-fest", with candidates one-upping each other with promises of more goodies for We the People.&nbsp; In today's Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove compiled a summary of the promises and crafted it into a potential speech for the Democratic nominee for President. Enjoy!&nbsp; “Trump is a phony, a pathological liar and a racist. He’s the divider in http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2019/07/summary-of-democratic-party-platform.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-7766323190751222789Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:59:00 +00002018-02-09T07:59:48.730-08:00 I’ve had two questions all week that are predictable when markets decline.&nbsp; Why is the market down?&nbsp; When will it stop?&nbsp; Interestingly, I rarely get asked the opposite questions when markets are going up. There are rarely single reasons we can point to that drive markets down.&nbsp; I realize on CNBC and Twitter they try to boil market corrections down to sound bites, but http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2018/02/ive-had-two-questions-all-week-that-are.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-5054190083655746045Wed, 14 Dec 2016 15:53:00 +00002016-12-14T07:53:23.907-08:00 I haven't published a lot over the past couple of years, but my post-election note on Millennials seemed to strike a chord with people and was picked up by a couple of newspapers and many websites. &nbsp;Following up on that note's theme, I ran into this op-ed in the NY Times, written by Nicholas Kristof, a Pulitzer Price winning author and self-anointed&nbsp;liberal. &nbsp;I found it quite http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/12/new-york-times-slams-liberal-bubble.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-8540842379055486220Thu, 10 Nov 2016 15:37:00 +00002016-11-10T08:47:21.732-08:00Today's note isn't really about the election outcome except to say that I have been unhappy with our Presidents for a generation, so for those who aren't happy with this one, get over it. &nbsp;This too shall pass. &nbsp; Personally I'm cautiously optimistic that a non-affiliated moderate President sympathetic to business needs combined with a Republican House and Senate could end the eight yearhttp://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/11/millennials-to-america-wheres-my.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-7071603806449512514Wed, 19 Oct 2016 13:53:00 +00002016-10-19T06:53:04.157-07:00Over the years I have lamented that it's shocking we can't ask for a single piece of identification at the voting booth. &nbsp;For some reason liberals want you to show IDs to buy tobacco, open a checking account, or any number of activities, yet they feel that anyone should be able to exercise their right to vote or have an abortion without a single shred of evidence that the person is who they http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/10/voter-fraud-part-of-clinton-strategy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-6895972957927217537Tue, 04 Oct 2016 17:30:00 +00002016-10-04T10:31:50.977-07:00After Minnesota announced a 67% premium increase for Obamacare subscribers, and most people with private insurance have been experiencing Obamacare related increases since 2010, Bill Clinton finally showed that periodically a Clinton can tell the truth. http://nypost.com/2016/10/04/bill-clinton-slams-obamacare-as-craziest-thing-in-the-world/http://nypost.com/2016/10/04/http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/10/bill-spills-beans-on-obamacare.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-491514274144359258Thu, 22 Sep 2016 20:06:00 +00002016-09-22T13:16:45.832-07:00I had the pleasure this week of listening to a small group presentation by a Former Acting Director and Deputy Director of the CIA. &nbsp;For obvious reasons I need to keep his/her name out of this post, however, some of his comments were enlightening. Regarding President Obama's refusal to back his promise to act if Syria crossed his self-imposed "red-line" of using chemical weapons, this http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/09/cia-under-obama-we-have-lost-all.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-7313681409192531086Mon, 12 Sep 2016 22:31:00 +00002016-09-12T15:31:59.442-07:00http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/09/weekend-at-hillarys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-5607677473863577038Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:57:00 +00002016-09-09T14:57:16.378-07:00I was reading an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal today, and someone wrote a comment about theWashington Post complaining that Hillary's emails were receiving more scrutiny than a normal person would face. &nbsp;Duh! Here's the quote: &nbsp; "I keep hearing 'can liberals actually be that dumb?' so often that I think they're taking it as a challenge."&nbsp; Have a great weekend Ned&nbsp;http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/09/my-favorite-quote-of-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-1238875527578334605Fri, 02 Sep 2016 14:00:00 +00002016-09-02T07:00:33.539-07:00George McGovern, long known as the Liberal's Liberal, died in 2012. &nbsp;In 1992 he wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal in which he lamented about his lack of understanding about the impact his legislative record had on businesses. &nbsp;This would be a great re-read for Barrack Obama, Bernie Sanders, and the Clinton campaign. A Politician's Dream Is a Businessman's Nightmare: A 1992http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/09/a-reformed-liberals-view-of-liberal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-63929718668206562Thu, 25 Aug 2016 16:20:00 +00002016-08-25T09:20:31.194-07:00 http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-unbiased-media.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-2714400238529958805Mon, 22 Aug 2016 16:44:00 +00002016-08-22T09:44:39.121-07:00I have been periodically reading The Grumpy Economist (http://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com), published by professor John Cochrane. &nbsp;Normally I don't lean towards academics as they are too theoretical, however, John seems to have a more applied viewpoint of economics. &nbsp;Obviously I agree with the post below, otherwise I wouldn't be re-posting. Cheers Ned Micro vs. Macro The cause http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/08/macro-vs-micro.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-6670020655836746297Thu, 18 Aug 2016 18:34:00 +00002016-08-18T11:34:38.836-07:00Remember when Obozo promised that he would "repair our standing around the world"? &nbsp;HE has systematically destroyed the effectiveness of NATO, empowered Russia, given billions to Iran so they could support global terrorism AND become partner with Russia, released terrorists, abandoned Syria (who cares about 500,000 dead civilians), allowed the "Junior Varsity" of terrorist groups to take http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/08/obamas-promise-of-improving-our-world.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-526161689754114760Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:12:00 +00002016-08-11T14:12:13.167-07:00Hello All I haven't posted in a very long time, but given all the garbage coming from our two candidates as well as our sitting President regarding the economy, I felt compelled to add my two cents. This week both Hillary and The Donald offered their prescriptions to solve our economic woes. &nbsp;Both plans are horribly off the mark, although I will say that The Donald ALMOST gets it right inhttp://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2016/08/hillary-donald-and-obama-they-all-slept.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-2021073972871549166Sat, 22 Nov 2014 21:01:00 +00002014-11-22T13:03:36.061-08:00 USC-UCLA Just a reminder to everyone that today is the greatest inter-city rivalry in college sports. The winner typically has bragging rights for the year, the loser restrategizes and looks forward to the next year. It's what makes college sports great. What doesn't make college sports great is when fans become derogatory and disrespectful to the other team and/or other school. http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2014/11/usc-ucla-just-reminder-to-everyone-that.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-109858072973927994Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:58:00 +00002014-09-11T06:58:07.247-07:00A quick quote I loved this week from Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal "Fortune favors the daring. &nbsp;Right now, fortune for Mr. Putin comes, first, in the shape of Barack Obama. &nbsp;The Russian was bound to see the American president as the classic self-infatuated liberal, half as clever and twice as weak as he imagines himself to be. &nbsp;As a former KGB agent working in East http://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2014/09/what-does-putin-want.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516981832244070685.post-6761522133469669829Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:09:00 +00002014-01-20T12:09:08.369-08:00<!--[if !mso]> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} <![endif]--> Year End 2013 When 2012 ended we marveled at the 16% increase for the S&amp;P 500 in spite of an almost universal expectation of single digit returns.&nbsp; We were naturally hesitant when we theorized in the 3rd quarterhttp://weeklymarketnotes.blogspot.com/2014/01/year-end-2013.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Ned Brines)0