Greater fool financing harms buyers to pay sell side

Such a farce:  these policies are not about helping first time home buyers, they are about helping sellers find a steady stream of greater fools and to help mortgage and realty companies keep collecting commissions. In the process, young families are like sacrificial lambs to the debt slaughter. Not only are these unproductive financial activities, but they are counter-productive, financially suicidal, in the longer run.   The Canadian economy and taxpayers will be paying to clean up this mess for years to come.

A Canadian province has an unusual offer for first-time buyers struggling to enter one of the world’s hottest property markets — a cheap loan to bulk up their down payment.

It’s a gift that may end up fueling a Canadian debt binge and padding the pockets of sellers instead.

Starting Jan. 16, British Columbia — home to Vancouver, the nation’s most expensive real estate market — will start a program to match the nest eggs saved by buyers for their first house by up to C$37,500 ($28,000) or 5 percent of the purchase value.  Here is a direct video link.

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Danielle’s weekly market update

Danielle was a guest today with Jim Goddard on Talk Digital Network talking about recent developments in the world economy and markets.  You can listen to an audio clip of the segment here.

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Trump/Santa risk rally still within long term downtrend

There was QE 1, 2 and 3 euphoric rallies in risk appetite–2009, 2010 and 2013– then there was one measly .25 Fed hike last December and depression resumed again to early 2016 as stocks, corporate debt prices and commodities all slumped  (what diversification benefit ?) while investment grade bonds and the US dollar bounced once more.  In recent months, big financial and energy stocks have led a risk asset rebound to breath-taking heights once more, as investment grade bonds dropped.

Now as shown in this updated chart of the price change (stripped of income) for the high yield bond index ETF (HYG) versus the investment grade index ETF (LQD) since 2007, we are back at the upper end of the downward trend in risk appetite which has prevailed in fits and starts since 2007.  The verdict:  risk-off still in charge so far.  Will a second hike from the Fed today, be fuel or smelling salts for mindless trading algos?  Stay tuned…
10 year Dec 14 2016

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