The Traderszone Network

Japanese manufacturing activity expanded in December at the same pace as the previous month as new orders grew at a faster rate in a sign the economy maintained momentum at the end of 2015, a revised survey showed on Monday. The Markit/Nikkei Final Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) was a seasonally adjusted 52.6 in December versus a flash reading of 52.5 and unchanged from a final 52.6 in November – the highest reading since March 2014. The final index for new orders was 54.2, up from a preliminary 54.1 and a final 53.6 in the previous month.

Earlier in the session, after the surge in oil prices on fears of a spike in belligerence between Saudi Arabia and Iran, bulls were hopeful that after a poor close to 2015, at least the first trading day of 2016 would set a positive mood: after all, if there is one thing war is good for, it is to lift stock markets. And it did… for about 3 hours.

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ISIS militants have released a video purporting to show the killing of five men they claim were Britain spies, the FT reported.

Asian stock markets are being taken to the woodshed today
A few of the ‘highlights’:
– Nikkei -1.96%
– Shanghai -3.94%
– HK -2.07%
– ASX -0.27%
I really should insert a pic of a dog vomiting … but the pics are pretty horrible so I shan’t 😀

With roughly half a year under its belt as an independent public company, PayPal Holdings, Inc. received fairly neutral treatment in the press in 2015. Nonetheless, a few headlines were particularly ominous.

Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester expects growth to be better than 2.5% annual rate in 2016 and said risks to the outlook are small.
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The Icon FJ is an updated take on Toyota’s classic four-wheeler. With Toyota’s cooperation, California’s Icon Customs made a modern aluminum-bodied SUV that looks like it rolled right out of 1965.

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