The Traderszone Network

Trade balance data from South korea was out a little earlier
And the picture it paints of demand in the global economy isn’t a pretty one
January trade balance:

Barclays and Credit Suisse are poised to settle federal and state charges that they misled investors in their dark pools, with Barclays admitting it broke the law and agreeing to pay $70 million, federal and New York state officials said on Sunday. The settlements between the banks and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York state attorney general will mark the two largest fines ever paid in connection with cases involving dark pools.

read more

Toyota Motor Corp said on Monday it would halt production at all of its car assembly plants in Japan from Feb. 8 to Feb. 13 due to a steel shortage following an explosion at a steel plant operated by one of its affiliates. The world’s biggest automaker said on Saturday a blast at an Aichi Steel Corp plant on Jan. 8 had curbed production of steel parts, but gave no specifics on how car production would be affected. In a statement on Monday, Toyota said it plans to resume output on Feb.

read more

Just a bit of an update from early Japanese trading
USD/JPY has popped a little, up towards 121.50 (it didn’t quite get there), bond yields are continuing to fall and the Nikkei 225 is higher

After taking care of his father on his death bed, this son was passed over.
read more

Chelsea captain John Terry said on Sunday that he would leave the English soccer club and the Premier League at the end of the season.
read more

Submitted by Doug Casey via InternationalMan.com,

There are seven characteristics I can think of that define a sociopath, although I’m sure the list could be extended:

read more