The lone wolf
I was asked by a reader who asked me an interesting question asking me to describe the personality makeup of a man who would be considered the latter days remnant just before the end.
I would suggest doing research on the psychological makeup of a “sigma” male. I think that sums it up well. I am what a person would consider as a sigma male.
The sigma male lone wolf is rarely deceived over the long term. The sigma male eventually figures it out on his own. While he may research other people’s work, the sigma male ultimately makes up his own mind, rather than blindly following someone or some sort of groupthink.
A sigma in the real world
While a number of men would describe themselves as possessing sigma traits, a true sigma male comprises no more than 1% to 6% of the male adult population, depending on the strictness of the definition.
Anecdotally speaking, I would estimate that as many as 30-40% of all successful and self-reliant traders are “sigmas”.
On the contra, I would estimate that as many as 20 to 30% of male alcoholics are sigmas. For them, life does not make sense as presented and they try to drown out the voices, so they can conform.
Sigma males do not fall victim to partisan politics and usually don’t waste their time voting. They see through the charade. They very rarely belong to any organizations.
To the unwashed person, a sigma male may appear lonely or depressed, but that is because the unwashed do not understand. Sigma males are self-reliant and self-sufficient on just about every front.
To the sigma male, time is fluid and non-linear. They often observe and analyze events and circumstances from the distant past as freshly as those in the present. By having this unique ability, sigmas can often formulate pragmatic responses to unique situations.
Sigma males rarely have many friends as friendships come and go, because sigmas can get frustrated easily having to deal with the insignificant trivialities of daily life that seem to preoccupy most others.
Sigmas don’t care what others think about them. Thus, sigmas are less likely to be engaged on social media platforms. They truly seem to be shielded from the distractions of the outside world.
Sigmas are not as concerned about gaining social status and accumulating material items. They don’t seek external validation and the praise of others. Sigma males are perfectly content living a simple lifestyle, although many of them could easily afford to live affluently.
They learn from mistakes and rarely make the same error twice. That’s because sigma males are self-reliant and thus, any error on their part is costly to them.
They have an uncanny ability to remain detached and objective, even during the most dire of circumstances.
Don’t expect to see sigma males in the doctor’s office. They’re too busy figuring out how to stay healthy on their own terms. You’ll never see signal males in a financial planner’s office, either. He’s too busy succeeding on his own terms.
Sigmas often have adverse upbringings
While there is a genetic component to it, since the vast majority of sigma males walking on this planet are actually of Caucasian European descent, the personality of a sigma male is usually developed as a result of adversity and persistent trauma as a child.
A sigma male doesn’t purposely develop his personality, but rather it seems to be a culmination of his past circumstances and is a result of his survival instinct to overcome whatever was troubling him as a lad.
I was a raging alcoholic until 1997, when I finally put down the bottle for good and started my journey. I quit my job in 2000 and picked up the cross and left the Universal Church in 2003.
The sigma male in the end times
Sigmas are more introspective and discerning, self aware, humble, often appearing arrogant and enigmatic, while usually being much more intelligent in just about every measure than the average sad sack soul.
They could lead if needed, but their fierce independence precludes this. To a sigma male, becoming a leader would mean having to compromise his integrity and principles to the extent he wouldn’t be able to reconcile his conscience.
To the sigma male, traveling alone is always the best and most expedient option, and according to the Bible, finding one’s way to Christ is a solitary endeavor. Indeed, there are a larger than normal percentage of sigma males in the last days Church. To them, the scriptures are the only thing that truly makes sense. Of course, the organized churches in these final days are bereft of sigma males.
People who follow other people, especially in the alt-media, are definitely not sigmas, but most likely betas or something else. Their need to identify with something is too overpowering for them. This especially includes those who are wedded to an organized religion of any kind.
In these last and final days, being a lone wolf stigma male can prove indispensable. And for those who aren’t sigmas, I would suggest listening to them.
Check this out Stone. It’s somethin.
https://youtu.be/gM3-r1SkdE8?si=SSpkk29g6Eux5Te0
Overall, not the best manufacturing data, but not exactly recessionary either.
Manufacturing PMI (Apr)
Act: 50.2 Cons: 50.7 Prev: 50.2
Construction Spending (MoM) (Mar)
Act: -0.5% Cons: 0.2% Prev: 0.6%
ISM Manufacturing Employment (Apr)
Act: 46.5 Cons: 47.7 Prev: 44.7
ISM Manufacturing New Orders Index (Apr)
Act: 47.2 Cons: Prev: 45.2
ISM Manufacturing PMI (Apr)
Act: 48.7 Cons: 48.0 Prev: 49.0
ISM Manufacturing Prices (Apr)
Act: 69.8 Cons: 72.9 Prev: 69.4
Construction spending (as reported by the Census Bureau, Department of Commerce) took an unexpected dip this morning and was counted against GDP growth. ISM data also took a chunk out of economic activity estimates.
This is kind of Interesting. Kawasaki has equine type motorcycle!
singularityhub.com/2025/04/29/kawasaki-is-building-a-robot-you-ride-like-a-horse/
https://volonaut.com/
That is just like the jet scooters that the storm troopers used in Star Wars return of the Jedi.
From this morning’s Seeking Alpha:
Investors are cheering the blowout earnings from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), with their guidance signaling resilience amid broader economic fears. The tech heavyweights also remain committed to investing heavily in artificial intelligence, even as trade uncertainty has pushed other firms to rein in spending.
Azure strength: Microsoft shares soared 8% in after hours on Wednesday as its third-quarter results beat estimates, driven by its cloud computing unit Azure and AI business. “Cloud and AI are the essential inputs for every business to expand output, reduce costs and accelerate growth,” CEO Satya Nadella said, with continued strength expected into FY 2026. Microsoft continues to expect its capital spending to grow in FY 2026, although at a slower pace than FY 2025. SA analyst Investor’s Compass said the strong results reinforce Microsoft’s long-term thesis.
More AI spending: Meta’s stock jumped 5% in post-market trade on Wednesday following better-than-expected first-quarter results and strong operating margins. The company also raised its capital expenditure plan to reflect more spending on data centers, and higher cost of infrastructure hardware due to tariff uncertainty. “I want to make sure that we’re building out the leading infrastructure and teams that we need to achieve our goals,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. Investing Group Leader Victor Dergunov said the higher spending target “is another solid sign for Meta and the broader AI industry.”
Next up: The last two Big Tech companies – Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) – will post their quarterly earnings after the bell today. SA analyst A.J. Button said “a lot is riding on” Apple’s report, as the iPhone maker is one of the U.S. tech companies that’s most impacted by President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China. Expectations for Amazon are more optimistic as its cloud and ad services businesses are thriving, according to SA Quant strategist Steven Cress.
Hey Stone,
Looks like Alberta is going to have a referendum on independence. You think the Laurentian Elite over played there hand? Or this is a prearranged outcome years in the making. My hunch is it’s a plan Langley has had on the books for a decades but the moment has become ripe. Trump will look like a geopolitical genius if the US incorporates western Canada and I am sure he will take the credit for it but it’s a process I feel that has been decades in the making.
Hi Dean, honestly, I don’t know a ton about the subject with Alberta , other than what I read, and couldn’t provide much context.
I am reading that the largest county in Maine is attempting to secede from the rest of Maine. The Democrats in Maine are being trolled by Trump and have fallen victim to it.
I have to hand it to Trump. Regardless, of one’s opinion of him, he knows how to troll and drive his opponents and opposition absolutely insane.
Look what has become of the Democrats. They have gone absolutely nuts and they are completely rudderless, except for their singular focus of destroying Trump. They cannot produce one clear leader.
Whatever outcome emerges from the Canadian political process, one thing is certain; Trump had more influence over the recent Canadian elections that anyone else.
Trump trolls people so successfully. He’s already having success with his NAU objectives. He’s polarizing Canada, whip sawing Greenland and Denmark, and conditioning Mexico and Central America into the desired outcome.
He’s driving CCP China and Xi insane. On one hand, Trump bashes them continually. And on the other, he praises Xi and calls him a good friend.
Watching this on a daily basis is like watching a cartoon. But if Trump has enough time, I think he’ll get much of what he is looking for.
Some recession. One quarter of slightly negative GDP growth does not a recession make. Q2 25 looking strongly positive.
Question for you Stone. Around May 10 will be a month since Trumps tariffs on China. The ships take roughly a month or so to get to our ports. What are you expecting regarding shortages and job losses as this continues to drag on?
Honestly? Not as much as most are fearing. It’s difficult to tell anecdotally speaking, because nearly everyone with a voice has a bias.
The Democrat voters keep insisting there’s a massive wave of inflation, yet there is no indication of that, at least, not yet. The Democrats think an economic collapse is coming. That’s mostly aspirational, as they would hope to see a collapse to show the world Trump is a fraud.
But personal income and personal spending data show resilience. Just look at this morning’s PCE and personal spending release for verification.
The Republican voters are more realistic and their inflation and GDP growth expectations are largely inline with official stats.
From what I can gather, China is definitely the one hurting more. No doubt about that.
In terms of shortages, I really don’t envision much, at least so far.
Zelenskyy: Russia is preparing something in Belarus under guise of military drills
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipates that Russia may be “preparing something” in Belarus in the summer of 2025 under the guise of military drills.
Source: Suspilne, citing Zelenskyy’s remarks at the Three Seas Summit
Quote: “And look at Belarus – Russia is preparing something there this summer, using military drills as cover. That’s usually how they start a new attack. But where will it go? I don’t know. Ukraine? Lithuania? Poland? God forbid! But we all need to be ready. All our institutions are open for cooperation.”
Background:
Zelenskyy stated that Russia plans to train 15 divisions consisting of 100,000-150,000 troops to strengthen the Belarusian front in 2025.
Exercises involving the so-called regional grouping of troops of Belarus and Russia will take place in Belarus in 2025.
Suspline:
Sus is used as a synonym of suspicious, or suspect, as in “you’ve been acting pretty sus, I think you’re up to something.” It’s a slang word used to say that someone or something shouldn’t be trusted.
As a side note, Belarus is the home of the family that owns Conde Nast. Also home to Chagall and Velikovsky. Velikovsky had his student Freud, Jung had his student Neumann – the perfect hegelian opposition teams.
Three Seas Summit. Perfect name brought to you by the Phoenician Navy. ✡️✡️✡️
GDP data closer to the Atlanta Fed GDP estimates. Price data higher than consensus.
Core PCE Prices (Q1)
Act: 3.50% Cons: Prev: 2.60%
Employment Cost Index (QoQ) (Q1)
Act: 0.9% Cons: 0.9% Prev: 0.9%
Employment Wages (QoQ) (Q1)
Act: 0.80% Cons: Prev: 1.00%
GDP (QoQ) (Q1)
Act: -0.3% Cons: 0.2% Prev: 2.4%
GDP Price Index (QoQ) (Q1)
Act: 3.7% Cons: 3.1% Prev: 2.3%
GDP Sales (Q1)
Act: -2.5% Cons: Prev: 3.3%
PCE Prices (Q1)
Act: 3.6% Cons: Prev: 2.4%
Real Consumer Spending (Q1)
Act: 1.8% Cons: Prev: 4.0%
PCE data somewhat near expected. Core data a tick light. Pending home sales look excellent, while personal income comes in a little better than consensus.
Core PCE Price Index (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.0% Cons: 0.1% Prev: 0.5%
Core PCE Price Index (YoY) (Mar)
Act: 2.6% Cons: 2.6% Prev: 3.0%
PCE Price index (YoY) (Mar)
Act: 2.3% Cons: 2.2% Prev: 2.7%
PCE price index (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.0% Cons: 0.0% Prev: 0.4%
Pending Home Sales (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 6.1% Cons: 0.9% Prev: 2.1%
Pending Home Sales Index (Mar)
Act: 76.5 Cons: Prev: 72.1
Personal Income (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.5% Cons: 0.4% Prev: 0.7%
Personal Spending (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.7% Cons: 0.6% Prev: 0.5%
Real Personal Consumption (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.7% Cons: Prev: 0.1%
Congratulations to anyone that keeps booze out of their lives!
What about the personality makeup pyramid for woman, is it the same sigma thru omegas?
No. By definition, women cannot be sigmas. They are unable to think that way.
They can be alphas and such. Just not sigmas.
Sigmas are the types of people that were important biblical figures. I contemplate the psychological makeup of most in the Bible, not the kings and people of power as they were alphas, but the prophets and apostles, etc., and it seems they fit the description of sigmas.
Even someone like Moses has the stereotypical traits of a sigma. Indeed, he did possess the traits of an alpha, but he was called into leadership by YHVH. He seemed uncomfortable initially in that role, but assumed it. He had a singular focus and carried it out.
The prophets had little regard for what others thought of them, though they were often frustrated that most didn’t listen. They had the fortitude to keep plowing forward.
If I were to study the psychological profile of someone like Jesus as a person, it would be difficult not to conclude that he was a sigma. The personality of Jesus certainly didn’t fit in any of the pyramid of traditional personality types of the social hierarchy. Yes, he was certainly a leader, but not of the traditional type. He was called for a role and possessed a singular focus.
We have to understand that most alphas walking this planet eventually exploit their strengths for gain. Alphas tend to have things come easier to them. Being an alpha on this planet can be very advantageous and as a result, not many alphas are deep philosophers. They just act and things just tend to happen for them naturally.
Alphas are the natural home run hitters. It may seem ironic that the best hitters in baseball rarely become the best hitting coaches, but it makes sense when we realize that the best hitters just seem to have things come to them naturally. They often have trouble translating concepts and ideas to their students.
YHVH does use alphas, but only judiciously. Many of the alphas in the Bible also possessed sigma traits. Just like with Moses, it seems that David also possessed a blend of alpha and sigma traits.
YHVH tends not to overemphasize the alpha personality for evangelism either. Alphas can be very forceful and convincing. These aren’t traits that are necessarily biblically desirable, per se, though they have their uses. Scripture should do the talking, rather than the person.
Betas are usually too weak emotionally and are hesitant to carry out the Father’s work.
Sigmas, on the other hand, have the psychological makeup to often fulfill a role as necessary and will be much less likely to exploit their positions for gain.
There’s a spiritual element to a sigma, as their troubled childhoods became the catalyst for a life of deep contemplation and reflection. Most people with troubled childhoods become cursed and fall victim to those traumas. Sigmas overcome them. Never doubt a true sigma.
While perhaps being weak and fearful as a child, the sigma works to overcome these adversities to develop the necessary skill set that would be advantageous when it came to fulfilling important roles without reservation later in life.
Women and especially younger women can never be sigmas because they get to emotional and many younger women today are emotionally unstable. There are a few alpha women and usually they are not married except to a beta male. Heaven help betas males. If a beta male seeks Jesus Christ then that beta can become a sigma with the strength of Jesus Christ and YHVH behind him.
God bless those who give up alcohol and smoking. I never smoked and never will but I have consumed alcohol in moderate amounts. I find that both smoking and even moderate alcohol consumption impede a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. When I realized this I gave up drinking and I don’t miss it.
Agreed. Woman is designed to be an assistant to complement a Man. She is to be happily under his loving authority and give herself to him. Therefore, she can not be a Sigma. She was not supposed to be.
As far as drinking, I enjoyed it too much. The first drink was so good, I had many more. If something or someone begins to control you, walk away! Only YHVH is in control! We submit only to HIM!
Anyone in an organized religion is deceived and thus, by definition, cannot be a sigma. It is absolutely impossible to remain within an organized Church and be considered anything like the elect. It’s impossible. Sigmas would never belong to an organized religion. Sigmas ask themselves too many questions and are not deceived over a longer term time frame. They have put away all of the organized church traditions and holidays, picked up the cross, and led a solitary path to salvation.
Your arrogance is a sight to behold. If you believe all the nonsense about organized religion, you’re the one who really is deceived. You’ve just bought into the Jewish nonsense from the “right” instead of the “left.” And you also believe Jesus is a liar, since He Himself said His Church would stand.
I agree with Paul, you’re an arrogant and delusional scumbag.
Also FYI his personality type is impervious to ridicule. Good luck with that…LOL
The Bible says nothing good about the end times “churches” or preachers.
Anyone who is in an organized church is definitely deceived but you do you and let us know how it turns out for you.
The word church is not about a building or an organization but His called ones. It is the individuals that are the church, not a social club you go too. Look up the meaning of church in the Bible.
India Eyes ‘Early Mutual Wins’ in US Bilateral Trade Talks
(Bloomberg) — India signaled the possibility of “early mutual wins” in its negotiations with the US, as the two nations inch closer to sealing the first tranche of a trade deal by fall of this year.
A team of officials, led by India’s chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, was in Washington last week to advance discussions on the trade pact. The two nations discussed the roadmap for a “mutually beneficial, multi-sector bilateral trade agreement by fall of 2025, including through opportunities for early mutual wins,” India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement follows comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday that the South Asian nation may be the first country to sign a trade deal with the US. India is moving quickly to stave off US President Donald Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs, put on pause for 90 days ending early July.
Asian economies, including South Korea, Japan and India, are leading the race for reaching interim deals with the Trump administration, with the grace period opening up room for speeding up the talks.
India and US officials also discussed tariff and non-tariff barriers, the statement added. The discussions on sector-specific issues have been taking place virtually and the “in-person” negotiations are planned from end-May, the ministry said.
The two sides have already finalized the terms of reference — an initial framework — comprising 19 categories including market access for goods including agriculture, and e-commerce, Bloomberg News reported last week. The announcement was made during US Vice President JD Vance’s four-day visit to India following his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
This sure could blow a hole in the BRICS plans. China won’t be happy with this development.
It helps that the United States is the number one energy power in the world. That will help the United States exports. India is more than happy to transact in dollars.
I think countries like India may straddle the fence for a while. I read that China is accelerating plans for a payment system to rival the dollar soon.
Although India may have it’s hands full very soon now!
The goldbugs have been claiming the BRICs are close to developing a rival to the USD since at least 2005. China isn’t able, because they refuse to run the necessary triple deficits required to do so.
Great point!
Just remember that in the book 1984 India was a part of Oceania as well as the USA and Airstrip 1.
Correction: Actually in 1984 India was a disputed area.
The goods trade deficit continues to widen. Perhaps we can chalk it up to front running the tariffs. But, wow!
Goods Trade Balance (Mar)
Act: -161.99B Cons: -142.80B Prev: -147.85B
Retail Inventories Ex Auto (Mar)
Act: 0.4% Cons: Prev: 0.1%
Wholesale Inventories (MoM) (Mar)
Act: 0.5% Cons: 0.6% Prev: 0.3%
House price growth slightly disappoints…
FHFA House Price Index (YoY) (Feb)
Act: 3.9% Cons: Prev: 5.0%
FHFA House Price Index (MoM) (Feb)
Act: 0.1% Cons: 0.3% Prev: 0.3%
FHFA House Price Index (Feb)
Act: 437.3 Cons: Prev: 436.7
S&P/CS HPI Composite – 20 s.a. (MoM) (Feb)
Act: 0.4% Cons: Prev: 0.4%
S&P/CS HPI Composite – 20 n.s.a. (MoM) (Feb)
Act: 0.7% Cons: Prev: 0.1%
S&P/CS HPI Composite – 20 n.s.a. (YoY) (Feb)
Act: 4.5% Cons: 4.6% Prev: 4.7%
This can’t continue forever. Something’s gotta give.
That’s the plan!
Press Releases
Treasury Announces Marketable Borrowing Estimates
April 28, 2025
Sources and Uses Table
https://www.terminaleconomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Ust0428.jpg
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced its current estimates of privately-held net marketable borrowing[1] for the April – June 2025 and July – September 2025 quarters.
•During the April – June 2025 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $514 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-June cash balance of $850 billion.[2],[3] The borrowing estimate is $391 billion higher than announced in February 2025, primarily due to the lower beginning-of-quarter cash balance and projected lower net cash flows, partially offset by lower Federal Reserve System Open Market Account (SOMA) redemptions ($60 billion). Excluding the lower than assumed beginning-of-quarter cash balance, the current quarter borrowing estimate is $53 billion lower than announced in February.
•During the July – September 2025 quarter, Treasury expects to borrow $554 billion in privately-held net marketable debt, assuming an end-of-September cash balance of $850 billion.3
•During the January – March 2025 quarter, Treasury borrowed $369 billion in privately-held net marketable debt and ended the quarter with a cash balance of $406 billion. In February 2025, Treasury estimated borrowing of $815 billion and assumed an end-of-March cash balance of $850 billion. The $446 billion difference in privately-held net market borrowing resulted primarily from the lower end-of-quarter cash balance. Excluding the lower than assumed end-of-quarter cash balance, actual borrowing was $2 billion lower than announced in February.
Additional financing details relating to Treasury’s Quarterly Refunding will be released at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Estimate is 53 billion lower… maybe doge is working?
I suppose. Not really anything to shift the trend, but there has been some differences. If it is doge it’s more than I thought.
Meanwhile, up north, the liberals win. Carney is commie scum, and they want to increase the population by 60 million third world people,think India! Just like Europe. Good bye Canada!
Canada will self destruct with the Liberal win as they elected somebody who is just as bad as Trudeau if not worse. Canadians are a glutton for punishment. The country will self destruct to the point that they will beg to be the 51st state. Canada will be a huge example of what happens to a blue run state. More homeless, more crime, more immigration, and greater wealth disparity.
That’s what the Canadians want. The Canadians have gotten fat and sloppy, because they consistently run trade surpluses, which are then used to fund their social largesse. Then they sardonically look down on others around them, pretending they are more noble.
Communism only works when there are massive amounts of financial injections to fund the financially inefficient filthiness.
I was watching a dash cam video of a truck driver who drove from the states into Quebec. I instantly noticed that degraded condition of the Canadian highways versus the American. I thought upstate New York roads were bad, but the condition of the Canadian roads in Quebec put them to shame.
But I heard a rumor that Canadian healthcare was free for all citizens and illegal immigrants. I heard it’s free. But, don’t make the connection between Canada’s punishing taxes and the “free” benefits people get from the government.
I know this much, I pay hardly any income taxes and my property taxes on my rental properties are minuscule. My overall tax rate for everyday life is extremely low. I’d rather go get Private health insurance and pay the pittance in taxes I pay every year. Cognitively impaired reprobates are always suckers for “free” benefits.
The “free benefits “ from the socialists are very poor quality and not very useful. Just look at socialized medical care up in Canada. They come into the USA to get better and more timely medical care.
In addition the socialists let infrastructure degrade as they shift tax money to handouts and entitlements. That is why the highways suck in Quebec. Quebec is very socialist with high taxes and they thumb their noses at the USA.
The corporate consolidation of former nation states continues. Greenland’s government seems amenable to a corporate buyout as well…
The Federal Reserve is effectively withdrawing credit as liquidity needs continue to mount. The other central banks around the world continue to stimulate, while the Fed sits idle. It reminds me of their actions during 1929-30….
America Is Last in Credit as Foreign Buyers Flee: Macro View
(Bloomberg) — Add credit markets to the casualties of America’s global trade blitz. US corporate debt is lagging other regions and risks falling further behind as the economy cracks and rates stay high.
•Risk assets greeted the November election of a perceived pro-growth, pro-business president with glee. But since Trump’s January inauguration, American credit has weakened, while the rest of the world gained.
•That’s due to self-inflicted economic wounds from the president’s tariffs frenzy, which will likely sap growth and stoke inflation. Piling on pressure is rotation by foreign investors into the relative value and stability of debt markets elsewhere.
•America’s scale is indisputable, and the trade storm may well blow over. But there’s more repricing to be done versus other regions as the US government shocks investors with its recasting of the global order.
•The Trump administration this month added to the pressure with its assault on Federal Reserve independence. Even as Donald Trump stated he had no plans to fire Fed chair Jerome Powell, the spat exposed the idea of “risk free” assets in the context of US government bonds as an illusion.
•Credit default swaps imply much bigger risks of missed debt payments by the US government than that of Germany or the UK. Corporate investors will have to recalibrate their faith in getting repaid by a US company accordingly.
•As turbulence ramps up, large very cash-rich companies could be viewed by markets as safer debt investments than the government, as in emerging markets. But as investors start to price US political risk, they’ll need to reassess how they’re being compensated for new threats across the corporate credit curve.
•April’s wild ride may be enough of a slap for some buyers to drop US credit altogether, or at least not increase exposure. In places like Japan, where there are increasingly attractive “risk-free” options at home, that’s not a hard sell.
•Investors have long talked about better value in Europe, but it usually takes crisis to get them to act. The region’s junk debt spreads have converged with the US over the past few months after years of trading mostly wider.
•European credit has received a boost from central bank stimulus and the potential for significant government investment. Some of the money leaving US corporate debt may end up funding urgent and massive EU defense spending.
•Global portfolio managers have been so rattled by the ongoing shift in the US that they’ve even started considering Chinese credit — which only months ago was deemed uninvestable. The government is also unleashing stimulus there, and technology firms are of growing interest to debt buyers.
•Global demand for corporate bonds by US issuers dropped to $10.4 billion in February from $30.8 billion in January, according to Citi Research. That’s well below the $76.4 billion of inflows in February 2024, says Citi, which expects the trend to continue.
•Still, the immediate impact on US corporate debt has been limited. Domestic accounts are likely more than happy to buy quality credit at historically high yields, while new deal order books have been ample and new issue concessions slim.
Longer term though, as marginal investor dollars shun US debt, spreads will likely have to widen further. Foreign buyers are increasingly wary as the risks of stagflation keep rising and earnings crater, creating a perilous outlook for US companies, especially those with a lot of debt.
•Of course, there are limits to the exit from US assets, not least because the huge pile of captive domestic cash that will naturally have a home bias. And while the next best option — Europe — may seem cheap, its various jurisdictions, languages and legal systems add a layer of complexity that may deter newcomers.
•American credit is down but not out and the White House’s move to backpedal on its China tariffs — plus Trump abandoning his attacks on Powell — has helped sparked a relief rally. Government officials have primed markets for short-term pain with the promise of longer-term gains, and it’s possible we look back fondly on the month of April as nothing more than a great trade for dip buyers.
•But you can’t force toothpaste back into a tube — trust in US debt has been shattered — and global buyers don’t believe Trump won’t change his mind. Watch American corporate debt markets reprice wider and further lag other regions as the great rotation out of US assets gains pace.
If there is a 1929-1930 crash type scenario under Powell’s watch then he will be politically hung from a tree and become a scapegoat and the Federal Reserve will lose credibility as an institution.
The FED is basically making it more difficult for Trump to implement what he wants to. This is the first time I’ve seen this in my lifetime. The Fed was actually somewhat dovish during Trump’s first regime.
The FED is working for the anti Trump deep state faction. It reminds me in 2022 when the Bank of England trashed Elizabeth Truss’s tax cut plans.
In the end, it all about liquidity! Virtually, all purchasing is on credit/debt! If the Fed stands pat, you can guess what’s coming.
North Korea has now confirmed. What about those Chinese nationals who were nabbed?
These regional wars will all blow up into a massive global conflict soon. 2027, the beginning of the end. Jacob’s trouble. The Israelites are sleeping. The land of unwalled villages….
___________
North Korea confirms that it dispatched troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea confirmed Monday for the first time that it sent troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.
U.S., South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials have said North Korea dispatched about 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia last fall. But North Korea hadn’t confirmed or denied its reported troop deployments to Russia until Monday.
Leader Kim Jong Un decided to send combat troops to Russia under a mutual defense treaty, the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party said in a statement.
It cited Kim as saying the deployment was meant to “annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area in cooperation with the Russian armed forces.”
“They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland,” Kim said, according to the statement sent to state media.
In March, South Korea’s military said North Korea sent about 3,000 additional troops to Russia earlier this year, after its soldiers deployed on the Russian-Ukraine fronts suffered heavy casualties. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs assessed that around 4,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 4,000, though U.S. estimates were lower at around 1,200.
In March, Kim expressed his unwavering support for Russia’s war in Ukraine during a meeting with a top Russian security official, Sergei Shoigu, in Pyongyang. State media reports said Kim and Shoigu reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the mutual defense treaty agreed upon last year. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told Russian media the governments were discussing a potential visit by Kim to Moscow.
North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia as well. South Korea, the U.S. and their partners worry that Russia could reward North Korea by transferring high-tech weapons technologies that can sharply enhance its nuclear weapons program. North Korea is expected to receive economic and other assistance from Russia as well.
North Korean soldiers are highly disciplined and well trained, but observers say they’ve become easy targets for drone and artillery attacks on Russian-Ukraine battlefields due to their lack of combat experience and unfamiliarity with the terrain.
Still, Ukrainian military and intelligence officials have assessed that the North Koreans are gaining crucial battlefield experience and have been key to Russia’s strategy of overwhelming Ukraine by throwing large numbers of soldiers into the battle for Kursk.
The Atlanta Fed must be run by Democrats. They are predicting a drop in GDP growth as much as 2.2%. The NY Fed indicates a rise of 2.63%.
The person you’re describing sounds like a sociopath. I resemble some but not all of what you describe. Don’t join orgs, don’t seek external validation, don’t vote, prize self-reliance (while realizing I don’t have a rice paddy, beef stock, tobacco patch or distillery). I had a fine childhood. Spoiled. I always sought to escape the group activities in order to do my own thing. Class clown. Loner metalhead. Pothead before it was cool. I’ve been “blackpilled” for decades. Philosophy was my solace. Stoic, particularly. I see the waste in our society and it blows me away.
Chasing money will destroy your soul. It doesn’t take very much for a man to live. Be like the honey bee which gathers without harming the flowers. Be the crooked tree that escapes the axe. Innocent as a dove and shrewd as a serpent. Etc.
I also was heavy into beer for well over a decade. My nepenthe was 3 40oz beers a night, every night. Eventually I realized that I was killing myself and stopped.
A sober man is a much better warrior. I greet everyone with a smile, not always returned. It is very bleak out there. The people are incredibly sick because they’ve been poisoned their whole lives.
My people perish for lack of knowledge, etc.
I’m new to your blog and this may well be my first and only post.
I see the writing on the wall with the POG and the orange man. Dumb young men will die for him. I’m on my own path, in my own out of the way holler, stacking wood for a very long winter. Every day is a precious gift.
I’m closing with a plug for a man that has recently opened my eyes (all friggin 3 of them): http://ggenereux.blog/my-ebooks/
Desires ought properly to melt away. The kingdom really is within. Suffering is what we were born for, what character is forged from. All the virtues are vital, but I think humility, especially. Those are my thoughts at the moment, for what they’re worth.
Another universal church fallacy; Noah’s family members were the only ones who survived the flood around the entire world.
How come there were no breaks in Chinese, Egyptian, Indian, nor Babylonian historical books during the flood?
If the flood covered the whole world as the mistranslations of scriptures stated, why wasn’t it covered by the ancient historians of the different races of that time?
The flood enabled the pure genetics of Adamic man to be passed on to Jesus. Many Genesis One people outside the region survived. The descendants of Cain, the son of the fallen one, continued as according to YHVHs plan.
They bred with Esau’s descendants to form the Jews that Jesus railed against and who own the private central banks today.
They are the ones who know who the real Israelites are and are feverishly trying to ruin them. It’s always been a battle against Jacob and Esau. All the way to the end.
The Bible wasn’t written by the Jews. It wasn’t for the Jews, it wasn’t about the Jews, and don’t wait for the Jews to repent. That is impossible.
Judas was from the serpent seed, the other disciples were from Benjamin. Today’s Jews are not descended from Jacob.
I agree that today’s Jews are descended from Esau and not Jacob. There are books that point to that. In addition, there was a worldwide flood but it is very possible that some people descended from Cain and giants survived the flood in certain places.
That is the only way that makes sense. It ties the type described in Genesis 4:20-22 with the anti-type in Revelation 18 – the merchant class, entertainers, craftsmen, and false Kingly class. The vengeance aspect comes from Esau.
There is an artist/writer, Miles Mathis, who has also identified this Cain class although he made the same error as Alan Watt in conflating Jabal with Jacob because they dwelt in tents. He does not call them Cainites, but refers to them as the Phoenician Navy (all Jews). He names names. You mentioned Louis-Dreyfus the other week which made me remember reading something about that family which led me back to Miles’ papers. Most people think the Jews are the ZZ Top guys that Fitz goes on about, its not them – they are a decoy that is being prepared for controlled demolition.
Ephesians 5:11
Most of the Jew communist bashers are pointing fingers at the dreidel-spinning, Yiddish speaking rabbis. The true Jews as described in the Bible, the ones Jesus railed against and the ones described in the Book of Revelation, are nowhere to be seen in public.
thanks! this article is a great blessing to me.
gary
Elevated inflation forever! My rents keep climbing on the single family detached houses…..
World military spending hits $2.7 trillion in record 2024 surge
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -\World military expenditure reached $2.72 trillion in 2024, an increase of 9.4% from 2023 and the steepest year-on-year rise since at least the end of the Cold War, according to a report released by a leading conflict think tank on Monday.
Heightened geopolitical tension saw increased military spending in all world regions, with particularly rapid growth in both Europe and the Middle East, data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed.
“Over 100 countries around the world raised their military spending in 2024,” SIPRI said. “As governments increasingly prioritize military security, often at the expense of other budget areas, the economic and social trade-offs could have significant effects on societies for years to come,” it said.
The war in Ukraine and doubts over U.S. commitment to the NATO-alliance saw military spending in Europe (including Russia) rise by 17%, pushing European military spending beyond the level recorded at the end of the Cold War.
Russia’s military expenditure reached an estimated $149 billion in 2024, a 38% increase from 2023 and double the level in 2015. This represented 7.1% of Russia’s GDP and 19% of all government spending.
Ukraine’s total military expenditure grew by 2.9% to reach $64.7 billion, which amounts to 43% of Russia’s spending. At 34% of GDP, Ukraine had the largest military burden of any country in 2024.
“Ukraine currently allocates all of its tax revenues to its military,” SIPRI said. “In such a tight fiscal space, it will be challenging for Ukraine to keep increasing its military spending.”
Military spending by the U.S. rose by 5.7% per cent to reach $997 billion, which was 66% of total NATO spending and 37% of world military spending in 2024.
Lovely article. Sigmas tend to be spiritual people who see beyond the material world. When they see the light they ultimately turn to Jesus Christ.
I feel the same way as you do stone. I felt like a loner most of my life as I felt most of my peers were short sighted, self centered, and immature.
I found the older adults to be the same except they put on a facade of politeness. Nowadays adults don’t even do that.
I completely mistrust the medical profession and dentists. Dentists just want to hack your mouth to rack up bills . Doctors while good at diagnosis prescribe cures that are as harmful as the disease and cause other health problems down the road.
There were several years when I was living outside Boston where I felt really depressed because I felt so out of my element and I consumed more alcohol than I should have.
I made changes by moving north out of Massachusetts. Avoid Massachusetts if you don’t like blue states. I also disassociated from toxic people. It is key to disassociate from toxic obnoxious people and toxic blue areas.
Heaven help those who don’t have the financial means to make these changes but if there is a will there is a way. Seeking Jesus Christ will definitely show you the way.
Funny I have known that I’m a sigma female for awhile. We often travel a lonely road because I can’t deal with disloyalty and liars and that’s what about 98% of the population is now. I got zero parental advice growing up but one thing that my father said to me was “Be an individual!”
I hope the end times are soon because quite honestly I’m sick of this world, sick of fake “christians” and sick of what America has become. I talked to a young high school junior this week – very tall, good-looking kid who said he hates Americans girls because they’re all ho’s. He said he generally hates people. It was all done by design: the trashy movies and shows, tattooed, trashy women who hand their bodies over as if passing around a bottle of wine. Yuck.
I am more disillusioned by the day when I look around me. I feel sorry for these young people. Life has sucked for me for the last 40 years since becoming a christian. Christ wasn’t kidding when he said the world would hate us.
If God ended the world today I wouldn’t be sad. Audio Cross Study Comm Greek
Verse (Click for Chapter)
New International Version
With a mighty voice he shouted: “’Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
New Living Translation
He gave a mighty shout: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a hideout for every foul spirit, a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal.
English Standard Version
And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
Berean Standard Bible
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.” Rev. 18:2
You are not a sigma. You don’t want to be one anyway. A true sigma doesn’t give a shit anymore. A true sigma doesn’t live in fear.
A true sigma is certainly not emotional. He detaches and walks away. I look your emotion, constant repetition of fears, and frustration as being a terrible handicap. A Sigma’s survival instinct from a child taught him to not bother as being in fear and superfluous emotion as a waste of time. He’s done with all that.
The personality of a sigma is usually fully manifested by the time he’s in his late twenties.
You don’t want to be one. I know first hand. It’s a terrible burden.
The feminist movement has poisoned the punch bowl and convinced women that they can be just like men, interchangeable. Women are too emotional and that’s why the Bible tells them to remain quiet and out of the pulpits. By definition, women are unable to be sigmas. The problem is, they don’t know it.
What would you say is his weakness?
No true sigma male would ever think the article was in any way complimentary. If you walk a mile in a sigma’s shoes I think you would not want to be one or think it was anything to boast about. More often than not, a sigmas formative years were based on trauma, loneliness, and consternation.
When sigmas engage in conversation with anybody, they analyze the entire dynamic in a completely different light. They can’t help but stare at the body language and the way the mouth moves on the person who’s speaking. Every gesture, articulation, movement is analyzed in a way that differs from others.
When a sigma enters a room or any area, he scans it like The Terminator. He can’t help it. He often doesn’t look at people when they talk, because when he does look he tends to stare right through them. He often makes people feel uncomfortable because of all of this processing.
If a sigma can’t figure his life out, he’ll tend to be a drunk or drug addict. He most likely can’t hold down a meaningful job and climb up the corporate ladder. He probably will have a tough time in school. He’ll have no friends. More likely than that he may not even ever get married. And if he does get married, he will struggle to maintain his marriage. Not because he’s cheating or anything like that, but because he will have a tougher time relating to his wife.
Why do you ask me of his weaknesses? I think the article speaks for itself.
Doubt and timing.
And Booze.
And Tobacco.
And lots of Twinkie’s and Devil Dogs and other junk snacks.
All true.
I had not heard of a sigma male, but that description works very well! Think of the patriarchs for example. Moses, David or Peter!
Acts 5 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Great article! I would add that sigmas have been given a great gift from YHVH. The ability to discern the true meaning of Scripture and the desire to walk the walk! This gift is bestowed on His called ones, and lost sheep. When I think back over my life, I can see that YHVH has been dealing with me from childhood. I just didn’t notice it as a child. It is a lonely road with many trials and frustrations at times. I was also a heavy drinker for a long time. I finally quit drinking, which may have saved my life.
Thanks for an excellent article!