The Koreans cut interest rates to their lowest level ever today – yes, even in The New Reality, “EVER” is a long time.
Both the South Korean Won and the KOSPI (Korea’s stock market Index) reacted negatively to this news. This is an immediate term “Trade” development, but it seems that Asian countries are starting to go through the withdrawal symptoms of any addict – you can only do so much, for so long. An addiction to easy money rate cutting has unintended consequences. Remember, America had this same addiction problem from September to November… not until the USA cut to zero, rate cuts were met with anxieties rather than optimism.
The KOSPI closed down another -2.1% on the day at 1180. From a quantitative perspective this country’s chart (see below) remains broken. Qualitatively, you’ll recall that not everything Asia is China. That’s why we have our long position in China, FXI, paired off with a short position in the Korean etf, EWY.
Keith R. McCullough
CEO & Chief Investment Officer
Both the South Korean Won and the KOSPI (Korea’s stock market Index) reacted negatively to this news. This is an immediate term “Trade” development, but it seems that Asian countries are starting to go through the withdrawal symptoms of any addict – you can only do so much, for so long. An addiction to easy money rate cutting has unintended consequences. Remember, America had this same addiction problem from September to November… not until the USA cut to zero, rate cuts were met with anxieties rather than optimism.
The KOSPI closed down another -2.1% on the day at 1180. From a quantitative perspective this country’s chart (see below) remains broken. Qualitatively, you’ll recall that not everything Asia is China. That’s why we have our long position in China, FXI, paired off with a short position in the Korean etf, EWY.
Keith R. McCullough
CEO & Chief Investment Officer
