Belgium's Federal prosecutor's office has extended the EU investigation into corruption associated with the World Cup in Qatar.

There are claims that up to 10 European Parliament offices in Strasbourg have been closed by security services.

Blackrock:

“Recession is foretold as central banks race to try to tame inflation.”

and

“Central bankers won’t ride to the rescue when growth slows in this new regime, contrary to what investors have come to expect.”

HKEX has announce the introduction of a new Hong Kong Dollar -Renminbi Dual Counter Model and an inaugural Dual Counter Market Making Programme in its securities market, further supporting the listing, trading and settlement of RMB counters in Hong Kong.

West becoming obsolete:

Russia will provide oil, gasoline, and diesel to Pakistan, with LNG deals to follow in the future.

Moscow is also interested in supplying natural gas and is negotiating the construction of Pakistan Stream gas pipeline and another large pipeline project.

The Patriot missile defence system story is largely irrelevant. The most obvious thing is they are very large, cumbersome and easily targetted when you have aerial supremacy. The US is short of Patriot missiles too. Ask Saudi.

It's another "game changer" like the previous 20.

In a surprise to no one with an ounce of objectivity it turns out footage of India-China border clash showing troops fighting with sticks happened in Sept 2021. But then if you look how they are dressed you would know it is not winter where those clashes took place.

No surprise

Meaningless, but a 50bp rise

Interesting to see people who are pro-Russia and anti-China. What is also interesting is they quote all MSM claims made wrt China which are incorrect to support their stance. It is like westerners who distrust their govts and yet believe everything they say about China and Russia

Negotiations have been completed on a FTA between Iran and the EAEU.

Clown show continues and Germany keeps winning:

Germany has spent $500bn equivalent on bailouts and other policies to prop up the country's energy markets since the start of the Ukraine war. There is an admission they will need even more.

Suggestions that Russia seems intent on also acquiring Odessa and therefore by extension Nikolaev. If that was to happen Ukraine would become landlocked.

Still seeing too many people who genuinely believe that Bitcoin is not going to suffer collateral damage as the crypto universe continues to unravel. There are after all many as yet direct and indirect consequences yet to come into play.

We may finally be on the cusp of a resolution to the Syrian conflict.

Exacerbated by trading in the dollar.

Japan's trade deficit rose to over 2tn yen in November as higher costs for oil and a weak yen combined to push imports sharply higher.

It was the 16th straight month of deficits and a record high for the month of November.

UNGA adopted by 123-50 the motion "Towards a New International Economic Order."

Look at the split in the vote between the West and the Global South. Highly telling.

Significant development if so:

Claims Goldman is considering slashing the bonus pool by at least 40% and also claims that JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Bank of America, might go through with a 30% cut.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/financials/goldman-sachs-considering-cutting-bonuses-report

So it continues:

Britain’s largest North Sea oil producer is refusing to bid for new UK oil and gas wells and reviewing its investments in response to the Government’s tax raid on the sector.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/12/15/biggest-north-sea-producer-refuses-drill-new-oil-wells-windfall/

Still seeing huge amounts of fake and meaningless data being used to support assertions that somehow we can normalise monetary and fiscal policies after a decade plus of QE and ZIRP, which can only be implemented for a max of months otherwise it will end up blowing everything up.

Equity bubble is predicated on endless QE, cheap credit and ZIRP.

This is totally unsustainable and when QE, cheap credit and ZIRP ends then bubble has to revert to mean.

When you factor in fake GDP the correction will be the largest in financial history and far worse than 2008

Appears to be yet more significant Russian missile strikes ongoing in Kiev and the South and East of Ukraine.