Aldrin Zigmund Cortez Velasco

Investor. Economist. Software developer. FOSS advocate. Gay. Consecrated to the Immaculate Heart. 💙

[Aldrin Zigmund Cortez Velasco @AldrinZigmundV]

Made an experimental free and open-source non-custodial Bitcoin wallet with a strong emphasis on simplicity and user-friendliness, inspired by my experience working with the elderly customers of a smart TV manufacturer. #Bitcoin #BTC #crypto #FOSS
https://t.co/Z3M92OwIDn

[zerohedge @zerohedge]

Boeing Shares Crater Most In 18 Months After Delivery Outlook Cut https://t.co/5Ybo76ncBy

[Compounding Quality @QCompounding]

“We mostly just sit around reading, thinking and waiting.” – Stanley Druckenmiller

[Philip Pilkington @philippilk]

We’re rolling now folks!

[The Kobeissi Letter @KobeissiLetter]

Is China hiding its true exposure to US Treasuries?

China’s Treasury holdings fell -$27 billion in August, to $591 billion, their lowest level since August 2008.

At the same time, Canada’s holdings of US Treasuries jumped +$38 billion in August, to $465 billion, their 3rd-highest on record.

Since the beginning of 2019, Canada’s holdings have surged +$369 billion, or +384%, while China’s have declined -$534 billion, or -48%.

This divergence may partly reflect China moving its US securities to foreign custodians, making its actual exposure to American debt appear smaller and creating the impression of faster financial decoupling from the US Dollar.

Meanwhile, Belgium and Luxembourg, widely believed to hold some Chinese Treasury assets through custodial accounts, increased their Treasury holdings by +$20 billion and +$6 billion in August, to all-time highs of $491 billion and $448 billion, respectively.

China’s diversification away from the US Dollar may be slower than it appears.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

The Royal Jordanian Air Force has struck Syrian territory.

The airstrikes hit ISIS groups in southern Syria according to Jordan. For the first time since Assad’s fall, the Syrian government stated that the Jordanian airstrikes had come without coordination with Damascus. Syria also closed the Nassib border crossing with Jordan in protest.

Around 20 people were killed in airstrikes, including civilians. The airstrikes were carried out in response the deadly Islamist terror attack against a church in Jordan, in which 9 Christians were murdered during a funeral service.

[𝔊𝔯á𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔢 🕊️☘️ @GrainneMcD92925]

Not to wish to acknowledge the Mother of God is human pride, dictated by the Devil.

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe 🕊️

[𝔊𝔯á𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔢 🕊️☘️ @GrainneMcD92925]

“To whom God wants to make very holy, He makes devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

St. Louis De Montfort 🕊️

[Giovanni Staunovo🛢 @staunovo]

Passengers on a luxury ship touring the world were told their unexpected final stop was Cambodia after the cruise company suspended operations, citing “extraordinary” fuel costs https://t.co/CQGhyolbiX

[zerohedge @zerohedge]

Mercedes Slashes Outlook As China Demand Hits Wall; Europe's Auto Profit Warnings Pile Up https://t.co/0CxL6LdOOm

[Open Source Intel @Osint613]

PM Netanyahu outlined his main positions following Israel’s election:

• Election results: “The right-wing bloc has a clear majority among the Jewish public.”

• On Iran: “This is just the beginning.”

• Arab parties: “A government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties must not be formed.”

• National unity: “The Zionist majority must come to its senses and unite.”

• Coalition: Netanyahu said he would not abandon his coalition partners. Other parties are welcome to join, but there will be no rotation agreement for the premiership.

[Nicholas Fabiano, MD @NTFabiano]

"The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost".

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

BREAKING:

The U.S. announces that Poland has been selected to host Europe’s only PAC-3 Missile Maintenance Facility (the sole one outside the US).

This is a dedicated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) site for Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 interceptors used in Patriot air defense systems.

The facility will handle repair, refurbishment, lifecycle support, recertification, and testing on-site in Europe.

[JustDario @DarioCpx]

Dutch TTF natgas: €97

From ~€33 at the start of the year. Nearly 3x into winter

If you think Europeans are angry now, wait until the first heating bills land.

[The Kobeissi Letter @KobeissiLetter]

BREAKING: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu overtakes opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in Israel’s tight election with half the votes counted.

Just days ago, Netanyahu’s odds of winning had fallen as low as 20%.

He is now the frontrunner in the election.

[First Squawk @FirstSquawk]

Philippines Maintains Firm Peso-Defense Policy, Marcos Says

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

The U.S. has told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the U.S. midterm elections, people briefed on the conversations said. https://t.co/ZAp9DVmlXu

[zerohedge @zerohedge]

Another day, another record low for token prices

[Tracy Shuchart (𝒞𝒽𝒾 ) @chigrl]

Tight narket to get tighter>

China Diesel Exports Set to Ease as Domestic Stockpiles Dwindle

China’s diesel exports are set to decline through year-end as domestic stockpiles tighten and profits on shipping the fuel narrow, putting additional pressure on a global market upended by two wars. (Bloomberg)

[JustDario @DarioCpx]

Circular financing on steroids here

Amazon gave Anthropic 75% discount on compute vs Anthropic shares via convertibles on which AMZN can make ~30x gain if Anthropic goes IPO at 2 Trillion valuation

All together $AMZN is “losing” ~20bn$ revenues to make 200bn$ of capital gain

[The Hormuz Letter @HormuzLetter]

BREAKING: The UK has just issued security alerts for Israel, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, Yemen and Palestine, warning all British nationals of sudden incoming escalation causing severe flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.

"The context in the Middle East remains deeply unpredictable and the risk of sudden escalation is high," the new warning says.

It now covers British nationals planning to transit the region rather than only those already there, and drops all qualifiers on airspace closures and travel disruptions, which are no longer described as potential.

US embassies across the region ordered departures last week.