So Trump fucked everyone to start the quarter and if you’re surprised, you shouldn’t be.
It was just 18 hours ago when we said the following in our week ahead preview:
Amazon has fallen 3% or more for two consecutive weeks, so we’ll see if Trump’s tweets are enough to dissuade any potential dip buyers:
At some point it’s going to be imperative that anyone who is managing money and simultaneously clinging to the idea that there’s some “plan” or “strategy” or whatever else behind Trump’s actions give up on that notion. I realize it’s difficult for a lot of people to come to terms with the idea that everything they’ve been saying to pseudo-rationalize this presidency is dead wrong, but it’s time to throw in the towel. He’s a moron. That’s just all there is to it. He spent Easter weekend accusing Jeff Bezos of conspiring against the post office and then tried to unilaterally cancel NAFTA based on a Fox & Friends segment he saw about migrant caravans. Somewhere in there he complained to Don King about porn stars and had dinner with Sean Hannity.
Fast forward to midday Monday and Amazon is in the midst of its worst one-day decline since October of 2016 thanks to this morning’s Twitter tantrum:
In many respects, the English language is an insufficient tool when it comes to capturing and communicating the sheer absurdity inherent in this, but the fact that Bloomberg has to write things like “tech shares tumbled after President Trump renewed attacks on Amazon and its relationship with the U.S. Postal Service,” is beyond surreal.
Over the weekend, we spent a considerable amount of time detailing just why this is so dangerous, and if you missed it, you’re encouraged to review the piece Owen Davis wrote over a year ago for Harper’s. Here’s a key excerpt:
Many economists worry that Trump could preside over a fundamental realignment of government-business relations and usher in an era of naked corruption. Matthew Mitchell of the Mercatus Center explained that when leaders direct punishment toward selective companies, “You’re really just inviting firms to ingratiate themselves to policy makers.” Take antitrust regulation, an area of policy where candidate Trump made occasional anti-monopoly rumblings. So far, Trump has only expressed concern over monopolies that involve his political enemies. He has condemned Amazon, whose chief executive Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, and opposed the merger of AT&T and Time Warner, which owns the cable-news network CNN. Analysts have mused that Trump may make the deal contingent on Time Warner dropping CNN.
The message is clear: show loyalty to Trump and reap the rewards.
The more Trump moves to surround himself with sycophants and hardliners, the more prone he’s going to be to these autocratic shifts. Have a look at the Amazon ‘VIX’:
A lot of that spike is down to Trump. He is singlehandedly and purposefully manipulating the share price of one of the most important companies in the world and he’s doing it vindictively based not on any real concern for the U.S. Post Office, but rather as “punishment” for The Washington Post’s editorial line.
So if you’re an Amazon shareholder or really, if you’re long stocks in general, just consider what’s going on here. The President of the United States is purposefully tanking the stock market because he doesn’t like the coverage he’s getting from one of the nation’s most important media outlets.
And don’t say we didn’t warn you, because when tech was rallying last Thursday to close the quarter, we suggested the bounce was likely to be fleeting in a post called “If Jeff Bezos Doesn’t Stop All This ‘Winning’, Donald Trump Might Just Have To Tank The Stock Market.”
Meanwhile…
An honor to host the Annual @WhiteHouse Easter Egg Roll! pic.twitter.com/bOMJRK8FyK
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2018
Moron. Sums it what nicely. Is that Spicer in the bunny suit?
The Washington Post is one of the nation’s most important media outlets, in the sense that it’s a notorious outlet for progressive propaganda by establishment statists.
Regardless of what President Trump says or does, he has good reason to have an issue with them! So do all Americans who care about liberty and truth.
WaPo isn’t the only problem. Most of the mainstream media have been captured.
You should take some time to acquaint yourself with the Post’s editorial board LOL “So do all Americans who care about liberty and truth.”
Will do. Thanks for the tip.
Right back atya: acquaint yourself with their corporate ownership. Do likewise with the other mainstream media as well.
Follow the money! Policy is set by the bosses with the big $.
Great post! Thanks for speaking truth to H’s fanboys.
Have you read the standards and ethics of WaPo? Do you have a problem with those standards? Can you point to recent instances where those standards have not been followed?
Time after time, WaPo reporting has proven to be true after being called fake by the US president.
Proven? By whom, other left-wing kooks?
That’s called mobbing. Truth has no place in their agenda.
Self-righteous organizations always have some code of conduct that looks good in writing. But in practice, it’s funny how often it is selectively bent or ignored.
Not that there’s any hypocrisy going on in the MSM…
Not only was his little speech the most ignorant ever but it was fairly clear his wife was getting perturbed with him — her abrupt turn towards him during his stupid economy, budget, military comments spoke volumes! And “tippy top” shape…? omg. Just a stupid incompetent fool. We never saw a picture of the alleged crowd gathered for the big event. Not even when he walked down the steps and joined them. what crowd?
Ya know, the bunny and wife could have rushed him from behind and sent him toppling over the balcony railing easily. Another missed opportunity. ratz.
Another of the H’s butt boys speaks again!
I heard that you and Lil’ Stevie, aka Big Stevie, are going steady — I’m happy for you 🙂
Brilliant input.
Rule #1 of communicating with others: focus on the issue or behavior. Don’t get personal/unprofessional.
Rule #2: if you can’t handle rule #1, don’t hide behind the internet. Go play in your sandbox.
Speaking of hypocrisy: “if you can’t handle rule #1, don’t hide behind the internet. Go play in your sandbox.”
says the guy telling people to “go play in their sandbox” from behind his keyboard.
epic.
Lil Stevie — speaking from my sandbox this morning — seems your aim is off a little bit; your #1 target is that unknown Anonymous and it’s personal comments to which I am posting a retort — I included you since you two sweetie’s appear to be of like mind about that moron you helped put in the White House. Just how stupid are you?
Hello “Walter White” or whatever your real name is 😉
This freedom of speech thing is awesome, isn’t it! You can blog about anything, using a pseudonym based on a mythical drug dealer and murderer. It’s all good.
Anyway my comment was a friendly suggestion for a troll. It’s funny that you don’t seem to have an issue with his/her nonsense.
Maybe there’s a place where we can all get together face to face and chat – y’know if the commute isn’t too far.
And maybe now would be a good opportunity for you to tell us a bit about yourself? The info and insights you post here are very good when things don’t go sideways like this.
Hi Murphy!
Apologies if you’re feeling micro-aggressed. Hopefully you had an opportunity to get some counseling (and attend another Never Trumper rally).
It must be rough, being a flamer and a snowflake. Good luck with that.
My aim was right on. If you’re going to take ignorant potshots, be ready for a response – and try not to whine about it too much.
BTW that was an interesting leap of logic re: connecting a comment about media bias (not exactly a revelation) with “that moron you helped put in the White House”. Typical SJW bipolarity…
Keep tapping away on that keyboard! You rise to new depths with each comment you post.
The sooner that prick is out of the Oval office the better.
I just watched news coverage reporting on the Easter Egg Roll at the WH today … the portion of his dumb speech about the house, the building, whatever you want to call it, kept in tip top shape, sometimes called tippy top — all that stumbling around with his words (word salad as usual for him) was that because he could not remember it is called The White House? How much more evidence do they need to remove him?
https://www.thecut.com/2018/04/donald-trump-white-house-easter-egg-roll-struggles.html