Top 25 Marvel Villains

 

Who is the baddest of the bad? 

 

What's a hero without a great villain? Whether they're out for revenge, money, or world domination, Marvel Comics is full of them. But who is the baddest of the bad?

Check out our list of the top 25 Marvel villains:-

M.O.D.O.K.’s mission statement is clear. It’s right there in his name - Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. This oversized villain was bioengineered by the scientists of A.I.M. to be the ultimate super-smart, tyrannical leader. And while his appearance may be comical, M.O.D.O.K. is certainly good at killing things.
M.O.D.O.K. is a multi-purpose villain in the Marvel Universe. He’s an enemy to many heroes, especially the Avengers and Fantastic Four. His master plans can be fiendishly brilliant or laughably silly, and sometimes both at once. There are even multiple versions of MODOK floating around the Marvel multiverse, including M.O.D.A.M. (Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers) and M.O.D.O.G. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Genocide).

Hulk may be the strongest one there is, but The Abomination can certainly give him a run for his money. The Abomination is Hulk’s dark mirror. Formerly a KGB agent, Emil Blonsky dosed himself with gamma radiation and transformed into a Hulk-like creature. Unlike Hulk, the Abomination retains his human intelligence while transformed. Which is a good thing for Blonsky, considering that his transformation was permanent.
Though he’s largely been out of commission in the Marvel U. lately, the Abomination remains one of Hulk’s most iconic foes. He was the natural choice to oppose the Jade Giant in his most recent movie.

Thor is happy to battle Frost Giants, Fire Demons, and dragons all day long -- if it can be smashed with a hammer, it's right up his alley. That's why The Enchantress is one of his greatest villains; her schemes can't be overcome simply by swinging at it with Mjolnir. A skilled trickster and sorceress, the Enchantress won’t rest until she possesses everything she desires. And it just so happens that she desires the god of thunder.
Often accompanied by her hulking bodyguard, Skurge, the Enchantress is a force to be reckoned with in Asgard, Midgard, or any of the Nine Realms.

The X-Men were formed to battle intolerance and work to foster peace and understanding between humans and mutants. The Sentinels are the ultimate representation of the hatred man holds for mutants. These giant robots are engineered to take down mutants by any means necessary. And even though the X-Men team includes some of the most powerful beings on the planet, the Sentinels have endlessly adapted and improved their weapons to claim countless mutant lives.
As we’ve seen from various alternate future storylines (like Days of Future Past and its recent movie adaptation), these robotic hunter-killers will remain a threat long after the likes of Magneto and Mystique have died away. As long as humanity fears mutants, there will be Sentinels.

The terrorist organization known as Hydra has many heads. But few have played such a crucial role in the organization or caused as much trouble for heroes like Wolverine, Captain America, and Nick Fury as Viper. As if having a literal army of henchmen weren’t enough, Viper is a deadly martial artist and a master of poisons. She definitely earned the moniker of “Madame Hydra.”
Viper has also enjoyed a big mainstream boost in recent years thanks to recurring appearances in the TV series Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and her role in the movie The Wolverine. 

What’s better than having six retractable adamantium claws and a healing factor? Try 10 retractable claws and a boatload of cybernetic enhancements. Lady Deathstrike’s father invented the adamantium-bonding process, and she’s made it her mission to kill anyone she feels dishonors that legacy. Naturally, that’s put her in Wolverine’s path on many occasions.
Deathstrike is one of Wolverine’s best villains because she always gives the old Canucklehead a run for his money. Neither fighter has been able to kill the other, but they’ve both drawn plenty of blood. Their rivalry also made for what is arguably the most memorable fight scene in all the X-Men movies.

The Marvel Universe has a companion universe in the form of the anti-matter-based Negative Zone. And in the Negative Zone, Annihilus reigns supreme. This armored, insect-like villain wields the Cosmic Control Rod, a weapon granting him control of the Negative Zone’s billions of inhabitants.
Annihilus began his career as a foe of the Fantastic Four. But no story showcased the threat he poses to all life like the Annihilation storyline, where he led an invasion force that nearly succeeded in subjugating the entire universe. The galaxy’s greatest heroes have been forced to accept that there’s no stopping Annihilus, only living with the constant threat of total annihilation.

Sometimes you set out to build something to help mankind and you wind up creating a genocidal robot with an Oedipal Complex instead. That’s what Hank Pym did when he invented Ultron. This artificial intelligence has dedicated itself to wiping out humanity and its “father,” not necessarily in that order.
Ultron is an imposing villain, by virtue of the fact that its core body is usually built of nigh-indestructible adamantium. And because it can constantly swap bodies and upgrade itself, Ultron is a threat the Avengers will never be truly able to defeat. Which, of course, makes Ultron the ideal villain to oppose the team in the next Avengers film.

Galactus is an all-powerful being tasked with serving “cosmic consonance,” which is a fancy way of saying he eats planets to make sure the universe as a whole stays healthy. But try telling that to anyone who lives on a planet that’s about to be Galactus’ dinner.
For Marvel’s heroes, threats don’t come bigger or more dire than Galactus. Earth has been on his menu several times, and only through desperate actions and out-of-the-box thinking have heroes like the Fantastic Four been able to drive him away. Sooner or later, his hunger will prevail.

Kang is proof of how dangerous a combination boredom and time travel can be. Kang originally hails from the 30th Century, but he used the advanced technology of his era to travel back in time and meddle to his hearts desire. This technology makes Kang a god to the people of the past, and so Kang has come to view himself as the rightful lord and conqueror of pretty much everything that ever was and will be.
Some know him as the pharaoh Rama-Tut. Others know him as Immortus or Iron Lad. But the one constant with Kang is that he can never be trusted. His ambition isn‘t bound by time or space. And thanks to the tricky nature of time travel, he’s a threat the Avengers will never be able to get rid of.

Bullseye is one of the most feared assassins in the Marvel Universe. That’s not just because of his sadistic streak, but also the fact that he’s a superhumanly talented marksman. In Bullseye’s hands, anything can become a deadly weapon - a playing card, paperclip, even a tooth.
Because of his talents and prestige, Bullseye has long been one of the preferred hired killers on the Kingpin’s payroll. That, in turn, has put him in the path of men like Daredevil and the Punisher. The Bullseye/Daredevil rivalry has persisted for years, with Bullseye claiming Matt Murdock’s loved ones and pushing the hero to cross a line he’ll never be able to return from. For Bullseye, their rivalry is both business and pleasure.

Wolverine has Sabretooth, and Spider-Man has Venom. Just like Sabretooth, Venom is an amplified version of his nemesis. When Eddie Brock stumbled across Spider-Man’s discarded alien costume, he inherited boosted versions of Peter Parker’s powers and the symbiote’s hatred for its former wearer. That quickly made Venom a force to be reckoned with, even among a rogues gallery as diverse and fearsome as Spider-Man’s.
Venom has persisted even after being abandoned by a repentant Brock. It found new hosts in the form of a mob boss’ son, the former Scorpion, Mac Gargan, and even in Peter Parker’s good friend, Flash Thompson. Though the Venom suit is being used as a weapon for good these days, it's original incarnation was an incredibly evil monster with a sadistic streak as long as its tongue.

The Green Goblin will always rank among Spider-Man’s greatest foes. No villain has taken so much from Peter Parker or left such a lasting impact on his life. Once simply a powerful businessman, Norman Osborn was driven insane by his exposure to the strength-boosting Oz formula. One Halloween costume, glider, and satchel-full of pumpkin bombs later, the Green Goblin was born.
Osborn left his mark when he caused the death of Peter Parker’s love, Gwen Stacy. He’s since cheated death and even managed to elevate himself to an Avengers-class villain when he pretty much took over the world as the head of H.A.M.M.E.R. Currently, thanks to Superior Spider-Man, Osborn is getting back to his roots as a costumed villain.

Before he was an Internet meme, Juggernaut was an unstoppable powerhouse capable of going toe-to-toe with the Hulk. But as the stepbrother of Charles Xavier, Juggernaut tends to direct his wrath towards the X-Men.
Cain Marko isn’t a mutant like his stepbrother. Instead, his power derives from a mystical crystal that grants him strength and invulnerability from a deity known as Cyttorak. There’s a reason his favorite catchphrase is “Nothing can stop the Juggernaut!”
Aside from being a major X-villain, much of Juggernaut’s appeal rests on the fact that he’s tried to turn his life around several times. He’s even joined the X-Men in the past. But it seems the demonic influence of Cyttorak and Cain’s desire to smash things wins over.

Wolverine has lived long enough and fought hard enough that he’s acquired quite a few enemies. But none have shared such a heated rivalry with Logan over the decades as Sabretooth. Victor Creed is basically an amped-up version of Logan. He’s bigger, meaner, and not bound by any sense of morality. He’s all too happy to kill people just for the fun of it.
The full extent of the connection between Wolverine and Sabretooth has always been a mystery, which is a major part of Sabretooth’s appeal. Are they brothers? Former roommates? Is Sabretooth Wolverine’s father? One thing that is clear is that Sabretooth has made it his mission to prove that Wolverine is every bit the savage animal that he is.

Raven Darkholme has the mutant ability to shapeshift and transform her body at will. Thanks to her power, Mystique is effectively immune to age or injury. She can go anywhere and be anyone. The world is her oyster, and she’s rarely been reluctant to abuse her powers.
Mystique is also frequently depicted as the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, fighting for the survival of her race by any means necessary. But though she’s often battled and betrayed the X-Men, there is a more complex nature to Raven’s personality.
Mystique has long been a big player in the X-Men films, and her stock has only risen thanks to her central role in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

What if there was a secret mastermind controlling all the criminal activity in New York City, from the street corner to the boardroom? That might be impossible in real life, but in the Marvel Universe, that’s where the Kingpin comes in.
Wilson Fisk rose from obscurity to become one of the most powerful crime lords in the world. His money and resources make him untouchable to politicians and law enforcement, while his army of hired thugs and assassins makes it all but impossible to topple his regime. When even heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil have failed to defeat Fisk, you know he’s a force to be reckoned with.

A spider has eight limbs, but so does an octopus. And thanks to Doctor Octopus’ four mechanical arms, even Spider-Man’s strength and reflexes are hard-pressed to overcome his might. But it’s not the arms that are Otto Octavius’ best asset. Instead, it’s his keen scientific mind, one that has brought New York and the entire world to the brink of destruction in the past.
Always among Spidey’s best villains, Otto rose to the top over the past couple years thanks to the Superior Spider-Man storyline, where he stole Peter Parker’s body and tried to prove he could be a better hero. It was a victory for Otto, but also one for Peter, as Otto ultimately learned the vital lesson about power and responsibility. Now the only question is when Otto will return, and in what form.

Apocalypse is one of the world’s first mutants, born in the days of Ancient Egypt and forced to learn at an early age that only the strong survive. Apocalypse used Celestial technology to make himself the strongest person alive. For millennia he traveled the world, battling men like Thor and Dracula, inspiring a cult of followers and furthering the process of evolution. Now in the present day, Apocalypse is determined to make sure only the strong survive, whether they be human or mutant.
Apocalypse sees himself as the rightful master of the world, and with a vast array of powers including shapeshifting, psionic abilities, and body-swapping, he certainly has the means to make it happen.

The name “Thanos” is enough to inspire dread in almost every living being in the universe. Thanos is a tyrant obsessed with Death. Not just the concept of death or the act of killing, but the literal personification of Death herself. Thanos would happily kill entire worlds to win her favor -- they call him the Mad Titan for a reason.
And perhaps no Marvel villain has racked up quite a body count. Thanos has a habit of amplifying his already considerable strength with cosmic artifacts like the Cosmic Cube or the Infinity Gauntlet. The latter weapon briefly morphed him into an omnipotent being, allowing him to murder half the living beings in the universe as tribute to Death. He only lost ultimate power because of a latent self-loathing streak. That quality, as much as his awesome power or his boundless ambition, is what makes Thanos a fascinating figure.

The Dark Phoenix Saga is arguably the X-Men’s greatest story, and it features a force they’ve never truly been able to defeat – The Phoenix Force, to be exact. A cosmic entity of rebirth, it possessed a young Jean Grey, giving her infinite power and a rad new costume. But when the villain Mastermind used his power to control Jean, she was corrupted by her power and became the Dark Phoenix.
Jean became a god-like being of desire and impulse – as emphasized by her iconic costume color palette change. You think Galactus is bad because he eats planets? Dark Phoenix eats entire suns – snuffing out trillions of lives in the process! Jean eventually decided to kill herself rather than let the Phoenix run rampant, and even though she has returned to life again and again, the Phoenix has proven to be a never-ending curse on her, the X-Men, and the universe at large.

The God of Lies and Mischief and Pointy Hats, Loki is ever the troublemaker. Given what he’s the God of, it’s surprising so many people, both heroes and villains, trust him enough to make deals with him. Perhaps he’s just that good.
Loki rarely takes action himself, preferring to lie, manipulate, and coerce others into wreaking havoc for him. He even convinced Odin to exile Thor. That takes talent. And lies, which he is the God of. He obviously got a huge popularity boost from the Avengers movie, but he has long been one of the most rotten backstabbers in the Marvel Universe, and with a wicked grin to match.

With his only notable features being enhanced strength and a creepy face, Red Skull is nowhere near as powerful as the other villains at the top of this list. However, he makes up for it with pure malice. His soul is as black as tar with no moral ambiguity to be found. He’s the Nazi all other Nazis aspire to be. The guy makes most other villains look like Golden Age heroes. He’s not tragically misunderstood; he just wants to rule the world as the master race of the planet. You get the idea.

Magneto is unique in that he could also be towards the top of a list of the best superheroes. As the founder of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, he started out as a fanatic obsessed with making mutants the dominant race of the planet. But thanks to his lifelong bromance with Professor X, he was rehabilitated and joined the X-Men, fighting to make the idea of peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans a reality.
But he finds himself atop this villains list because, just when he starts to take the higher path, Magneto stumbles. He often succumbs to his inner rage, born of being persecuted as a Jew during the Holocaust, and goes back to his evil ways. His anger was born out of tragedy, so it’s tempting to sympathize with him, but he always goes one step too far, forever proving that he’s a villain at heart.

There’s no sympathizing with this guy. Dr. Doom is the epitome of arrogance and lusting for power. He believes himself to be the smartest, most gifted man in the world, which is why he’s constantly going after Mr. Fantastic and his teammates to prove it. He’s often teamed up with heroes to defeat a common enemy, but never without a hidden agenda that will give him the upper hand in the end. As the ruler of Latveria, he sees himself as a regal figure above reproach, but he would go to the deepest, darkest lengths to prove his dominance.
He’s created a time machine to muck with the past. He’s enhanced his archaic-looking armor with all manner of weapons, spells, and gadgets, making him a scientific sorcerer who can take on the likes of Iron Man and the Thing. He’s stolen the Power Cosmic and the Beyonder’s god-like abilities. In short, if there’s power to be had, he’ll find a way to make it his.
In a way, Dr. Doom is the Batman of the Marvel Universe. He's always prepared, and has the smarts to defeat anyone. And thanks to his decoy Doom-Bots, it's hard to pinpoint a time when he was ever truly defeated. But unlike Batman, his pride and arrogance often get the best of him, which causes his eventual downfall.
In his most sickening play for power, he scarified his estranged wife (his one true love) to a pack of demons in exchange for ultimate magical power. They granted his wish, ripping her apart and crafting him new enchanted armor out of her skin. Her skin! If you’re still wondering why he’s Marvel’s number one villain, then wonder no more.

By Joshua Yehl and Jesse Schedeen

14 Meaningless Phrases That Will Make You Sound Like A Stock-Market Wizard

If you follow stock-market punditry obsessively, like we do, you’ll quickly notice something. A handful of analysts speak English. But the vast majority don’t.
Rather, they speak a language unique to the investment business.
This language consists of market phrases that sound intelligent but actually don’t mean anything.
The phrases don’t sound like they don’t mean anything, of course: On the contrary, they sound like they mean a lot. In fact, they make the speaker sound as wise as Warren Buffett (who, to his great credit, never speaks this way). 
Most of these phrases also have another key benefit, which is useful in the investment business: They never commit the speaker to any specific recommendation or prediction. In other words, no matter what happens, the analyst can always be “right” and never be “wrong”–because they didn’t actually say anything!
So if you want to sound smart about investing without really saying anything, read on!

“The easy money has been made”

When to use it: Any time a market or stock has already gone up a lot.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It implies wise, prudent caution. It implies that you bought or recommended the stock a long time ago, before the easy money was made (and are therefore smart). It suggests that there might be further upside but that there might also be future downside, because the stock is “due for a correction” (another smart-sounding meaningless phrase that you can use all the time). It does not commit you to any specific recommendation or prediction. It protects you from all possible outcomes: If the stock drops, you can say “as I said…” If the stock goes up, you can say “as I said…”
Why it’s meaningless: It’s a statement of the obvious. It’s a description of what has happened, not what will happen. It requires no special insights or powers of analysis. It tells you nothing that you don’t already know. Also, it’s not true: The money that has been made was likely in no way “easy.” Buying stocks that are rising steadily is a lot “easier” than buying stocks that the market has left for dead (because everyone thinks you’re stupid to buy stocks that no one else wants to buy.)

“I’m cautiously optimistic.”

A classic. Can be used in almost all circumstances and market conditions.
When to use it: Pretty much anytime.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It implies wise, prudent caution, but also a sunny outlook, which most people like. (Nobody likes a bear, especially in a bull market). It sounds more reasonable than saying, for example, “the stock is a screaming buy and will go straight up from here.” It protects the speaker against all possible outcomes. If the market drops, the speaker can say “As you know, I was cautious…” If the market goes up, the speaker can say, “As you know, I was optimistic.”
Why it’s meaningless: It’s too general to mean anything. It can accurately describe any market outcome in history, merely by adjusting the unspecified time frame. (If you were “cautiously optimistic” in 1929, you were “cautious,” which was good, and you were also optimistic, which was also good. Eventually, the market recovered!)

“It’s a stockpicker’s market.”

Another classic. Sounds smart, but is completely meaningless.
When to use it: Especially useful in bear markets or flat markets, but can be used anytime.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It suggests that the current market environment is different from other market environments and therefore requires special skill to navigate. It implies that the speaker has this skill. It suggests that, if you’re talented enough to be “a stockpicker,” you can coin money right now–while everyone else drifts sideways or loses their shirts. 
Why it’s meaningless: If you pick stocks for a living (or for your personal account), all markets are “stockpickers’ markets.” In all markets, traders are trying to buy winners and sell dogs, and in all markets only half of these traders succeed. (It’s a different half each time, of course–and most of the “winnings” of the winners are wiped out by transaction costs and taxes, but that’s a different story). It is no easier (or harder) to win the stockpicking game in a flat or bear market than in a bull market, and if you try, you’ll almost certainly do worse than if you had just bought an index fund.

“It’s not a stock market. It’s a market of stocks.”

When to use it: Any time.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds deeply profound–the sort of wisdom that can only be achieved through decades of hard work and experience. It suggests the speaker understands the market in a way that the average schmo doesn’t. It suggests that the speaker, who gets that the stock market is actually a “market of stocks,” will coin money while the average schmo loses his or her shirt.
Why it’s meaningless: Again, it’s a statement of the obvious. Of course it’s “a market of stocks.” But it’s also a “stock market.” And viewing the stock market as a “market of stocks” doesn’t help you in any way, other than reminding you that all stocks don’t move up and down the same amount. (See: “It’s a stockpickers’ market.”)

“We’re constructive on the market.”

When to use it: Any time.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds generally optimistic, which everyone will like, but it doesn’t commit you to any specific recommendation or prediction or time period. It doesn’t even require you to to say that the market will go up or down or how you are investing or think anyone else should invest. It just sounds generally optimistic, and it leaves you plenty of wiggle room if the market suddenly tanks.
Why it’s meaningless: Because being generally optimistic about the market over some unspecified time period is no different than being generally optimistic about life over some unspecified time period: Odds are, whatever happens, life will go on and the world won’t be destroyed by an asteroid. And, besides, you’re not even saying you’re “optimistic.” You’re saying you’re “constructive.” That can mean anything!

“Stocks are down on ‘profit taking’”

When to use it: Any time you are asked to explain why the market (or a stock) is down after a strong run.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds like you know what professional traders are doing, which makes you sound smart and plugged-in. It sounds like common sense: Traders have made a lot of money–now they’re “taking profits.” It doesn’t commit you to a specific recommendation or prediction. If the stock or market goes down again tomorrow, you can still have been right about the “profit taking.” If the stock or market goes up tomorrow, you can explain that that traders are now “bargain hunting” (the corollary).
Why it’s meaningless: Traders buy and sell stocks for dozens of reasons. And for every seller, at any time, there is a buyer on the other side of the trade. Whether or not the seller is “taking a profit”–and you have no way of knowing–the buyer is at the same time placing a new bet on the stock. So collectively describing market activity as “profit taking” is ridiculous. Any trade, at any time, in any market, can be described as “taking a profit” or “cutting a loss” or “bargain hunting” or “filling out a position,” and so on. You have no way of knowing what’s actually going on, and there’s always someone on the other side of every trade. But no one will ever prove you wrong! 
Corollary: “Bargain hunting.” Can be used to explain why stocks that have dropped recently are now going up. Equally meaningless.

“The trend is your friend”

Another classic.
When to use it: Any time.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds pithy and wise. It sounds like you’ve been along for the ride (whatever ride that is). It sounds calm and confident.
Why it’s meaningless: Stocks do tend to move in various directions, as anyone can see in hindsight. Sometimes they go up for a while. Sometimes they go down. Sometimes, they go sideways. Alas, knowing what stocks have done — the trend — tells you almost nothing about what stocks will do. So, yes, if stocks continue to do what they have been doing, the trend will be your friend. And if they don’t, well, that will be a new trend that will be your friend!

“More buyers than sellers”

When to use it: Any time you are asked to explain why the market (or a stock) is going up.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds like you know what’s really going on, which makes you sound smart and sophisticated. It sounds like you understand how the market works, in a way that Joe Schmo doesn’t.  (Ahh…there are more buyers than sellers! Fascinating!)
Why it’s meaningless: In every trade–every one–there is exactly one buyer and exactly one seller. You cannot buy a stock without having someone sell it to you.  To say that the market or a stock is going up because there are “more buyers than sellers,” therefore, is not just meaningless, it’s wrong. What is actually happening when a stock or market ticks up is that the next buyer is willing to pay more for the stock or market than the last buyer was. What is actually happening when the market or a stock goes down, meanwhile, is that the next buyer is not willing to pay as much for the market or stock as the last buyer was. There are never “more buyers than sellers” or “more sellers than buyers.” There are always the same number of buyers and sellers. There are simply different price levels at which a buyer and a seller are willing to trade.

“There’s lots of cash on the sidelines”

General: A classic way to suggest that the market will eventually go up.
Alternates: “Dry powder.”
When to use it: Any time you need to justify a bullish outlook.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds like common sense: Wimpy investors are hoarding cash instead of “putting it into the market.” When these investors finally grow a pair and put their cash “into” the market, the market will go up.
Why it’s meaningless: There is no such thing as cash “going into the market” or “coming out of the market.”  In every trade–every one–a seller sells stock to a buyer in exchange for cash. Importantly, with the exception of initial public offerings and other sales of primary stock, the cash used to buy the stock does not go “into the market.” It goes to the seller. After the trade, the seller now has cash instead of the stock, and the buyer now has the stock instead of cash–and the overall amount of neither cash nor stock has changed. At some times, some investors–mutual funds, for example–might have more cash than usual in their funds (for a variety of reasons), and this cash might eventually be used to buy stocks, but this cash will not go “into the market.” It will go to the investors who own the stocks that the mutual funds buy. In short, again, cash does not go “into” and “out of” the market. Someone always holds the cash, and someone always holds the stocks. So, in a literal sense, the cash is always “on the sidelines.”

“We’re in a bottoming process.”

General: A classic way to describe a stock or market that has fallen a lot and might do anything from here.
Alternates: “Forming a base.” “Bumping along the bottom.”
When to use it: Any time you don’t know what a stock will do but want to imply that it might eventually go up but hedge yourself by saying that it also might go down.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds highly informed. The stock is “in a bottoming process.” It’s “forming a base.” It sounds reassuring, without being too precise. Sure, the stock might drop some more, you seem to be saying, but it’s generally settling in here–and then it will eventually go up. It sounds like you have command of “technical analysis,” which almost always sounds smart (and is almost always meaningless).
Why it’s meaningless: Because it describes a price pattern that has happened but does not tell you anything about what will happen. A drop followed by a sideways move does not mean the stock won’t drop more. It also does not mean the stock will go up. And it commits to no time frame.  It can be used to describe any stock that has moved sideways for a while, without offering the slightest insight into the future.

“Overbought”

General: Another classic way to describe a stock or market that has gone up a lot.
When to use it: Any time you don’t know what a stock or market will do but want to sound generally bullish while also implying that the stock might be “due for a correction” (also meaningless).
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds highly informed. It sounds like common sense: The stock just went up a lot–so it must be “overbought.” It hedges all future outcomes. (Just because it’s “overbought” doesn’t mean it will go down. What if it gets more “overbought”?)  It sounds like you have command of “technical” and “quantitative” analysis, which always sounds smart–even though they’re almost always meaningless.
Why it’s meaningless: What does “overbought” mean, exactly? Does it mean that traders bought too much of the stock? How can they have done that–the amount of stock in the market didn’t change. Does it mean that traders paid too-high prices for the stock? Okay, maybe it means that. But does that mean the stock is going to go down soon? Why? In short, it’s a fancy and sophisticated-sounding way of saying nothing.
Corollary: “Oversold.”

“Buy on weakness”

When to use it: Any time you don’t actually have the balls to say “buy” but want to be able to say later that you told everyone to buy if the stock should happen to go up.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds highly informed. It sounds prudent (don’t be stupid and chase the stock here). It sounds like common sense.  It allows you to take credit for predicting any bullish move in the stock, while also being able to say “I said buy on weakness” if it crashes. It hedges all future outcomes.
Why it’s meaningless: It’s too vague to be interesting or helpful. It can be applied to almost any stock or market at almost any time. It reveals that the speaker has little or no conviction about what he or she is saying and just wants to have it both ways.
Corollary: “Sell on strength.”

“Take a wait-and-see approach”

General: A perennial favorite.
When to use it: Any time you don’t know (which is to say, always).
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds prudent and cautious. It sounds appropriately skeptical. It plays to the viewer’s sense that, somehow, things are more uncertain now than they usually are. (Absurd–the future is always uncertain.) It sounds like there’s a specific event or events that you’re waiting for that will suddenly turn you into the Donald Trump of Conviction, instead of suggesting that you’re just perpetually wishy-washy. But it doesn’t actually specify what this event or events are.
Why it’s meaningless: It means nothing. How long are you going to wait? What are you waiting for? Why, when what you’re waiting for finally arrives, won’t everyone else see it at the same time and bid prices up or down? Why will the future be any less uncertain tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or whenever it is you’re planning to “wait-and-see” until? What are you waiting for?

“It’s a show-me stock”

General: A classic way to describe a company that has blown it.
When to use it: Any time you don’t know what a banged-up stock will do next–especially if you’re worried that viewers might think you were dumb enough to have owned it when it cratered.
Why it’s smart-sounding: It sounds tough, decisive, and judgmental. You’re not going to take management’s word for anything–not like those other idiots who just got blown up in the stock. You want to see the results. You want to make management show you that they can deliver, before you entrust them with your clients’ hard-earned money.
Why it’s meaningless: All stocks are “show me” stocks. If management “shows you” that they have delivered results that beat the market’s expectations, the stock usually goes up. If management “shows you” that they have blown the quarter, the stock tanks. Even when applied to the limited realm of companies that have just choked, if management “shows you” that they can deliver, they’ll show everyone else, too. The stock will go up before you can buy it.  And then, once the stock goes up, management will have to “show you” that they can continue to do better. And so on. By the time you and everyone else finally trust management enough again to buy into their vision of the future, the stock will have soared–and it will then be time for management to show you that they’ve blown it again.

And sometimes, of course, no matter how smart you sound on TV, the producers will make you sound, well, strange

But there’s not much you can do about that!

China's Zombie Factories Provide Illusion of Work and Prosperity

China has zombie malls and even zombie cities, so zombie factories can hardly be a surprise. And as the malinvestments pile up, so do unrealized shadow bank losses.

The Financial Times reports China Zombie Factories Kept Open to Give Illusion of Prosperity.

In the shadow of a group of enormous smokestacks and abandoned foundries, a peeling sign welcomes visitors to the Wenxi Steel Industrial Park.

Highsee stopped paying its 10,000 employees six months ago. Local officials estimate the plant supported indirectly the livelihood of about a quarter of Wenxi county’s population of 400,000. Highsee was the biggest privately owned steel mill in Shanxi, accounting for 60 per cent of Wenxi’s tax revenues. For those reasons, the local government was reluctant to allow the company to go out of business, even though it had been in serious financial difficulties for several years.

“By 2011 Highsee was already like a dead centipede that hadn’t yet frozen stiff with rigor mortis,” says one official who asks not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to foreign reporters. “More than half the plant shut down, but it was still producing steel even though its suppliers wouldn’t deliver anything without cash up front and it was drowning in debt.”

In the past month alone Chinese media have reported on at least nine large steel mills that appeared to be suspended in limbo after halting production but which are forbidden from going formally bankrupt.

“There are large numbers of companies across China that should go bankrupt but haven’t done so,” says Han Chuanhua, a bankruptcy lawyer at Zhongzi Law Office, a Beijing legal practice. “The government doesn’t want to see bankruptcy because as soon as companies go bust, unemployment spikes and tax revenues disappear. By stopping companies from going bankrupt, officials are able to maintain the illusion of local prosperity, economic growth and stable taxes.”

The outstanding volume of non-performing loans in the Chinese banking sector has increased 50 per cent since the beginning of 2013, according to estimates from ANZ, the Australian bank, but the sector-wide NPL ratio remains extremely low, at just over 1.2 per cent.

In private, however, senior Chinese financial officials admit the real ratio is almost certainly much higher, obscured by local governments trying to prop up companies.

Rebalancing Chinese Style

As part of China's rebalancing effort, growth must slow (or an even bigger crash will come later), and shadow banking losses recognized. So far, all we see is the slowdown in growth.

Even then, China recently cut interest rates hoping to keep the illusion alive (as some might see it), or smooth the transition (as others might see it).

Regardless how one sees it, these closures are at the back end of a collapse in commodity prices as China moves from an investment (malinvestment) driven pattern of growth, to a consumer-driven pattern of growth.

The transition will not be easy. The SOEs (state-owned-enterprises), the regional governments, and all those who got wealthy from the prior boom will not let go easily.

Nor it seems will the central government. Failure to recognize absurdly high deposit rates are proof enough.

For a look at unsound deposit rates, please see Chinese Banks Hemorrhaging Deposits, 1st Quarterly Drop Since 1999; Banks Offer iPhones, Even Cars for Large Deposits.

For more on rebalancing implication, please see Pettis on Strains in China's Banking System; A

8 Songs You Better Not Have Missed in 2014

 

Marvin Gaye’s 1971 conceptual masterwork What’s Going On? is as cohesive a statement of political and social dissatisfaction as has ever been recorded. Hearing Gaye at the height of his power decrying war (“What’s Happening Brother”), poverty (“Inner City Blues”), and the environmental crisis (“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”) will hopefully never lose its considerable healing power. As we near the end of 2014, however, we should note the many musicians who saw fit to record their own statements against the current state of affairs. Only decades of repeated listening will tell whether any of these songs can hang with Gaye’s finest, but here, in no specific order, are a few of the songs we’re listening to these days, as we try to figure out just what the hell’s going on.

by Jeremy Martin

FCPO - More Power To The Bull- 1/5/2015

 

The market went back to test the top band but it managed to rebound from near that level. The Stochastic is inside the overbought zone and seems to be coming back down. The MACD stays positive and continue to rise. The DMI also remain positive with the ADX continues to rise. I would maintain my stop at below the top band.

 

The weekly chart continues to improve as price stays solidly above the top band. The MACD continues to rise towards the zero signal line. The Stochastic has just turned positive and continues to turn upward. So finally we have both the indicators in agreement with each other. The DMI has also just turned positive, so if i am trading the weekly chart I would buy if price can go above 2308 in the coming week. The ADX is still falling and it has just reached the 20's, I would become more bullish if that one can turn around soon. Of course if price can close above its recent fractal high of 2345, it would be ultimately joyous for the bull.



 

I have been talking here about how I have been "subtly" bullish about this market. It is because I have been staring at the monthly chart thinking that we may soon get a positive crossing from the Stochastic. And we finally got it. Another item would be the MACD, it has not turned positive yet but it is promising as it has turned around and we may see a positive crossing by the current month. A positive crossing while it is below the zero signal line is normally nothing to shout about, but look closely and you will notice it is about to form a bullish divergence which is vital for us to talk about any major/pivotal reversal. Again as in the weekly chart, 2345 level is an important resistance to break. The ADX remains flat, so we may continue to see price sticking around these level until we can get a break above 2345.

I have a feeling that FCPO may be waiting to hitch a ride on a crude oil coming technical rebound rally. No, in the long term, the bear is not yet done with the crude oil, we will see more downside to come. But at present , with all the indicators at their extremity, it is hard to believe that the bear has not been feeling 心虚 with their long steak of selldowns. The market is just waiting for some little news before the sellers start rush out to close off their shorts positions. I sincerely hope FCPO can rally back up as our government may really needed the money.

FKLI - The Rebound Is Fast Fizzling Out-  1/5/2015

 

The technical rebound fast fizzling out as price stopped gaining on the last 2 trading days of 2014 and began to fall on the 1st. trading day of the new year. Since the Stochastic has already gone into the overbought zone, I would think taking profit as a logical choice. The MACD remains positive but as it is still way below the zero signal line, so there is nothing to shout about it. The DMI stays negative with the D- spiking up again and the D- falling. This means the sellers are getting back into the game with the buyers quitting swiftly.


 

At the weekly chart, price went tested but failed to close above the bottom band. The Stochastic managed to stay positive. The MACD remains negative. These 2 indicators are contradicting each other, so there may be an early sign that the market decides to go sideway next. The DMI stays negative with the D- continues to fall which means the sellers are still leaving. But the D+ has gone flat , this means the buyers have begun to hesitate after the past 2 weeks advances. and the ADX has also turned flat, this is coinciding with the 2 contradicting indicators mentioned earlier, a sign of listless market to come ?


 

The monthly chart has completely fallen over to the bear camp as price has closed below the bottom band at last month end. This is the first time price has closed below the bottom band since July, 2008. The Stochastic has fallen below its 80's signal line. The MACD is negative and falling downward towards the zero signal line. Please take note the bearish divergence that has completed formed at both the Stochastic and MACD. Divergences formed at the longer time parameter is even more important than those formed at the daily chart as they usually mean the end of a major cycle. So this means that the bull cycle of FKLI may has finally came to an end and a beginning of a major bear cycle. The DMI is negative and another item to watch out for is the ADX which has begun to rise. If it can continues to rise further, it may mean the selling may get more intense.

This is merely a technical rebound in a grossly oversold market, so there is little to hope for the bull's return. So from here we may see another new round of selling to come back or as indicated by the weekly chart, a period of listlessness first before something big comes.