Tim Francisco <
[email protected]> GOOD MORNING: 08/14/17 Farm Direction VanTrump Report 1 message Kevin Van Trump <
[email protected]> Mon, Aug 14, 2017 at 7:25 AM To: Kevin Van Trump <
[email protected]> " People who help others are not trying to be useful, but are leading a useful life. They rarely give advice, but rather only good examples." Paul Coelho MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 Printable Copy or Audio Version Morning Summary: Investors continue to grapple with the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, but as we return from the weekend there seems to be a slightly reduced possibility of war. Late Sunday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrote that the Trump administration was continuing to seek diplomatic solutions to seek the “irreversible denuclearization” of North Korea. In return the stock market is higher and trying to regain some of last weeks losses. I should note that the cryptocurrency "Bitcoin" continues to surge higher, now trying north of $4,000 dollars, quadrupling it's value this year, and up over +40% in just the first few weeks of August. Traders have also turned decidedly more bearish against the U.S. dollar, as large traders are now holding their highest net short positions since the Spring of 2014. On the economic front, there are really no major reports due out today and no scheduled Fed speakers. Earnings wise, nearly threequarters of S&P 500 companies have reported and topped earnings estimates, showing they are on track for +10% growth.