While US stocks look unstoppable, the biggest investment bank in Europe looks to be headed for a crisis.

Deutsche Bank (DB), which has failed to make a profit for the past three years, has dropped to new all-time lows. Everything about DB screams disaster. It has lost a stunning 93% of its value since 2008. It’s laying off staff. And US authorities have put it on a list of troubled lenders. As recently as 2007, DB was the second largest bank in the world by assets. Today it ranks nowhere near the top ten. In fact, its market cap has shrunk to a tiny $20 billion.

'The tug-o-war continues.'

The market is faced with three major headwinds: 1) quantitative tightening by the US Federal Reserve, 2) the potential devaluation of fiat within next couple of years, and 3) the potential break up of the EU. This is countered by the near record levels of quantitative easing that continue to flow into US stocks. The tug-o-war continues.

"The gifted are the lucky few who have found something that they’re passionate about. So passionate in fact, that they’re compelled to investigate it whether anyone else is interested or not. Their temperament allows them to spend countless hours and years refining their craft by practicing the things they can’t do simply because that process is the thing they find most enjoyable in life. That’s the gift."

'Ever see a dog chase his tail?'

Contrary to common logic and consensus expectations, Fed rate hikes and balance sheet reduction will only exaggerate budding inflation concerns.
The economy has never experienced a sustained reduction in the monetary base of the magnitude currently underway. The path of QT and higher rates, that the Fed is currently on, will counter-intuitively increase inflation while reducing economic growth.