"FYI"

Since the Fed minutes delivered on Apr 6, the CME Fed Fund Futures is now pricing in 9 more 25 bps rate hikes this year with a 77% chance of a 50 bps hike at their next meeting in May. The Fed indicated it plans to run off $60 billion in Treasurys and $35 billion in mortgage backed securities each month, above estimates of $70-90 billion in total, but could work its way up to its target "over a period of 3 months or modestly longer if market conditions warrant." All of the above suggest the Fed will not be reversing their hawkish stance anytime soon, so if you are exposed to the long side of stocks or cryptocurrencies, keep your stops tight.

Markets are always the same, they always change.

The only constant when it comes to markets is change. Quantitative easing, or QE, was one of a number of material changes introduced to the markets which destroyed a number of variables that had once carried predictive value. Thus being able to pivot in a timely manner has always been critical to the few successful investors who have remained successful.  If we analyze a century worth of data, we will see that all crises were followed by major averages bottoming then moving higher which brought major buying opportunities.

Note: While markets have always recovered, it can take many years, sometimes decades, to breakeven if you bought at a peak. 

"The greatest of all success rules is this: do unto others as you would if you were the others."

The Golden Rule is more than a principle of ethical behavior; it is a dynamic force that can work good in the lives of untold numbers of people. When you make it a practice to treat others as though you were the others, you spread goodwill among people who, in turn, may be moved to do the same. By their actions, they influence still more people, who generate goodwill among even more people. This force for goodwill increases exponentially and will return to you from totally new sources. The benefit you receive from a good deed performed today by a total stranger may have been a chain reaction from long ago when you observed the Golden Rule in your own dealings with another.

Bitcoin - an inflection point.