Stock buybacks and dividend increases for companies in the S&P 500 Index have certainly been on the mend since the end of the financial crisis in 2009. For the first quarter, and on a year over year basis, dividends are 13.7% higher, buybacks are 62.7% higher and buybacks plus dividends are higher by 39.6%.

Hmmm… well… Friday & yesterday were mixed bags really… The Euro topped out on Friday but then blipped back higher yesterday while USDCHF extended gains on Friday and GBPUSD made a more sturdy recovery than I had anticipated… It’s all a bit of a mess really but individually there does still seem to be some logic to the structures…

Word today that S&P has said it would consider any Greek write-down, voluntary or not, a credit event has the sent the Eurocrats back to the drawing board.

The Global-View.com D.O.G. (Dollar, Oil, Gold) investor purchasing power index is opening in North America at .5095, -0.10% from its Friday close (-5.30% ytd).

Far East: AU- Trade, RBA Decision.