Chris Broad- The protector of the meek

The last few days have been so utterly boring in the markets that it takes all of my will power to not sleep. I swear if the markets continue like this then I might need to glue my eyelids to my eyebrows to prevent me from dropping off.

I think the last three years have been one adrenaline rush. The Markets have been kind in the sense that there has been action one way or the other. Markets have not always been like this. I fear that we might therefore have a 2010 which is more akin to the December we have just experienced. There I have said it. I am fearful of a boring 2010 with the markets not doing too much all through or at the least for most of the year.

The last week has seen the Dollar break its negative correlation with other asset classes. The rally in the Dollar-according to most media experts- is due to an improvement in US economic expectations and not due to fear as was the case for the small rallies in the past one year. Therefore this time around the Dollar can rally without a commensurate fall in other asset classes.

An interesting observation. In this last cricket series between Australia and West Indies, there was an altercation between Benn (WI bowler) and Haddin and Johnson (Australians). While it is difficult to say who is at fault, the worst thing one could have said about Benn's behaviour was that he was equally at fault. Chris Broad-the match referee- banned Benn for 2 matches and let the Australians off with a fine.

There was a lot of criticism for this verdict and across the cricketing blogs there were lot of people who hinted that racism was the cause of this perceived injustice. Sure, to the casual observer it might look like a case of racism. But probe a little below the surface and you realise that what Broad was actually doing was standing up for the weak and downtrodden. I mean have you seen how tall Benn is? He is thin no doubt and is just a spinner not an express fast bowler. But man is he tall! And he was going up against two small puny Australians who just happened to have heavy wooden cricket bats in their hands. Surely the Australians needed to be protected from threats of such physical assaults? So Broad-the protector of the meek- has rightly handed Benn a ban and taught him and his ilk a lesson. And in the interest of justice he also handed a fine to the instigators of the crime-the Australians. So can you call it racism now?

I am probably finished with the most interesting part of the day... i.e. writing this last couple of paras... It is all downhill from now. And yes I am still short the Nifty from 5040 levels and will cut the short and go long only above 5200.