The Week Ahead | 03-04-2019

My friend Mark Guthner will be speaking at the New York MoneyShow’s TradersExpo on March 10. He will be discussing how Options Behave and How to Match the Appropriate Options Strategy to your Investment Thesis. As usual, he will raffle off a couple of books. He always offers a few trades to event participants.

Global Spotlight

A Dangerous Precedent in South Asia. Tensions between India and Pakistan soared this week as the neighbors took their fight to the skies. On Feb. 26, India sent warplanes into Pakistan to bomb what it said was a training camp belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, the militant group that claimed responsibility for the Feb. 14 suicide attack on a paramilitary convoy in Indian-administered Kashmir.

A Bit of Brexit Clarity. The British House of Commons significantly reduced the chances of a disorderly Brexit at the end of the month when it agreed this week to ask Brussels to delay the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union if Parliament fails to approve an exit agreement by mid-March.

Trump-Kim Summit Fizzles. The long-awaited summit sequel in Hanoi, Vietnam, between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended with a whimper when Trump cut it short.

Algerians Head to the Streets. It has been a week of rare protests against Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika as the longtime leader prepares to run for a fifth term in April.

Bolsonaro’s Weakness Starts to Show. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s efforts to win approval of a key social security and pension reform suggest he will struggle with Congress just like presidents before him.

Pompeo Visits the Philippines. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured Manila during a brief visit to the Philippines on March 1 that the United States’ obligation under the Mutual Defense Treaty included armed attacks in the South China Sea.

Opposition Disputes Nigerian Election Results. Election results poured in for two important West African states this week: Nigeria and Senegal.