Global markets start to realize the risks of Russia's move into Ukraine

<i>Friday's menu:</i> Investors waking up to Putin's Russia risks. Plus: Russia's debt downgraded as Kerry issues another warning; U.S. manufacturing comes back (but housing has not); how about this call: gold to hit $5,000 an ounce; the SEC starts to dissect liquid alt funds; and how sanctions are supposed to work.

MAY 02, 2014

By Jeff Benjamin

As the unrest in Ukraine gets more real by the day, the financial markets start to show signs of caution. In macroeconomic parlance, there are early signs of a persistent momentum move unfolding, and you might want to get ahead of it. Investors start to seek shelter
Russia's debt-rating gets trimmed to one notch above junk status, which is probably at least one notch above where it should be. A slow and steady selloff of Russian assets
Kerry warns Putin to stop the Russian military drills or he might be forced to issue another stern warning. Don't make me stop this car
The U.S. manufacturing renaissance that Schwab's Liz Ann Sonders has been promising for years is finally starting to show up. The data show U.S. manufacturing has reached No. 2 behind China in terms of global competitiveness. Worker productivity has doubled since the 1960s
But the housing recovery has stalled in a big way. Housing in U.S. cools as rate rise hits sales
Peter Schiff remains outside the mainstream sense of reality with another prediction of gold at $5,000 an ounce. Consensus expectations for the U.S. recovery and Fed actions are all wrong
The SEC, following the lead of last year's Finra warning, plans to take a closer look at alternative strategy mutual funds. Spending six months studying 25 funds
Five examples of how international sanctions work, or are supposed to work. The U.S. and Iran have been at loggerheads for 35 years