U.S. housing starts expanded to the highest level in nearly 8 years to 1.21 million annualized units with positive revisions in June. This is on top of last week's strong retail sales as well as employment numbers.
The strength in these fundamentals bolsters the U.S. dollar which is about the last thing that emerging markets, in particular China, need right now. Overnight, China's Shenzhen A-shares collapsed by nearly 7 percent, its devaluation is the recognition that China has a serious growth problem.
"China growth problems are crushing commodities, which adds to the pressure on emerging currencies from Asia to Latin America and alas, even the U.S. energy sector is not immune", says Voya Global.


Asian Markets Slip as Precious Metals Cool, Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Sentiment
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry
Federal Reserve Begins Treasury Bill Purchases to Stabilize Reserves and Money Markets
USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers
Oil Prices Slip Slightly as Markets Weigh Geopolitical Risks and Supply Glut Concerns
Best Gold Stocks to Buy Now: AABB, GOLD, GDX
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 



