The Market On Thursday

  Good morning. It is 20 degrees and partly sunny here in Upstate NY. Winter continues. The weather logo is promising above freezing temperatures during the day for the next week with today going up into the 40s. Could this possibly be it? Could we possibly be at the toehold beginning taste of Spring? Last night a few friends were over and everyone was saying the same thing. This Winter has been relentless and we are worn out and worn down from it. I know you are too.

  At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are ever so slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is slightly up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.

  Even though the market is set to open flat to higher, don't trust it. It could be a rough day. There's a lot of data out there about the banks that failed the Fed stability test including Citi. On the other hand, the TBTF banks exist in their own private but vast global economy, one which does indeed trickle down to how money flows in and out of our hands. Perhaps that is the real intent of Reagan's nonsense trickle. It means that the economic points of power - TBTF banks and shadow banks control our money flow.

CNN: Stocks could shrug off banking blues

Citi was among 30 large banks required to submit capital plans for an annual stress tests. The Fed approved 25 plans. Citi and four other banks faced rejections.