n interesting data came out from the Bank for International Settlements. The global market for derivatives soared to a record $370 trillion in the first half of 2006. It is the highest ever and the bubble is bigger than any one can imagine.
 
The kind of euphoria in derivative trading has never been seen before. The amount of outstanding credit-default swaps contracts jumped by 60% at the end of last year. This year the rise is even faster. It is a typical pyramiding technique. Money is creating false concept of money and that in turn is creating ever lager conceptual money. When the tide blow off and balloon bursts, the catastrophe will be unimaginable. The 1929 debacle and resulting depression will be miniscule to what is coming.

The derivatives were initially designed for hedging. It has now become the instruments of trade. An example of what can happen is as follows. Recently when Amaranth, the hedge fund, did bet on the wrong side of the natural gas market, it lost billions in days and went out of business drowning the capital of many investors. But something more sinister happened in London credit swap market. On the news of Amaranth's problem, the credit swaps based on Amaranth funds collapsed creating massive problem for the London credit instuments markets. Even the little hedge fund was able to bring the market to its knees. Thinks what can happen when many hedge funds collapse at the same time.

Remember 1987. Before the October crash public were arguing about the fact that the market will not give an inch on the down side. Every individual investor was in the elevator at the Penhouse level. Finally when the crash came, the brokers did not pick up their phones and Dow lost more than 20% in one day. Something much more serious is getting cooked here. The complacency level, the sentiment indicators and above all the fundamentals are all ready to make the market collapse big time.