Earlier today, we discussed how after 8 long years spent wandering punch drunk through a dream-like Keynesian wonderland where all financial assets rise inexorably, the world finally woke up last month with a terrible hangover only to discover that after 637 rate cuts and $12.3 trillion in asset purchases, "quantitative easing" has been a "quantitative failure."

Perhaps it was the harrowing volatility that tipped investors off to the fact that central bankers were failing. Or perhaps it was the realization that the persistent disinflationary impulse that hangs over developed markets isn't exactly compatible with the notion that central banks are "succeeding." Or maybe it was the BoJ's move into NIRP which was quickly followed by a canceled JGB auction, a soaring JPY, and crashing Japanese equities. Of course it could have been tumbling yields on the US 10Y. Take your pick, but whatever the catalyst, everyone suddenly began to talk about central banker impotence as opposed to central banker omnipotence, and at that point, the narrative was lost.

Of course it's too late to turn back now. There's no telling what markets would do if central banks were to suddenly admit that this has all been one giant mistake and so, the monetary powers that be stick to the script. For instance, Haruhiko Kuroda - who is known for saying things so at odds with reality that one can only laugh - said last night that "negative rates are clearly having an effect" - just as Japanese stocks were collapsing on themselves (again).