The downgrade is meaningless. Japan's market went up after theirs. Long term rates affected? Go ahead and tell me how, if Ben is buying them? Japan's yields did raise, so maybe you jump in line and short bonds. Everyone who tried is already dead. This is about Italy and Europe. Nobody cares about downgrade. Have you seen the gold market?? Uh... This has been priced in since they began "purposefully" destroying the dollar. China will stop or they will continue. No reaction on downgrade. Italy.... big reaction. They clean this up, up big is possible. If not expect more liquidity runs.