Tuesday, August 02, 2016

What You Need to Know If You’re Exposed to Muni Bonds / Interest-Rates / US Bonds

By: Rodney_Johnson

The housing bust was awful, particularly in Florida and other “sand states.” As the economy slowed, consumers lost their jobs, and when they couldn’t pay their mortgages, they then lost their homes.

Even though that wrenching period happened almost a decade ago, it will live in our memories for years to come. I can recall much of the pain, but also other aspects of the moment. Some people were desperate for the relief that came their way; others were using it as cover to game the system.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

China’s Property Bubble Showing Parallels to the Subprime Crisis / Housing-Market / China Housing Market

By: Harry_Dent

The menacing fury of economic triggers that began piling up after the Great Recession are only getting larger and we can’t do much but watch it unfold and stay alert.

I wrote about this in a letter late last year, but now here we are more than halfway through the year and it’s only getting worse. So much worse that the Chinese property bubble is now

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

You Can’t Eat Gold! / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: DeviantInvestor

I read that I can’t eat gold as I munched on my 401(k) sandwich and guzzled my IRA wine, which tastes like a cheap Chardonnay. For a side dish I ate blanched twenty dollar bills and consumed a chocolate money market for dessert.

Yes, I am kidding.

The point is that simple statements such as “You can’t eat gold” are a useless DISTRACTION.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Stock Market Sell Signals Made / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Anthony_Cherniawski

SPX has broken down beneath 2159.07. It is on an aggressive sell signal.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Gold Futures Point towards a Continuation of the Bullish Spell / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: Nicholas_Kitonyi

The price of gold appears set to continue on a bullish run with gold futures pointing to a near-term target of about $1,400 while the long-term target could see the prices rise to new multi-year highs in the range of $1,500-$1,600 an ounce.

Last week, FOMC took the more reasonable option of failing to announce another US interest rate hike despite a strong nonfarm payrolls figure of 287,000 new jobs compared to just 11,000 in June. "Job gains were strong in June following weak growth in May," the FOMC said in its post-meeting statement, adding that "On balance, payrolls and other labor market indicators point to some increase in labor utilization in recent months."

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Gold Price Is Now On Its Way To All-Time Highs / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: Hubert_Moolman

I have compared the performance of the current gold bull market (since 2001) with the 70s one. Below is that comparison (chart from barchart.com):

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

How and Why Bernie Sanders Was Taken Out of the Running by the Financial Elites / ElectionOracle / US Presidential Election 2016

By: Jeff_Berwick

Most are unaware that we don’t live in a real democracy.  In the US, in particular, Presidents aren’t elected, they are selected.  It has been this way for centuries and was fully cemented, and never questioned again, after JFK was killed when he tried to stand up to the nefarious groups who control the system.

The people who control the US government are those who control the monetary and financial system (and the media and nearly everything else of importance).  A key historical figure of these “elites” was Mayer Amschel Bauer Rothschild.  He was purported to have said, more than two centuries ago, “Give me control of a nation’s money and I care not who makes it’s laws.”

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Stock Market August Starts with a Bang! / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Harry_Boxer

The stock market indices started the week and month off with a bang. The day started out with a big, strong rally to new highs on the Nasdaq 100, and new all-time highs on the S&P 500, tagging 2178. But that didn’t last long. They then plunged midday, got to pullback lows and session lows on the S&P 500, tried to rally mid-afternoon in a kind of choppy, bear-flag formation, and then pulled back in the last hour, only to bounce in the last thirty minutes, finishing mixed on the day.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Economic Confidence Index Plunges while Stock Market Makes Record Highs / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2016

By: Chris_Vermeulen

The Gallup Poll has released an Economic Confidence Index which reflects the sentiment of Americans, as it pertains to the economy.

As the stock market makes new record highs and the housing “bubble” market soars, one would expect that the “average” American would be smiling from ear to ear.   However, the chart below appears to present nothing but gloom and doom.  The Gallup Polls results are dumbfounding the American public as to why this divergence has occurred.  I feel we have touched upon a few points as to why this is occurring.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

The Yield Curve - 3 Big Stories Not Being Covered With Graham Mehl / Interest-Rates / US Interest Rates

By: Andy_Sutton

It occurred to us as we were laying out the contents of this article that we should probably not assume certain things. This publication has a wide readership, from corporate CEOs to high school students. The former are looking for analysis, the latter to become educated. The topic we are going to tackle in this second installment is a complex one, so some introduction is in order. Therefore, this piece will consist of two parts: an opening introduction, a primer if you will, then the analysis will follow. If you are well-versed in interest rates, bonds, bond yields, and debt, you can probably skip the primer, although we’ve been surprised at the number of people who have subscribed to the misconceptions stated therein.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

All the Trump men, and Consiglieri / ElectionOracle / US Presidential Election 2016

By: Michael_T_Bucci

Twentieth-century “Minister of Propaganda and Enlightenment”, Joseph Goebbels, stressed how best to psychologically control the masses. Abstracted by scholars Jowett and O’Donnell, these principles are:

1. Avoid abstract ideas and appeal to the emotions.

2. Constantly repeat just a few ideas and use stereotyped phrases.

3. Give only one side of the argument.

4. Continuously criticize the opponents.

5. Pick out one special “enemy” for special vilification.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Precious Metals - Money Always Moves from Weak Hands into Strong Hands / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: The_Gold_Report

Precious metals expert Bob Moriarty advises investors on how they can avoid the disinformation and invest with the smart money. Over the last 15 years I have come to realize just how much disinformation and simply bad information there is available to readers of financial matters. Much of what you watch and hear is simply wrong. People wonder why they consistently lose money and it's simple. The best-informed investor is the most profitable investor. But that's not in terms of quantity of investing information; it has far more to do with quality of investing material. Listen for the signal and learn to ignore the noise.

Monday, August 01, 2016

US Economy - 3 Charts Economists Want to Keep Secret / Economics / US Economy

By: EWI

Despite new all-time highs in the stock market, US economic data is lagging. In fact, real GDP per person just dropped to its lowest level in more than 75 years!

While major news outlets never miss a chance to jump on that latest negative trend from society, they seem reluctant to cover basic economic figures that could spell bad news for millions of Americans. Yet the steady dive in US economic performance has recently become too pronounced to ignore.

Monday, August 01, 2016

Oil Shares Now Attractive for the Long Term / Commodities / Oil Companies

By: The_Energy_Report

Technical analyst Jack Chan charts a new major buy signal for oil stocks.

Monday, August 01, 2016

Why Should The IMF Care About Its Credibility? / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis

By: Raul_I_Meijer

The IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) issued a report a few days ago entitled ‘The IMF and the Crises in Greece, Ireland, and Portugal’. It is so damning for managing director Christine Lagarde and her closest associates, that it’s hard to see, certainly at first blush, how they could all keep their jobs. But don’t be surprised if that is exactly what will happen.

Because organizations like the IMF don’t care much, if at all, about accountability. Their leaders think they are close to untouchable, at least as long as they have the ‘blessing’ of those whose interests they serve. Which in case of the IMF means the world’s major banks and the governments of the richest nations (who also serve the same banks’ interests). And if these don’t like the course set out, a scandal with a chambermaid is easily staged.

Monday, August 01, 2016

Central Bankers Fighting An Unprecedented Global Economic Slowdown / Interest-Rates / Central Banks

By: Gordon_T_Long

The mainstream news sources seem determined to ignore the extent of the global slowdown in trade. Whether exports, imports, industrial production or whatever your preferrred metric, the facts are undeniable. Nevertheless, the mainstream media chooses to refuse to cover it. It begs an obvious question of - why?

Monday, August 01, 2016

Gold Is an Obvious Trade in This Freaking Fantasyland / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2016

By: John_Mauldin

JARED DILLIAN writes: I’m watching the Trump phenomenon with some mix of horror and amusement, like I suspect most people are.

I will say up front that I am no fan of Trump. I sincerely wish Gary Johnson would become president, having been a Libertarian long before it was fashionable (and when the candidates were a lot less viable).

Monday, August 01, 2016

The Failed Coup Will Help Turkey Become a Major Power / Politics / Turkey

By: John_Mauldin

GEORGE FRIEDMAN writes: In my book The Next 100 Years, I argued that Turkey is going to become a major regional power. Recent events would seem at odds with this view. But in fact, they confirm it.

Emerging as a regional power puts great pressure on a nation. The shift in external reality causes internal shifts as well. This is what we see in Turkey: a clash between rival factions with diverse visions, a coup of some sort, and for now, a dictatorship.

Monday, August 01, 2016

Former Fed Chairman May Have Given Japan the Answer to Its Debt Problems / Interest-Rates / Global Debt Crisis 2016

By: John_Mauldin

Japan just had its national elections. Voters there do not share the anti-establishment fever that grips the rest of the developed world. They gave Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his allies a solid parliamentary majority. Japanese are either happy with Abenomics or see no better option.

Abe may now have the backing he needs to change Japan’s constitution and its official pacifism policy. This would be less a sign of nationalism than a new economic stimulus tool. Defense spending is expected to more than double. This will give a big boost to Japan’s shipyards, vehicle manufacturing, and electronics industries.

Monday, August 01, 2016

4 Stages of Fiat Monetary Madness / Currencies / Fiat Currency

By: Michael_Pento

There are four stages of fiat money printing that have been used by central banks throughout their horrific history of usurping the market-based value of money and borrowing costs. It is a destructive path that began with going off the gold standard and historically ends in hyperinflation and economic chaos.