Tag: economy
Lessons From Decades Of Investing
The economy and the stock market are both in the dumps right now and people are freaking out. Volatility and the interest rates are the only things going up. Times like these are humbling and they remind investors that we’re not the market geniuses we pretend to be. Retirees and older investors are especially concerned […]
Why The Economy Will Struggle To Restart
Restarting the economy is going to be more difficult than it was stopping it. A vigorous discussion on the topic is desperately needed as many feel talking about opening the economy is akin to reigniting the infection rate, when in reality, the discussion is needed to formulate an appropriate and workable plan. Talking about restarting […]
America’s Fake Economy And Shale Oil Boom
PARIS – We promised to end the week with a bang! You’ll recall that Fed policy always consists of the same three mistakes… 1) Keeping interest rates too low for too long, resulting in too much debt; 2) Raising interest rates to try to gently deflate the debt bubble; and 3) Cutting rates in a […]
Reality Check: Optimism Is Sky-High Right Now
February 2, 2018, was a historic day in the markets, for reasons that are still unclear. It was the day that the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 665.75 points. And that was just the start; the bleeding from that Friday carried into the next week, and that’s when things got really ugly. Next Monday, February […]
Market Impact Of A Trump Presidency
Donald Trump emerged as the winner last night of a hotly contested presidential campaign and will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States on Friday, January 20, 2017. The transition to a Republican presidency and Trump’s rejection of politics as usual, which drew so many voters, naturally lead to questions about his […]
What I Told My Brother About The Yen
A few weeks ago, the phone rang… It was after 10:00 at night and I didn’t recognize the number. I flipped it open and said, “Hello?” The phone crackled from half way around the world. It was my brother. My youngest brother had just moved from his home in Hawaii (I knew I should have […]
Which Way Are Oil Prices Headed?
Just two weeks ago I wrote about falling oil prices. Gas prices had crashed below the $2 mark. Oil was trading below $50 a barrel for the first time in months. The inflation threat which built all summer long has disappeared. Now the big concern is deflation and the global economic slowdown. Believe it or […]
China’s Economic Crisis
This morning we awoke to an economic giant flexing its muscles. The Chinese government decided to pump additional stimulus into their economy . . . $4 trillion Yuan worth. That’s about $586 billion US Dollars. They say they’re doing it to help the world, but everyone knows that’s a lie. The real reason they’re spending […]
Layoffs And Rising Unemployment
I woke up this morning to some unsettling news. Dow Chemical (DOW) is shutting 20 plants and asking 11% of its workforce to leave. On top of that, they’re cutting another 6,000 contractors from payroll. Last week DuPont (DD), another chemical manufacturer, dismissed 2,500 employees. 3M (MMM) is also announcing layoffs this morning… 1,800 jobs. […]
Next President Faces Major Challenges
Election Day. It’s the biggest day in American politics. November 4th is less than a week away. It’s the day when all of America (at least the registered voters) go to the polls and cast a ballot for President. Today I’m going to do something some people might find repugnant. I’m going to try and […]
