Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we further examine the Western World Real Estate Decline.
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Precious Metals:
We’ll start off with this at Zero Hedge: “It Belongs To The People, Not The Bankers” – Italy Moves To Seize Gold From Central Bank
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Gold Cycle And Stock Market Update
Western World Real Estate Decline:
In response to rising interest rates, the housing boom in the U.S. may be ending. Here is an early indicator: Seller’s Market in Housing Industry Shifts to Buyer’s Market. A pertinent passage:
“The National Association of Realtors says existing home sales in January dropped to their lowest level in three years, continuing months of weakness in the housing market.
Existing home sales were down 1.2% to an adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million units last month. That’s below analyst expectations and an 8.5% drop from a year ago. Only the Northeast saw a rise in sales activity.
Home prices are still showing increases, but they’re nowhere close to what they were in recent years. The median price of an existing house climbed 2.8% in January to $247,500. That’s the smallest increase since February 2012.
Prices have increased for 83 consecutive months, but some experts warn that trend could be about to end.
The number of homes on the market is starting to rise, too, meaning buyers have a wider selection to choose from. In January, there were 1.59 million previously owned homes on the market, compared to 1.53 million in December. The average home stayed on the market 49 days, a week longer than January 2018.”
Similar trends seem to be developing throughout the English-speaking world, to wit:
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Spring housing market could be ‘coolest in recent years,’ Realtor.com says
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Update on the Spreading Housing Bust in Australia, and Why it’s Happening
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Update on the Deepening Housing Bust in Vancouver, Canada
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And in England: House prices fall 1.6pc – but is the figure reliable?
Taxes:
Seven Key Changes Investors Should Watch for as They File Taxes in 2019
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California May Be Coming for You
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Planning a move? By 2021, these eight states will have no income tax
Investing in Uncertain Times:
There is a peer-to-peer lending organization worthy of mention: Lending Club. Because the loans are diversified among many borrowers, this should continue to produce well, even in a recession. But beware: All peer-to-peer loans would probably be at risk in a full scale economic depression.
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Seven Ways to Prepare Your Portfolio for a Recession
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If you are concerned about a recession tanking the stock market, then there is a safe way to park your cash with modest returns, and ready access to some of the funds: Laddering CDs. This also protects you against rate instability. Here is a quote:
“CD laddering is a strategy that uses multiple CDs maturing at different intervals to take advantage of higher interest rates.
Once it gets established, CD laddering lets you earn the higher yields offered on those longer-term CDs while still having cash in hand as the older “rungs” of the ladder mature.
You can create a ladder as long or as short as you like. For instance, you could shorten it by buying a six-month CD as the “bottom rung” and finish it with a one-year CD, 18-month CD, 24-month CD and 30-month CD. These may seem like odd maturities, but they are available.”
Forex & Cryptos:
Fake CIA Sextortionists Demand Bitcoin Under Threat Of Prosecution
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Artificial Intelligence Helps Korean Police Bust $19 Million Bitcoin Ponzi
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Coinbase Soft Launches International Payments with XRP and USDC
Provisos:
SurvivalBlog and its Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for our detailed disclaimers.
News Tips:
Please send your economics and investing news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who particularly watch individual markets. And due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” investing news. We often get the scoop on economic and investing news that is probably ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!