Category: Economics & Investing

A sobering, yet mind-blowing visualization of the world’s money: All of the World’s Money and Markets in One Visualization – Sent in by V.M. o o o U.S. Silver Production Drops Significantly Again In October… Has Peak Silver Arrived? o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News When the Salsa Stops (The Economist) Excerpt: “PUERTO RICO’S creditors have plenty to complain about, but they can’t claim they weren’t warned. Last June Alejandro García Padilla, the governor of America’s Caribbean outpost, announced that its $72 billion public debt was “unpayable”, and that a “unilateral and unplanned non-payment of obligations” loomed.” …

46 Months Of Accelerating Deflation Mean Beijing Is Now Trapped – JFJ o o o Apple has dumped $100B in market value in past month – RBS o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Study Finds Higher Minimum Wage Hurting Youth Employment – Not sure why they needed a study to realize this…. Puerto Rico Defaults on Debt Payments – Not sure how, but this news seemed largely ignored probably due to such market volatility Items from Professor Preponomics: US News End Injustices Now, Not Later (Mises Institute) Excerpt: “We’ve been robbing from Peter to pay Paul, and Paul’s taken …

Items from Mr. Econocobas: Dow Tumbles Nearly 400 Points on China Worries- Dow and S&P Off to Worse Start Ever – I would expect a relief rally very soon, otherwise I don’t see how we don’t get a serious intervention by world central banks. Silver Seen Beating Gold as Ratio Rises to Near Historical Peaks– And we are not even talking about the historical average of around 16:1. Most Americans are One Paycheck Away from the Street Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Watchdog Says Government Agencies Ignore Billions in Savings (Taxpayers for Common Sense) Excerpt: “Agencies have a “too …

GOLD & SILVER: Up In A Sea of Red… Get Used To Days Like This o o o The Bankers’ India Gold Grab o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News The “Services” Based Economy Delusion (Contra Corner) Excerpt: “In short, the service economy may well be doing fine, though I doubt it, but in the end it won’t be nearly enough to save anyone.” Macy’s to Cut Up To 4,800 Jobs After Weak Holiday Sales (ABC News) The real data is incoming no matter the tendency to blame the weather. Excerpt: “Macy’s said that unseasonably warm weather that …

Saudi Arabia is running out of money The cash crunch is so bad in Saudi Arabia that the government just hiked the price of gasoline by 50%. Yep, you read that right. Instead of paying the equivalent of $0.64USD for a gallon, they will now have to pay a whopping $0.96USD per gallon. – P.S. o o o Petro Currencies Under Fire As Oil Keeps Sliding o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News U.S. Shale Companies: Bankers are Quietly Tightening the Liquidity Noose (Zero Hedge) Watch out for the effects of possible liquidity triggers like this one. Excerpt: …

This may be a little hard to grasp, but it’s important to understand. Please read and take necessary precautions to protect your savings. Unimaginable 247 Trillion In Derivatives Could Trigger “Financial Armageddon”. Warren Buffett referred to derivatives as “financial weapons of mass destruction”… – L.G. Items from Mr. Econocobas: China Stocks Rout on First Market Day of 2016 Trips National Trading Halt China’s Seven-Minute Selling Frenzy That Shook Global Markets The Year Nothing Worked: Stocks, Bonds, Cash Go Nowhere Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Puerto Rico is Greece and These Five States are the Next to Go (Zero Hedge) …

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in December? Every December is a time of thin volumes in all assets. One good-sized sale or purchase can move prices. All this was exaggerated by the Fed’s December 16 interest rate hike. Gold jumped $20 an ounce multiple times this month, only to see the gains slowly eaten away each time. December 4th was a strange …

Saudi-Iran Dispute Won’t Cause Lasting Oil Price Rally o o o Wall Street Journal: 7% Fall in the Chinese Market Triggered Closure for the Day – T.A. o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Rand Paul: Here’s Why We Should Audit the Fed (Business Insider) Excerpt: “It is no secret that the Federal Reserve’s unchecked printing press causes recessions and increases income inequality. Allowing the Fed to inflate our money supply will artificially keep interests rates low, but at what cost? Their acts can no longer go unchecked…” The Rise of the Zombie Earmark (Taxpayers for Common Sense) …

FUTURE MONEY TRENDS: Silver Will Break $50 In 2016 o o o New Year begins with record number of men not in the labor force: Those not in the labor force increased by 1.9 million last year while the labor force increased by only 1.1 million. o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News New Year Begins with a Record Number of Men NOT In the Labor Force (My Budget 360) Excerpt: “Employment, income, and financial prosperity are the most important issues for Americans. It is ironic that in 2008 the election was driven largely by the economy. It …

A Year of Sovereign Defaults? – G.G. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: 2015 Was the Hardest Year to Make Money in 78 Years Chicago PMI Plummets to 42.9; Lowest Since 2009 Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Is It Time for a Skyscraper Alert? (Mises Institute) Excerpt: “The important thing to remember is that skyscrapers do not cause economic crises. Rather they are just a very noticeable example of the distortions taking place throughout the economy when interest rates are [kept] artificially low by the central bank.” Puerto Rico to Default on Some Debt (Reuters) Of course the …

Gold Undervalued Due To Massive Stock Dilution & Debt o o o The Herd Is Heading For A Cliff – Sent in by J.Q. o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Puerto Rico Avoids Loan Default by Dipping Into Cash Reserves (Washington Post) The real headline should be this statement from well within the article itself… ““The use of over $100 million in reserved funds to make debt service payments for several of the Commonwealth’s issuers should underscore that the Commonwealth is running out of options to pay its debt…” Brutal Economic Warning Sign from America’s Midwest (Business …

‘Cash has run out’: Debt-ridden Puerto Rico heads toward New Year’s default – RBS o o o Reader GP sent in a link to this map showing which states are in the red: Is Your State Busted Or Busting Loose? o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News The Formlessness of Progressivism (Mises Institute) Excerpt: “As vague and misty as most modern leftist ideals can be, they do share one solid, bedrock principle: the need for continuous expansion of the government’s role in our lives. The government’s heavy handed regulation of our industries has imposed unbelievable barriers and costs …

No Inflation, No Interest, No Recovery. Printing Money Enslaves the Middle Class – T.A. o o o $2,957,000,000: U.S. Taxpayers Will Fund Lion’s Share of UN Budget Again in 2016 – RBS o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: US News Puerto Rico is on the Brink of a BIG DEFAULT (CNN Money) From the Article: “I don’t take risks – at least I didn’t think I was taking a risk…” Commentary: This is a story that could easily repeat itself across the U.S., and there are lessons to be learned for everyone from this report. Many people are financially …

Debt distress level at highest since recession – GG o o o The death of the American pension: Shifting the retirement burden from employers to workers has created an enormous financial crisis. – RBS o o o Items from Professor Preponomics: U.S. News Millions in Fraud on Government Credit Cards (Waste Fraud and Abuse) Some waste is absurd, but the words disgusting and despicable come to mind over reports like this one. From the Article: “That law was inspired in part by a report earlier this year from the Defense Department finding that government credit card holders from across the …