Category: Economics & Investing

What $1 Used to Get You vs. What It Buys You Today. – G.P. HJL adds: Bear in mind that this infographic does not indicate the relative “value” of the items; it only addresses their worth as designated by the U.S. dollar. The relative value of the items has not decreased much at all when you use a denominator that is generally not affected by inflation (such as precious metals). o o o Labor Participation Rate Drops To Lowest Since 1978 o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Most People Don’t Believe It, But We Are Right On Schedule For …

Currency reform in Ancient Rome . – A.D. An excellent read! One of the most remarkable things about Rome was that as her currency was debased, there were reformers that attempted to bring back the stability and glory to the Roman status. Every one of them was assassinated after a short reign, due to their unpopularity, either from the masses who no longer got “free stuff” or from the generals who were held back from war. It sounds hauntingly familiar to me. ~HJL o o o Financial System Upside Down-Blame Game on Coming Crash-Bill Holter. – J.W. o o o …

From our friends at Mac Slavo’s blog: Economist: “This is Far From Over… They Know There Is a Problem Coming”. – J.W. o o o Here’s Why the Market Could Crash–Not in Two Years, But Now. – J.W. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Fast-Food Protests: Dozens of Workers Arrested in Strike for Higher Pay Abenomics Approaches a Moment of Reckoning Draghi Sees Almost $1 Trillion Stimulus as QE Fight Waits– Article lamenting the fact that inflation isn’t high enough in Europe.

Video: China’s Unbelievable Ghost City on the Coast. (JWR’s Comment: This is the sort of malinvestment that a “command driven” economy creates. It is one of more than a dozen ghost cities in China that combined have an estimated 60 million empty apartments. Note that the only flourishing market in the city is the free street market, operated by independent merchants who cannot afford to rent any of the millions of square feet of vacant retail space.) o o o I just noticed that spot silver dipped below $19 per troy ounce in NY after-hours trading. I consider that a …

Why Raising the Minimum Wage Will Increase Inflation and Hurt the Economy o o o Are Margin Debt Levels Signaling A Market Collapse? o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: CBO Forecasts $506 Billion Budget Deficit For 2014 U.S. Second-Quarter Growth Revised Higher Dethrone ‘King Dollar’ – This is an interesting Op-Ed; however, he clearly either doesn’t understand the consequences of what he is advocating or is severely overestimating the fundamentals of the U.S. economy to absorb such a shock– probably both. S&P Tops 2000 But Weary Consumers On Strike: The Recovery Delusion Gets Obvious

Are you Ready for the September Selloff? o o o Video: ‘Mortgage crisis’ is coming this winter: Bove. – CDV o o o Video: US consumers have decided to ‘hoard money’. – G.G. Items from Mr. Econocobas: Japan Wages Rising Most Since 1997 Not Enough to Beat Inflation U.S. Hikes Fee To Renounce Citizenship By 422% U.S. Consumer Spending Falls for First Time in Six Months Survey: Americans’ Pessimism on Economy Has Grown – I believe this highlights the difference between the “recovery” for Main Street vs. Wall Street and those with lots of money in the market

Economy in Severe Trouble-John Williams. – B.B. o o o West Virginia Unprepared For Future Without Coal. – J.S. o o o Two experts warn correction could total 60%. – J.W. o o o Is China disguising itself as Belgium to buy US government bonds?. – CDV

The End of Money o o o Inflation o o o Staring Into the Great Abyss o o o Week Ahead: August Jobs Report Dominates Calendar o o o Surge In U.S. Oil Production Finally Reflected At Pump. – J.S.

How Many Warnings Can You Give? o o o Janet Yellen thinks social media is overvalued o o o Comex Gold Warehouses Filling Up…With Paper o o o A 5-digit Price for Gold Is Not That Far-fetched – Here’s Why o o o The Nail In The Petrodollar Coffin: Gazprom Begins Accepting Payment For Oil In Ruble, Yuan. B.B.

A day of reckoning has arrived to retiring Americans: 63 percent of Americans that start working by the age of 25 will be dependent on Social Security, relatives, or charity by the time they hit 65. o o o Real stock correction going to blindside us: Pro. M.V. o o o Are We Heading For Another Stock Bubble?. – CDV o o o A Fraud By Any Other Name Is Still A Fraud o o o Butter Prices Reach All-Time High Amid Smaller Stockpiles. – G.G.

Video: Two experts warn correction could total 60%. – B.B. o o o An Autumn storm brewing?  The stock market is now looking precariously over-valued; there are rumblings that the Federal Reserve may finally be ending ZIRP, and there are persistent rumors of potential “bail ins” of private bank accounts in the United States.  If you have been dawdling, then it is high time to get your financial ducks in a row, folks!  With spot silver presently below $19.60 per ounce, I consider it a strong BUY, but be sure to buy physical silver and keep it in your personal …

Unprecedented: Food Stamp Enrollments Top 45 Million 3 Years In a Row. – B.B. o o o The Nail In The Petrodollar Coffin: Gazprom Begins Accepting Payment For Oil In Ruble, Yuan. – J.W. o o o Tax Court Approves the IRS’s Taxation of Frequent Flyer Miles. – PLC o o o Russia Not Declaring All Gold Reserves To IMF?

We Seem To Have Forgotten About The Federal Reserve’s $4.4 Trillion Balance Sheet o o o Is America Becoming a Third World Country? o o o Paris in a panic: Hollande dissolves government again as minister hits out at cuts made ‘on German orders’. – CDV o o o Staring Into the Great Abyss