Category: Economics & Investing

Federal Reserve has already started QE3, says investor Jim Rogers H.L. sent: Higher CAFE Standards: “There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch” A surprisingly good article, considering that it is coming from McNewspaper: Vanguard’s Jack Bogle: Financial ‘train wreck’ looms Steve F. recommended: Why Billionaire Frank Giustra Is Making A Massive Bet On Inflation Items from The Economatrix: Gasoline Rising to Holiday High as Storm Surge Presses Obama Consumer Confidence in U.S. Declines Most Since October The Three Frontrunners for Fed Chairman in Romney Administration (Hint:  It’s not Ben)

Chipotle Ends the Penny Before U.S. Mint Does. (Thanks to Gregg P. for the link.) Food prices jump will hit poor, World Bank warns. Global food prices have leapt by 10% in the month of July More Monetization: Debt crisis: ECB should launch ‘unlimited’ bond buying, says OECD. Somehow, I don’t think that a country buying their own bonds is what Bing Crosby had in mind. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Charlie McGrath:  Collapse, Civil Unrest are Unavoidable The “Euphoric” Economy and Why “They” Didn’t See it Coming Into The Meat Grinder:  A “Market Meltdown …

Jim W. recommended this over at International Man: After The Storm: The 11stages of an Economic Crash Also from Jim W.: Breakout Move in Silver Forecasting Global Hyper-Inflation. H.L. sent: The Biggest Reason Why California is Bankrupt Libertarian billionaire warns of ‘financial Armageddon’ after U.S. election Items from The Economatrix: Jim Rogers:  The Agriculture Industry Is Doomed Home Values Rise In U.S. For First Time Since 2010 Jack Mintz:  U.S. Worse Than Europe

Peter Schiff says Ron Paul was ignored and that an economic collapse is inevitable, regardless of who wins the presidential election. By way of our friend Remus at The Woodpile Report, a link to an eye-opening piece on the velocity of money by Mark McHugh: Shhhh…It’s Even Worse Than The Great Depression. (Warning: Includes some foul language.) H.L. sent: More Bad News Imminent: August US Auto Production Set To Plunge By Most In 16 Months I’m sure that many of you noticed that gold and silver ended the week with bang. Items from The Economatrix: Debt Crisis:  Italian Cash-For-Gold Shops …

G.G. flagged this frightening news: Study: States over $4 trillion in debt Items from The Economatrix: Yuan Tipped to Replace US Dollar, Euro in Southeast Asia Get Your Money Out of Morgan Stanley Fast Ron Hera:  We’re at 2008 Crash Levels Economic Crisis:  Riots, Food Raids, and the Collapse of Spain

Some elements in this piece by Monty Pelerin will sound familiar to SurvivalBlog readers: The Role of The Government in The Economic Crisis Zero effective policy and stalling QE3 – Why QE3 will have little financial impact if implemented. Deposits at US commercial banks quickly approaches $9 trillion. G.G. sent this: Household income is below recession levels, report says. Also from G.G.: Unilever sees ‘return to poverty’ in Europe Items from The Economatrix: Why We Are on the Brink of the Greatest Depression of all Time The Truth About Gasoline Price Volatility US Capital Goods Orders Decline Most Since November …

James, I’d like to respond to our friend who asked if refinancing from 5.2% down to 3.88% is a good idea. To answer that, consider what we just did. We refinanced our house from 4.5% down to 3.75% and borrowed a further $40,000, from equity. The result is that we still pay $100 less each month in mortgage payments. While we have more debt, now we also have more equity in the house in the form of $33,000 worth of solar panels and battery backup that we had installed. We also squared away most of our remaining important preparations and …

Analysts fear euro-zone capital flight might snowball. (Thanks to Jon M. for the link.) Why a Gold Crisis Looms? G.O. recommended this: Fed Up With the Euro? Start Your Own K.W. sent a link to some dubious predictions: Food prices continue upward. Given the recent jump in corn and other grain prices, I have serious doubts that we will see just a “2.3% to 3.5%” increase. Several good articles from ETF Daily: Our Economy Has Been Collapsing, It Continues To Collapse, and The Collapse Is Going To Accelerate Dramatically   Eric Sprott Cautions Investors To Fear The Financial System   …

Jim, Just a pondering I hoped you might be able to give me some insight on, I’m either to young or didn’t know it because we were too poor to notice, but I’ve never experienced a significant economic decline in my life.  My wife and I are both doctors and have borrowed heavily to set ourselves in a great place.  Right now we have no difficulty making the bill payments but should the banking/finance system collapse, will we still have to pay the bills; how do we pay the bills; and/or is there any hedge to anticipate how we’ll make …

Reader Rex S. suggested: Why You Always Want Physical Everything Sue C. sent: Republicans tease with gold standard, but idea seen full of bugs. [JWR’s Comment: The biggest “bug”–and the statists’ real objection to gold–is that a gold standard wouldn’t allow the government to spend beyond its means and create money out of thin air. G.G. flagged this: When a 401(k) Is Locked in the Freezer One way of looking at the current monetary paradigm: The Rot Runs Deep 1: The Federal Reserve Is a Parasitic Wealth Transfer Machine Items from The Economatrix: Nearly 1 In 5 Americans Have No …

Reader Lee M. sent this: Europe readies the printing press: Europe’s central bank appears to have created a path to implementing Fed-like easy-money policies. If so, it is a huge game-changer for Europe, and the world, as inflation fears come to the fore. Rex in Tennessee mentioned a piece by John Barnett over at The American Thinker: ‘Mountain Pride’ versus the Welfare State How does a Gawker spell hypocrite? Gawker and Bain and the Caymans. Report: Middle class will take years to reverse losses of last decade Items from The Economatrix: Top Investor Warns of “Financial Armageddon” as Soros Dumps …