Category: Economics & Investing

Economics and Investing:

CMBS Loan Liquidations Hit Record $585M in December. (A hat tip to Flavio for the linkio.) Jeff P. suggested this Business Insider piece by Michael Snyder: 20 Reasons Why The U.S. Economy Is Dying And Is Simply Not Going To Recover And from Jeff B., news of further debasement of US coinage: Obama’s Proposed 2011 Budget Allows Coin Composition Changes. Do you have your stash of nickels yet? Items from The Economatrix: US Mortgage Sector Braced for End of Fed Help Initial Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly; Stock Futures Down, Dollar Up Portugal Warned Near Political Crisis Over Debt EU Meets …


Letter Re: Stockpiling Nickels was Easier than I Had Thought

Mr. Rawles, I took your advice of socking away nickels to heart. I wanted to start off with an ammo can for each member of my family. I figured why not go to the local bank where my wife has banked since 1993? I went in, filled out the withdrawal slip for $178 (one ammo can) and requested the payout in nickels. The teller then said that if I withdrew $200 instead he can give me two boxes that came from the Fed. They gave me the nickels but told me that they really only give rolled coins to their …


Economics and Investing:

Reader Dan D. recommended this piece by Simon Johnson: Europe Risks Another Global Depression Commentary from Bill Pesek: Biggest Bubble in History Is Growing Every Day. He’s anticipating big time currency inflation in east Asia. (Thanks to Auby for the link.) Mike H. recommend this essay by Doug McIntosh, posted over at Steve Quayle’s site: When the Gimmicks Fail Items from The Economatrix: Shell Downplays Prospect of Quick Recovery in Oil Demand Despite Profits Rebound The Bernanke Reappointment: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid Planned Layoffs Rise for First Time Since July Economic Report The Devaluation and Fight for Survival of …


Economics and Investing:

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson flagged this:mentioned this at Market Ticker: Derivative Fraud? Where Are OUR Cops? GG flagged this: What Every American Should Know About the National Debt Also from GG: Evercore CEO Altman: Obama’s Deficit Will Cause An International Currency Crisis In The Next Two Years Tim R. was the first of several readers to send this: It is Now Mathematically Impossible to Pay Off the U.S. National Debt Items from The Economatrix: Mortgage Rates Edge Up Slightly Moody’s Warns US of Credit Rating Fears Sovereign Debt Fears Rattle Investors Greek Debt Woes Spread to Portugal, …


Economics and Investing:

There has been a veritable torrent of bad economic news in the past few days. Here is just a sampling… Ponzi Scheme: The Federal Reserve Bought Approximately 80 Percent Of U.S. Treasury Securities Issued In 2009. (Thanks to Duane for the link.) George Gordon (“GG”) sent this: 20 Reasons Global Debt Time Bomb Explodes Soon Also from GG: Sprott: Gold to gain 30% in 2010, higher interest rates to hurt US economy and another from GG: Fears of ‘Lehman-style’ tsunami as crisis hits Spain and Portugal Chad S. forwarded this: North Korea’s economic moves bring new misery John G. liked …


Notes from JWR:

A curious thing happened yesterday (Thursday, February 4th). Both the stock markets and precious metals markets declined. Traditionally, they have moved in opposite directions, but we are living in curious times. I took advantage of the dip in metals and bought some more silver. (I hope that you do likewise, on dip days. I’ve mentioned that countless times in SurvivalBlog. Has it sunk in yet?) — Today we present another entry for Round 27 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day …


Economics and Investing:

From GG: Revelations of hidden Greek debt “last straw”. And here is a related news story: EU toughens demands on Greece Flavio sent this linkio: It’s Official: California Housing Production Reached New Low in 2009. Down 83% from the 2004 peak! Pioneering blogger Hugh Hewitt says: We Are Headed For A Fiscal Stroke. (A tip of the hat to Damon for the link.) Chad S. flagged this: U.S. May Lose 824,000 Jobs as Employment Data Revised Items from The Economatrix: Note from JWR: Cheryl (aka The Economatrix) wrote me to mention that there is up to two feet of fresh …


Letter Re: Finding “Just a Little Piece of Land”

Sir: Do you know of any good web sites that list where you can buy just an acre or so of land in the woods, where people wouldn’t expect you to actually live? I live right on the Florida/Georgia state line so there’s plenty of land around. However, parcels are typically sold in 50 acres or 100 acre chunks. Or [with a lot] they expect you to turn it into a house with a mailbox and all that. I just want some woods. My goal is to excavate for an underground storage shed, with small sleeping quarters. I’ll then gradually …


Economics and Investing:

George Gordon (“GG”) sent this news item: Largest-ever federal payroll to hit 2.15 million Also from GG comes this link to a Seeking Alpha piece: U.S. Economy: Don’t Worry, Prosperity Is Just Around the Corner Yet another from GG: Rising FHA default rate foreshadows a crush of foreclosures Reader JDD spotted this over at The Daily Beast: The Dollar’s Scary Decline Also from JDD: Obama’s Budget Has One Small, Missing Piece…. For $6.3 Trillion Dollars Items from The Economatrix: US January Auto Sales Rise Unemployment Rises in Most Metro Areas Roubini Sees “Very Dismal and Poor” US Growth Ahead Bernanke …


Economics and Investing:

I warned you, folks! Coin Composition Change Included in Obama’s 2011 Budget. Have you socked away your nickels yet? Do so before they start making them out of stainless steel! Gresham’s Law is still in force. (Thanks to CRD for the link.) Matt B. mentioned that the Geography of Recession interactive map has been updated. This is looking grim! The Other Jim R. forwarded us a link to this Zero Hedge piece: Brace Yourself for the Coming Gold Shortage GG sent this: White House to paint grim fiscal picture Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large) flagged this: Obama’s 2011 …


Economics and Investing:

George Gordon (“GG”) sent this: In Coke We Trust; Investors now view a default by the U.S. Treasury as more likely than a default by the Coca-Cola Company. Sue C. sent us this: It only gets worse this year for commercial real estate Kevin K. flagged this: Kalashnikov Gun Factory Offers Food in Place of Salaries. JWR’s Comment: If they don’t have cash to pay workers, then they probably don’t have cash to pay the food suppliers, either. I suspect that some barter is going on. (Which would make me very happy, if I were a local farmer.) Items from …


The Money Market Managers Unleashed–An End to the Road to Redemption

Last week, SurvivalBlog reader Noah C. sent me a link to piece by Dan Denninger: SEC Tightens Rules for Money Funds. Noah made this comment that amplified Denninger’s observations: “Here is the most interesting part: That a Money Market Fund’s Board of Directors can now ‘inform’ the SEC (instead of request) that they are suspending fund redemptions.” I also heard from our friend Darrin in Wyoming about same topic. He wrote: “A Wall Street Journal report mentioned that the SEC voted Wednesday (1/27/10) to allow money market fund managers to freeze redemptions, in an effort to ‘make your investments more …


Economics and Investing:

Price Tags are Merely Suggestions: Haggling is Back (Thanks to Damon for the link.) Bill R. flagged this news story: Swiss warn UBS bank could collapse From Jeff D.: Bailout Cop: U.S. May Face Another Financial Crisis J.S. spotted this: Bailouts created more risk in the system From George Gordon (“GG”): UK claims it will end debt monetization this week Items from The Economatrix: Roubini: Greece is Bankrupt Greek Crisis Shows Euro is Too Big to Fail Soros Warns Gold is Now the “Ultimate Bubble” Are You Ready for the Coming Obama Retirement Trap? Truckin’ for God and Country (more …


An Insider’s View of the Real Estate Train Wreck, by David Galland, The Casey Report

The first time I spoke with real estate entrepreneur Andy Miller was in late 2007, when I asked him to serve on the faculty of a Casey Research Summit. As John Mauldin, a former faculty member himself, knows, we’re very selective with our speakers. And there was no one in the nation I wanted more than Andy to address the critical topic of real estate. My interest in Andy was due to the fact that he has been singularly successful in pretty much all aspects of the real estate market, including financing and developing large projects – such as shopping …


Economics and Investing:

Mac Slavo gets is all right in this piece posted in the SHTFPlan blog: Wealth Preservation, Investing, and Prepping in 2010. (Thanks to G.S. in the State of Jefferson for the link.) Damon sent this: U.S. Economy Grows 5.7 Percent in Fourth Quarter of 2009. JWR Adds: They’re calling it a “recovery”? That is laughable. I call it nothing more that the effect of many hundreds of billions of dollars in short term stimulus. Keep in mind that this will effectively be paid for with money borrowed from my children’s generation. The current presidential administration has spent more than $3.5 …