Category: Economics & Investing

Regular contributor GG flagged this piece from Zero Hedge: Fannie Mae Seriously Delinquent Rate Hockeysticks to 4.45% From 1.57% In Prior Year M.M. in Utah suggested this piece by Eric Sprott and David Franklin in Markets at a Glance: Dead Government Walking Karen H. sent this: Profit ‘Not Satanic,” Barclays Says Also from Karen H.: ADP says U.S. Companies Cut an Estimated 203,000 Jobs in October Items from The Economatrix: Gold Extends Record High on India Purchase US Service Industry Expands Less than Forecast Rogers Says Roubini is Wrong US Home Price Slide to Continue to Mid-2010 [JWR’s Comment: Gee, …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson pointed us to some commentary by Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal that sheds some light on attitudes about the current recession: We’re Governed by Callous Children. GG flagged this: Junk bond revival stokes credit bubble fears GG also sent us this troubling piece, from England: More quantitative easing is on the way – and that’s a good thing. The UK government considers debt monetization a good thing? Watch out! Items from The Economatrix: Oil Hovers Near $78 on Positive US Economic News World Markets Fall as US Recovery Doubts Linger Three …

SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: Number of Utah jobs created by federal stimulus ‘inflated’ GG was the first of several readers to mention a recent piece by economist Nouriel Roubini: Mother of all carry trades faces an inevitable bust Damon S. sent us this bit of gloomage: Small-Business Bankruptcy Filings Up 44% Year-over-year, Equifax Data Shows Items from The Economatrix: US Inflation to Appear Next in Food and Agriculture. Here is a quote from the article: “While most mainstream economists such as Nouriel Roubini are warning of deflationary threats to the U.S. economy, it is our …

HPD sent us this piece by Mish Shedlock: A Remarkable Comparison: Affordable Student Loans vs. Affordable Housing Mr. Smith recommended this BBC audio clip: Fed Advisor Warns of the Next Financial Crisis: Mass Inflation Chad S. flagged this: Geithner Says Commercial Real Estate Woes Won’t Spark Crisis GG sent this: CIT Board Approves Chapter 11 Filing; Government Infusion of $2.3 Billion at Risk Items from The Economatrix: The Next Currency to Crash: The Japanese Yen Think Tank: Graduate Unemployment to Soar China Warns of World Slump if Stimulus Withdrawn Stiglitz Says US Recession “Nowhere Near” End After GDP Jump US …

Jeff E. suggested this: Wilbur Ross Sees ‘Huge’ Commercial Real Estate Crash “FarmerGreen” mentioned: Harvard’s Bet on Interest Rate Rise Cost $500 Million to Exit. Even the best and brightest at Harvard lost a billion to get out of a derivatives contract that went south. Bruiser spotted this: California to Begin Holding More of Your Paycheck. Bruiser’s comment: “The lesson here is that if one needs a loan, just go out and take it from everyone who has a job. Like Commifornia is doing.” [JWR Adds: My favorite quote from the article: “The state is closing part of this year’s …

Chris in West Virginia was the first of several readers that mentioned Glenn Beck’s recent explanation of inflation, interest rates, and the history of destroyed currencies. It was a basic primer for the sheeple. I just wish he had taken a couple of minutes to explain the money multiplier effect of fractional reserve banking. Ehh! Probably too complicated for many television viewers to grasp. The latest from Dr. Housing Bubble: Option ARMs Enter the Eye of the Hurricane: The $189 Billion Recast Problem Targeted Directly at the California Housing Market. Of $189 Billion in Securitized Option ARMs $109 Billion in …

The credit derivatives plot thickens: New York Fed’s Secret Choice to Pay for Swaps Hits Taxpayers. (Thanks to David V. for the link.) Russia delays sale of 50 tons of gold. (A hat tip to Trey for the link, by way of MineWeb.) GG sent this: Stimulus jobs overstated by thousands SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted this New York Times piece: Hard Work, No Pay. It includes this memorable quote: “I am not unemployable. I have a master’s of fine arts and spent two years in the Peace Corps.” Mike’s comment: “Er…I thought that was the definition …

Tom B. and “Word” both sent us this: Tax refugees staging escape from New York. Tom B. described as “voting with their feet.” Julius suggested an amazing Summary of US Foreclosure Activity. Wow! One in every 23 homes in Nevada is in foreclosure! An interesting piece over at Housing Storm: Contradictions and Symptoms of the Great Depression Items from The Economatrix: GM Seen Posting Sales Again Stocks Turn Lower as New Home Sales Fall New Home Sales Fall a Surprising 3.6% Treasury, GMAC in Talks for Third Round of Aid Durable Goods Orders Rise 1% in September (Whoopee! Release the …

Treasury Sales Loom, but Demand Is There. $123 Billion Worth in One Week! Not to worry, they can always make it look like they all sold to non-puppet buyers. (Thanks to loyal content contributor GG for the link.) Brad C. found this Business Week article interesting: The U.S. Metros Least Touched by Recession. Brad’s comment: Note that none of the cities in the top ten are on the East or West Coast, and that they are all in “Fly Over” country. Once again, free states lead the way. JWR Adds: Also note the correlation with my Recommended Retreat Areas page. …

As I read the occasional letters and articles on SurvivalBlog about storing/using precious metals (PMs) during a TEOTWAWKI of whatever sort, I must conclude that every single writer is absolutely correct–and yet also mostly wrong. You might ask: How can everyone be right and wrong, simultaneously? It’s because most preppers seem to anticipate and plan fairly narrowly for the use of PMs. IMHO, if you’re taking such a narrow lane down the preparation highway, you’re not thinking big enough. Any situation following a currency collapse will be complicated by varying degrees of social disorder, economic breakdown, extreme paranoia among the …

Nouriel Roubini, One on One: More Doom and Gloom (Thanks to GG for the link.) GG also sent this: Morgan Stanley analyst: Deflation, Then Inflation. (Gee, where have I heard that before?) Jen H. forwarded this: Iceland says goodbye to the Big Mac The recent profit-taking in sliver (down $1 per ounce!) has created a dip that might be a good buying opportunity. Items from The Economatrix: “Fighting The Last War”: Proposed Wall St. Reforms Won’t Stop the Next Crisis Commercial Property Kingpin Capmark Files for Bankruptcy US Stocks Overvalued By 40% Ambrose Evans-Pritchard reports: Food Will Never be So …

Barry Ritholtz sets the record straight, (by way of a link at The Automatic Earth blog): Existing Home Sales FALL in September 2009. FG sent this: Detroit house auction flops for urban wasteland Jim Rogers Interview: Long Sugar, But Getting Short Bonds (Thanks to GG for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Derivatives Bill Amended to Let Big Banks Keep Some Contracts Secret Unemployment Getting Much Worse in 43 States The Gathering Storm in Commercial Real Estate How Uncle Sam is Killing Your Savings Jim Willie: Attack By Central Bank Lilliputians Obama Wants Banks to Lend More to Small Businesses …

Reader B.B. sent us the link to this “must hear” audio clip: Peter Schiff issues a Red Alert: “Get out of the US dollar”. Schiff warns: “This is what the Weimar Republic did, and we are going to have the same result.” Flavio liked this video clip of an an interview with Steve Forbes and Thomas E. Woods: Is Capitalism the Cause or the Solution to the Financial Crisis? This 28-minute video is well worth watching. GG suggested a piece by Carnegie Mellon University professor Allan Meltzer in the Wall Street Journal: The United States is headed toward a new …

Reader HPD mentioned this ominous news over at The Market Ticker: Possible Credit Dislocation: Be Warned From The Daily Bell: Dark pool trade limits to be reduced 95% in SEC plan Laura H. sent this: Democrats seek cover to boost debt limit Klaus sent this: China’s ‘Growth on Steroids’ Raises Danger of Renewed Slowdown [and Inflation!] Items from The Economatrix: Sept. Home Sales Rise 9.4%, Beat Forecasts Existing Home Sales Surge on Tax Credit Crude Rally Stalls, But Gasoline Prices Near Summer High UK Recession: Recovery Hopes Dashed as Economy Shrinks Again NY Delays $959 Million Payment to Pension Fund …