Category: Economics & Investing

Economics and Investing:

Why You Should Be Paying Attention to America’s Quiet War on Cash – DSV o o o 5,300 Wells Fargo employees fired for creating over 2 million phony accounts – P.S. o o o Hanjin Bankruptcy: a Harbinger for the Global Economy? – B.B. o o o Hanjin Shipping’s Troubles Leave $14 Billion in Cargo Stranded at Sea o o o Are they serious? First picture of four-bed house that jobless couple with eight kids slammed council for offering – P.M. o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page …


Economics and Investing:

IRS Warns Against Keeping IRA Funds In Gold At Home – J.C. o o o Negative Interest Rates and the War on Cash (2) – H.L. o o o This One Chart Should Drive Investors Into Buying Gold & Silver o o o Worse Than the Depression: 1 in 6 Working Age Males Has No Job Under Obama – B.B. o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


A Plea to Those Still Dependant Upon the Banking System, by G.S.

Recently, I discovered the last local bank in the area is being bought by a bank with eight times more exposure to derivatives. As I attempted to explain the dangers of this increased exposure to my family one evening, I realized my father may have more than the current FDIC insured limit stashed in this one bank. In an attempt to make the case for him to at least spread out his savings, I have been researching the many reasons he should consider changing where his money is kept. I believe it is important for everyone to recognize the danger …


Economics and Investing:

When they say ‘hoarding’ instead of ‘saving’ you know you’re in trouble o o o Cash in a Box Catches On as Swiss Negative Rates Bite – G.G. o o o Items from Mr. Econocobas: Sorry Losers! how the Fed Screwed the Many to Benefit the Few – From the folks at Peak Prosperity, good read for sure Cash in a Box Catches On as Swiss Negative Rates Bite o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Economics and Investing:

10 Lessons From Venezuela’s Economic Collapse – J.C. o o o Obama Kept His Promise, 83,000 Coal Jobs Lost And 400 Mines Shuttered – DSV o o o Limited Spare Capacity Could Lead To An Oil Price Spike o o o Sorry, Krugman: Austerity Is Good for the Economy o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Economics and Investing:

The Fed may be preparing for the unthinkable — negative interest rates in America – B.B. o o o Global Recession? The Canadian Economy Shrinks At The Fastest Pace Since The Last Financial Crisis – H.L. o o o Bloomberg: Abolish Cash to Create a Freer Market. Excerpt: “Some Bloomberg editorials are stranger than others. This one is especially strange because it argues that banning cash will create a stronger, freer market.” – B.B. o o o Is Putin’s Support For An OPEC Freeze A Game Changer? – Oil prices bounced on Friday morning after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed …


Economics and Investing:

Conor Sen: Conditions Are Ripe for a Big-City Exodus o o o Which shipping company is next to fall? People should view this as a canary about the decline of the global economy. Hanjin Shipping bankruptcy unlikely to ease glut of ships – P.S. o o o OPEC Pumps Record Crude In August o o o Yet another example of consolidation of ownership at a local level. McDonald’s Is Pushing Out the Small Fries o o o The Ethics of Entrepreneurship and Profit o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our …


The First Steps of IRA Confiscation Have Arrived, by Will Lehr

There is approximately $17 trillion sitting in retirement accounts, 401ks, and pensions.  Sources of liquidity of such magnitude are certainly at risk in the face of the upcoming financial crisis.  The U.S. government, its central bank, and its entire financial and banking system are about to face a massive shortfall for cash.   In 2008 the bailout required via TARP was $700 billion, and estimates of backdoor easing and bailouts are in the tens of trillions, or more, not to mention the confirmed and admitted trillions in Federal Reserve off balance sheet transactions. This time the bubble is many multiples …


Letter Re: Banking Questions

Hugh, August proved to be an eye opening experience regarding “Big Brother” and the banking system. We recently sold our home in a large metro area to move to our own redoubt in an adjacent county. During the underwriting process for a mortgage, the banker asked which bank has the money we identified as savings? Our savings was in physical cash, however, the bank underwriters won’t accept this when applying for a mortgage. The mortgage originator instructed us to get the money in our checking account. We proceeded to deposit cash every few days for a month. A couple of …



August in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainseville Coins 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 August? Every August, most of Europe is off on summer vacation, as are a good number of Wall St traders. With far fewer trades per day, liquidity suffers. Orders that normally would not be big enough to move gold prices have a larger effect when fewer traders are participating. And …


Letter: Banking Questions

Sir: We only use our bank for a checking account to funnel our paychecks through and to pay bills. If banks go to negative interest rates or start confiscating accounts to cover their liabilities, what are we to do? Are we to switch to check cashing services and to money orders to pay bills? I am not seeing this addressed anywhere. HJL Comments: Right now, the negative interest rates mostly affect interbank deposits. However, many have already seen the effects of fees, which make your bank account essentially a negative interest bearing account. If your monthly fee for having an …


Economics and Investing:

16 Tests to Spot Fake Silver Coins – DSV o o o Deutsche Bank refuses clients’ demand for physical gold – E.S. o o o This may be another canary of a forthcoming, major economic slowdown. Ford Announces “Sales Plateau” After 8% Decline, Missing Estimates; Diving Further Into the ISM “Anomaly” – P.S. o o o How Millennials Could Bring The Oil Industry To Its Knees o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.


Economics and Investing:

There isn’t any new news here, other than a growing recognition of the forthcoming pension crisis at many levels (city, county, state, federal). Pension disappointment: National solutions to a global problem (Note: requires membership to view link.) – P.S. o o o Is Elon Musk Taking Advantage Of Solar City Investors? Elon Musk recently purchased $65 million of SolarCity debt, a decision that may disturb shareholders in SolarCity and Tesla, who see the investment as a warning sign. o o o Hanjin Shipping goes down. Global Supply Chains Paralyzed After World’s 7th Largest Container Shipper Files Bankruptcy, Assets Frozen – …


Economics and Investing:

Major Bank Official: Banks Are “Preparing for an Economic Nuclear Winter” – J.C. o o o When Are People Going To Figure It Out? It doesn’t matter what the Fed does, says Peter Schiff. o o o Norway Raids Sovereign Wealth Fund To Cover Government Expenses o o o Germans “Lose Faith In Banks”, Rush To Buy Safes o o o SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.