Economics and Investing:

Wall Street Bullish On Oil Prices Despite Saudi Warnings

JWR’s Comment: This might be a good time to top off your stored gas, diesel, and home heating oil tanks!

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Physical precious metals demand is down, in part because of complacency caused by Donald Trump’s election. Another factor is the anticipation of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve banking cartel. (This has direct correlation to the futures and spot markets.) My advice: Hold for the long term and continue to buy on the dips. Do not be complacent! The Fed could pull the rug out from under the economy anytime they choose to do so. Maintain a hedge position in precious metals, primarily silver. And remember that your core holding is intended as a long term “hold” for barter, rather than as an in-and-out market timing investment. – JWR

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Venezuela has a bread shortage. The government has decided bakers are the problem.

JWR’s Comment: The socialist government of Venezuela is now so incredibly self-destructive to their nation’s economy that the situation can now only be described as a Death Spiral. It is one of those situations where “Things are going to have to get a lot worse before they get better.” This is because a collapse will probably be a prerequisite to a change of government. Despots do not leave their posts voluntarily.

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Video Commentary: Two Bubbles Ahead. “The beginning and end of bull markets are the easiest setups to make big money very quickly. The stock market is entering the bubble phase that will conclude its bull market. The bubble phase in the gold market will not begin until gold breaks out above the $1900 level.”

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Steve Eisman: Smart, Lucky, Abrasive & Now One Of Them Excerpt: “There were over 8,000 banks in the US and it was only 10 or 20 who almost destroyed the world. They should have paid the price for their criminality and recklessness. Their executives should have gone to jail. Not one did.”

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A harbinger of things to come? American Patriot Bank Merges With Apex To Avoid FDIC Ownership – According to one stockholder, stock in American Patriot Bank lost all value with the merger. – Link sent in by reader G.G.

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