Here are the latest items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on raising Tibetan Yaks. (See the Tangibles Investing section, near the end of this column.)
Precious Metals:
First, over at Seeking Alpha: Has Gold Found A Bottom?
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At MarketRealist: What Led to the Slump in Precious Metals on October 2?
Stocks:
Over at the leftist New York Post: Trump’s insane Dow Jones rally just keeps going. JWR’s Comment: President DJT’s rally is actually just a continuation of President BHO’s rally. This was all created by artificially low interest rates. This cannot go on forever without seeing a sharp correction.
Commodities:
U.S. Oil Rig Count Falls As Prices Falter
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Most ‘Competitive’ Oil In The World Befuddles Analysts
Forex:
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Bloomberg: USD/CHF Analysis
Economy and Finance:
Puerto Rico’s $74 Billion Burden Left It Helpless When Maria Hit
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Vanuatu Becomes First Nation to Accept Bitcoin in Exchange for Citizenship
Troubling Trends:
Over at the excellent Alt-Market site: Three Uncommon Signs That An Economic Collapse Could Happen Soon
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ILO: Global Unemployment Rises to More than 200 Million
Tangibles Investing (Yaks):
Preppers living on 20 or more acres north of the 40th Parallel or above 3,000 foot elevation should consider raising Tibetan Yaks. We started breeding yaks at our first ranch near Orofino, Idaho back in 1995. At that time they were still considered a rare breed in the United States. But there are now tens of thousands of them, and breeding stock is affordable. We bred a variety called ultra-wooly black yaks. Our senior cow named Yolie came from the Toronto zoo. But our bull, named Yukon Yak, came from a ranch in Wyoming. We gave all of our pure-bred calves “Y” names like Yasmin, Yetta, and Yolie.
We found yaks very easy to fence and manage, since they are smaller than Jersey cattle. They are very hardy and are thrifty grazers. Yak beef has the lowest cholesterol of any cattle breed. And Yak milk has unusually high butterfat content–making it very useful for making butter. Yaks do not moo. No, they grunt. Their under-wool can be brushed out and spun in to yarn. Oddly, yaks have purple tongues, like the Chow dog breed.
Crossbreeding
Yaks have one less pair of ribs than other cattle, but they cross-breed with all small cattle breeds quite well. The offspring of crossbreeding is fully fertile. For two years we did our crossbreeding with a Jersey cow. Our Yak bull was able to cover our Jersey cow quite readily. My late wife (“The Memsahib”) wrote the original Internet Yak FAQ. If there is SurvivalBlog reader interest, I can re-post it.
We’ve subsequently moved on to breeding other cattle, but we still highly recommend yaks for anyone living in northern or subalpine climate zones. I found a yak breeder in Colorado that has an informative web page: DelYaks. And the International Yak Association (IYAK) web site is also worth visiting.
Provisos:
SurvivalBlog and its Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. So please see our Provisos page for our detailed disclaimers.
News Tips:
Please send your economics and investing news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who particularly watch individual markets. And due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” investing news. We often “get the scoop” on economic and investing news that is probably ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!
Can yaks not handle hot weather?
The links between low interest rates and higher stock prices include (but are not limited to) the following: low rates drive individuals seeking income into dividend paying stocks, and these same low rates allow corporations to borrow cheaply and buy back their stock (Walmart just announced a $20 billion buyback). One further aspect of the link: historically, when the very short term federal funds rate exceeds the rate on the 10 year US treasury bond, the market has started a major downturn. We are not there yet, and it’s impossible to forecast the Fed’s projected rate increases, but the general feeling now is that we will be there by late 2019. We could have two more years of a generally rising market. This is not a prediction — i’m trying to be analytical and not be swayed by the rising tide of OMG I see online.
Doc Strange:
I would add a tidbit from my banker friend. I asked him “Are real estate prices bubble or debasement?” He says both. Guesses that one third is due to debasement. So … I have to go there “Don’t run and hide in de basement just make it comfy to you are prepared. Interestingly enough he also blamed government action (zoning, building departments and bank regs) for a reduced supply as a cause for the bubble. The other third was froth.
Affordable starter houses and rentals are being demolished(with federal community development block grant money) with no viable redevelopment plans for the empty lots and a shortage of affordable housing. Local officals likely want Mcmansions on city lots(lots of tax money).
Heard someone’s rooster today, the backyard chicken movement has come to my neighborhood.
I had been considering raising American Bison, while my wife has been pushing for Scottish Highland Cattle… but I’d like to hear more about these Yaks.
Yes, please repost the Yak article.