Economy

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Bernanke addressed the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress on The Economic Outlook [saying in a nutshell] "We clearly understand the game we are playing, but we are boxed in and have to stay with our current strategy. We hope for the best because we are out of options

When Congress and the Obama administration let a 2% payroll tax cut expire on January 1 as part of the fiscal cliff deal, economists predicted a consumer retreat, [but such has not been the case - at all. It seems that] soaring housing and stock market prices are likely putting Americans in the mood for spending - but where’s the money coming from?

The US Dollar is HOT so what gives? It rallied in 2012 and has gone nuclear in 2013. According to Morgan Stanley it's because of....

More economic fallacies than I have ever seen in my investing career are being passed off (and accepted) as profound, and more misbehavior is being tolerated - if not encouraged. Though I don't believe an apocalypse is imminent, below are a few extenuating factors that could lead to one if they [were all to] continue along the same ominous trajectory.

Whether you are an investor, concerned citizen or merely someone trying to understand the current economic situation, you should be worried. Watch this video to get an outstanding overview of what is occurring. It is probably the best short explanation as to why the end of this economic death spiral is so hard to call.

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These days any time anyone shorts the yen—or any currency with below average interest rates for that matter—it gets referred to by some strategist or equity investor as ‘the carry trade’ - but it is wrong. Below is a clear description of what a carry trade is - and isn't - and why it is so prevasively misunderstood. Words: 714

Out of control spending by a government is always the cause of hyperinflation. The debt ceiling had been the last remaining roadblock to unlimited federal government spending. By suspending the debt ceiling, the U.S. government has given itself a blank cheque, taking one giant leap down the road leading to the hyperinflation of the US dollar. Words: 632

Year-to-date, the dollar index, a trade weighted index comparing the U.S. dollar to a basket of six major currencies (Euro @ 57.6% weight, Japanese yen 13.6%, Pound sterling 11.9%, Canadian dollar 9.1%, Swedish krona 4.2% and Swiss franc 3.6%) is up 2.95% as of April 29, 2013 - but the U.S. Dollar Index is not the U.S. Dollar. To ascertain what may happen to the U.S. dollar, let’s look at the greenback from a couple of different angles

This month’s market intelligence infographic looks at the recent price of gold and relevant charts including real interest rates and technical analysis. We also look at changes in economic indicators, copper prices and financial trends.