Barclays Capital has done the math on what the events in the past several days reveal for Italy and the math is not pretty. The conclusion is that “Italy is now mathematically beyond point of no return.” Words: 583
For decades, the governments of the western world have been warned that they were getting into way too much debt. For decades, the major banks and the big financial institutions were warned that they were becoming way too leveraged and were taking far too many risks. Well, nobody listened so now we get to watch a global financial nightmare play out in slow motion. Grab some popcorn and get ready. It is going to be quite a show. [Let me explain.] Words: 1075
The debt ceiling must be raised and not be held hostage by budget negotiations… [If Washington does not] bond and currency vigilantes will make them pay. [Let me count the ways.] Words: 603
Our empirical research ( Growth in a Time of Debt) on the history of financial crises and the relationship between growth and public liabilities shows that burdens above 90% are associated with 1% lower median growth – and the United States’ debt level is currently hovering around 90% on a gross basis and 60% netting out assets. Politicians like to argue that their country will expand its way out of debt but our historical research suggests that growth alone is rarely enough to achieve that…[given] the debt levels we are experiencing today…[As such,] we need to be cautious about surrendering to the “this-time-is-different” syndrome and decreeing that surging government debt isn’t as significant a problem in the present as it was in the past. [Let us explain why.] Words: 1175
German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once said that “all truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed, then it encounters strong opposition and finally it is considered to have always been obvious”. [We are now entering stage three where the eventual bankruptcy of nations is becoming obvious to all. Let's review the situation.] Words: 1091
No wishful thinking here! As I see it gold is going to a parabolic top of $10,000 by 2012 for very good reasons – sovereign debt defaults, bankruptcies of “too big to fail” banks and other financial entities, currency inflation and devaluations – which will all contribute to rampant price inflation. Words: 1111
The economic outlook for most major economies has deteriorated rapidly meaning we’ll almost certainly see more shocks in the financial markets. Given the nature of the current economic crisis — one defined by unsustainable debt — history suggests those shocks [could] come in the form of sovereign debt defaults and currency devaluations. This possibility has increased the specter of risk for every region of the world and dampened investment returns for the entire global economy. [What should we do?] Words: 631
My first reaction when I read an article* on this site by Arnold Bock – articulating why gold would go to $10,000 – by 2012 no less – was amazement. Who in their right mind would suggest that gold would eventually reach $2,500, let alone $5,000 or even $10,000? Words: 2097
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