Economic Overviews

Canadian households are heavily leveraged and with their level of debt in proportion to income now hovering at record levels, they are vulnerable to a range of economic shocks that could create a financial crisis. I am of the opinion, however, that the range of variables at play discussed in this article would mitigate any possibility of a meltdown of Canada's financial system. Let me explain.

The American middle class, long the most affluent in the world, has lost that distinction - to Canada, no less!

We are confronted with so much information through the media and the internet that finding and processing relevant information has become quite a challenge. To remedy the situation, in part, below is an infographic that illustrates the most important facts and figures about the U. S. economy. Take a look.

Our economic situation is vastly misunderstood and the future adverse consequences of this misunderstanding can not be understated. To highlight the tenuous situation I present below 10 charts on the economy that highlight the "atypical" nature of our economic situation a full 73 months after the official June 2009 end of the recession. To say there is much “on the line” here would be a complete understatement.

The government needed a safe place for Chinese people to put their savings to work but the stock market turned out not to be that safe. Now the government may have to hold off on some painful reforms to keep confidence and consumption up and cash flowing through the economy and provide more time for China's 3 bubbles to pop to the country's detriment.

Looking at hard data from the bond market can help with the assessment of recession probabilities. So what is the current Treasury yield spread suggesting is the probability of a recession this year?

Chilling references to a potential (likely) financial crisis in Canada keep cropping up in official statistical data releases. First it was concerns about the housing bubble there and the high level of personal debt to income, now it's about how hard manufacturing is getting hit there in spite of the loonie (Canadian dollar) dropping 17% against the US dollar in the past 15 months. It really begs the question "Oh Canada, Are You Prepared For What's Coming?"

This isn't the time to listen to those leading politicians, economists and pundits who say we're not in a bubble and we're finally seeing a sustainable recovery. We're not. Central banks can't keep this bubble going forever... [Instead,] you need to prepare for another across-the-board bubble burst and the deepest downturn since the Great Depression, with deflation, not inflation, and this time, in spite of what others such as Jeff Clark might tell you, Gold will not be your defense, it will be your downfall. Here's why.

Every year the World Economic Forum surveys 900 global experts as to the global risks that could most likely disrupt global economic activity. Over the course of the last year risks such as state collapse or crisis, interstate conflict, terrorist attacks, and weapons of mass destruction have all soared.

When the Fed eventually raises interest rates it will likely usher in an unprecedented era of financial market instability and accelerated economic decline, and consequently, heightened social unrest, geopolitical instability, and a host of other nasty events