Economy

When Bernanke announced back in 2009 that he saw "green shoots" in the U.S. economy, it was a green light for global investors to start dipping their toes back in the water. Gradually investors started feeling better about the world and as they felt better, they started taking on more risk. It was a shift in focus, away from the mandate of "return OF capital" back toward one of "return ON capital." So, what's in store for 2010? Will it be risk-aversion or risk-taking? Words: 794

Given the ongoing crisis surrounding the euro, the vulnerability of the British pound from a continued spread of sovereign debt concerns AND the catalyst for a weakening yen, I’m expecting the dollar to continue its upward path against major currencies both in the short-term and longer-term. Words: 738

“Unchecked greenback emissions will certainly cause the purchasing power of currency to melt.” says Warren Buffett. Words: 982 In the following edited excerpts from the original article* Cam Hui (www.questfunds.com) puts forth the case for both inflation and deflation by the likes of Richard Russell, Warren Buffett and Van Hoisington: The Case for Deflation 1. De-leveraging There are many analysts …

Those environmentalists motivated to support initiatives which contribute to the greater good of society but reluctant to subscribe unthinkingly to the political agenda of the warming movement, are routinely scoffed at and humiliated. Publicity demonizing carbon dioxide, especially the man made version, routinely convicts anyone who drives a gasoline-powered car, cooks his hamburgers on the barbeque, warms their living room with the cosy flames of the fireplace or cools their home with air conditioning using electricity generated by coal or natural gas. We are pronounced guilty of contributing to a looming genocide. The guilt we are made to feel, stemming from our apparent insensitivity and warped morality, is almost palpable. Words: 1148

A soaring gold price is a vote of "no confidence" in the central bank and the dollar [and]... reflect a growing restlessness with the increasing money supply, our budgetary and trade deficits, our unfunded liabilities, and the inability of Congress and the administration to reign in runaway spending. Words: 1911

With the immediacy of today’s NASDAQ close and the timeless power of a Greek tragedy, The Quants is at once a masterpiece of explanatory journalism, a gripping tale of ambition and hubris…and an ominous warning about Wall Street’s future. Words: 624

Periodically in history, the expansion of credit creates the illusion of prosperity which, regretfully, ends in the inevitable bust which seems to be the case today. The sheer magnitude of credit destruction occuring right now is depressionary. The return to growth will be a long and painful process. Words: 625

Presently, the federal government is increasing spending that in the end may actually retard economic activity, and is also proposing tax increases that will further restrain private sector growth. In other words, fiscal policy is executing a program that is 180 degrees opposite from what it should be to stimulate the economy. How is it possible to get an inflationary cocktail out of deflationary ingredients? Words: 1461

The only, truly accurate and profitable way to invest in the markets is to understand and quantify the markets differing personalities, which is what the rigorous study of market cycles does for you. Right now, for instance, although we are starting to see more negative news come to the forefront (as compared to the last nine or 10 months where the market was rallying), I can assure, the negative news you are hearing will pale in comparison to the news that will come out in the months ahead as the 40-month cycle for stocks turns down. Words: 1065

Niall Ferguson's book,The Ascent of Money, is an excellent, just-in-time guide to the history of finance and financial crisis in which he shows how promises and paper have lifted humans from subsistence farmers in Babylon to Masters of the Universe on Wall Street. Words: 975