Market Melt-up Brings Volatility to Metals
By Chris Vermeulen.
Our recent analysis bases on a previous report of the potential for a further run in the US markets based on a number of technical and fundamental factors leads to the question of “what could happen with Gold [...]
The World’s Most – And Least – Miserable Countries in 2016
By Steve Hanke.
In what follows, I update my annual Misery Index calculations. A Misery Index was first constructed by economist Art Okun as a way to provide President Lyndon Johnson with a snapshot of the economy.
The original Misery [...]
Massive VIX Warning for all Traders
By Chris Vermeulen.
My analysis of the recent VIX action is clearly warning of a potentially massive price volatility increase in the US and global markets. Many traders use and trade the VIX as a measurement of volatility. The VIX is a [...]
Obama Leaves, Hope Arrives, Will Stupid Stay?
By Barry Ferguson.
Obama’s presidential term will mercifully expire on 1/19/17. Hallelujah! He can quickly descend to his correct historical position as the second worst leader in american history beside the 28th president, Woodrow [...]
Five Events that Will Drive the Capital Markets in the Week Ahead
Marc Chandler.
Like many, we recognize that political factors may overshadow macroeconomic drivers in shaping the investment climate in the period ahead. We suspect this will be very much the case in the coming days It is not [...]
Some recent economic developments in Japan
By David Andolfatto.
Most economic commentators seem to agree that the Japanese economy has been languishing for a very long time. What is it about Japan that gives this impression? In this post, I suggest that while Japan certainly has [...]
The Better Way: Backing into Smoot-Hawley and Repeating the Flaws of PPP
By Marc Chandler.
While hearings on US President-elect Trump’s nominees will begin this week, the Republicans are preparing dramatic changes in taxes. In this note, we will look closely at one element of the proposed tax [...]
Two Minimum Wage Charts for Andy Puzder
Donald Trump has tabbed Andy Puzder to lead the Department of Labor. Puzder is the CEO of CKE, the restaurant outfit (read: Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.). CKE, thanks to Puzder saving it from the bankruptcy hammer, employs 75,000 workers (read: [...]
The Scandal of Vast Inequality in Retirement Pay
By Lawrence Wittner.
Cato the Elder, a Roman senator and historian, once remarked: “Cessation of work is not accompanied by cessation of expenses.” For centuries, retirees have been aware of this unfortunate fact, which [...]
What Dismantling Dodd-Frank Can Do
By Peter J. Wallison.
The market bump from Donald Trump’s win is peanuts compared with what regulatory relief can bring.
The sharp rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average after Donald Trump’s election could be short-lived, but based on [...]
USGS Estimates 20 Billion Barrels Of Oil In Texas
The Daily Journalist.
The largest estimate of continuous oil that USGS has ever assessed in the United States is worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
The Wolfcamp shale in the Midland Basin portion of Texas’ Permian Basin [...]
Venezuela Enters the Record Book, Officially Hyperinflates
By Steve Hanke.
Venezuela’s inflation has officially become the 57th official, verified episode of hyperinflation and been added to the Hanke-Krus World Hyperinflation Table, which is printed in the authoritative Routledge Handbook [...]
A Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Background Check
By Peter J. Wallison.
President-elect Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said on Wednesday that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be “privatized.” This comment sent their share prices soaring, [...]
Mass Migration and Bank Weakness Threaten The Italian Economy
By Jeff Berwick.
In the wake of the Italian referendum results and Matteo Renzi’s subsequent resignation, the level of uncertainty in Italy continues to grow both inside the country and among foreign investors.
As many expected, [...]
Public Infrastructure — Welcome to the World of Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
By Steve Hanke.
Economic policy is subject to fads and fashions. The most recent economic-policy fad is public infrastructure. Its advocates include progressives on the “left” — like President Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie [...]
Why Trump’s Policies Will Probably Result in a Trade War with China
By Steve H. Hanke.
The United States has recorded a trade deficit in each year since 1975. This is not surprising. After all, we spend more than we save, and this deficit is financed via a virtually unlimited U.S. line of credit [...]
Italy: The Biggest Elephant Jeopardizing Europe and the Euro
By Jeff Berwick.
Not just the euro, but the entire European Union may be in jeopardy next week when the Italians vote on a constitutional referendum initiated by Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi.
What a Jubilee year it has [...]
Trump’s Financial Revolution!
By Chris Vermeulen.
A financial revolution is now taking place and I want to tell you the story. It has rather large implications for interest rates, the stock market, gold and real estate.
The only reasons for the DOW JONES [...]
Flattish Consolidation Hides Dollar Strength
By Marc Chandler.
The euro is trying to snap a ten-day losing streak. Its bounce today has stopped a little shy of the five-day moving average that is found near $1.0650. It has not traded above this short-term moving average [...]
The War On Cash Goes Nuclear In India, Australia and Across The World
By Jeff Berwick.
We are living in a world where paper fiat money is becoming a novelty.
In Australia, Citibank has just become the first to declare that it no longer will accept notes or coins. Only digital transactions. This follows [...]