Recession Watch: Doom Spending And Frozen Real Estate
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 2:12 PM EDT
Not a portrait of a soft landing.
Articles
Construction’s Dirty Little Secret: They’re Short On Cash
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 3:00 AM EDT
Construction loans don’t get “paid off.” They get refinanced. The loan cycle moves from construction loans, to bridge loans, to permanent loans, which has several implications for jobs, and our credit-driven economy
Recession Watch: Spiking Layoffs
Sunday, January 14, 2024 4:36 AM EDT
Healthy economies have a natural background rate of hiring and firing, as employers adjust to changes in their environment. But when the firing part of the process starts to dominate, trouble frequently follows.
Three Emerging Themes For 2024
Saturday, January 13, 2024 4:20 AM EDT
What I feel more confident offering are themes that I think will emerge. If we're in the ballpark on some of these themes, it'll be possible to express them through our investments, business activities, and personal preparedness
In this article: BITCOMP
So... About Bitcoin
Friday, January 12, 2024 3:00 PM EDT
Bitcoin has already had a strong run in anticipation of the ETF launch, so it’s not clear how much short-term juice is left (buy the rumor, sell the news).
In this article: BITCOMP
The Corporate Profit Profit Squeeze
Monday, January 8, 2024 10:58 PM EDT
The past few years were — we were told — an emergency in which all had to sacrifice for the greater good.
Recession Watch: Slightly Lower Interest Rates Will Make Zero Difference
Wednesday, January 3, 2024 5:27 PM EDT
Consumers are tapped out and real estate is frozen.
Gold Is Now Definitely An Impulse Buy
Saturday, December 30, 2023 10:00 AM EDT
Recently, Costo began selling gold bars on its website. The bars were a big hit, generating revenues of $100 million in the most recent quarter. Now, Walmart has opened its own precious metals shop. Who's next?
“Just Take It”: America’s New Foreign Policy Slogan Exasperates De-Dollarization
Friday, December 29, 2023 2:00 PM EDT
If there is anything more important to the value and dignity of a person, a nation even, it is private property. Yet, this form of stealing, akin to violence, is slowly becoming America’s new foreign policy slogan.
Sea Planes And Safe Landings In 2024
Thursday, December 28, 2023 1:15 AM EDT
Unfortunately, financial industry jobs this past year have had more up-and-down movement than wanted. According to the Financial Times, employment in twenty of the world’s largest banks cut a total of 61,905 jobs.
Could The Entire Banking System Come Tumbling Down?
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 5:18 PM EDT
The US banking system is teetering and tottering. Why?
Mark Jeftovic: The Fed Is Afraid… Of Something
Friday, December 22, 2023 4:00 PM EDT
Typically the Fed tries not to rock the boat in an election year, and this time out the boat is balanced atop a razor:
In Costco We Trust: Reads The Room Then Sells $100m In Gold Bars Online
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 2:29 AM EDT
Costco sells $100m in gold bars in the most recent quarter. Among all the products Costco could have chosen, what made them decide to purchase about $100M worth of gold bars and then put them online?
In this article: COST
Weekly Portfolio Update - Sunday, Dec. 17
Sunday, December 17, 2023 8:12 PM EDT
"It would be premature to conclude with confidence that we have achieved a sufficiently restrictive stance, or to speculate on when policy might ease.” - Powell
“Unprecedented” Savings And The Magnificent Seven’s Unsustainable Boom
Friday, December 15, 2023 10:36 PM EDT
Seven stocks cannot fool an entire economy, and their grandeur can only last as long as the noonday sun in a spaghetti western. The “Magnificent Seven” does offer something, but not everything.
