Thursday, March 07, 2019
How the New “Green Deal” Has Already Worked / Politics / Environmental Issues
By: Rodney_Johnson
If you have assets, income, or both, then you are responsible for every bad thing that has happened in the U.S. But don’t worry! The Green New Deal, co-sponsored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey, will give you a chance to fix it.All you have to do is sign over, well, everything to the central government, which will then use its wisdom to determine how we should live for the foreseeable future so that all outcomes are equalized and no one is left behind.
Good-paying jobs? Check.
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Thursday, March 07, 2019
KIND Elevates Nut Butter Category with a Wholesome Recipe / Personal_Finance / Health and Fitness
By: Stefan Paulo
NEW YORK (March 6, 2019) – For the first time in its 15-year tradition of redefining and bettering snacking categories, KIND Healthy Snacks (KIND) entered the nut butter segment by releasing KIND® Nut Butter Filled Snack Bars.
“Since day one, KIND has been committed to upholding its brand promise -- to create innovative, premium foods that are both healthy and tasty,” says KIND’s CEO and Founder, Daniel Lubetzky. “KIND Nut Butter Filled Snack Bars continue that promise.”
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Brexit Does Not Stop Bitcoin’s Growth in the UK / Currencies / Bitcoin
By: Submissions
The only thing that is certain in the UK right now is uncertainty, and this is causing fluctuations in the stock markets, as the British public awaits the ‘deal or no deal’ Brexit outcome with bated breath.
Despite the tumultuous and unprecedented period of change we are in, the value of cryptocurrency has not stopped growing. From Bitcoin to Ethereum and countless other cryptocurrencies that are now available (well over 1,000, and new ones being created all the time) the cryptocurrency market continues to grow, comparatively unhindered by current ructions in the Eurozone.
While many businesses keep their powder dry and await the Brexit outcome, cryptocurrency and blockchain start-ups achieved record breaking growth in 2018. The UK is currently dominating growth in tech start-ups across Europe, with £2.29 billion in total venture capital, exceeding that of Germany, which had £1.38 billion, and France, which had £1.03 billion.
Thursday, March 07, 2019
How Private Sector Debt Bubble Could Trigger the Next Financial Crisis / Interest-Rates / Financial Crisis 2019
By: MoneyMetals
The $22 trillion official national debt is a much discussed problem, even as politicians exhibit zero motivation to do anything about it. But as big an economic overhang as it is, government debt isn’t likely to trigger the next financial crisis.
Yes, servicing the growing federal debt bubble will depress GDP growth, cause the value of the dollar to drop, and raise inflation risks. But the bubble itself won’t necessarily burst – not anytime soon.
As long as politicians face no political consequences for deficit spending, and as long as the Federal Reserve keeps the Treasury bond market propped up… then many more trillions can be added to the national debt.
Thursday, March 07, 2019
A Plenty of Exciting Market Action in the Currencies Arena / Currencies / Forex Trading
By: Nadia_Simmons
What an interesting day it’s today. After yesterday’s brief moment of serenity, many currency pairs are on the move now. Where to look first? Is it the euro? The action looks great and builds on our assumptions surely to your delight. Or are you more happy about today’s move in the Australian dollar? It’s such a pleasant sound to hear the cashiers’ bell ringing… Wait, we have more for you. What about opening a new promising position right now? Let’s dive in for all the details.
Thursday, March 07, 2019
What Commodities and Transportation Stocks Telling Us - Part2 / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Chris_Vermeulen
In Part I of this report we talked about and showed you what commodities and transports where doing in relation to each other. Here in Part II, we show you in detail what we expect to take place.
This final chart highlights our Custom Smart Cash Index (in BLUE) as well as the CBOE Commodity Index pricing levels (in RED). This data goes all the way back to 2012 and highlights a number of key pricing rotations. First, we can see that Commodities have been decreasing in total value from 2012 till mid-2017. We can also identify a key support level that was established in the Commodities Index near the beginning of 2016 – coinciding just a month or so before the bottom in the Smart Cash Index.
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Thursday, March 07, 2019
What Comes After a Trillion in Student Debt? / Interest-Rates / Student Finances
By: Jared_Dillian
Headline in Bloomberg the other day:“Millennials Are Facing $1 Trillion in Debt.”
A trillion always sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But while the absolute number is large, that is not the issue.
The issue is what makes up this millennial debt. It’s mostly student loans, and a staggeringly high amount of these loans are in delinquency.
And this is at the top of an economic expansion!
On a societal level, imagine what happens if the economy takes a wrong turn and these student loans—which are already 10% delinquent—go to 40% delinquent?
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Thursday, March 07, 2019
Dear Stocks Bull Market: Happy 10 Year Anniversary! / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Troy_Bombardia
It’s been almost 10 years since this bull market began. What an incredible run. Despite all the doom-and-gloom news reports, this bull market has been impressive. (And no, it’s not because of “evil government manipulation”).
To put this into perspective, someone who bought at the top in 2007 would still have doubled their money (after including dividends reinvested).
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Thursday, March 07, 2019
The Importance of Financial Planning for Companies / Companies / SME
By: Submissions
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
US Presidential Cycle and Stock Market Trend 2019 / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Nadeem_Walayat
The US Presidential cycle pattern has proved REMARKABLY ACCURATE in terms of flagging future stock market price action as an except from my last in depth look at stocks illustrates:
Dow Stock Market Trend Forecast 2018
The basic pattern for the US Presidential cycle is for a strong election year and post election year, followed by weak Mid-term then a strong pre-election year.
The trend to date is clearly continuing to prove remarkably inline with the US presidential cycle. Which does not bode well for the remainder of the 2018 i.e. implies stocks are going to remain stuck in this trading range for the WHOLE of 2018! Which is one of the reasons why I was bearish for the prospects for the stock market at the start of the year.
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Gold and Gold Stocks Stop Short of Bull Market, Again / Commodities / Gold & Silver 2019
By: Jordan_Roy_Byrne
The recent rally showed quite a bit of promise.
Gold stocks surged past their long-term moving averages while breadth indicators surpassed all prior bear market peaks (excluding 2016). 71% of the HUI and 81% of GDXJ closed above the 200-day moving average.
GDX and GDXJ looked to be on their way to $25 and $37, with Gold approaching $1360/oz and those breadth figures on the way to hitting 90%.
However, the stock market rebound pushed past its initial resistance and precious metals reversed course yet again before hitting those targets.
Other than 1985-1987 there has never been a bull market in precious metals without their simultaneous outperformance of the stock market.
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Stock Market’s Rally Slowing Down. Expect a Surge in Volatility? / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Troy_Bombardia
The stock market’s nonstop rally is slowing down, with the S&P 500 below its 10 day moving average for the first time in 41 days. The short-medium term outlook is mixed right now, with neither bulls nor bears having a strong edge (although there is a slight short term bearish lean). Meanwhile, there’s a >50% probability that volatility will spike in the next few weeks.
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Stock Market Beware The Ides Of March / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Avi_Gilburt
While there is some religious significance in Roman culture, the Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC at a meeting of the Roman Senate.
At the time, a seer named Plutarch (some claim that the seer was named Spurinna) had warned that something would happen to Caesar by that date. For those that know their Shakespeare, on his way to the Theatre of Pompey, where he would be assassinated, Caesar supposedly passes the seer and joked “The Ideas of March are come,” implying that the prophecy had not been fulfilled, to which the seer replied “Aye, Caesar; but not gone.”
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Learn How to Organize Your Personal Finances Once and for All / Personal_Finance / Money Making
By: Submissions
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Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Gold and Stocks Bear Market Rallies: The Nascent Narcotic / Stock-Markets / Financial Markets 2019
By: The_Gold_Report
Sector expert Michael Ballanger reflects on the implications of recent market moves. The 2018-2019 bear market rally that we identified during the last week of 2018 via the 2019 Forecast Issue, entitled "2019: Mayhem, Misallocation and the Mockery of True Price Discovery," is now on record as one of the most ferocious rallies ever recorded, as short sellers are being carried out on stretchers and in body bags left, right and center. The youngsters out there who think their new and highly sophisticated analytical software will guide them through this minefield of intervention and deceit have obviously forgotten (or conveniently ignored) the immortal phrase from the lips of the legendary Marty Zweig, "Don't fight the tape and don't fight the Fed."
Earlier this month, I did fight the tape and the Fed by shorting the S&P 500 slightly beneath the 200-dma (daily moving average) at 2,738, placing the stop-loss at a 2-day close over 2,755. This resulted in a modest haircut of 23 S&P points and an ample serving of humility. I now have Marty's picture up on my wall right above the monitor to remind me that only in free markets can you use the old tools from preintervention eras.
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Warren Buffett’s Confusion & Disorientation about Gold / Commodities / Gold & Silver 2019
By: MoneyMetals
Warren Buffett’s famed annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders landed in the mail last week. Buffett has built a vast fortune investing in the shares of publicly traded companies. He has long been critical of gold. His most recent letter takes another swipe at the precious metal and implores readers to buy stocks instead.
Before his fans start dumping gold and calling their stock brokers, we thought it would be worth examining Buffett’s argument.
Buffett got started investing in 1942. He bought $114.75 worth of shares and says had that amount been invested in a no-fee S&P 500 Index Fund, the current value would be $606,811.
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
What Commodities and Transportation Stocks Are Telling Us / Stock-Markets / Stock Markets 2019
By: Chris_Vermeulen
Our ongoing efforts to dissect these markets and to help educated and inform traders has led us on an exploration path into the general market activities of two leading market indicators; Commodity prices and Transportation Prices. These two core elements of any regional or global economy are usually about 3~6 months ahead of the general markets. When viewing the Transportation Index, remember that transportation is key to any growing economy and a healthy economy. When an economy is doing well, the transportation sector will be busy shipping and delivering consumer product and staples as well as manufacturing equipment and supplies. When viewing the Commodity Index, remember the Supply and Demand equation where greater demand for commodities needed to manufacture, create, deliver or sell a product will drive prices higher as supply remains relatively constant, prices will increase.
Therefore, the theory of today’s research post is “are Transportation and Commodity prices telling us anything important about the future stock market valuations?”. Let’s get into the research.
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
China - A Critical Global Growth Engine, Despite Deceleration / Economics / China Economy
By: Dan_Steinbock
Despite U.S. trade wars, China will stick to its growth target and fiscal easing in the short-term, deleveraging in the medium-term and rebalancing in the long-term. That’s the message of Premier Li’s report.Released on Monday at the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Premier Li Keqian’s annual work report sets the general tone for the 2019 economic policies.
In 2019, China has set a lower, flexible economic growth target at the range of 6.0% to 6.5%, while raising its tolerance of fiscal deficit at 2.8% of GDP.
The point about the GDP growth target is not how much it will exceed 6%, but that it should not fall below that level. That’s vital to sustain the quest to double living standard by 2020.
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
America's 30 Blocks of Holes / Politics / Social Issues
By: James_Quinn
“If you have been voting for politicians who promise to give you goodies at someone else’s expense, then you have no right to complain when they take your money and give it to someone else, including themselves.” ― Thomas Sowell
“The fact that so many successful politicians are such shameless liars is not only a reflection on them, it is also a reflection on us. When the people want the impossible, only liars can satisfy.” ― Thomas Sowell
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Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Gold’s Upcoming Plunge: The Powerful Analogies, Confirmations and Reasoning / Commodities / Gold & Silver 2019
By: P_Radomski_CFA
Gold, silver and mining stocks plunged on Friday and the yellow metal closed the week below the $1,300 barrier. The gold-silver ratio soared once again and it all happened in tune with our expectations, and despite the recent dovish comments from the Fed. And – believe it or not – we have something much more important and exciting about the precious metals sector to tell you today.
Remember the analogy between 2012-2013 decline and the current situation in gold, silver, and mining stocks? We featured it in the previous year and the entire sector appeared to be declining in tune with it. The last few months of 2018, however, along with the initial part of this year, seemed to have entirely invalidated this analogy. But did they?
Over the weekend we dedicated a lot of time to analysis of the long-term charts and as we’re going to show you, it turns out that the analogy between 2012-2013 plunge and the current situation is definitely in place, but we had been earlier in the analogy than we originally thought. What we thought to be a decline similar to the late-2012 slide, was actually the smoothened version of the early-2012 decline. The most recent upswing is just like the mid-2012 upswing. And it seems to have ended.
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