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Commentary on a Mixed Up and Sometimes Backward World

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Entries Tagged as 'Commodities'

The “Correction” Has Arrived

July 7th, 2009 · No Comments · Bonds, Commodities, Economy, Global Economy, Stock Market, Technical Analysis

It is no news that the market has ceased to follow its apparently unrelenting advance. For the last month, it couldn’t get above 950 on the S&P. It bounced around between 950 and 930. Commentators that I follow became increasingly cautious about the market, warning that a downturn seemed likely. When the S&P broke below [...]

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Why I’m Discouraged

July 1st, 2009 · 1 Comment · Bailout, Banks, Commodities, Corporate Power, Debt, Economy, Federal Reserve, Financial, Global Economy, Obama, Policy, Politics, Stock Market, Treasury, Wall Street

I’ve been discouraged for some time by Obama’s apparent reliance for advice on two of the architects of the transfer of wealth and power to the mega investment banks. Larry Summers, who is the economic adviser on whom Obama relies most heavily, led the push for repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in the Clinton Administration. [...]

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Marc Faber Ahead of the Curve

June 15th, 2009 · No Comments · Commodities, Currency, Global Economy, Stock Market

Over the weekend, I read a commentary of Marc Faber made on June 9, the previous Monday. As the market has dropped precipitously this morning, it seems that once again Mr. Faber has given advice that would have been well to see and heed. Though I knew in general Mr. Faber’s advice, I have been [...]

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Marc Faber’s Current Outlook — "In Gold I Trust, But … .."

March 1st, 2009 · 1 Comment · Commodities, Debt, Dollar, Economics, Federal Reserve, Financial, Global Economy, Gold, Interest rates, Policy, Stock Market, Technical Analysis, Wall Street

For those who are impressed by Marc Faber’s record of being right much more often than wrong, his current outlook will be eagerly received. As usual, his views run contrary to the conventional wisdom, and in some instances even contrary to some of his own recent views — especially with respect to the present desirability [...]

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Amongst the Gloom, a Bit of Good Economic News on Global Trade

February 5th, 2009 · No Comments · Commodities, Economics, Global Economy

Eurointelligence provided a link to the following article in the Financial Times:
Baltic Dry index up on signs of recovery
By Javier Blas
Published: February 4 2009 11:17 | Last updated: February 4 2009 11:17
The Baltic Dry index benchmark for freight costs for dry bulk commodities such as iron ore, coal and iron rose almost 15 per cent, [...]

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Marc Faber on the Financial Outlook

February 2nd, 2009 · No Comments · Bailout, Commodities, Debt, Economics, Financial, Global Economy, Nationalization, Policy, Stock Market

Marc Faber is one of the world’s almost mythical investors, one who has successfully negotiated the currents of the world’s financial markets for many decades. I have only been reading his comments for perhaps the last five years (in Barron’s Roundtables and, more recently, in his proprietary newsletter). In this period, he has constantly decried [...]

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Perfect Foresight Is Worth More than Perfect Hindsight

January 23rd, 2009 · 2 Comments · Commodities, Debt, Economics, Financial, Global Economy, Interest rates, Stock Market

Lots of learned commentators are now explaining to us what has happened to the global financial markets. These commentators are making various predictions about what the future holds — and many who were dead wrong before the fact are cautiously to strongly optimistic.
Better to listen to those who had it right ahead of time. One [...]

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The Mainstream Is Catching Up with the Downside

January 23rd, 2009 · No Comments · Commodities, Debt, Economics, Financial, Global Economy, Interest rates, Policy, Stock Market

In my Investment Outlook for 2009, I detailed the many downside risks confronting the economy, and by implication, the stock market. In particular, I emphasized that astute observers were saying that the Chinese economy was worse than generally acknowledged. Bloomberg, a leading financial media outlet, has now publicized the views of two of these observers [...]

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How Bad is the Chinese Economy?

January 11th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Commodities, Global Economy, Stock Market

I commonly see estimates for 2008 Chinese growth of 6% to 8% expansion. This would be a substantial reduction from prior years, but still a big positive force in the world economy. Recent news from China suggests, though, that the contraction is sharper and stronger than that reflected in the general growth forecasts.

In the [...]

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The Most Believable Investment Advice I’ve Seen in a Long Time

December 19th, 2008 · 2 Comments · Commodities, Economics, Financial, Stock Market

Gary Shilling is both an economist and investment advisor. He was right in 13 out of 13 predictions last January! This is amazing considering how just about everyone was wrong both in outlook and in detailed investment advice. Here are his January 2008 predictions:

1. Sell or sell short homebuilder stocks and bonds.
2. If you [...]

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