Once the bearish ball got rolling last week, it got rolling in spades. In retrospect, however, the pullback makes sense in terms of when, where, and why. The S&P 500 (SPX) (SPY) as well as the NASDAQ Composite (COMP) both bumped into major technical ceilings, and right on cue, began a retreat that likely isn’t…
1 – Looking at the markets for Monday, the Durable Goods Orders number coming out of the United States is probably the biggest announcement that will move the markets and therefore have people pain attention to the US stock markets as well as the US dollar itself. Having said that, we believe that the US stock markets…
With the U.S. economy expanding at a steady clip in the second half and bond yields affably low despite the looming Fed meeting and the prospect of interest rate hike, REITs – known for their high dividend yields – look to be one of the most promising sectors. While this rate-sensitive corner of the investing…
A very serious issue in banking has arisen that bears watching for what our model has been warning is that the bankers are losing control of government and are becoming their target. While the likelihood of this new legislation targeting the bankers getting out of the Senate and over the the House may not be…
For those who are speculating on the dollar—i.e. most people—there was good news this week. The dollar rose almost a milligram, to 28.3mg gold. That’s a big gain, and welcome news for those who keep all of their eggs in the one dollar basket, perhaps because they don’t want to risk any of it on pet…
The crash in Chinese stocks continued today following a respite last week. Shares on the Shanghai index plunged 8.48%, the Biggest One-Day Plunge Since February 2007. The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell 8.6 percent, to 3,818.73, while the Shanghai Composite Index SSEC lost 8.5 percent, to 3,725.56 points. The…
Forecasts of a strengthening UK economy were dealt a noteworthy blow on Thursday after the release of weak sales data, and forced the pound to record losses. The UK retail sales data report for June, released on Thursday by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), revealed that the volume has declined by 0.2% in relation…
Last week saw all of the major markets close lower. In Europe over the course of the week, the FTSE was down by 2.9%, it closed at 6579.8; the Dax ended at 11347, down by 2.8% on last week’s close; the CAC was down by 0.96% to end the session at 5075.4. The Dow ended…
As a general principle, I’ve always tended to avoid entrusting others with my money. I’ve avoided funds, as they are often based upon investments that are peaking or close to peaking. I’ve avoided pension funds, as they’re often structured in a similar manner. And whenever by law I’ve been required to be invested in such…
Seven years ago, the American homeownership “dream” was shattered when a housing bubble built on a decisively shaky foundation burst in spectacular fashion, bringing Wall Street and Main Street to their knees. In the blink of an eye, the seemingly inexorable rise in the American home-ownership rate abruptly reversed course, and by 2014, two decades…
