Durable Goods Give Back
Today the Census Bureau announced that durable goods orders in January fell by -4%, the most in three years. Timothy R. Homan writes in Businessweek, “The expiration at the end of 2011 of a tax incentive allowing full depreciation on equipment purchases may have prompted a slowdown in investment at... Read the full story
Real Estate’s Rising Interest Rates
You might want to take another look at refinancing your home before interest rates go higher. Bailouts and fees may put an end to the record-low interest rates we’re seeing today. The warning signs are flashing. One closely watched metric is the spread, or difference, between what banks are charging... Read the full story
Video: Bears Take on the Bulls
Lakshman Achuthan, Chief Operations Officer of the Economic Cycle Research Institute David Rosenberg, Cheif Economist Gluskin Sheff Read More →
What We’re Reading 2-24-12
Pension gap spells trouble for muni bonds, Gillian Tett, Financial Times SEC May Ticket Speeding Traders, Scott Patterson and Andrew Ackerman, The Wall Street Journal Quitting while they’re behind, The Economist Why Obama’s corporate tax plan is a total bust, James Pethokoukis, The American Christie:... Read the full story
Currencies in Crisis, Oil Spiking: Time to Buy?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 have staged impressive rallies to begin 2012. As of this morning, the Dow was up more than 6% YTD. Improving economic data and a flood of global central bank liquidity have helped levitate stock prices. Volatility has also declined markedly in recent weeks... Read the full story
The Looming Threat to Gas Prices: Strait of Hormuz Explained
Poison Annuities on Your Retirement Fund Menu?
The Executive Office of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers wants you to buy annuities in your retirement account. The proposal, released this month, “Supporting Retirement for American Families,” should be titled “American Families Supporting Insurance Companies.” At the heart of... Read the full story
Outliving Your Money
In this 0%-interest-rate environment, public pensions like Rhode Island’s are using an assumed rate of return of 7.5%. If and when that estimate goes unmet, it’s up to taxpayers to make up the difference. It’s preposterous that public pensions are assuming a 7.5% rate of return. The only way they’ll... Read the full story
Coordinated Currency Devaluation: Time to Buy Gold
Not to be outdone by Europe or the U.S., the Bank of Japan announced yesterday that it would print an additional 10 trillion yen ($128 billion) to expand the size of its asset-purchase program. The BOJ’s decision comes on the heels of the European Central Bank’s December decision to massively expand... Read the full story
We Are All Subprime Now
Over the last 10 years (since year-end 2002), profligate spending in Washington has resulted in a staggering $6.9-trillion increase in debt held by the public. That’s $22,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. A family of four is looking at an $88,000 increase in their debt burden. How generous... Read the full story
