Analysis Topic: Economic Trends Analysis
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.Tuesday, August 04, 2009
U.S. Federal Tax Revenues Suffer Biggest Drop Since Great Depression / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
Recession? What recession? This is a depression. No it's not the great depression, but this is no ordinary recession as measured by housing, jobs, the stock market, the CPI, auto sales, and now federal tax revenues.
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Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Frugality Trumps Quantitative Easing Money Printing / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
Once again, deflation has a firm grip on Japan. Symptoms include falling wages, rising unemployment, weakening consumer demand, and falling prices.
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Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Thoughts On The Recoveryless Economic Recovery / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
In response to Military vs. Non-Military Durable Goods in Pictures where I suggested the "bottom may be in", many people asked "how so?"
For example "They Stole My Country" writes:
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Is America Broke Part II, The Debt God / Economics / US Debt
"Because of the fractional reserve system, banks, as a
whole, can expand our money supply several times, by making
loans and investments." [1]
Abstract
The following paper is the second installment of the three part series: Is America Broke. The first article discussed the main issues of the financial crisis. It was suggested that the root cause of the systemic failure is the monetary system itself: paper fiat debt-money – Federal Reserve Notes or dollar bills.
Monday, August 03, 2009
U.S. Monetary Inflation as Budget Deficit $2 Trillion Higher than a Year Ago! / Economics / US Debt
According to the diligent statistical elves of Barron’s Market Lab, the amount of U.S. Treasury Gross Public Debt outstanding is $11.611 trillion. A year ago, according to the same elite statisticians, that value was $9.533 trillion. In one year, the true deficit of the U.S. government was therefore $2.0178 trillion. That, my fellow Gold bugs, is a true accomplishment! How does one spend Two Trillion Dollars more than one receives in a single year?
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Cash for Clunkers Plan, with Bread and Circuses in Pax Americana / Economics / Economic Stimulus
While I was on a bull/bear debate last week on CNBC Reports with Dennis Kneale, the host referred to our country as Pax Americana. The name was given in reference to the Pax Romana (an era of peace and prosperity enjoyed by the Romans in the first and second century AD). But, like the Roman empire of the second century, we have now resorted to our own version of Bread and Circuses in the form of massive deficit spending and currency devaluation. I can think of no better example than the “Cash for Clunkers” program sponsored by the Administration and Congress.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
The Recession Is OVER! ???? / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
So says the cover of Newsweek! The RECESSION IS OVER! I am so glad they know the future. Where were they in predicting the calamity that the majority of the world went through? The global recession has left few survivors. Home prices throughout most of the world have imploded. This economic recession has destroyed families and some are living in tent cities.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
U.S. GDP Contraction Slows, but the Road to Economic Recovery Will Be Rocky / Economics / Economic Recovery
Bob Blandeburgo writes: While the many of the world’s economies continue to look for signs of growth, the U.S. economy took a big step in the right the direction in the second quarter.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Why We Can't Avoid Rampant Inflation / Economics / Inflation
William Patalon III writes: Has the massive Obama stimulus plan put us on a collision course with virulent inflation?
It sure looks that way.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Defending Capitalism / Economics / Economic Theory
I recently got into an argument with a marketing executive of India's biggest mutual fund, Unit Trust of India. We were discussing the recent media coverage of the 'public' outrage over a new Indian TV show called 'Sach ka Samna', it is the Indian counterpart to the American show 'Moment of Truth'. I haven't seen the show but I did see the public condemnation hailed on Indian media. It didn't bother me that people were speaking out against the show, but it did bother me when I saw members of Government condemning the show as if whole families were being murdered. It is surprising that the one thing that offends the government happens to be the revelation of truth.1Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, August 03, 2009
Golden Umbrellas in an Economic Downpour / Economics / Gold & Silver 2009
Richard Daughty writes: I gotta admit that I am very jealous of Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, who is the international business editor of The Daily Telegraph, and who is famous and smart and probably makes a lot of money that he spends having fun with his many friends, while I am “none of the above” and pretty bitter about it, too.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Balkan-Style Inflation Is Coming to Us, Thanks to Our Masters / Economics / Inflation
Michael S. Rozeff writes: In 1963, Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz wrote "Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon." The thrust of this statement is that inflation is caused by unsound monetary arrangements – not by those who are raising prices or asking for higher wages, and not by oil speculators or by dealers in foreign exchange. This statement was made at a time when blame was being placed for inflation on groups in society.
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Monday, August 03, 2009
Developing Economies Lead the Way Out of Global Recession / Economics / Economic Recovery
Following the onset of the global credit crisis two years ago, it was generally believed that developing economies, particularly in Asia, would be better placed to weather the storm than some of the more advanced economies, such as the US and UK. It was reasoned that the export-orientated, savings-rich countries, with the support of China, faced little prospect of an external payments crisis and were one step removed from the bursting of the debt bubble created in western economies. De-coupling was the buzzword at that time. Yet, over the subsequent twelve to eighteen months, expectations that the developing world could distance itself from the global credit crisis faded amid a collapse in world trade.
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Sunday, August 02, 2009
Ben Bernanke Economic Forecasts Proven to be Incredibly, Uncannily Wrong / Economics / Central Banks
We now have the diametrical opposite of the famous "Peter Schiff Was Right" video (a compilation of 2006 and 2007 clips in which Schiff, a financial expert who subscribes to Austrian economics, predicted the deep recession that would follow the bursting of the housing bubble).
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
U.S. Economy Q2 GDP Contraction, Awaiting the Revision for Real Data / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
The Commerce Department's first guess at second-quarter real GDP has the U.S. economy contracting at only 1.0% annual rate compared to the first quarter's downwardly revised annualized contraction of 6.4% (previously reported as a 5.5% rate of contraction). On a year-over-year basis, real GDP was down 3.9% in the second quarter, the most severe year-over-year decline in the post-WWII era (see Chart 1).
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
Europe Hit by Deflation as Prices Fall Most in 13 Years / Economics / Deflation
Troubles in Europe continue to mount even as stock markets everywhere are pricing in a strong recovery. Please consider European Prices Fall 0.6%; Jobless at Decade High.
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
Weekly Unemployment Claims Portend Disaster / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
The Department of Labor Weekly Unemployment Report is now so skewed by abnormalities, it is difficult to get a clear picture. First, let's take a look at the data.
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
The Debt Super Cycle and the Great Reflation Experiment of 2009 / Economics / Recession 2008 - 2010
The Great Reflation Experiment
The Debt Super Cycle
Some Background on US Inflation
Implications for Investors
The question we have been focused on for some time now is whether we end up with inflation, or deflation, and what that endgame looks like. It is one of the most important questions an investor must ask today, and getting the answer right is critical. This week, we have a guest writer who takes on the topic of the great experiment the Fed is now waging, which he calls The Great Reflation Experiment.
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
Why Deflation … Not Inflation … Remains the Problem / Economics / Deflation
Bryan Rich writes: Currency values are highly influenced by interest rates … a key driver in determining the flow of global capital.
For example, if you lived in Japan for the past decade, you would have experienced a decade of near-zero interest rates. Therefore, you might have shopped outside your home country for a better return on your money.
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Friday, July 31, 2009
How Paul Krugman Has Misconceived Austrian Business Cycle Theory / Economics / Economic Theory
David Gordon writes: Paul Krugman is an eminent economist, but he here reveals a woefully inadequate understanding of Austrian business-cycle theory. The rudiments of the theory are easy; one might have thought that even a Keynesian could grasp them.
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