As investment guru Rick Rule puts it, "You are either a contrarian or a victim." In the financial world, most people are losers because they just don't know what game they're playing. They think they can just get "into the market" along with everyone else, do what everyone else does, and they will make money. Not likely. By the time you've paid commissions, spreads, fees, taxes - and suffered the consequences of inflation - you'll be very lucky just to have as much money as you started ... http://myprops.org/channels/Contrarian-Stock-Market-Investing-at-ContrarianProfits.com/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:05:08 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Baltimore - (TFN): Hallelujah, the markets work! You have no idea how happy I was this morning when I opened the Wall Street Journal and found an article detailing Goldman Sachs shareholder anger at the recent bonus payouts. Now, I don't care who makes what. That's between bosses and their worker bees. But I do get a little peeved when Uncle Sam tries to tell some worker he can't get paid per his contract. Before you go shouting about how Washington saved Wall Street and therefore we, as ... http://myprops.org/content/Capitalism-is-alive-and-well/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:23:46 GMT Lord William Rees-Mogg, driving force behind the biweekly Fleet Street Invest newlsetter, analyzes the current state of the dollar, the euro and the future of gold - and why it will always be an attractive, tangible asset. Lord William Rees-Mogg (Fleet Street Invest UK): In the last six months there has been a rebound of 50% in the great majority of world stock markets. There has also been a comparable rebound in the price of oil, with West Texas oil rising very close to $80 a barrel. In ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Dollar-the-Euro-and-being-Bullish-on-Gold/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:43:36 GMT Chuck Butler, regular analyst at The Daily Reckoning, offers an analysis of why the 'Audit the Fed' amendment to a $200 billion deficit plan spooked the currencies markets this week. Chuck Butler (The Daily Reckoning): As I checked the currencies throughout the day yesterday, I noticed that as the day went on, the non-dollar currencies were stronger, led by the Big Dog, euro (EUR). But then late last night, and I mean late last night, I checked them, and those gains had been wiped ... http://myprops.org/content/Audit-the-Fed-Amendment-to-a-200-billion-bill-frightens-currency-traders/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:42:01 GMT Don Miller, Associate Editor of Money Morning, reviews the process and implications of the Fed's possible plan for raising intereste rates without actually raising the rate itself. Don Miller (Money Morning): The U.S. Federal Reserve may take an unorthodox approach to raising interest rates by paying interest on bank reserves rather than relying on traditional open market remedies, as it exits from its long-term fiscal stimulus programs, Reuters reported today (Tuesday). Paying interest ... http://myprops.org/content/Unorthodox-Exit-Plan-what-the-Fed-has-up-its-sleeves/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:51:09 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): I am starting to sound like a broken record, bashing the actions of our government every day for the last week, but I don't care. What these ignoramuses are doing is simply criminal. It is becoming more and more apparent that today's breed of politicians is good at only one thing, getting elected. As folks that have never run a business, never had to tell an employee to clean off his desk or risk any of their own money, our lawmakers should quit pretending like they know ... http://myprops.org/content/Id-rather-let-Madoff-invest-my-money/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:37:24 GMT Resident voice of reason at The Daily Reckoning, Bill Bonner takes a hard look at Goldman Sachs and replaces jealousy with admiration. "We pick up sword and shield, ready to fight for Goldman, after reading the Financial Times. The FT has devoted a whole page to Goldman bashing. It's time someone stood up to say a kind word for the firm." Bill Bonner (The Daily Reckoning, UK): The Lloyd's Prayer Our Chairman, who art at Goldman Blankfein be thy name The rally's come God's work be ... http://myprops.org/content/Goldman-Sachs-Defending-the-biggest-kid-on-the-block/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:58:28 GMT Doug Hornig, senior prognosticator at The Casey Report, analyzes the alarming trend of U.S. federal debt and its future implications. "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," said Blanche DuBois, in the final words of the play A Streetcar Named Desire. Well, don't we all. Many citizens probably still cling to the old saw that public debt doesn't matter because "we owe it to ourselves." Wrong. Debt always matters. And as for whom we owe it to, it is a lot of kind (or, at ... http://myprops.org/content/What-if-They-Stop-Buying-our-Debt/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:26:38 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): Some good friends of mine recently took their TV out to their front yard, put two high-brass shells in their 12 gauge and pulled the trigger.  They rendered the hunk of glass and plastic useless. Called it Alaskan waste disposal. After last night, I'm ready to get out the 00 buckshot, myself. I've got my eye out for good intentions, gone bad after spending the last three editions of Notes discussing the idea of financial regulatory reform. During 52-mile commute ... http://myprops.org/content/A-lesson-in-Alaskan-waste-management/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:17:11 GMT Money Morning's Keith Fitz-Gerald brings us a sobering look at investing in gold. If there is a moral to the story, it's that nothing is what it seems anymore - not even gold. Keith Fitz-Gerald (Money Morning): Millions of investors who bought gold in the last 12 months are undoubtedly very happy at the moment - considering that the yellow metal has risen 60% since last November to a recent close of $1,138.60 an ounce on Monday. But chances are good that many won't be smiling when they ... http://myprops.org/content/Goldbugs-Beware-The-tax-man-cometh/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:21:24 GMT The Daily Reckoning's Puru Saxena examines the ends of U.S. debt and the shifting economic balance of world power to China. Puru Saxena The Daily Reckoning The 19th century belonged to Britain, the 20th century belonged to America and in the 21st century, China will rule the business world. Whether you like it or not, this transition is already underway and it will intensify over the coming decades. Throughout history, no empire has managed to rule forever. Instead, empires rise to power, ... http://myprops.org/content/Debt-the-fall-of-the-U.S.-economic-empire/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:51 GMT Subject: Should we fire the Fed? Baltimore - (TFN): All eyes and ears are on the Fed this week. With Bernanke in New York discussing potential new bubbles and the New York Fed getting heat for overpaying AIG's many creditors, investors are having a tough time knowing exactly who to follow. For those of you who hold up the "Fire the Fed" signs, move over. I am thinking about joining your camp. First, the real bad stuff. According to Neil Barofsky, TARP's special inspector general, New ... http://myprops.org/content/Should-we-Fire-the-Fed/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:51:23 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): If politicians would get their heads out of their re-election campaigns, they would not have to make hasty, thoughtless decisions that cost you and I money. In the days following Obama's inauguration, Washington quickly passed a wide set of tax reforms. Part of the legislation included a $400 tax break for the country's working class and increased healthcare funding for the country's poor, unhealthy children thanks to increased taxes on the tobacco industry. It is no ... http://myprops.org/content/Should-Big-Tobacco-run-the-government/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:17:14 GMT Chuck Butler (The Daily Reckoning): What a ride yesterday for the currencies! Gold? Well, at one point gold had shot up $24 on the day! It topped out at $1,142. The shiny metal then gave some back on profit taking, but gold holders have got to love it! Those who keep waiting for a pullback. Well, they might still be waiting when the cows come home. Yesterday, we had a couple of Fed Heads talking, but the Big Kahuna stood out and moved the markets with his statements. Here's the ... http://myprops.org/content/Bernanke-Rewind-The-Fed-Heads-same-old-words/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:49:20 GMT Keith Fitz-gerald (Whiskey & Gunpowder): Everything we know about classic economic theory suggests the U.S. economy should be experiencing Zimbabwe-like hyperinflation right now, thanks to the nearly $2.2 trillion the U.S. Federal Reserve has pumped into the system. But we're not.yet. Classic economic theory says that money supply can be used to stimulate the economy and our central bankers seem to agree. That's why they've pumped more than $1 trillion dollars into the economy, ... http://myprops.org/content/Hyperinflation-where-is-it/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:40:39 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): It's confirmation! On Friday I wrote how I may have a touch of the flu or some other mind-altering ailment because my thoughts were far more liberal than I am comfortable with admitting. Well, it turns out my ultra-liberal, straight-ticket voting, French-guy marrying sister has a verifiable case of the pig flu. And guess who I had dinner with on Thursday night? You betcha, big sis. There we have it: cause and effect. Fortunately, my head case was short-lived. By the ... http://myprops.org/content/If-this-is-true-we-all-need-a-vaccine/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:13:54 GMT Are you sold on gold? The precious metal outperformed every major equity index in the world in 2008. The question is, can gold-and other precious metals-keep on flying? Or would buying today be buying high and selling low? Precious metals have always been intriguing to investors because they tend to hold their value. In times of geopolitical crisis or currency devaluation, for example, the value of paper money might fluctuate, but a hard asset will always be worth something. As a result, ... http://myprops.org/content/Can-precious-metals-keep-on-flying/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:12:14 GMT Bill Bonner (The Daily Reckoning) In the short run, it might have enough life in it to bite investors on the derrière London , England We got back from South America on Friday. ready for a rest. So, we spent the weekend reading. and occasionally, thinking. What we've been thinking is that the dollar is dead meat in the long run. But in the short run, it might have enough life in it to bite investors on the derrière. The US stock market rose 73 points on Friday, to bring ... http://myprops.org/content/Crash-Alert-The-Future-and-Failure-of-the-U.S.-Dollar/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:19:34 GMT Slow Down. or Else By David Galland, Managing Editor, The Casey Report On a whim following our Denver Summit - and despite truly abysmal weather - Casey Research CEO Olivier Garret and I cabbed it down to a local public golf course for a quick nine holes. Afterwards we were returning to the hotel through a neighborhood best described as poor, but not disreputable. While our cab made its way down a side street, a radar gun-wielding policeman leaped out of the bushes down the block, pulled the ... http://myprops.org/content/Slow-Down-.-.-.-or-Else/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:30:43 GMT If You Thought the Housing Meltdown Was Bad. Doug Hornig, Senior Editor, (Casey Research): .wait until you see what's in the cards for commercial real estate. That's right, the next train wreck will be in commercial real estate. Couldn't be worse than last year's residential market crash? That remains to be seen. But it's coming soon, probably as early as the second quarter of next year, and there's nothing that can prevent it. The government will intervene, trying desperately to delay ... http://myprops.org/content/What-could-be-worse-than-a-housing-bust/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:46:52 GMT Brian Hunt (The Right Side): In the past three months, there's been a very popular - and very wrong - thing to say about owning gold. I hear it a lot from inexperienced Wall Street analysts, bloggers, and money managers who spend little time living in the "real world". Here's what they're saying: "Gold is way too popular now. It's near the end of its bull market." The recommended "action to take" is to cash in your gold profits and move on to something different. I can tell you that ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Gold-Bubble-Is-it-big-enough-to-burst/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:58:45 GMT Ian Mathias (The Daily Reckoning): The U.S. government will finish its historic streak of debt sales today with a record $16 billion offering of 30-year bonds. This will pile on top the $65 billion in 3-year and 10-year paper auctioned earlier this week, both records in their own right. It's worth noting that Monday's auction for 3-year debt was met with ravenous, near-record demand and that Tuesday's 10-year sale met a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.8. historically high for the 10-year, but not ... http://myprops.org/content/Another-Record-Debt-Sale-Record-borrowing-for-the-U.S/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:04:47 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): The dollar is a dangerous entity these days. Never has there been such a globally important currency with as much political and financial manipulation. The distortions from reality are mind-boggling, yet all of us depend on the status of the simple fiat for our financial wellbeing. The person with the most skin in the dollar game is, no doubt, President Obama. The nation's economy hinges on the fate of the greenback and the White House knows it. That is why it is doing ... http://myprops.org/content/How-to-play-the-dangerous-dollar/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:48:38 GMT Keith Fitz-Gerald (Money Morning): With all the financial woes in the global economy, the worst thing an investor can do is to "freeze up." With all the ups and downs in the market, it's all too easy for investors to allow their emotions to take control. That's when the smallest mistakes turn into the biggest mistakes. There's one antidote for this problem . remembering a few basic rules. Just embrace the 10 ideas that follow and you'll be in line to make some serious money in the months ... http://myprops.org/content/Investment-Basics-Ten-Rules-for-Success/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:49:35 GMT Bill Bonner (The Daily Reckoning): The Dow rose again yesterday - up 44 points. Gold went up too - to a new record of $1,114. Can anything stop stocks and gold? Trees do not grow to the sky, dear reader. And for every bounce there is a bust. "It's amazing, the US is doing everything that Japan did wrong," said a friend yesterday. Let's see. in the 1980s Japan's corporate leaders thought they were going to take over the world. Investors thought so too. They expanded. They wheeled. ... http://myprops.org/content/Japans-Lost-Decade-is-it-too-late-for-U.S.-to-learn-from-their-mistakes/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:36:22 GMT Baltimore (TFN): I cannot say with total certainty that duct tape has ever saved my life. But I can say it has saved the day on more than one occasion, like the time I fell feet first into a frigid river, roaring with the power of Alaska's springtime snowmelt. In the woods, you have to dry off fast or risk any number of calamities. Living in temperate rainforest, an emergency fire was a challenge. But thanks to duct tape's inherent desire to burn, I was re-warmed in no time. But my mundane ... http://myprops.org/content/The-best-sector-for-your-money-right-now/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:13:32 GMT John Stepek (Money Week UK): Deal making is back! That was the general reaction from the press when US food giant Kraft launched its first bid for British confectioner Cadbury less than two months ago. Pundits spewed out potential target prices like bingo numbers - £8, no £10, no £12! - and analysts scribbled out scenarios involving white knights and rival bidders from across the globe. Reality has been a little more disappointing. Despite attempts to talk up the deal, no ... http://myprops.org/content/Reading-between-the-lines-What-the-Kraft-Cadbury-takeover-bid-says-about-the-markets-at-large/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:18:34 GMT Chris Mayer (Penny Sleuth): "If you can tell me something else where the fundamentals are so attractive.I'd be happy to put my money there," said Jim Rogers, the famed investor and self-made billionaire in a recent interview. "But I don't know of any other place." What's he talking about? Today, we take a look and invest right alongside his idea. And it should start to pay off with the arrival of the first swallows of spring in 2010. It's also timely now - in this weak-kneed economy - ... http://myprops.org/content/Old-fashioned-commodities-old-fashioned-strength/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:51:28 GMT Baltimore - (TFN): How efficient are the markets? It is like asking how smart is the human race We all know the answer, but few of us are willing to suck in our pride and admit there are a few dim bulbs among us. Judging by the sudden rise in fame of Levi Johnson or Balloon Boy's antics, the human brain is far feebler than we give credit. And so are the markets. If you have taken a basic finance class anytime between 1965 and the present, you have likely studied Eugene Fama and his ... http://myprops.org/content/The-end-of-efficient-markets/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:36:22 GMT Up 9.5% over 12 months, the Liv-ex 100 Fine Wine Index (below) has clawed back some of last year's losses, when the industry's main benchmark index fell 14.6% in 2008. So should you be piling into the fine wine market? Probably not. First off, new Asian buyers and a "whole pile of Johnny-come-lately types" are fuelling current demand. A six-litre bottle of Château Pétrus 1982 recently sold for a record £60,000 at auction in Hong Kong, a city where wine imports rose by more than ... http://myprops.org/content/Fine-Wines-not-your-grandfathers-Investment-Fund/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:40:22 GMT Bill Bonner (Daily Reckoning) - In 1949, the Soviets and the Allies divided Germany into two parts. One part followed a traditional capitalistic path to reconstruction. The other part took the socialist road. Remarkably, they kept this test going for 40 years. Of course it was misery for many of the test subjects. People were so eager to get out of the East German control group, they risked their lives jumping over the barbed wire. Then, when the wall was down, the population of East Germany ... http://myprops.org/content/What-the-German-experiment-can-teach-us-about-the-future-of-U.S.-wealth/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:52:56 GMT Byron King, Whiskey and Gunpowder Let's review the big picture for gold. What's going on? And what are people saying? For much of 2009, gold traded in the range of low-mid $900 per ounce. There was a dip over the summer, with a strong upswing starting in September. Gold is now trading well over $1,000 per ounce, in fact just under $1,100. Turns out that the government of India was buying gold in mid-October. Over a two-week span, the central bank of India bought 200 tonnes (metric tons) ... http://myprops.org/content/India-China-hoarding-gold-and-shunning-dollars/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:49:08 GMT Baltimore (TFN): What is wealth? It is a question all of us need to ask ourselves every so often. If not, we lose track of where we are heading and where we've been. As you're reading this, I am nowhere near my computer. In fact, I'm not even in the office today. I spent the last three days increasing my "wealth." We all have different definitions of the word. Some of us give it a strictly monetary connotation. There is nothing wrong with that. In its most straight-forward definition, ... http://myprops.org/content/Measuring-your-real-wealth/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:49:04 GMT Taipan Daily's Justice Litle review the current trends of gold, the U.S. Dollar and small caps. Finding suprising strength in the dollar in the short term, he finds greater strength in gold and gold stocks for the long term. Justice Litle, Editorial Director, Taipan Publishing Group Gold, small caps and the U.S. dollar have had a stable three-way relationship for the better part of the 2009 rally. Now the three could be parting ways. Dr. Marc Faber is one of the few market wise men whose ... http://myprops.org/content/Going-Long-on-the-Dollar-Go-Longer-on-Gold/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:37:40 GMT Baltimore-(TFN):Time to panic? If you are part of the Obama administration the answer is yes. If you are an American investor, hold off on the freaking out for at least another month or so. With the nation's unemployment rate officially in double-digit territory and the under-employed rate ready to the 20% mark, the politicians that promised bliss in the days ahead are eating their words today. And that means Wall Street is eating its recent gains. For nearly a month, the Dow has ... http://myprops.org/content/Is-it-time-to-panic/ Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:36:08 GMT The Fed is meeting today. And I ask who cares? At this point, Bernanke and his troupe of politicians masquerading as economists are in so far over their heads, no matter what they do or say, you can bet the move is designed to protect their butts, not yours. With the global economy taking off without us and foreign interest rates already on the rise, the Fed is desperate to look bullish while acting bearish. Anybody that has ever tried to prove the existence of Santa Clause or the Tooth ... http://myprops.org/content/Will-Bernanke-Kill-Santa-Claus/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:21:47 GMT Believe it or not, I used to be a fishing guide. And a darn good one, too. It feels like a past life these days, but some of the memories of my summers spent in Alaska's pristine wilderness come streaking back to me at the oddest of times. Like today, for instance. Everywhere I look, there is evidence that the American economy is in shambles. As investors, the cards are certainly stacked against us. At this point it even looks like the system may be rigged. But we all know there is ... http://myprops.org/content/Brace-Brace-Brace-Were-Goin-Down/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:21:32 GMT What's the best way to get through a debt crisis? Straight through was our advice last week. For at least a thousand years, the business cycle went round and round without help from central bankers or economists. It is only since these geniuses have been on the case that really serious problems have arisen. The Panic of 1920 - in which the US government did nothing but cut taxes and spending - was quickly forgotten. The Panic of 1929, on the other hand, was followed by massive rigging and jiving ... http://myprops.org/content/The-best-way-to-get-through-a-debt-crisis/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:49 GMT Gold gained yet another powerful ally yesterday - hedge fund icon Paul Tudor Jones. The man who famously called Black Monday in 1987 and the Nikkei crash a few years later now thinks "gold appears to be cheap." In a note to his investors, Tudor said, "I have never been a gold bug. It is just an asset that, like everything else in life, has its time and place. And now is that time. gold's value should increase as its scarcity relative to printed currencies increases." So gold is now publicly ... http://myprops.org/content/Time-to-dump-gold/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:08:44 GMT Baltimore (TFN): Welcome to Notes version 2.0. As Will moves on to his next successful endeavor at the family office, I could not be more pleased and nervous to be at the helm. After all, he set the bar high. What a time to be part of such a popular, well-regarded newsletter. From what I've heard and read, Notes subscribers are some of the most-informed, thought-provoking readers anywhere. I sincerely look forward to opening a dialogue with all of you. As you know, there has never been a ... http://myprops.org/content/Welcome-to-Notes-Version-2.0/ Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:11:54 GMT Baltimore (TFN): Today's the day. If you have ever hunted for undersea gold, you likely know Mel Fisher's famous mantra. The great shipwreck hunter used the line thousands of times before it became the undeniable truth on the day he uncovered the "Atocha mother lode." While today's record-breaking surge in gold prices is not likely to create $450 million in newfound wealth for any singular investor, it is the day gold bugs have been waiting for. Thanks to surprising news that India's ... http://myprops.org/content/Todays-the-day-for-gold-bugs/ Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:13:16 GMT Let's take a quick look at what's happening in Brazil, over and above the 2016 Olympics being awarded to Rio de Janeiro. "I don't know if I will live to see it," said Brazil's president Luiz (Lula) da Silva a couple weeks ago. "But Brazil has to transform itself into a big power in the 21st century. We have everything to make it happen. We are not talking about a little country here." No, indeed. Brazil is not "a little country" anymore. Any prudent investor has to consider how to hitch a ... http://myprops.org/content/Energy-Brazil-Gold-What-More-Could-You-Want/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:42:51 GMT Two distinct groups of investors have emerged since the U.S. stock market rally began in early March. Initially overly cautious and smug in their desire to protect themselves, the first group of investors were convinced the rally was going to sputter and stall. It hasn't, and 57% later these investors now believe they're getting left behind, so they're piling into the key indices in effort to make up lost ground. The second group consists of investors who believe they can outsmart the market. ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Two-Investing-Mistakes-to-Avoid-at-all-Costs/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:36:00 GMT With the unemployment rate soaring alongside the U.S. budget deficit, the Obama Administration and congressional Democrats are struggling to solve the nation's problems before next year's midterm election. But they may be struggling in vain. Since 1945, the party that has controlled the White House has lost an average of 16 House seats in the president's first midterm election, according to the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan publication in Washington. However, losses for the ... http://myprops.org/content/Can-Democrats-Anchor-Unemployment-Without-Doing-More-Damage-to-the-Deficit/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:53:51 GMT The downtrodden retail industry is on the move today. Thanks to good news from companies like Liz Claiborne (NYSE:LIZ) and Wet Seal (NASDAQ:WTSLA), investors are putting some profits in their shopping bags. Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. That's the motto of the nation's retail industry these days. With consumers stitching their wallets shut and retailers slashing their margins in an attempt to attract the few Americans left that are willing to spend, expectations are not high ... http://myprops.org/content/Retail-Industry-is-Getting-Attractive/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:07:12 GMT I confess. I got it wrong with gold. Unlike some stockpickers and newsletter analysts, who proudly trumpet all their winners, while shuffling the losers under the rug, I have no problem admitting when my calls go against me. And to the delight of all the naysayers, this happened just a couple of days ago when gold prices shot to a record high. That triggered my sell-stop and, rather than let my pride come before a fall and hang on, it's time to move on. Don't get me wrong, though. I'm ... http://myprops.org/content/Two-Tips-to-Avoid-Letting-a-Bad-Stock-Sucker-Punch-You/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:45:59 GMT Retail sales rose in September for the first time in 13 months, fueling hopes that the worst is behind retailers that head into the holiday season better prepared for a tough economic environment. Three reports were unanimous that sales gained, but to different degrees: Market research firm Retail Metrics Inc. said sales rose 1.1% last month, Thomson Reuters tallied a rise of 0.6% and a tally by International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) showed a ... http://myprops.org/content/Will-Rise-In-September-Retail-Sales-Carry-into-Holidays/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:57:00 GMT "Gold continues to climb.stoked by inflation worries," says a headline in the International Herald Tribune. Yesterday, it touched a new record - $1,050 - even as the dollar rose, oil slumped under $70 and stocks dipped very slightly. Well, what do you expect? The United States added $1 trillion to its monetary base in the last year or so. The federal government is running a deficit of $1.7 trillion this year. And along comes Barack Obama with an idea to stimulate employment - spend more ... http://myprops.org/content/Gold-Touches-a-New-Record-27148/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:56:51 GMT Quantum Fund co-founder George Soros had it right on Monday, when he said the U.S. recovery would be held back by "basically bankrupt" banks and companies. I call them the "zombies," the institutions being propped up by government bailouts. Companies like Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC), General Motors Corp., Chrysler LLC, etc. On an operating level, these walking dead are sucking the life out of the recovery. Unlike in previous downturns, huge resources have ... http://myprops.org/content/Why-You-Need-to-Look-at-these-Three-Zombie-Free-Zones/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:05:34 GMT If the news today is an indication of things to come, the next few months are not going to be pretty. If the big boys are preparing for the worst, imagine the fear from the debt-ridden little guys. And so it begins. Just yesterday, we here at the TFN offices got into a late-day discussion about the fate of the nation's natural gas markets. With prices remaining low and entirely removed from the recent commodities bonanza, the nation's expanding natural gas drilling industry is headed for ... http://myprops.org/content/Natural-Gas-Industry-Braces-for-Impact/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:50:00 GMT $1,055 for Gold! Global recovery prospects fuel run on the dollar.Trichet to defend the dollar today? Central Banks are diversifying.And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. And a Thunderin' Thursday to you! It's raining here in St. Louis, so, it must be Thursday! It's a big night for yours truly, but I'll talk about that at the end. We've got some big moves going on in the currencies and metals, so we had better get to it, and save the chit-chat for later, eh? But first, today is the funding ... http://myprops.org/content/Gold-Soars-To-Another-All-Time-High/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:02:26 GMT The global economy is in a lull right now. Some expect a recovery sooner, rather than later. Others, like us, think that we could see a second downturn. Either way, there's one investment you need to own right now: silver. Silver is the most flexible metal on earth. We're not talking about its malleability. We're talking about how it is used. Let's take the point of view of those expecting a quick, painless recovery. In that case, silver is a great investment. It has many industrial uses ... http://myprops.org/content/Finding-Option-Sized-Gains-from-25-Silver/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:19 GMT The procedure has been called "one of the most barbaric mistakes ever perpetrated by mainstream medicine." Back when medicine was highly primitive, the process involved shoving an ice pick-like instrument between the upper eyelid and the eye in hopes of severing certain nerves of the frontal lobe. This was the early method of performing a lobotomy. And just 50 years ago, they were carried out not only on severely mentally ill people, but also on moody teenagers, or housewives who'd lost their ... http://myprops.org/content/How-to-Profit-from-Immunotherapy-Regenerative-Medicine/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:10:36 GMT Just one bit of meaningful economic data so far this week: The American service sector grew in September for the first time in a year. The Institute for Supply Management's nonmanufacturing index scored 50.9 last month, just 9/10ths of a point above the growth/contraction tipping point. That certainly isn't a booming service sector, but having contracted for the last 11 months. we'll take it. "The Chicago Fed's national activity index," notes our macro adviser and fellow data dork Rob ... http://myprops.org/content/Were-Back-to-Growth-For-Now-365015/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:36:05 GMT Qatar is a red-hot economy. Last year it grew around 18% and this year it ought to grow another 16%. We saw the headlines in the Gulf Times in the lounge while waiting for our transfer to Dubai. Qatar's greatest asset is its natural gas reserves. In fact, the largest gas field in the world is here. Its discoverers were disappointed when they found it in 1971. They were looking for oil. The boom Qatar now enjoys is the result of some daring investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG) back ... http://myprops.org/content/Greetings-from-Qatar-522957/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:13:31 GMT Sony Corp. (NYSE ADR: SNE) is facing the first consecutive annual loss of its 63-year history. The Tokyo-based company lost $1.1 billion (98.9 billion yen) last year, and it expects to lose another $1.4 billion (120 billion yen) in its fiscal year ending March 31.  That would be Sony's first back-to-back annual loss since the company went public in 1958. And despite renewed optimism within its ranks, Sony still faces a plethora of challenges, including a questionable direction, ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Three-Roadblocks-to-Sonys-Turnaround/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:13:25 GMT Yesterday was another exciting day on Wall Street. The Dow rose 131 points.and gold shot up $25 to a new record, $1043. Investors must be pondering the future. What will the future look like? No one knows. But investors thought they saw things they liked. For one thing, there was the Federal Reserve governor from New York, who told the world that there was no risk of a rate hike anytime soon. Bill Dudley knows which way the wind is blowing. He said the Fed would hold money policy loose ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Eternal-Depression-599689/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:31:37 GMT Rare earth elements (REEs) have been the mystery metals of the mining world for years. Now, suddenly, everyone's heard about them. Before we delve into the reasons behind all the publicity, here's the basic skinny on REEs: One, they are rare, at least sort of. Two, they are indispensable to modern technology. Three, the number of active, dedicated producers is tiny, with more than 90% of the world's supply coming from China. If you took high school chemistry, you probably remember the ... http://myprops.org/content/Why-All-the-Fuss-Over-Rare-Earths/ Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:18:35 GMT The earnings season beginning today (Tuesday) is shaping up to be an important one, as it could have a significant impact on a struggling stock market rally. Since the stock market rally reached a pinnacle nearly two weeks ago, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost about 3.3% while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index has fallen about 3.7%. And if this week's earnings report come in below expectations, the rally that helped stock prices surge more than 50% could come to an abrupt ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Five-Stocks-to-Watch-This-Week/ Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:15:06 GMT Pandora's Box of rate hikes is opened! Is the dollar being removed from oil trades? Deficits do matter, eh? Gold heads toward its all-time high.And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. And a Terrific Tuesday to you! A Tuesday morning that is seeing a HUGE currency rally VS the dollar on the news that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) opted to go ahead and hike rates now, and not wait for November's meeting, as I had thought they would do! WOW! The first hike. It has opened Pandora's Box of ... http://myprops.org/content/RBA-Raises-Rates/ Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:54:23 GMT Billionaire investor George Soros said yesterday (Monday) that the U.S. recovery would be a slow one because of all the "basically bankrupt" financial companies impeding it. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Congress agreed Friday that the financial system - not the American taxpayer - should bear the costs of bank bailouts. Sheila Bair, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), wants the banks to ante up $45 billion - three years' worth of deposit-insurance premiums ... http://myprops.org/content/Hidden-Traps-Make-Bank-Stocks-a-Bad-Deal/ Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:20:51 GMT Naturally, at the focus of renewed market pessimism is a struggling financial: CIT Group. (NYSE:CIT) The company - a hundred-year-old staple of small/medium business lending - is no stranger to walking the credit tightrope. They narrowly averted fiscal meltdown late last year with $2.3 billion in TARP bucks. then again in July by goosing bondholders with a $3 billion a debt-to-equity deal. Back then we joked, "Look for this crisis to repeat in a couple weeks." We were wrong. it took a couple ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Lehman-of-2009-785308/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:53:41 GMT They may not be the big mergers investors were hoping would fire off another winning week, but today's movers help prove there is upside potential left in the market. Even though the "Merger Monday" trend is not continuing this week, we have a Monday morning filled with positive news and upgrades. The action is putting new wealth into the pockets of plenty of investors. One of the morning's biggest movers comes close to the form of a merger. With the news the Swiss technology company ... http://myprops.org/content/Three-Big-Movers-to-Start-the-Week/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:21:25 GMT H.J. Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) dominates in the ketchup market.  There is no second.  And Heinz has taken advantage of its revered ketchup brand over the years to develop organically and acquire other brands. However, its overdependence on developed markets and a sluggish U.S. consumer are currently holding the company back. Emerging markets are where growth is today. It's clear that Heinz understands that, because emerging markets now account for about 14% of the company's ... http://myprops.org/content/H.J.-Heinz-Co.-NYSE-HNZ-Is-a-Long-Term-Keeper-but-Will-Struggle-in-the-Months-Ahead/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:16:14 GMT As they said in the movie "Poltergeist": "They're baaa-aaack." Who's back? Harry Dent, the self-styled "economic futurist," who presumes to tell us about the great economic booms and busts that lie ahead. How can he possibly know these things? According to Dent, an analysis of the "highly predictable" nature of consumer spending based on demographic trends - increasing spending during child-rearing years, peak spending as the kids leave home and slower spending during late work and ... http://myprops.org/content/Harry-Dent-Bold-Predictions-of-the-Great-Depression-Ahead/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:59:27 GMT September job losses soar to 263,000.G-7 does not make statement on currencies.RBA meets tonight.India & Brazil pull the right strings.And Now. Today's Pfennig!Good day. And a Marvelous Monday to you! The Regular Season for Baseball is over, except. The Tigers and Twins have to play a one-game playoff today! Talk about exciting! And that's just to see who gets to go the playoffs! Well. Friday's Jobs Jamboree did disappoint as I had the feeling they would, printing a disappointing -263,000 ... http://myprops.org/content/Jobs-Disappoint/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:23:18 GMT Welcome to Zombieland.where the most amazing things happen.Starring Ben Bernanke, Tim Geithner and a cast of millions. The new movie - Zombieland - about a group of survivors in a world of zombies, was the biggest grossing film in America and Canada over the weekend. It must reflect the zeitgeist of the North American public.a deep feeling that we are living in a decaying world. Maybe it comes from the growing awareness that the old bubble economy of the 2002-2007 period is dead. Now, ... http://myprops.org/content/Welcome-to-Zombieland-510277/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:31:58 GMT Kenneth D. Lewis There are many ways to view Kenneth Lewis' eight-year reign as Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) chief executive, but two seem to hold the most landscape. On one hand, the $130 billion he spent on acquisitions - FleetBoston Financial Corp., MBNA Corp., LaSalle Bank Corp., Countrywide Financial Corp., Charles Schwab Corp.'s (Nasdaq: SCHW) U.S. Trust private banking unit and Merrill Lynch - that more than tripled the size of Bank of America, making it the largest U.S. lender ... http://myprops.org/content/Boom-Bust-and-Rebuild-Bank-of-America-and-the-Kenneth-Lewis-Legacy/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:32:40 GMT The first chapter of a colossal technological shift in the electronics industry is beginning. Displays on small televisions, iPods and smart phones are getting smaller, clearer and brighter at a rapid pace - and it will forever change the way you work and play. Simply put, it's difficult to overstate the potential of this future multibillion-dollar market. I'm talking about organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. OLED displays are taking off in a big way. These next-generation displays are ... http://myprops.org/content/OLED-The-Next-High-Tech-Profit-Opportunity/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:02:32 GMT Retirement is part of the American dream. Unfortunately, the nation's financial meltdown is making the act tougher than ever. Social Security alone won't pay the bills. Yesterday evening, I had the courage to do something I have not done in a long time. I opened my 401(k) statement. It was a brave, bold move that made me ponder doubling up on my blood-pressure medicine before ripping the seal off the envelope. In the end, my ticker was fluttering with beats of joy: up 33% so far this ... http://myprops.org/content/Ready-to-Retire-Think-Again/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:34:16 GMT Personal spending soared 1.3% in August, the biggest monthly leap since 2001, the Commerce Department announced today. Of course, this $129 billion jump in consumption "shows strength in August, indicating some economic improvement," as CNN writes. A quick look at the chart reveals that the once sober American consumer is starting to fall off the wagon yet again. As always, the drama's in the details. "Cash for clunkers" was by far the biggest driver of new spending, almost single-handedly ... http://myprops.org/content/Spending-Soars-Savings-Suffer-739744/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:58:46 GMT For the first time in six months, retail sales ticked higher in August. Granted, it wasn't by much - a scant 0.7% higher than July. But it's inevitable that consumers will eventually get back to their spending ways as this recession subsides. And if you're looking for a way to play it, consider hhgregg, Inc. (NYSE: HGG). Here's why. hhgregg, Inc: This Retailer is Bucking the Industry Trend Based in Indianapolis, the hhgregg operates 111 retail stores selling consumer electronics and ... http://myprops.org/content/hhgregg-Inc.-The-Only-Retail-Stock-Worth-Buying-Right-Now/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:58:40 GMT We don't have to go back very far to see the classic boom, bubble, and bust play out. In just the last 15 years, we've been fortunate enough to watch over-zealous traders lose their heads again and again. First, they bought tech companies for 80 times their earnings in the late '90s and then happily purchased banks and insurance companies that were leveraged at 35 times their equity. This time, however, we don't even need the boom or the bubble to see a bust. We're told media conglomerates ... http://myprops.org/content/The-New-Way-to-Collapse-an-Industry-796351/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:58:34 GMT Investment banks have gotten fat off the land since 1982, when the great U.S. bull market got its start. Their business has multiplied many-fold, and their earnings have soared into the stratosphere, to a level far higher than any other sector. Now, JPMorgan Chase & Co.  (NYSE: JPM) has issued a report suggesting that investment-banking returns on capital will be sharply down over the next few years. Perhaps this will be only a moderate downturn. However, there's also a good ... http://myprops.org/content/Could-Goldman-Sachs-Share-GMs-Fate/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:54:02 GMT The ball is in the dollar's court today.Aussie is unable to hold 14-month high.China and Eurozone print stronger PMI's. Chock-full-o-data today.And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. Welcome to October! And a Tub Thumpin' Thursday to you! No real reason to get Tub Thumpin', but I thought why not? The non-dollar currencies have given back their gains made yesterday to the dollar, in a game of what seems to be, give and take. A tennis match with the dollar, one day the ball is in the dollar's ... http://myprops.org/content/G-7-to-Discuss-Currencies-787394/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:53:56 GMT The longer the rally persists, the more dangerous it becomes. The S&P 500 is up almost 60% since March. The Dow just had its best quarter since '98. Yesterday, the Dow slipped 29 points. Is the rally finally rolling over? Or is this a genuine bull market, just taking a pause? If it is a real bull market it's a funny-looking bull - one that is missing parts! For example, corporate earnings are missing. P/E ratios are rising far above the corporate earnings that support them. This ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Rally-Rests-on-a-Knife-Edge/ Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:53:47 GMT Pundits greeted Angela Merkel's convincing election win in Germany Sunday with a collective yawn. Commentators think the German economy is sluggish and over-dependent on exports, and believe that a change in the German government from a grand coalition to a center-right coalition will make little policy difference. I think that's wrong. It's an erroneous viewpoint that's symptomatic of the short memories of the chattering media. It's also one that could cause investors to miss out on one of ... http://myprops.org/content/Why-You-Should-Invest-in-the-New-Germany/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:34:57 GMT The American economy contracted only 0.7% in the second quarter, the government finalized today. That's down from its previous projection of 1% and practically seals the deal for a positive GDP number when Uncle Sam gives his initial third-quarter guess in late October. Still, this is the fourth consecutive official drop in GDP - the longest U.S. economic losing streak since records began in 1947. The economy has contracted 3.8% since then, the deepest pullback since the Great ... http://myprops.org/content/US-GDP-is-Irrelevant-123411/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:07:46 GMT Some of Wall Street's most prominent bears are turning bullish right now. But that doesn't mean that your small-cap portfolio is safe. Here's why these brilliant minds think that we're back on the path to recovery - and why they're wrong. I was in Manhattan last week attending Grant's Fall Investment Conference. The U.N. General Assembly is meeting there, and the streets were blocked off in places. The NYPD was out in full force. I heard one passerby complain about the inconvenience of it all ... http://myprops.org/content/Are-the-Bears-Turning-Bullish/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:41:05 GMT What do Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), IBM (NYSE: IBM), AT&T (NYSE: T) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) all have in common? The obvious answer is that they're four of the most successful technology companies on the planet. But they're also heavily involved in the modernization plans for America's "Smart Grid" - a topic I introduced in a previous column. Make no mistake, with a decade-long project as monumental as modernizing the country's "Smart Grid," the devil is truly in the details. And ... http://myprops.org/content/Four-Companies-Set-to-Profit-from-a-Federal-Cash-Injection/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:42:53 GMT Not much happened yesterday. The Dow fell 47 points. The newspapers attributed the reversal to surprisingly low consumer confidence numbers. Apparently, consumers aren't so sure this crisis is over. As we reported yesterday, they're saving money. maybe even at an 8% rate. Oil didn't move yesterday. Neither did gold. The Wall Street Journal reported that markets were reacting to "mixed data". That is to say, some reports were encouraging. Others were not. It was as if one weather ... http://myprops.org/content/A-Century-of-Bad-Ideas/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:15:26 GMT As the US strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) approaches capacity (721.5 million barrels filled out of a total possible 727 million, and will be filled by January 2010), the federal government will fade out of the oil-buying business. Some bearish traders believe that this factor can weigh in on prices, since most petroleum stocks in the United States are government-held rather than private. Bullish traders have also used the filling of the Chinese SPR as a reason that oil should go much ... http://myprops.org/content/Whos-Buying-Oil/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:45:17 GMT Currencies rebound VS the dollar.Aussie and kiwi lead the currencies higher.Data and Central Bank speeches today.Gold rebounds back to $1,000! And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. And a Wonderful Wednesday to you. Instead of a "turn around Tuesday", we're seeing a whiplash Wednesday! And for once in a month of Sundays, the Big Dog, euro didn't lead the other little dogs (currencies) off the porch to chase the dollar down the street! No. This time it was the currencies of Australia and New ... http://myprops.org/content/Whiplash-Wednesday/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:17:41 GMT The U.S.' potential conflict with Iran might pale in comparison to a fight brewing between China and India, says Chris Mayer. "This one doesn't seem to get much attention in the Western media, but I've read some dire stuff from the Eastern media. By their lights, the Sino-Indian border hasn't been this tense since 1986-87, when the skirmishes broke out between Indian and Chinese troops. "The issue is a disputed border between the two. They fought a 32-day war over it in 1962. China emerged ... http://myprops.org/content/Think-China-vs.-India-139366/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:46 GMT On one hand, the deflationists are claiming that given the extremely high debt levels in the West, further inflation is impossible. On the other side of the argument, many proponents of inflation are calling for Zimbabwe style hyperinflation. In this business, everyone is entitled to their opinion; however it is my contention that we will get neither deflation nor hyperinflation. If my assessment is correct, once business activity picks up, our world will have to deal with high ... http://myprops.org/content/Inflation-is-Our-Future-34480/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:56:08 GMT The market's rally so far this year has given way to a flood of profits for investors. Since early March, the Dow is up more than 49%. But starting today, you can begin cashing in even larger gains using the stock market "Trump Card," which can guarantee you at least triple your money. But first, there's a catch. These "Trump Cards" aren't traded very often. And you can't find them on an exchange. That's what makes them so lucrative. You see, it's this lack of liquidity that makes these ... http://myprops.org/content/Your-Guaranteed-Triple-with-the-Stock-Market-Trump-Card/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:51:03 GMT In my father's house are many mansions. Surely one of them has a room with no elephants in it.. Not to crunch too many metaphors right here at the top, but a consensus seems to be firming up in the animate jello of the Internet that we have entered the Season of the Witch. An odor of ripeness fills the virtual air - something between dead carp and apples baking. Whatever else appears to be going on in the upper stories and verdigris-tinged turrets of capital finance - currency rackets, ... http://myprops.org/content/Inflation-Deflation-Peak-Oil-and-Complex-Systems/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:07:15 GMT It has been a long time since we had good news from the newspaper industry. But thanks to today's upbeat figures from Gannett (NYSE:GCI), the industry is surging. Lee Enterprises (NYSE:LEE) has taken the lead. There is a rare bit of good news for the newspaper industry this morning - and it's a whopper! Share prices across the downtrodden sector are soaring today thanks to word from Gannett (NYSE:GCI) that the company expects to handily beat its third-quarter earnings ... http://myprops.org/content/No-bailout-Needed-Good-News-from-The-Rags/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:21:32 GMT So what exactly is the best way to grab profits from the important and often explosive world of commodities? In my column last week, I showed you some of the spectacular moves that the four most actively traded commodities (oil, natural gas, gold and silver) have made over the past couple of years. And when you see the wide trading ranges, it also gives you an idea of just how lucrative they can be. But you don't need to be an expert to take advantage. You just need to know how to play ... http://myprops.org/content/How-to-Buy-Gold-At-the-Price-You-Want-Get-Paid-for-It/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:49:39 GMT Pop quiz: what happened a year ago today? Here's a hint: The House put the kibosh on the first rendition of The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 - Former Treasury Sec'y Hank Paulson's three-page request for a $700 billion blank check for his buddies on Wall Street. "Investors" threw a tantrum, crashing the Dow 777 points - its biggest point loss in history. Approximately $1.2 trillion in Wall Street shareholder value was wiped out, also a record. This day a year ago, the ... http://myprops.org/content/What-Happened-to-Toxic-Assets/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:56:20 GMT The rally may end any day, but it didn't end yesterday. Stocks rose 127 points, as measured by the Dow. Oil closed at $66. Gold rose $2.50. We said we were doing some serious thinking this week. Maybe it is the season. But more and more, our thoughts become grayer. Less black. Less white. Less hard. Less soft. A few years ago, it looked to us as though the world financial system had gone to war. We cheerfully awaited the victory parade. We figured Mr. Market would whup the feds good and ... http://myprops.org/content/The-Battle-Continues/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:56:12 GMT A bias to buy dollars remains.Looks like coordinated jawboning.Fujii now talks about intervening! Gold remains below $1,000.And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. And a Terrific Tuesday to you! Well. Stop the presses. You know the presses that are talking about the countries that are on the docket to begin a rate hike cycle, because. Russia has thrown a cat among the pigeons this morning with a rate CUT. Let me tell you why this is a big deal. Well, when everyone is thinking that the G0-GO ... http://myprops.org/content/Stop-The-Presses/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:56:03 GMT US job seekers exceed opening by record number NYT Why you must buy this "world dominator" The Daily Crux World Bank chief takes a shot at the Fed WSJ How well has the Federal Reserve served America? Naked Capitalism Andy Xie: Why one bubble bursts deserves another Caijing David Rosenberg's special report Zero Hedge 3 ways to profit from a CRE collapse The Daily Crux Gold: What's next? Zero Hedge Why Michael Moore hates capitalism Time Chicago Fed index lower in August Calculated Risk http://myprops.org/content/Must-Reads-September-28-2009/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:25:37 GMT David Rosenberg, chief economist for Gluskin-Sheff, is a contrarian with a superior intellect than our own. That's why we hang on most every word he says. Throughout the "sh*t hitting the fan" events of last fall, and the subsequent policy response, we've listened intently on what this Canadian had to say. The picture he paints today is one of bearish conviction. That's exactly the reason he's come under recent criticism as his ilk of ivory tower economists have started calling an end to this ... http://myprops.org/content/The-7-Safest-Places-Canadas-Best-Economist-Is-Parking-his-Cash/ Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:44:11 GMT I hope the federal government is paying attention. As regulations and costs increase, more companies, like Gander Mountain (NASDAQ:GMTN) are going private. It is not good news for the nation's vital financial sector. Could this be a sign of things to come? Earlier today, Gander Mountain (NASDAQ:GMTN) announced its two largest shareholders have made a deal to take the company private. In an economic environment where regulations are increasing by the minute and costs are rising even faster, ... http://myprops.org/content/Gander-Mountain-Going-Private-Sending-a-Message/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:38:41 GMT "The real danger - economically, socially or politically speaking - in the 1930s was loads of young men without jobs." It's probably a literary no-no to quote yourself. But we begin today with words we wrote last November not because we admire our own work, but we because we meant it then. and it's becoming a reality today. No matter which way you measure it, unemployment among Americans aged 16-24 is now at a post-World War II high. As typical in these kinds of stats, we're seeing numbers ... http://myprops.org/content/Unemployed-Young-People-are-the-Real-Danger-414711/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:13:53 GMT Last week, Vickers Weekly Insider Report noted that corporate insiders are dumping shares like there's no tomorrow. Insiders sold 6.31 shares for every share they bought. Contrast that with the seemingly brilliant move insiders made at the market low in March, buying three shares for every share they sold. Some analysts are saying there is only one interpretation to this recent turn in insider activity: The market is due for a spill. But not so fast. Do Corporate Insiders Really Have All the ... http://myprops.org/content/What-Corporate-Insiders-Are-Telling-Us/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:16:08 GMT If we're right about where the price of gold is headed, the general public will someday clamor to buy all things gold. While gold stocks will be where the real leverage is, the rush will start with gold itself. As a gold editor, I have a very natural question: is there enough to go around? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 6.783 billion earthlings. Meanwhile, CPM Group, a highly respected industry organization, estimates there are 4.8 billion ounces of above-ground gold in the ... http://myprops.org/content/What-if-Everyone-in-the-World-Wanted-a-One-Ounce-Gold-Coin/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:39:42 GMT By Adam Lass, Senior Editor, Taipan Publishing Group This American company has gained 777% the old-fashioned way: selling junk in backroom deals. As regular readers know, I am a Ford man. Back when I was a kid, you had to make three really important choices. First, you had to pick a political party. Didn't matter how well you knew the candidates - you picked a party and that's what you were. We are talking Democrat or Republican here. Libertarians weren't much discussed, and backing ... http://myprops.org/content/Follow-the-Money-Washington-to-Wall-Street/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:39:35 GMT With yet another market runup seemingly losing its steam, a lot of folks are wondering, "Was that it? Did we just top?" But while most investors stress out over what the market's doing, smart traders are attuned to the secret of making safe bets using alternative entry points. Here's everything you need to know to buy stocks safely using alternative entry points. In order to find our entries, let's first look at what the market's doing right now, and whether we've actually topped out. Here's ... http://myprops.org/content/Buying-Stocks-Safely-Using-Alternative-Entry-Points/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:39:29 GMT A bias to buy dollars remains.The Fed was warned as far back as 1999! Fujii gets "the memo"! A ton o' data all around the globe this week! And Now. Today's Pfennig! Good day. And a Marvelous Monday to you! My weekend turned out to be quite grand, as all the things I said that would make it special came to pass! My Cardinals clinched their division. My beloved Missouri Tigers won on Friday night, and my little buddy's 8th grade Flyers won their game against their arch rival. WOW! Well. Here ... http://myprops.org/content/A-New-Carry-Trade-Currency-38448/ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:17 GMT