U.S. Income Inequality Places It In Bad Global Company
Plutarch, the famous Greek historian, is attributed to saying “An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics“. Whether we agree on what causes this problem (or cirumstance for those of you who do not see it as a problem) is not nearly as important as the inevitable outcome […]
U.S. Farmers In “Dire Straits”: JPM Warns Of Imminent Liquidity Crunch
Despite the government’s ‘advice’ to young debt-laden students, the tragedy of the American farmer continues with worryingly pessimistic views on the future of the industry. With farmland prices falling for the first time in almost 30 years, credit conditions are weakening dramatically and the Kansas City Fed warns that persistently low crop prices and high input costs reduced profit […]
Insider Trading Report Edition 256: Notable Buys And Sales
Welcome to edition 256 of Insider Weekends. Insider buying almost doubled again last week with insiders buying $143.37 million of stock compared to $74.57 million in the week prior. Selling also increased with insiders selling $1.83 billion of stock last week compared to $1.04 billion in the week prior. Sell/Buy Ratio: The insider Sell/Buy ratio is calculated by dividing the […]
4 Strong Reasons To Buy Japan ETFs Now
U.S. stock indexes remain stuck in range this year. While stocks may still grind higher if the monetary policy stays ultra-accommodative and the economic growth picks up, many have started worrying whether their valuations look stretched now considering prospects for earnings growth. Some investors have started looking for better opportunities in international markets. ETFs […]
First Quarter S&P 500 Earnings Surprising On The Upside
Companies report their earnings at different times, which means that there are four quarterly “earnings seasons“, a period of 6-8 weeks after the beginning of every quarter when companies make their prior quarter earnings results public. Analysts track the results of various companies on an ongoing basis as they are reported throughout the earnings season, […]
Weighing The Week Ahead: Will The Interest Rate Spike Threaten Stock Prices?
This week’s economic calendar includes the most important housing data, but the market context will prove irresistible to the pundits. Stocks continue at the top of the trading range, and even broke through for a few minutes. Even more interesting is the bond market. Interest rates decisively broke their trading range and also showed a […]
Leading German Keynesian Economist Calls For Cash Ban
It’s official: the world has gone central-planner crazy. Monetary policy, whether in the form of “conventional” methods such as the micromanagement of policy rates or so-called “unconventional” measures such as QE, has proven utterly ineffective when it comes to both “smoothing out” the business cycle and reigniting economic growth in the wake of severe downturns. […]
E InfraREIT – Financial Engineering Continues In The Utility Sector
InfraREIT (HIFR) is the first publicly traded high-voltage electric transmission company wrapped in a REIT structure. Spun off from the Hunt family of companies in January, HIFR is structured more like a MLP than a traditional REIT. InfraREIT is a real estate investment trust REIT. The Company owns state-regulated electric transmission and distribution (T&D) assets, […]
The Stock Market Is The Economy, So…
The Fed’s Industrial Production (IP) Index slowed dramatically in April. It weakened enough to decisively break the uptrend in force since 2011, when the trend growth rate slowed from the bungee rebound of 2010. The Stock Market Is The Economy- Click to enlarge The Fed says that this index measures the output of the nation’s factories, […]
Inside China’s Insane IPO Market: Full Frontal
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: China’s equity mania truly is the gift that keeps on giving, and not just for those who are riding the wave, but also for those who, like us, appreciate the humor in a giant, margin-fueled bubble that’s captivated millions upon millions of semi-literate housewives and banana […]
