November 2014 ISM Manufacturing Survey Declines Insignificantly. Expansion Continues
The ISM Manufacturing survey continues to indicate manufacturing growth expansion with an insignificant decrease in the rate of growth. This survey should be considered good news as it reconfirms a rather strong report last month. Key internals improved. The ISM Manufacturing survey index (PMI) declined from 59.0 to 58.7 (50 separates manufacturing contraction and expansion). This was […]
Oil, Cartels, And The ECB
OPEC is a cartel but it is a strange species in the sense that it only accounts for about 40% of oil production. In the past exerted its influence by cutting production, as in 2008, and driving up prices. Now it faces a different challenge. New supply has come on the market, which threatens the cartel’s […]
The Economic Absurdity Of US Laws Limiting Individual Choice
Introduction American jails are full of citizens for possessing small amounts of drugs. At the same time, smoking, an activity that kills almost 500,000 American annually, is allowed. Guns kill more than 30,000 Americans per year. They are also allowed. In a civilized society, government limits on citizens’ actions should only apply where harm to […]
The Governments Know Sovereign Debt Defaults Are Coming
On page 13 of the IMF Working Paper entitled Sovereign Debt Restructurings 1950–2010: Literature Survey, Data, and Stylized Facts, you will find this timeline on how to deal with the coming Sovereign Debt Default. Behind the Curtain, they know what is coming. They appear to be even using our timing. Numerous emails have come in asking about […]
Break On Through To The Other Side
Of all the ridiculous reasons I’ve heard for pushing this astonishly overpriced market into higher highs is the “Santa Claus Rally”. What’s wrong with you people? I even checked in with some of the Barron’s luminaries; here’s their take on the notion of a Santa Claus Rally: Mario Gabelli: “Ghey.” Marc Faber: “Totally ghey.” Abby Joseph Cohen: “Gheyer […]
Dave Ramsey Baby Steps And Rich As A King Both Put Emergency Funds First
An emergency fund is one of the most important strategies that any investor needs. As financial guru Dave Ramsey writes in his Seven Baby Steps for Getting Out of Debt, an emergency fund is necessary for “those unexpected events in life that you can’t plan for.” However well you plan, and even if you are […]
Dividend Aristocrats In Focus Part 50: Archer-Daniels-Midland
Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) is the largest publicly traded farm products corporation with a market cap of $34 billion. The company is nearly 3 times larger than its closest rival, Bunge Limited (BG) which has a market cap of $13 billion. When I last analyzed Archer-Daniels-Midland, I was impressed with the management’s ROIC improvements and strong third quarter […]
Market Commentary: Lower Open On Soft Global Data
Written by Gary Gary is off , and the market open comes from our syndication partner Investing.com U.S. stocks fell at the open on Monday as manufacturing growth across Asia and Europe eased in November, while retailers could be pressured as Thanksgiving weekend in-store sales failed to impress. The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI) fell 44.31 […]
The Deceleration In US Money Supply Growth Rolls On
The Federal Reserve is reportedly on track to start raising interest rates next year, but the tightening is already underway if only in relative terms. Indeed, there’s a conspicuous directional change in the year-over-year comparison in the real (inflation-adjusted) monetary base. The substantial deceleration of the growth rate that’s been unfolding this year isn’t surprising […]
Bitcoin Continues Volatility Streak
One of the biggest advantages of Bitcoin is its user anonymity. Many analysts consider this to be one of the main reasons as to why it drew such extensive clientele. However, this supposed strength is about to be challenged as a group of cryptographers in Luxembourg recently released paper, singling out some glaring faults in […]
