Slicing and Dicing 2023

Every year, we take a fearless poke at the future and explain our basis for ‘Life Planning’ for the coming year.  The process is never simple, though.  Something as complicated as one’s Life and as intricate as a global economy is more than a 5-minute essay! Today, we kick around some of the data sourcing … Read More

Housing Rollover Snowballing Now

The important part of why the rollover is what matters now. Simply, when interest rates were at historic lows (less than half the rates of the Great Depression era) when a million-dollar home was sold, the majority of funds would be paid to the seller on closing.  However, as interest rates have gone up, the … Read More

3 (1) (i) Down? A Useful (Old) Roadmap

Without trying to sound prophetic, we are expecting the market to put on something of an early rally, since the stock market decline caught a lot of people (but not us) by surprise. You’ll remember a while back; we offered this potential roadmap of where things might go? Well, yeah, that’s right.  We explicitly tabled … Read More

China, Housing Data & Employment Week Begins

Breaking:  Mauna Loa Volcano eruption.  Click here for live web cam.  Updates from Hank in Hawaii in the comments section. Slam, cram, and jam the leftovers, kiddies. A four-week hustle till the Fat Dude rolls begins now. And since we went short toward the end of the abbreviated Friday trading session, the main job function today … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Design Failures — e-Spa Plan

Before we begin, an unashamed plug for Amazon (“get ’em while you can”) as Cyber Monday Power Tool deals are here.  Best seen with your spouse present (and you in handcuffs). If you’re not already maxed out from Black Friday, life is short and power tools are safer fun than chasing something extra (ahem) on … Read More

Trend Domains

We’re almost to our Annual Outlook report.  As part of the process we employ a number of “thinking tools” and ways of looking into the future that anyone can use. The future, understand, is all about perceptual domains.  Not everyday stuff, certainly, but with the pressure off for another couple of days, it’s always good … Read More

Black Friday, Musk Promises, Our Prized Leftovers Recipe

Today’s column is long.  So read it for a while, till our writing causes you to nod off.  Leave the tab open and come back to it later.  It’s a dopamine recovery tool for habitual Black Friday click addicts. Here’s why – after 364 days the rest of the year – about 70 percent of … Read More

Rally Here, Turkey Coma, Scream Box 101

Let’s begin with news and markets – to work up a good appetite, right? As we told you in advance, expect a rally Wednesday and what shows up?  Yes, that’s right – the reason the Bearish Mister sits on his keester. The BIG wave count is in yellow.  Next level is white.  Then Green. got … Read More

Durables, UI Filings, Charts

This being a semi-vacation week, we’re keeping on point with breaking economic news.  Since people are moving around the country in huge numbers (55+ million) for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Our consigliere had an earlier-than-expected arrival due to “dueling Garmin’s.”  Yep – sitting in the driveway here, one routes his return via Athens, Texas while the other … Read More

T Minus 2: Holiday Rally Time?

Durable Goods and a PMI report tomorrow? Spiced with the latest crypto religion revival talk?   Like Hecklefish says, “Oh boy…” Our consigliere was just south of Little Rock (*Arkysaw) leaving us just time to make the last-minute food and booze run.  Turkey will be tomorrow night and prime rib Thursday.  If you’re in the neighborhood…keep driving. For … Read More

Monday: Gearing the Week, CFNAI, Turkey Ho!

Somewhere in the middle of the night (“It’s 2:13 AM” Alexa tells me) it occurred to me that Elaine and I haven’t taken a vacation this year.  Although we will have articles every day this week (two will be on the Peoplenomics.com side), brevity will make a rare appearance at some point. Our consigliere will … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Hot-rodding the BBQ, Life at Stardew

Ah, time of the year when the really important stuff goes on the menu:  Remember to pick up the catered turkey dinner.  Thaw out the monster Prime Rib in time for Thursday (doing turkey Wednesday).  And then? Big decisions, too:  Glenfiddich or Glenlivet?  See why my head hurts? What trip to Texas for our consigliere would … Read More

Collapse Check Due

Disaster at the docks is our urgent concern because “me-too financial media” doesn’t have Clue #1 about economics. While the government offers lots of “Offishul figgers” we like to run parallel private indicators.  So this morning, a quick glance over in that direction as we spool up toward holiday madness. With less than a week … Read More