Figures can lie, and liars can figure said Mark Twain.  Never could such a statement be more true than when looking at the economy.  And this morning we will do just that, since on Friday, the new GDP figures came out.  It’s not a simple thing to figure, but amazingly, our numbers and some federal … Read More

A very short report this morning because of eye surgery yest.  Normally I get up at 4 to hit it and get it.  Nuit this morning, try 7 AM. And barely that. 2 1/2 hour eye surgery #2 about did me in.  Hurts like bloody hell.  Maybe more on that this weekend. On the financial  … Read More

(Written before Surgery on Thursday) When I began jotting down a few notes about “brain cleaning” this week, it was not clear why I was going down this path this week, but one of those “odd damn dreams” came along last night to explain it and so I thought I would pass it on to … Read More

There is one school of thought that the present rally is the start of a major breakout to the upside. But, we still have to close this week above the trend channel defining a Wave 2 correction off the February low and March-April rally. Not that it matters. In Long Wave economics, when you’re really … Read More

Yes. It’s in our kitchen. Lemme tell you how I know. Tuesday afternoon, I get back from the doc-2 with the eye rolling in 20/40+3, or so, and with a 1.25 diopter set of dime store readers, I was wailing away on Peoplenomics until around 6 PM. Go over to the house, scrub and pop … Read More

This morning we put on our “Look-Aheads” and size up some of the economic data that is beginning to form.  Will it support some of our notions about a run-up into the presidential election and then a very bad patch starting in 2017?Yes, it seems so…But first a few headlines as we run through what … Read More

First thing this morning before we get into the data of the day, and we walk through the zoo and see how the )political( animals are doing, yada, yada, a reader asked a fine question that deserves some thought. Do I attach any significance to the market when the 50 week moving average (50 dma) … Read More

But before we get to that… a quick note to Bruce down in Ecuador. Long an ex-pat and a key contributor around here, Bruce and I agree on many of the big points, but certainly not all. Let me pull a comment or two from his Monday retort to set the stage. “You will never … Read More

You couldn’t tell it from the weekend in town, reports the spousal unit (Elaine). Stores were packed and people were shelling out easy money for anything that had a sale tag on it. Still, a weekend in town does not an economy make. So we will just hold our comments on the illusion of growth … Read More

I have decided to dub this week National Brain Cleaning Week. And along the way I decided that we could actually turn this into a “two-fer.” A two-fer, if you haven’t figured it, is when you do one thing, but it serves two purposes. Which, in this case is separate and distinct from one another. … Read More

This morning, we lay out five simple rules for young people (40 and under) which – if followed – will almost guarantee that over time you will rise to the top of net worth individuals.Oh, sure, it’s popular to be young, full of piss and vinegar and be anti-establishment and all that happy young radical … Read More

“Hey Rock, wanna see me pull a rabbit outta my hat?” Everything you need to know about finance today from an ancient but very adult cartoon series.  Even had a Fearless Leader in it…and a socialist at that. The Battle to Save America is not over yet, I’m pleased to report.  Although a modest rally … Read More

Oh, boy.  Here we go again.  Remember this part from the bottom of the Coping section on Thursday? This latest one is worth keeping an eye out for in the headlines. I was a worker in some kind of large mine – many side shafts off the main tunnel. The scene was brightly lit and … Read More