Inauguration Day: Pimping Disaster and 66 Democrat Clowns

The Left is really playing dirty now, in their efforts to keep the duly-elected President from taking office. First example is by talking about how a “Disaster could put Obama cabinet member in Oval Office” in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/qxIG4dduqy0 Trying to get some “Catcher in the Rye” reader to go off, you think? Second … Read More

Retail’s Last Big Car-Buying Spree Saves America?

Yes, Retail Sales Matter and we have a fresh one just off the press over at Census. Here’s how it looks: Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services  Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for December 2016, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, … Read More

Job Picture: Last of the Kool-Aid?

In a second, we’ll get to the ADP and Challenger job numbers. But first, a discussion of context is in order. For those too young to remember, the term “drink the Kool-Aid” arose from the tragic events at Guyana in 1978. From Wikipedia: “”Jonestown” was the informal name for the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project formed … Read More

Key Trends to Follow in 2017

(A one-piece report this morning due to holiday and markets being closed.) While many media outlets use the end-of-year period to go through too-many replays of last year’s news, we prefer to look “the other way.” That’s because once something sails by the ever-present Now, it’s gone and you’re left – as in golf – … Read More

Homes are Still the Best Investment

Just out:  S&P CoreLogic, Case-Shiller Housing press release.  Think of this as an “extra present” if you own a home: “NEW YORK, December 27, 2016 – S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for October 2016 shows … Read More

Wrapping Up the Financial Year

Several things to go over this morning: First off is the condition of Gold. As I told you, we are (IMHO) in immediate danger between now and March 1 of seeing gold break below the $1,000 level. Before that can happen, though, we will first break the $1,100 handle and that could happen before year-end. … Read More

Dear Gold Bugs: Sorry to be Right (Again)

I told you so. I am not going to rub this in too much, and certainly this is not salt in your wounds. But the price of gold is down as much $32 in commodities and down almost $11 in the spot market when I looked because the Fed raised a quarter and not a … Read More

Fed Week Jitters?

The (not-so) Federal Reserve meets tomorrow and Wednesday will have the decision on rates, but most of the smart money seems to be on a quarter-point hike, rather than going a full half. Although, in fairness, there is a case to be made there since the 10-year Note which was trading around 1.75% a couple … Read More

Coping: The “Christmas Wrapping” Hoax

Status is no longer in style. We saw it last year on one of our casino jaunts, the one up to Choctaw to see the Commodores in concert. Oh, and take some money home, too… While there, a FEW women were dressed to the 9’s (including Elaine who looks like a million bucks). But the … Read More

Markets: Running Out of Hype?

Nowhere near it — yet. We need to be clear on something: Yes, the market went up yesterday. But in my (admittedly weird) approach to markets, that places us only about where we were two weeks ago. Yeah, sure, the Dow is in record country and so is the S&P. But in our work, the … Read More

Prepping: Goodbye Shortwave, Howdy Outernet

Since I have most of the paper the F.C.C. has ever offered, like the Extra Class ham ticket, the old First Class Commercial ticket and the poor substitute General Radio Operator License, and since banging out 30 words a minute Morse really is fun, you’ll have to forgive me for offering some advice on the … Read More

Coping: Dark Side of “Hunter’s Rights?”

I don’t know if it’s the NRA who has slammed legislation through 48-states, but a buddy of mine up the street has been charged with a misdemeanor. The heinous crime of this chum? Well, he lives on County Road 404 and a neighbor of his likes to hunt. But the catch is, my neighbor has … Read More

The Fed vs. 4.6% Deflation?

I thought we’d begin this morning with an update because reader Bruno was shocked when I wrote down how much the M1 (seasonally adjusted) money supply had been slammed by the Fed recently. Since the H.6 Money Stocks report is updated every Thursday (except Holidays, of course) we wanted to give you the latest figures. … Read More