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Sunday, March 20, 2011
Fw: $200 billion hit to world's 3rd largest economy! What to do ...
Friday, March 11, 2011
Fwd: Jason, my New stock coaching program is here.
* Sent from my Apple iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Rich Dad Coaching" <yourcoach@richdadscoaching.rsys1.com>
Date: 11 March, 2011 10:03:57 AM PST
To: computerdiy@yahoo.com
Subject: Jason, my New stock coaching program is here.
Reply-To: "Rich Dad Coaching" <yourcoach@richdadcoaching.com>
Dear Jason,All around me I see people two steps behind the world's stock markets. They lose big when it crashes and then lose out on even more money when it soars and they weren't positioned to take advantage. There is an overwhelming amount of both fear and greed in the markets right now and as peoples' emotion goes up, their intelligence goes down. This is how people like my poor dad see the markets. Lucky for me I had a rich dad who taught me that the rich make money when the markets go up, when they go down or when they go sideways.
The difference isn't having the right "hot tip" or the right broker, but rather increasing your own financial IQ. Recessions and depressions are when the rich get a whole lot richer because when someone else loses money, they are gaining it. Now is the perfect time to be making money in the markets if you know what you're doing.
I'm excited to announce my new Rich Dad Paper Asset Coaching program. Working one-on-one with one of my certified personal coaches, you'll create a plan that will help you manage risk and maximize profits in the markets. You'll learn what it takes to make stocks, bonds, options and other paper assets build you wealth no matter what the rest of the herd of people in the market are doing.
I've arranged for you to receive a free introduction to my program by calling 1-800-240-0434, ext 1065. This is a custom-tailored program and the point of the introduction is for us to see if you are a fit. Only those who are serious about investing will be considered.
RobertClick Here to receive your FREE introduction to my new Stock Coaching Program.
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Rich Dad Coaching, 4255 Lake Park Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84120
© 2000-2009 Rich Dad ®, Rich Dad Coaching. All rights reserved.
Fwd: iPad 2 is here.
* Sent from my Apple iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Apple <News@InsideApple.Apple.com>
Date: 11 March, 2011 6:22:58 AM PST
To: computerdiy@yahoo.com
Subject: iPad 2 is here.
Order your new iPad from the Apple Online Store now and get free shipping and free engraving.
Pick up your iPad starting at 5:00 p.m. today, and we'll help you set it up before you leave the store.
iPad Smart Cover sold separately. The leather Smart Cover is crafted from high-quality, naturally treated material that gets its color from a rich aniline dye. Some color may rub off during use.
A portion of the proceeds from every (PRODUCT) RED purchase will go to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.
Some products or promotions are not available outside the U.S. Product specifications are subject to change.
TM and copyright © 2011 Apple Inc. 1 Infinite Loop, MS 96-DM, Cupertino, CA 95014.
All Rights Reserved / Keep Informed / Privacy Policy / My Apple ID
If you prefer not to receive commercial email from Apple, or if you've changed your email address, please click here.
Fwd: Settling the commodities debate — once and for all!
* Sent from my Apple iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Money and Markets <eletter@e1.moneyandmarkets.com>
Date: 11 March, 2011 4:53:05 AM PST
To: computerdiy@yahoo.com
Subject: Settling the commodities debate — once and for all!
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MONEY AND MARKETS » Friday, March 11, 2011 YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR THE UNBIASED MARKET COMMENTARY YOU WON'T GET FROM WALL STREET
[«] Money and Markets Archive View This Issue On Our Website [»] Settling the commodities debate — once and for all! by Mike Larson
Dear Subscriber,
Is it just me, or does it seem like we've been here before?
Oil prices are soaring into the triple digits, driving the cost of gas toward $4 a gallon and beyond.
Soybeans are skyrocketing. Wheat is surging. Corn is flying. Copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, and silver are going ballistic.
The dollar is plunging — against developed world currencies like the Swiss franc and Japanese yen and emerging market currencies like the Brazilian real and Russian ruble.
And the Federal Reserve? What's it doing in response?
It's explaining it all away! Washing its hands of responsibility! Pointing to useless, outdated inflation measures to avoid actually doing anything about the exploding cost of living.
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First, he needs to put each one under a microscope and determine which of the stocks offer you the greatest profit potential now. Then and only then will he issue his recommendations.
To make sure your name is on the list to receive these all-important recommendations when they're ready, click here now.
If you have the same sense of déjà vu that I do, it's because you have every reason to ...
We've Been Here Before —
and It's Time to Explain
Why We're Here Again!Back in 2007 and 2008, crude oil prices almost tripled from $50 to $147 a barrel. Gold rocketed from around $650 an ounce to $1,033. Copper surged from $2.39 to $4.27 a pound, while corn more than doubled from $3.08 to $7.76 a bushel.
Now I'll be the first to admit that SOME of those gains stemmed from fundamental market forces. Tight supply. Rising demand. Weather conditions in certain producing regions. You get the picture.
Three years ago, the Fed's easy money policy helped send oil prices soaring. But a huge, key culprit back then — as now — was the Fed, plain and simple. The Fed enabled rampant speculation by keeping interest rates incredibly low. It also essentially told Wall Street: "Go ahead and take the easy money we're printing and buy all these commodities!" by saying that food and energy inflation would be ignored.
In fact, former Fed governor Frederic Mishkin in October 2007, said,
"Focusing on core inflation can help prevent a central bank from responding too strongly to transitory movements in inflation."
And here's what former Fed governor Randall Kroszner had to say in November 2007,
"Sizable increases in energy and food prices have contributed to a pickup in headline inflation this year, but the developments on core inflation (which excludes prices for food and energy items) have been moving in a more favorable direction."
So what is the Fed doing now? Did it learn from that painful lesson, when surging prices first drove inflation through the roof, then helped contribute to the nastiest recession in decades?
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Nope! It's trotting out the same tired arguments, and making the same policy mistakes again!
I already told you what Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said in February, and what Ben Bernanke has said before Congress.
But the hits just keep on coming ...
Chicago Fed President Charles Evans claimed in a CNBC interview this week that the Fed has nothing to do with the current surge in commodity prices. He added that,
"I think in terms of inflation it's a change in relative prices that should not end up in inflation, not underlying inflationary pressures."
Translation: It's not our problem!
Then there's MIT professor and economist Peter Diamond, an Obama administration nominee for the Fed who's currently going through the confirmation process. He has made clear he'd pursue more of the same tired policies.
Commenting on inflation in a recent Congressional hearing, he said,
"The issue is, going forward, are there signs that inflation might be picking up quickly? ... I view commodity prices as driven by micro factors, not general stimulation of the economy."
Easy Money Flood Still Coming
on Strong! What to Do ...Bottom line? While the rest of the world is raising rates to combat inflation, our Fed is dragging its feet. It's keeping the liquidity spigots open, once again helping enable speculators with all the easy money they need.
Once again, Fed policies are bound to push commodities higher. That means you can expect gold and silver prices to continue rising. You can expect the dollar to generally fall against fundamentally strong currencies. You can expect interest rates to climb.
And even if some of the "Libya premium" comes out of oil in the short term — should domestic rebels, NATO, or the Arab League figure out a way to send Muammar el-Qaddafi packing — you can expect energy prices to keep climbing.
My suggestions:
- Keep riding the Fed's easy money wave as long as it lasts,
- Buy select resource stocks and investments,
- Hedge against rising interest rates using inverse bond ETFs,
- Don't listen to the ridiculous pabulum being spewed by Fed officials. Rising commodities prices are inflationary, and they are most definitely the Fed's fault, no ifs, ands or buts about it!
- And consider giving my Safe Money Report a try. Indispensable help in these treacherous times at 26 cents a day with a rock solid guarantee, you got nothing to lose! Click here to read my latest report.
Until next time,
Mike
Mike Larson graduated from Boston University with a B.S. degree in Journalism and a B.A. degree in English in 1998, and went to work for Bankrate.com. There, he learned the mortgage and interest rates markets inside and out. Mike then joined Weiss Research in 2001. He is the editor of Safe Money Report, Interest Rate Profits and LEAPS Options Alert. He is often quoted by the New York Sun, Washington Post, Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires, Orlando Sentinel, Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel, and he has appeared on CNN, Bloomberg Television and CNBC.
About Money and Markets
For more information and archived issues, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com
Money and Markets (MaM) is published by Weiss Research, Inc. and written by Martin D. Weiss along with Nilus Mattive, Claus Vogt, Ron Rowland, Michael Larson and Bryan Rich. To avoid conflicts of interest, Weiss Research and its staff do not hold positions in companies recommended in MaM, nor do we accept any compensation for such recommendations. The comments, graphs, forecasts, and indices published in MaM are based upon data whose accuracy is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Performance returns cited are derived from our best estimates but must be considered hypothetical in as much as we do not track the actual prices investors pay or receive. Regular contributors and staff include John Burke, Marci Campbell, Amber Dakar, Maryellen Murphy, Jennifer Newman-Amos, Adam Shafer, Julie Trudeau, Jill Umiker, Leslie Underwood and Michelle Zausnig.
Attention editors and publishers! Money and Markets issues can be republished. Republished issues MUST include attribution of the author(s) and the following short paragraph:
This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.
From time to time, Money and Markets may have information from select third-party advertisers known as "external sponsorships." We cannot guarantee the accuracy of these ads. In addition, these ads do not necessarily express the viewpoints of Money and Markets or its editors. For more information, see our terms and conditions.
View our Privacy Policy.
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© 2011 by Weiss Research, Inc. All rights reserved. 15430 Endeavour Drive, Jupiter, FL 33478
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Fwd: Argentina - A New ETF Lets You Get There from Here
* Sent from my Apple iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Money and Markets" <eletter@e.moneyandmarkets.com>
Date: 10 March, 2011 4:33:02 AM PST
To: <computerdiy@yahoo.com>
Subject: Argentina - A New ETF Lets You Get There from Here
Reply-To: support@e.moneyandmarkets.com
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MONEY AND MARKETS » Thursday, March 10, 2011 YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR THE UNBIASED MARKET COMMENTARY YOU WON'T GET FROM WALL STREET
[«] Money and Markets Archive View This Issue On Our Website [»] Argentina — A New ETF Lets You Get There from Here by Ron Rowland
Dear Subscriber,
A few weeks ago I told you about opportunities in a huge Asian country overshadowed by an even bigger neighbor. I was talking about India. The bigger neighbor, of course, is China.
There's a similar situation in South America ... a dominant giant (Brazil) that can make us overlook smaller but still very significant players nearby.
And last week brought a major new development: A freshly-minted exchange traded fund (ETF) that opens up a whole new frontier.
Ag = Argentina
We've written a lot about Brazil in Money and Markets. And with good reason — Brazil is the powerhouse of Latin America.
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Just to the south of Brazil lies Argentina. In terms of land area, Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world with 2,400 miles separating its northern and southern tips. At 40 million people, it is also one of the most populous Spanish-speaking nations. Some 13 million of those are in and around the capital city of Buenos Aires.
Argentina is named for silver. Where did this word "Argentina" come from? The answer is silver. Think back to high school chemistry ... the periodic table symbol for silver is Ag.
Look deeper and you'll see that Ag came from the Latin word for silver: Argentum. Now you know why Spanish explorers were interested in this distant place. Mining was — and still is — one of the main industries in Argentina. More recently, the discovery of energy reserves in Tierra del Fuego gave Argentina a new potential growth sector.
However, the really big business in Argentina is food. The country is the world's second largest corn exporter and the third largest soy exporter. This is indeed a very nice position to be in as food prices are rising around the globe.
Until recently there was no easy way for U.S. investors to get exposure to Argentina as a whole. Assembling a diversified portfolio of individual stocks was difficult and expensive.
Argentina is a top corn exporter. But now we have ...
The First Argentina ETF
Last week brought the debut of Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF (ARGT). This ETF is the first opportunity for average investors to get a slice of Argentina.
ARGT will track an index of the 20 largest public companies that are either headquartered in Argentina or have substantial revenue or assets there.
As you might expect, given its history and name, Argentina's new ETF is heavy on natural resources. Yet a look at the sector weightings in the chart below suggests ARGT may be more diversified than many other single-country funds.
ARGT presently has no allocation to health care, industrial, or consumer discretionary stocks — probably because no such Argentinean companies have made it into the top 20 yet. The top holding is Tenaris (TS), a global leader in the manufacturing of energy pipelines.
And it has something never seen before in a Latin America ETF — a 10 percent allocation to the technology sector. Most Latin America ETFs have between 0 percent and 2 percent allocated to technology.
What Are the Risks?
If you asked this question, I'm proud of you. Too many people rush headlong into newly-available niches without thinking about risk.
Argentina does not currently qualify for "emerging market" status in the MSCI market classification system. Instead, it still carries the riskier "frontier market" designation.
The idea of investing in Argentina was lunacy just a few years ago. That's because the country was almost synonymous with "inflation" in the mind of many global leaders ...
Less than ten years ago, in late 2001, Argentina's government formally defaulted on $132 billion in foreign debt. The country was in deep recession for years as leaders grappled with the implications of their folly.
Just as it looked like Argentina's nightmare was ending, the 2008 financial crisis provided another setback. But the fruits of that crisis — massive money creation in the developed world — may prove to be Argentina's salvation.
The resulting inflation in the U.S. and Europe is making Argentina's food, energy and metal resources much more valuable. Foreign companies are now practically forced to invest in Argentina! They can't find enough of what they need anywhere else.
Could Argentina go down the drain once again? It's always possible. But with a new ETF alternative, you have a good chance to ride any bull market that develops. So take a look at ARGT, and be sure to use a limit order if you decide it's right for your portfolio.
Best wishes,
Ron
P.S. Timing of course is everything — even for ETFs! And with my International ETF Trader service, I instantly rush recommendations and updates direct to your computer, iPhone, iPad or cell phone. To see how you can join ... and get a 100% money-back guarantee ... click here.
Ron Rowland is widely regarded as a leading ETF and mutual fund advisor. You may have read about Mr. Rowland and his strategies in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Investor's Business Daily, Forbes.com, Barron's, Hulbert Financial Digest and many more. As a former mutual fund manager from 2000 to 2002, Ron was a pioneer in using ETFs inside of mutual funds. Today, he is the editor of International ETF Trader, dedicated to helping investors use ETFs to profit from ever-changing global market conditions.
About Money and Markets
For more information and archived issues, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com
Money and Markets (MaM) is published by Weiss Research, Inc. and written by Martin D. Weiss along with Nilus Mattive, Claus Vogt, Ron Rowland, Michael Larson and Bryan Rich. To avoid conflicts of interest, Weiss Research and its staff do not hold positions in companies recommended in MaM, nor do we accept any compensation for such recommendations. The comments, graphs, forecasts, and indices published in MaM are based upon data whose accuracy is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Performance returns cited are derived from our best estimates but must be considered hypothetical in as much as we do not track the actual prices investors pay or receive. Regular contributors and staff include John Burke, Marci Campbell, Amber Dakar, Maryellen Murphy, Jennifer Newman-Amos, Adam Shafer, Julie Trudeau, Jill Umiker, Leslie Underwood and Michelle Zausnig.
Attention editors and publishers! Money and Markets issues can be republished. Republished issues MUST include attribution of the author(s) and the following short paragraph:
This investment news is brought to you by Money and Markets. Money and Markets is a free daily investment newsletter from Martin D. Weiss and Weiss Research analysts offering the latest investing news and financial insights for the stock market, including tips and advice on investing in gold, energy and oil. Dr. Weiss is a leader in the fields of investing, interest rates, financial safety and economic forecasting. To view archives or subscribe, visit http://www.moneyandmarkets.com.
From time to time, Money and Markets may have information from select third-party advertisers known as "external sponsorships." We cannot guarantee the accuracy of these ads. In addition, these ads do not necessarily express the viewpoints of Money and Markets or its editors. For more information, see our terms and conditions.
View our Privacy Policy.
Would you like to unsubscribe from our mailing list?
To make sure you don't miss our urgent updates, add Weiss Research to your address book. Just follow these simple steps.
© 2011 by Weiss Research, Inc. All rights reserved. 15430 Endeavour Drive, Jupiter, FL 33478
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
FW: Yahoo! Canada News Story - Vancouver iconic mansion Casa Mia on the market for $10.5M - Yahoo! News
From: mailbot@ca.news.yahoo.com [mailto:mailbot@ca.news.yahoo.com]
Sent: 2011, March, 09 5:03 PM
To: Wang, Jason (VANCOUVER)
Subject: Yahoo! Canada News Story - Vancouver iconic mansion Casa Mia on
the market for $10.5M - Yahoo! News
jason wang (jason.wang@rbc.com) has sent you a news article
------------------------------------------------------------
Personal message:
Vancouver iconic mansion Casa Mia on the market for $10.5M - Yahoo! News
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/vancouver-iconic-mansion-casa-mia-market-10-5m-
20110306-160000-893.html
============================================================
Yahoo! Canada News http://ca.news.yahoo.com/
_______________________________________________________________________
This e-mail may be privileged and/or confidential, and the sender does not waive
any related rights and obligations. Any distribution, use or copying of this e-mail or the information
it contains by other than an intended recipient is unauthorized.
If you received this e-mail in error, please advise me (by return e-mail or otherwise) immediately.
Ce courriel peut contenir des renseignements protégés et confidentiels.
L'expéditeur ne renonce pas aux droits et obligations qui s'y rapportent.
Toute diffusion, utilisation ou copie de ce courriel ou des renseignements qu'il contient
par une personne autre que le destinataire désigné est interdite.
Si vous recevez ce courriel par erreur, veuillez m'en aviser immédiatement,
par retour de courriel ou par un autre moyen.
FW: BC Region Media Bulletin: HOME BUYING INTENTIONS REMAIN STEADY IN B.C.: RBC POLL
To: all realtor partner,
Here is Joe’s website: http://www.byreferralonly.com/
And, Attached below is the National and Local Home Ownership survey releases distributed today.
<<National nr PDF.pdf>> <<BC nr PDF.pdf>>
Key B.C. Highlights
- 29 per cent of residents admit they are likely to buy a home in the next two years.
- Having a good down payment is the top worry for 20 per cent of residents
- Homebuyers believe it makes more sense to buy a home this year (54 per cent), rather than waiting until next year (46 per cent), narrowing the gap from 2010 (68 per cent versus 32 per cent)
- B.C residents are less optimistic than last year about the price of their home, as 67 per cent feel the value of their home has increased in the past two years, slightly below the national average of 69 per cent and 16 per cent believe that the value of their home has decreased.
- 30 per cent plan to buy a new home rather than a resale, the highest in the country and eight points above the national average.
- Those intending to buy a home are also looking more long-term, with almost four-in-ten (79 per cent) planning to purchase in the next one to two years rather than right now.
- Almost half of the province believes that it’s a buyers market, 48 per cent, which is eight points above the national average.
- Detached house 54 per cent
- Condo/loft 17 per cent
- Semi detached house 11 per cent
- Townhouse 13 per cent
British Columbians indicate they are looking buy the following types of homes
Highlights of Key National Findings
Canadians feel they are doing a good job of paying down their mortgage debt
- a compelling 85 per cent of Canadian homeowners feel they are doing a good or excellent job of paying down their mortgage.
- 90 per cent of Canadians homeowners believe a home is a good investment.
- home buying momentum in Canada will continue with 29 per cent of Canadians likely to buy in the next two years, down slightly (two points) from last year but higher than any other year since 2006.
- 40 per cent of Canadians feel the current housing market is balanced equally between buyers and sellers, a rise of five points over 2010.
- Homebuyers are most worried about rising home prices (26 per cent) and rising interest rates (22 per cent).
Conclusion: Canadians are confident that they’re doing a good job of making their payments and managing their mortgage debt. Almost three-quarters of Canadians are confident they or their family are well-positioned to weather a drop in the real estate market.
Homes are a good investment
Conclusion: For a significant majority of Canadians, their home is as much an investment as it is a place to live. The relative stability of Canada’s housing market and our study shows Canadians continue to have an overwhelming belief in the long-term value of a home.
Intentions to buy a home
Conclusion: It’s important for first time buyers to get solid advice about what they can afford, not only today, but down the road. That’s why we recommend homebuyers meet with their banker to “stress test” their mortgage for interest rates increases, before they buy, to make sure future payments remain within their comfort zone.
Balanced market and worries around rising home prices, interest rates
Conclusion: Recent real estate data points to a more balanced market and the survey indicates that Canadians are feeling the same way.
_______________________________________________________________________This e-mail may be privileged and/or confidential, and the sender does not waive
any related rights and obligations. Any distribution, use or copying of this e-mail or the information
it contains by other than an intended recipient is unauthorized.
If you received this e-mail in error, please advise me (by return e-mail or otherwise) immediately.
Ce courriel peut contenir des renseignements protégés et confidentiels.
L'expéditeur ne renonce pas aux droits et obligations qui s'y rapportent.
Toute diffusion, utilisation ou copie de ce courriel ou des renseignements qu'il contient
par une personne autre que le destinataire désigné est interdite.
Si vous recevez ce courriel par erreur, veuillez m'en aviser immédiatement,
par retour de courriel ou par un autre moyen.
Fw: Enhance your field of vision with BMW Wide Angle Mirrors.
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Fwd: One of the Biggest Bull Markets of All Time - How to Profit
* Sent from my Apple iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Money and Markets" <eletter@e.moneyandmarkets.com>
Date: 7 March, 2011 4:34:01 AM PST
To: <computerdiy@yahoo.com>
Subject: One of the Biggest Bull Markets of All Time - How to Profit
Reply-To: support@e.moneyandmarkets.com
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MONEY AND MARKETS » Monday, March 7, 2011 YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR THE UNBIASED MARKET COMMENTARY YOU WON'T GET FROM WALL STREET
[«] Money and Markets Archive View This Issue On Our Website [»] One of the Biggest Bull Markets of All Time —
How to Profitby Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.
Dear Subscriber,
We are now witnessing one of the greatest commodity bull markets of all time.
Silver surged to $35 per ounce on Friday, quickly reversing a temporary setback the day before ... cleanly piercing a 31-year high ... and now trading just $14 shy of its all-time peak made during the notorious Hunt Brothers days of 1980.
Gold catapulted to $1,440 per ounce on Wednesday, an amazing 70 percent higher than its peak reached during those wild and wooly days of 1980.
Oil, which many "experts" said would never see $100 per barrel in this decade, has blasted through the $100 barrier like a Saturn V rocket, ending the week at $104.42 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate crude and nearly $116 per barrel for Brent.
Gasoline prices have jumped far more quickly than virtually any analyst expected — up by an average of 35 cents per gallon just since mid-February. Heating oil, jet fuel, and even ethanol prices are exploding higher.
Every commodity on the planet is either moving dramatically higher or getting ready to do so — industrial metals like copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, nickel ... agricultural commodities, including soybeans, wheat, cocoa, coffee, sugar, and cotton ... plus commodities that are traded more actively outside the U.S., such as steel, rubber, wool, and dozens of others.
Jim Rogers puts it this way: "In bull markets, things go to prices which nobody can conceive of. I'm the bull, and I'm telling you, at one point I'm going to sell out and then they're going double again. That's what happens at the end of a bull market and that's what's going to happen at the end of the bull market in commodities."
Sean Brodrick, Weiss Research's "Indiana Jones" of natural resources, takes it one step further: "Gold will catapult past $2,500. Silver will hit $50 near term and $100 long term. Sharp corrections? Absolutely! They are to be expected and even planned for. But this is no ordinary bull market in commodities. It's a commodity supercycle that can greatly exceed anyone's projections in terms of how far — and how fast — prices can go."
Whether you agree or disagree, and whether you're personally profiting from this trend or not, the present realities are undeniable:
Commodity prices are rising in all categories and doing so very swiftly. Global inflation has jumped in nearly every major emerging market, and is now starting to do the same in advanced countries as well. Most important, as a part and parcel of this megatrend, the U.S. dollar is crashing — even against fundamentally weak currencies like the euro.
You can see this all this clearly now. So can millions of global investors, who are making long-term, fundamental adjustments in their portfolios and moving massive amounts of money.
But, ironically, the one man who is more personally responsible for these price explosions than any other person on the planet is still in a state of shameless denial ...
Fed Chief Bernanke Swears on a Stack
Of Bibles That His Massive Money
Printing Has Nothing To Do With It!He proclaims his innocence in meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee. He does it again before Congress, the financial press, and the world.
He would have you believe that this entire upsurge — encompassing or impacting 94 tradable commodities, at least 170 currencies, 195 countries, and the largest free markets on Earth — is all driven by peripheral, temporary factors.
Poppycock!
Again, let's never lose sight the powerful facts I've highlighted here on several occasions.
One year ago, we showed you exactly what the Fed chief is doing in "Bernanke's Running Amuck," and pointed to the obvious result — a flood of dollars and surging precious metals.Then, this past November, we warned you still again in "Fed money printing getting even wilder!"
Indeed, in the 219 years since the U.S. dollar was born, the United States has suffered through one massive flu pandemic, two great depressions, 11 major wars, and 44 recessions. But despite all those disasters, the U.S. government never abused its money-printing power ... until, that is, Bernanke came along.
Like a mad counterfeiter cranking out mountains of $100 bills to feed America's outrageous debt addiction, the Fed chief is literally running amuck.
Nothing like this has ever happened in the United States — even in response to other recent threats to the economy.
Back in 1999, for example, when the Fed feared the Y2K computer bug would sink the banking system, Chairman Greenspan pumped in what experts thought was a huge amount of money.
Two years later, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Fed AGAIN pumped in what experts said was a huge amount of money.
But today, Bernanke's new money printing makes those prior money-printing episodes look like a speck of dust by comparison.
Hard to believe? Then just look at the chart above. Or just consider the facts: From September 10, 2008 through the end of 2010, Bernanke increased the nation's monetary base from $851 billion to $2.03 trillion. That's an irresponsible, irrational, absolutely insane increase of 138.6 percent in just 27 months!
And now, even as commodities continue to surge on world markets, Bernanke is printing still more, flooding the economy with another $600 billion in funny money (QE2) ... virtually promising a third money printing binge (QE3) ... and saying absolutely nothing to discourage talk of a fourth round on the way (QE4).
The dangers for investors in this environment are both very frightening and very obvious:
- Plunging purchasing power of your money. What good is it to eke out modest gains in your stock portfolio if the value of the dollar is sinking at a far faster pace? And if it's CDs or money markets that you prefer, how can you possibly earn enough in interest to compensate for the surging cost of everything from gasoline, groceries, health care, and college tuition?
- Vulnerable stocks. Any company that's a big consumer of commodities and lacks the power to jack up its own prices will suffer a sudden profit squeeze. These can include transportation companies, construction companies, and retailers.
- Sinking bond prices. Regardless of the rating or the issuer, if you're holding fixed-rate long-term bonds, you're going to be caught between a rock and a hard p
