QUESTION: Marty, you said this is a perfect storm behind the metals between sovereign debt and war. I believe you said that the EU wants war with Russia or keeps up the appearance of war so they can keep the $350 billion they stole from Russia that included personal assets of […]
Grocery stores in New York have devised a clever marketing tactic by preying upon the economically vulnerable. The latest example is the so-called “free grocery store” stunt in New York, which was quickly seized upon as proof that groceries can somehow be made affordable simply by eliminating prices. This is […]
QUESTION: Will oil go crazy if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz? Sam ANSWER: It is questionable if Iran would do that, for we get only about 3% of our oil through that strait, whereas 80% or so goes to China. Nevertheless, February was a Directional Change and March remains a key […]
Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright publicly admitting that the company is now aiming its marketing and pricing toward households earning over $100,000 a year is a confession that fast food no longer functions the way it used to. What began as the cheap, quick alternative to a sit-down meal has mutated into […]
In a recent interview, Donald Trump claimed he could “very easily solve” the United Nations’ financial problems by requiring member states to pay their dues, much as he pressured NATO allies to increase defense contributions during his first term. Trump would not be able to do this with funds, as that is not […]
The Trump administration is moving to create what is being described as a strategic stockpile for rare earths and other critical minerals, branded “Project Vault,” with reported financing of around $12 billion, involving a major loan structure and private participation from large industrial users. This is a defensive move akin […]
Cycles are often systemic, predictable, and, as I have long argued, often the result of policy distortions interacting with underlying structural forces. The latest data showing where the cost of living is rising fastest in the United States is a textbook example of how centralized, urban-centric policies can create persistent […]
Microsoft provided the FBI with Bitlocker encryption keys. It should come as no surprise that a US-based cloud storage service provided US intelligence with backdoor access. Encryption is only as strong as the one who controls the key to lock it. Microsoft, the world’s dominant provider of desktop and enterprise systems, complied […]
We are witnessing an unmistakable shift in the US housing market, not a bubble pop like 2008, but a market regime change characterized by buyers retreating as inventory rises and affordability remains strained. Recent data from Redfin shows that roughly 40,000 US home-purchase agreements were canceled in December, representing about 16.3% of […]
Private credit or direct lending soared in popularity after the 2008 recession when regulators cracked down on banks, but now, companies backed by direct loans are beginning to fail. Fears surrounding private lenders and their legitimacy are coming to a head. Private credit is lending outside the traditional banking system. […]