04
May
2008
Foreclosure Rage: (former) homeowners take out their anger
Posted by John as economy
Foreclosed homes are being damaged at a high rate as homeowners take out their anger on houses before they are forced to move out, increasing the costs for the banks that take back ownership (because they have to sell at a lower price as the new buyer has to pay for repairs.
Is this just another [...]
29
Apr
2008
Europe Braces for Inflationary Shock
Posted by John as Market Action
http://www.iht.com. FRANKFURT: Europe is facing a “very strong inflationary shock” as a result of rising energy and food costs, the top European Union official for economic affairs said Monday as the price of oil neared $120 a barrel.
Joaquín Almunia, the EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, said that higher inflation was emerging as “a [...]
23
Apr
2008
Food tensions creep to surface in USA
Posted by John as Market Action
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - With global tensions over food supplies mounting, prices of world staples rice and corn surged on Tuesday amid strong demand and concerns over slow planting of the new U.S. corn crop.
Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank warned Asian countries against export controls, and the Inter-American Development Bank said the food-versus-fuel debate had [...]
17
Dec
2007
RE: Greenspan Sees Early Signs of U.S. Stagflation
Posted by John as Market Action
A few posts back I wrote that what we were increasingly likely to get here in the US is stagflation. One of the headlines in a Reuters article today was “Greenspan sees early signs of stagflation.” I am sure this does not come as a surprise to him, given the role he played [...]
13
Dec
2007
It was not enough, and he is scared…
Posted by John as Market Action
I wrote the other day that I thought Bernanke would ease 1/2 a point. Given the state of the financial markets, that is what he should of did. Before I go any further, let me say that I am looking at this in light of the economic & social framework that is currently [...]