Mac Slavo

Is a Case of Quant Trading Sabotage About to Destroy Goldman Sachs?

I am sure Goldman has many enemies, domestic and international. There could potentially be multiple benefactors around the world. Perhaps it's The Hitmen, as described in this article by Jim willie: www.321gold.com/editor...

We're talking billions and billions of dollars here, so I take nothing off the table at this point.

SHTF Mac

My Favorite Financial Blogs

Hi, great list. I don't think that marcfaberchannel.blogs.../ is a blog operated by Marc Faber. The posts on their are simply text transcripts of his interviews. Also, it is not written in first person unless it is a quote from the interview. The Twitter account does not seem like Faber either. good marketing for driving traffic to their site, though.

Mac

ETF Update: Time to Look at China

there was an interesting article about the 29% gain China has seen in recent weeks. It is suggested that this gain is a result of borrowed money being cranked into the Chinese markets by the locals using bailout money from the government:

www.nakedcapitalism.co...

This looks like it is a manufactured rally, with big players trying to lock in some profits. They're going to wait for all of us to buy their ETFs and pull out profits. I don't think China has hit a bottom yet.

We have not seen the full impact of the collapse of the US retail sector. I believe China's markets will respond quite negatively to hundreds more retailers closing their doors later this year. China has reportedly lost 20 million jobs already. more are coming.

I am not all-in on China yet, though averaging in is a strategy I am pursuing, especially in infrastructure related companies that serve China (Water, cement, steel, etc.). There will be another bottom in late 2009, early 2010 in China. I will be in full force when this happens. Until then, it is a dangerous game to play.

Mac

Claymore Interview: Profiting with Clean Energy, Water, Shipping ETFs

Jimko, I have a slightly opposing view, in that I believe it is a great time to get into water via the Claymore CGW ETF. As countries like China begin infrastructure projects, we are going to see an increase in revenues to companies held in this ETF. Of course, this can easily take several years before you see real gains by holding this ETF.

Shipping, while also important, seems like it can potentially lose a little more value. I will be picking up shipping companies as soon as I see any hint in economic recovery globally. I don't think the US will pick up full swing insofar as consumption is concerned for some time, but Australia and Europe may recover enough to get shipping companies moving again.

In both cases, I think one could start acquiring shipping and water ETF's and stand to make a good profit in 3 - 5 years.

mac

Water: The New Oil

"On Feb 01 06:54 AM dcb wrote:
BUT PIO HAS OUT PERFORMED THE CLAYMORE FUND OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS"

PHO may have benefited from a stronger dollar, as more of its assets are linked to it. CGW holds over 65% of its portfolio internationally.

We are going to see the cost of water delivery rise in the future, especially in places like China, where companies out of Singapore, like Hyflux, are bringing it to market for 1.2 Billion people. There is a definite need for fresh water globally. Look what California is doing with sewage! Does anyone think it was an accident that China invaded Tibet? They have fresh water flows coming down from the mountains, which are going to be piped straight to the PRC.

By 2050, we will have 9 billion people on this planet. This is going to not only increase direct consumption of fresh water by humans, but the need for fresh water supplies for agricultural irrigation.

Water is going to be big. reeeeeaaal big! Some suggest wars may even be fought over it.

Mac

ETFs to Capture Byron Wien's 10 Surprises for 2009

It's quite difficult to time this market. Like andrewbaker i am long gold for the long-term. I am also long oil for the long-term via USO. if i see a price dip to $20-$25, i'll buy more! (DBO isn't too bad either).

Mac

The Inflation Time Bomb

This is America - "Credit" is almost like a second form of income. I suspect that there are millions of people who would sell their souls for a new credit card, car loan or home mortgage.

Whether the banks will lend to sub-prime borrowers is a different story. But if the government continues to buy up their 'toxic' assets, why wouldn't they? I'm confident that congress will pass yet another law that will require banks to lend to those who don't have the means to pay it back.


On Jan 15 11:17 AM patio wrote:

> " After all, a bank's primary business is loaning money and lucky
> for them they have saved every dime they could of their allowance
> from the government and are ready to go on a spending spree. All
> that money that the government has poured into the banking system
> and will continue to pour through 2009 will come rushing out." <br/>Really?
> All the authors of these same 400 articles quite conveniently leave
> oute the second half of the equation. Who will be on the receiving
> end of all that money rushing out? Even after the severe hoarding
> thaws, the criteria to recieve credit will be much stricter. And
> who will want this credit?
> Don't see it, sorry.

Considering Buying Oil? Look for Funds with a Track Record

Great article.

I am a fan, personally, of USO. this ETF seems to do a great job of tracking the price of sweet crude and has a trading volume of roughly 20,000,000 per day. I think I'll take your recommendation on DBO, which looks to be similar to USO, and diversify a little bit.

Thanks!

Marc Faber, Jim Rogers and Boone Pickens - Bullish on Oil

Great article.

"But with this crazy Contango and steep Forward Curve is very, very expensive to hold oil and wait for a rise. The market is just too expensive to Buy and Hold."

Personally, i am a fan of USO ETF as a way to invest into an oil rise without too much risk. Lots of trading volume and seems to follow oil pretty well.

www.unitedstatesoilfun.../


Thanks,

Mac