Too Much Fuel Will Extinguish The Fire [View article]
Good article, IT!
I wonder, though, how many functioning refineries are operating in the US now? How many were operating 10 years ago? 20? I wonder what the change in output is... maybe I'll take a look at the EIA database later today.
Also, doesn't the US export refined petroleum products? (i.e.: gasoline and diesel)
FYI: I'm a former employee of the IRS's Statistics of Income division -- I worked on corporate tax returns. All of the statistics that are made available are on a two year lag (t-2). 2010 Tax Stats data should be available soon, although I'm surprised that it hasn't already been posted for the public yet.
Mobile banner ads tend to have much higher click rates, observes ad firm MediaMind. While PC banner click rates amount to just 0.1%-0.4% (depending on geography), mobile click rates range between 0.42% (Asia-Pac) and 1.41% (EMEA). Google (GOOG), which has been struggling with low mobile ad prices, can take some comfort in that, as can Velti (VELT) and Millennial Media (MM). Facebook (FB), another company facing mobile ad challenges, has seen high click rates for its mobile Sponsored Stories ads. [View news story]
What about Google's Wallet, or similar apps, that store your information on your phone. These applications make online purchases using a mobile device easier.
I'd like to see these numbers: Number of applications, number of users, number of purchases, amount of purchases. This kind of data would allow a better analysis of mobile user activity and the monetization of mobile ads.
Markets Trading Higher On Earnings And Drought [View article]
Chris,
Good analysis. I'm enjoying reading your earlier articles, also.
There are factors outside the U.S. driving up commodities prices, too. Russia's severe winter and current drought add to the dimished supplies of grains, mostly wheat. Brazilian corn prices have risen on concerns of U.S. corn production being lower than expected -- and the U.S. will actually be *importing* corn from Brazil, which is a cause for concern since the U.S. is usually a corn exporter.
Throw into this, suppliers are defaulting on contracts to deliver. A month ago, production estimates were seen driving prices lower. However, weather conditions in the U.S. and several other countries have proven worse than expected and prices have risen. It is now cheaper for traders/suppliers to default on their existing contracts, pay the penalty for doing so, and then enter into new contracts at the higher prices.
Again, great analysis. Just chiming in with my two cents-worth of information.
I agree that they should clean up after themselves; however, I disagree that government standards are the ones that should be used. Get a private company to monitor water quality levels. If norms or minimums are exceeded, the company cleans up after itself. Having some regulatory arbitrary number that can be set an the whims of one political group or another is useless. It panders to one special interest group or another, nothing more.
"The government says the proposal would add ~$11,833 in costs per well in 2013." ... that is, before regulations require them to pay for the costs of cleaning up the well sites.
If I read your article correctly, you are proposing a principal-based adjusting mortgage. Something akin to the Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARMs).
I find myself agreeing with AlexR. This does not sound like a great idea at all. I am a homeowner. My wife and I purchased our home last year based upon our combined current salaries. We made sure that if one of us was out of work, the salary of the other would be able to continue making mortgage payments -- granted, we would be living even more frugally than we do now.
The idea that my mortgage could double because housing prices (or the assessed value of my home) doubled has no appeal to me; and, from reading some other opinions on HPIMs and indexed mortgages, it would seem that there are many unintended consequences to your proposal.
The President's plan to chill supposed oil manipulation: Increase by 6-fold the surveillance and enforcement staff at the CFTC. Increase spending on surveillance technology. Increase civil and criminal penalties for manipulation from $1M to $10M. Give the CFTC authority to increase margins (presumably now only the domain of the exchanges). Crude +1.4% to $104.84. [View news story]
The President's Theory of Oil Speculation: Government intervention will halt the manipulation of the oil price and keep greedy speculators from profiting off of the suffering of the People.
Market response: Oil rises 1.5% to nearly $105 per barrel.
"Our members are realigning their expectations somewhat until they see more actual signed sales contracts," says NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg of the first decline in the builder confidence index in 7 months. "Interest expressed by buyers has yet to translate into expected sales activity," says the group's chief economist. (PR) [View news story]
@ CW: I agree that the DC Metro area is its own world, but I'm sufficiently far enough away that most of the power brokers and government employees won't live here. I work in DC, my coworkers can't understand why I choose to commute 2 hours one way to get to work. (I work roughly 9 hours per day and commute another 4 hours.)
@ kwm3: That's what happens when capital is misallocated, especially with regulatory blessing with the promise of financial assistance.
Too Much Fuel Will Extinguish The Fire [View article]
I wonder, though, how many functioning refineries are operating in the US now? How many were operating 10 years ago? 20? I wonder what the change in output is... maybe I'll take a look at the EIA database later today.
Also, doesn't the US export refined petroleum products? (i.e.: gasoline and diesel)
For Want Of A Nail [View article]
FYI: I'm a former employee of the IRS's Statistics of Income division -- I worked on corporate tax returns. All of the statistics that are made available are on a two year lag (t-2). 2010 Tax Stats data should be available soon, although I'm surprised that it hasn't already been posted for the public yet.
China Won't Cause A Commodity Crash (Yet) [View article]
Using Put/Call Open Interest To Predict The Rest Of The Week [View article]
Mobile banner ads tend to have much higher click rates, observes ad firm MediaMind. While PC banner click rates amount to just 0.1%-0.4% (depending on geography), mobile click rates range between 0.42% (Asia-Pac) and 1.41% (EMEA). Google (GOOG), which has been struggling with low mobile ad prices, can take some comfort in that, as can Velti (VELT) and Millennial Media (MM). Facebook (FB), another company facing mobile ad challenges, has seen high click rates for its mobile Sponsored Stories ads. [View news story]
I'd like to see these numbers: Number of applications, number of users, number of purchases, amount of purchases. This kind of data would allow a better analysis of mobile user activity and the monetization of mobile ads.
Farming In Hell: Emerging Markets Inflation & Commodities [View article]
Markets Trading Higher On Earnings And Drought [View article]
Good analysis. I'm enjoying reading your earlier articles, also.
There are factors outside the U.S. driving up commodities prices, too. Russia's severe winter and current drought add to the dimished supplies of grains, mostly wheat. Brazilian corn prices have risen on concerns of U.S. corn production being lower than expected -- and the U.S. will actually be *importing* corn from Brazil, which is a cause for concern since the U.S. is usually a corn exporter.
Throw into this, suppliers are defaulting on contracts to deliver. A month ago, production estimates were seen driving prices lower. However, weather conditions in the U.S. and several other countries have proven worse than expected and prices have risen. It is now cheaper for traders/suppliers to default on their existing contracts, pay the penalty for doing so, and then enter into new contracts at the higher prices.
Again, great analysis. Just chiming in with my two cents-worth of information.
Rich
Europe's Sick Horses All Rounded Up And Ready To Go [View article]
Europe's Sick Horses All Rounded Up And Ready To Go [View article]
Are you using manufacturer's numbers for auto sales, or dealer new car sales?
Facebook And Friends [View article]
The Obama administration announces tightened rules on fracking, requiring the disclosure of chemicals used in the process when done on federal lands - opposed by the oil and gas industry - but not requiring disclosure until work is completed - which angers environmentalists. The government says the proposal would add ~$11,833 in costs per well in 2013. [View news story]
The Obama administration announces tightened rules on fracking, requiring the disclosure of chemicals used in the process when done on federal lands - opposed by the oil and gas industry - but not requiring disclosure until work is completed - which angers environmentalists. The government says the proposal would add ~$11,833 in costs per well in 2013. [View news story]
Economy In Transition: Be Careful [View article]
I find myself agreeing with AlexR. This does not sound like a great idea at all. I am a homeowner. My wife and I purchased our home last year based upon our combined current salaries. We made sure that if one of us was out of work, the salary of the other would be able to continue making mortgage payments -- granted, we would be living even more frugally than we do now.
The idea that my mortgage could double because housing prices (or the assessed value of my home) doubled has no appeal to me; and, from reading some other opinions on HPIMs and indexed mortgages, it would seem that there are many unintended consequences to your proposal.
The President's plan to chill supposed oil manipulation: Increase by 6-fold the surveillance and enforcement staff at the CFTC. Increase spending on surveillance technology. Increase civil and criminal penalties for manipulation from $1M to $10M. Give the CFTC authority to increase margins (presumably now only the domain of the exchanges). Crude +1.4% to $104.84. [View news story]
Market response: Oil rises 1.5% to nearly $105 per barrel.
"Our members are realigning their expectations somewhat until they see more actual signed sales contracts," says NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg of the first decline in the builder confidence index in 7 months. "Interest expressed by buyers has yet to translate into expected sales activity," says the group's chief economist. (PR) [View news story]
@ kwm3: That's what happens when capital is misallocated, especially with regulatory blessing with the promise of financial assistance.