datadave

Gold ETFs: Will the Record Run Last?

I am always thinking of the huge plummet of gold prices last Fall when stocks fell similarly. A slightly bearish signal (and inflation) drives gold up, but massive bearishness drives it down. People who think Gold is a substitute for legal tender probably should invest in guns instead and weapons training for their safes in their houses need protection from well trained and armed guardians. When I hear survivalists and wing-nuts spreading the gospel of gold, I just see it as speculation on their fears and expect to make money on their fears and I expect to get out quick when their self importance balloons are punctured.

I prefer UGL and later GLL.

Chinese Wind Power Plant Coming to U.S. Soil

I wonder if the reason why Chinese companies are profiting more than US companies is that the level of compensation for executives in their companies is so much less than the oligarchic system of payments for US executives. They'll have much more money for R and D rather than paying for huge perks for US executives. An example I've made money on is KNDI, a small go-cart, electric car(t) company that's scrappy and willing to forego huge option payouts to it's executives. They actually want to Grow their company, not just the Boss's real estate portfolio. Look at US companies and you'll see lots of options payments to executives where they've sold out their company while profiting from cutting payrolls and r and d.

Are We Becoming a Nation of Renters? Investing for the New Housing Dynamic

Home prices are still way too high in relation to incomes. That's the problem.

How Bloomberg Fabricates U.S. Housing Numbers

These numbers seem unreal, including Jeff's. I doubt there are that many "empty" homes. Maybe more than that are "unwater" financially homes too expensive for the market place, but "empty" I doubt. There are numerous ways a developer, 'flipper', bank, or double house/little income can fill a home w/o selling it. Reduced rent for keeping the place up, short sales unaccounted by current stats, or just renting a home still up for sale.. thus reducing rents overall which I've heard is a good thing for renters but not landlords. Maybe the Bloomberg statistic is is just acknowledging the reality that Jeff misses: that owner's of property need to maintain it and it's best to have some sort of occupant.. even a 'deadbeat' but non criminal occupy the many so-called empties that aren't actually empty. Jeff's number would be unsustainable on a ground level due to the overhead of keeping unoccupied proprieties salable.

The March Rally May Indeed Have Legs

probably thinks Mister Rogers and Jimmy Carter are the same guy.

or thinks that Paul Volcker was appointed by Ronald Reagan to cure the "stagflation of the 80s"

anyway, it's not impossible that the S and P will get to 1200 in the near term. I hope so ...but... the 70th anniversary of Black Tuesday is tomorrow and I'll be ready to sell more and buy yet more inverse etfs yet again.

...."Based on what I’ve been hearing at recent financial advisor conferences around New York City, the sentiment is anything but bearish. "

kid, salesmen are never bearish.

Why the Home Buyer Tax Credit Is a Bad Idea

I agree that the realtors and larger homebuilders are often crooks and exploiters, but the real beneficiary of increased home prices and inflated debt is of course the privileged elite sector, the financial sector. Over 40 percent of all profits in the USA during this decade go to the financial sector (Simon Johnson) and from whom and what do they derive that money? from our debt. Most households owe on their homes more than in anything else. The financials need home ownership and mortgages to prop up their bottom lines and who else is either the Bush or Obama regimes more representative of than the Financial Sector?

David Rosenberg: The Great Fraudulation

Seems like 'Rossy' misses the bigger picture. America's stimulus is puny compared to China's and also less effective. Worrying about a few low income home buyers is weird when he ignores the Private Debt market of huge credit default and derivative's notional values that someday will be "called" and "putted" upon our future generations which makes our present govt. debt look like coins in a china piggy bank.

Why Isn't AT&T Using Cash to Build Out LTE?

VZ is such a rip-off. I know T gets more criticism but my new Iphone hasn't any problem downloading probably gigs of stuff. For only 30 bucks a month. Maybe slow once in awhile. But I have the home wifi too. As a long time VZ user, I did enjoy their wider range of calls being accepted and good people on the service side but their ancient proprietary system and refusal to have anything "open" on their phones..(even ringtones had to paid for through them) and the generally mostly Motorola phones that had planned obsolescent batteries and which never lasted the two year contract. I know T sucks for many but being the Iphone provider with roll-over minutes and unlimited data plans is a huge factor in my switching. And their stock w/ good dividends and a low price looks like a buy right now.

70 bucks for only 5 gbytes a month....!!! holy bat shit!

I am not crazy about Apple's proprietary monopolistic practices either but they did the right thing going with a international GSM type of network... and thanks for insight on the hardware/tower/software side of things esp. Carlini!! more open is good imho.

The 10 Best U.S. Dividend Stocks

Although this maybe a good strategy for the long haul I question a position such as WallMart who's stock has been in decline for some time and is even below the 200 day average (ema or sma or just ma). Having held WMT for a few months and even selling it for a tiny profit, I'd be very upset to have it fall 15 percent while nearly every other stock in the current rally is up 30 or more. I did tout PG for awhile as a great one but now it's overbought. But WMT? Could be a bargain If and only If it goes up in stock price. It could even go down further. Remember that's the Principle (the stock price) while the dividend is just the Interest. It doesn't make sense to have a bank account that loses it's principle while giving barely CD rates like WMT's dinky dividends. (Consider T? it's got over 6 percent dividends and it's gradually going up in value w/o major dips that bedraggle WMT.. )

The Psychology of Economic Stimulus

good point. Not sure who Barro is but I am guessing he's a right wing economist. You made a sly point that those on the right probably are too dense to notice.

Paulson Vet Pellegrini: Toward a Fair Economy for the Masses

I always enjoy your articles although not sure about STAR for example as a stock pick in the past. Seems like those affiliated with the Summers/Gramm nexus of financial geniuses are making it at the expense of the rest of us. Even the Rich, in general don't want to be rich at the expense of the rest of us.

Democrats Headed for a Train Wreck

You're much better on C-SPAN Peter. Just bashing the Disorganized party isn't enough. You got one thing right. Tax Cuts don't work. Clinton raised taxes on the rich and we then had a big recovery due to Investments into the Infrastructure (and cities and towns)-- more public workers, more money for roads and parks and off we went on the greatest peace time recovery in a long time. Compare that with Reagan's tax cuts for the rich which led to three back to back recessions. I don't think tax raises on middle class people and small businesses are helpful though. I am just talking about taxing the top One to Two percent at a much higher rate. And a short term Sur Tax (which worked brilliantly in my state in '89 Vermont under a Republican gov.) to fund infrastructure improvements: Bridges and roads, education, etc. Even a public works program like the CCC of the Depression era would be good for the many unemployed construction workers who have no hope at the moment.

and we need Socialized Medicine and Socialized Banks (which is a reason that China's banks are doing so well for their economy). But despite what you say mainstream Democrats are a mousey, centrist bunch that'll get little done and that's the reason your titile is apt.

Great performance on Cspan, bub!! Hope to see more of you (Sept. 27, )

Gold to $3,000?

WHAT RALLY? sorry, my caps lock was on....

spy up 5 times as much as gold. Any slack retailer in the US was a better bet than gold.

Maybe next year? ( yeah, sure with continued high unemployment, people will be eating their gold..... )

Global Imbalances: The Fall of Wal-Mart and the Rise of Rural China

This a good analysis of Chinese culture but perhaps ignores the elites there that don't really want to rural Chinese to have the option of owning their own land. Good jobs have to be there in order for the people to not need to migrate to the larger cities for work. Since companies go to where they can profit and be close to shipping they will stay near the Pacific coast and not likely move inland unless China increases their nation's roads and rails even more. They are but still not enough to 'free' the inland from backwardness and joblessness. In the USA, we can't even do that so why should the Chinese. Many rural Americans are having a hard time finding work as it is the nature of being away from manufacturing and service centers. (e.g. Adirondacks of NY, North Dakota, Appalachians )

Why Gold Is a Viable Alternative to Fiat Currencies

Personally, I hate gold as an investment as (1) I lost money on it due to following the advice of a gold bug friend back in Feb. when it was almost high as it is now, (2) it doesn't really serve a utilitarian purpose except for isolated electrical uses and 'status' (jewelry), and (3) it's mining usually is both negatively exploitive of miners and the land (all for non productive gain).'

Be that it may, I like your column and I like So. Africa and want to make money on Other People's money so I might revisit Gold as an investment perhaps in the mining stock AU perhaps as my investment in your landline company TLKGY is so far so good. As for inflation, gold bugs have so far been wrong on that one. The only inflation we're seeing is the inflation of stocks that probably is due the increased liquidity from the Fed. (that saved us from Great Depression 2). Our current high unemployment and wage deflation is preventing serious inflation (what little there is due to demand for higher profits with fewer customers).