The U.S. Needs More Savings

Powell was asked what the Federal Reserve can do to make the economy more resilient to these type of shocks. The question is ironic as its the Fed's fault the economy is so vulnerable to these shocks in the first place. What's needed is more savings, which requires higher interest rates!

Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right

Unfortunately, there is now a growing consensus that since we have abandoned capitalism during bad times, we must also abandon it during good times. If we socialize the losses, we must also socialize the profits. While this is logically consistent, two wrongs don't make a right.

How Long Before A Currency Crisis?

The national debt now exceeds 24.6 trillion dollars. It was just two weeks ago that it hit 24 trillion dollars. 

We are adding $1 trillion per month to the national debt. That was the size of the entire national debt as late as Oct. 1981. 

How much longer can this pace continue without a crisis?

Gold Stocks Are The Perfect Hedge

Gold stocks are the perfect hedge few portfolio managers own, as they will rise regardless of which direction stocks move. If stocks rise due to Federal Reserve money printing, gold stocks will rise more. If stocks fall due to a weak economy and falling earnings, gold stocks will also rise.

Clearly, everything that is happening right now in the economy, with central banks, is extremely bullish for gold. There is no question about it.

Read the complete article here: Peter Schiff: Gold Is the No-Brainer Investment

Market Update: Stock Market, Federal Reserve and Socialism

Why The Stock Market Is Rallying

Trump repeated that pre-Coronavirus the U.S. had the strongest economy in world history, and the stock market rally proves it's still strong and that he's doing a great job. The economy was weak before the virus and the market is rising because the Federal Reserve is doing a horrible job.

The Misery Of A Socialist Decade

When Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard in 1971, he reluctantly proclaimed "I am now a Keynesian in economics," ushering in a decade of rising inflation, unemployment, and interest rates. We have now moved beyond Keynes. The misery of a socialist decade will be far worse.

Federal Reserve: 3.5 months of QE3 in 1 week

It took the Federal Reserve a bit longer to finish the calculations, but its balance sheet rose by $284.7 billion last week. That's another 3.5 months of QE3 in 1 week. The Fed's balance sheet now stands at $6.368 trillion. But it won't stand there for long as it marches toward $10 trillion!

Some Perspective On Initial Claims

A total of 22.034 million initial jobless claims have been filed over the past 4 weeks. That's 59.36% of the Great Recession's entire 18-month total of 37.118 million.

U.S. Economy: Breaking Records

Everyone expects bad new, just not this bad. Industrial production dropped 5.4 percent in March, exceeding expectations for a 4.2 percent decline. It was the biggest fall since January of 1946, after World War II ended and we stopped making weapons, and the 5.9 percent year-on-year (YOY) drop is the biggest since November 2009.

Stock Market: The Real Nominal Bottom

Does anyone really expect this bear market to end with Netflix (NFLX) and Amazon (AMZN) making new record highs? It seems to me that a real nominal bottom won't be made until these leaders are also shot!

Gold Is One Of The Best Bargains One Can Buy

If you think the price of gold is expensive now that its above $1,700 wait another week and see how expensive it is. In relation to the amount of money the Federal Reserve has already printed, and the amount it's about to print, gold at today's price is one of the best bargains one can buy.

Related trading instruments: SPDR Gold Trust ETF (GLD), Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX), Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ)

All The Government Is Doing Is Printing Money

Nobody should be getting a check from the government because the government doesn't have any money. All the government is doing is printing money and they're destroying the value of everybody's savings.

Related trading instruments: SPDR Gold Trust ETF (GLD)

Earnings, JP Morgan Chase & Credit Cards

While Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, expressed concern that many bank customers will have trouble paying their credit card bills, he expressed optimism about those customers now earning more in unemployment benefits that they earned working, paying on time and spending more.

Housing Prices: Look Out Below!

JP Morgan Chase, the nation's largest lender, announced that effective Tuesday homebuyers will need FICO scores of 700 and 20 percent down payments to qualify for a mortgage. Housing prices will have to crash so most buyers, especially first time buyers, can afford to put down 20 percent. Look out below!

A Few Thoughts On The Current Crisis

The national debt just passed $24 trillion, up $4 trillion since Donald Trump took office. He will add more debt in 4 years than Bush did in 8. If reelected he will add more debt in 8 years than Bush & Obama did in 16. Instead of draining the swamp, he is draining the nation.

What will the Federal Reserve do if inflation picks up?

Someone needs to ask Powell what the Fed’s response will be if inflation really heats up? Will the Fed do nothing and let inflation get much worse? Or will it jack interest rates way up and sell bonds to shirk the money supply? Is the Fed prepared to do this during a recession?

The problem with student loan forgiveness

The biggest problem with student loan forgiveness is the moral hazard for both students and colleges. Since loans don't have to be repaid, students won't care how much they borrow. Colleges will exploit this by raising tuition even fasting, sending the cost to taxpayers soaring.

This Rally Is All About The Fed!

U.S. stock market futures are rallying off the much larger than expected jump in weekly unemployment claims. This clearly shows that investors know where their bread is buttered. This rally is all about the Federal Reserve, and the worse the economy gets, the more money the Fed will print.

China Will Buy Oil, Not U.S. Treasuries

It looks like the Chinese are getting smarter, and will be buying oil instead of U.S. Treasuries. This is just the beginning, as soon the entire world will be buying real stuff instead of Treasuries. That means the Federal Reserve will buy more Treasuries as Americans buy a lot less stuff.

U.S. Economy: There Is No Way To Go Back To Where We Were

It wasn't fine before the crisis. We didn't have a solid economy. We had a bubble. That's the problem. And the bubble has been pricked. There is no way to go back to where we were. It's like trying to unscramble an egg. It can't be done.

Record Initial Claims

Another 6.648 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, shattering the record set the prior week. With generous new benefits for losing one's jobs, and powerful incentive (likely to be extended) to remain unemployed, don't expect people to return to work any time soon.