Byron King from Whiskey and Gunpowder thinks that we’ll see huge market declines in part because of a huge drop in consumer spending. As volatility increases and faith for the U.S. dollar circles the drain, two gold companies should soar.

Subprime has found a new victim, reports Bloomberg: municipal bonds. Already, the amount of municipal bonds that have defaulted this year is three times that of 2007.

So far this year, $736 million in municipal bonds have defaulted. That doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t pay investors; they may have just drawn down reserves. That’s what happens just before they stop making payments to bondholders.