Data shows just how bad things are… Trade deficits narrow… EU confirms they are in a recession… RBA intervening again… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!
Remember the hullabaloo over the $700 billion bailout? The bill that would buy “troubled assets” from banks (hence the name). Well, guess what? TARP never did buy troubled assets…and probably never will. Instead, it will continue to inject capital into companies in return for equity.
Gold pushed higher in the overseas markets, peaking near $740 in mid-London trading, but hit the skids at that point, dropping nearly $15 by the second hour in New York, then was flat through the Comex, before finally tailing off again during the Globex to finish at $722.00, down $1.70 from Friday. Overnight, gold has pushed higher.
When the president of the United States visited this region almost a year ago, the city of Dubai closed down for the entire day. Locals and expats alike jokingly refer to this event of yore as “Bush Day,” a day when they stayed home from work and watched movies as the leader of the “free world” took a Big Bus tour of the city.
Huge trend reversal: Dollar busts, commodities boom… why, and will it last? Rate cuts round the world… U.S. and China slash, Japan considers. U.S. three months away from “official” recession. Two new bailouts: Who’s lining up for help, plus Uncle Sam’s October tab. Denning and Nelson on beating inflation with the right long-haul stock.
Governments are hosing down the markets with bailout money. Central banks, meanwhile, are making sure the cost of borrowing is as close to zero as possible. We smell another bubble in the making…and another inevitable crash. Talk about priming the pump for the next bout of excessive exuberance.
The world’s banks and lenders have suffered losses of $2.8 trillion as a result of the credit crisis, according to the Bank of England. The British central bank is calling for “tougher regulation and constraints on lending,” according to The Guardian.
The Senate is voting today on the bailout bill. It’s gained a FDIC insurance raise and significant tax breaks since it failed in Congress. Senate leaders say this would put pressure on the House pass the bill on a second vote.
The passing of the bill would mean “far higher prices are ahead,” according to Keith Fitz-Gerald.
And higher prices - otherwise known as inflation - means higher oil prices to come.
The US House of Representatives has just passed legislation that lifts the ban on offshore oil drilling. This opens up most of the US coastline to exploration. Individual states now have the option to allow drilling between 50 and 100 miles off their shores. The problem is offshore drilling is unlikely to solve America’s energy crisis. According to the government’s own report, widespread offshore drilling would result in a price reduction of perhaps “two-tenths of one cent 18 years after drilling begins.”
Despite the chaos on Wall Street, the Fed yesterday left its benchmark interest rate on hold at 2%.
Martin Hutchinson says the Fed has finally starting doing its job: putting price stability over Wall Street’s demands. Real interest rates are negative. This is feeding inflation. It also means Treasury bond yields - also currently below the rate of inflation - are too low and should begin to rise again.
Martin says investors can profit from this situation with the Rydex Juno Inverse Government Long Bond Strategy (MUTF:RYJUX).