Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.
The PPI numbers rolled out this morning, and in a massive divergence from expectations, not only is there no inflation, but the numbers were deeply negative. I suppose the mainstream media, which can spin any data into good news, will celebrate this, although last time I checked with Ben Bernanke, having persistent deflation enter into our economy would be really, really bad.
I love looking at pictures. Pictures are how I form words, thoughts and stories.
This picture is a story of the time since the US removed the last bastion of soundness to its money, it’s funny munny that in its near-infinite ability to be printed at will (due to no hard asset backing) has funded all manner of societal and financial progress, as Keynesian policymakers no doubt hated dragging that heavy rock around, anchoring their lofty aspirations.
Since 1971 the stock market has been set free to create wealth as the economic funding mechanism became pure finance as opposed to sweat equity and productivity. Take a loan, build it… and they will come. Boy will they ever. Take another loan, and another, and another.
(more…)Promises made. Promises kept.
I’ve been mulling over how to do this post for a while because I don’t want to offend readers who might be very sensitive to any criticism, direct or implied, of the Trump administration, and I tend to stay away from any political discussions. However, any objective review of the likely effect of some of that administration’s policies requires an honest discussion of those policies and their likely impact.
Given that I now believe that the odds of seeing a serious bear market this year are high and that a full market crash is increasingly on the cards. I need to do that objective review, and my apologies if anyone is offended. I am just describing the geopolitical and economic realities here as I see them and am not planning to make political commentary a regular feature in my analysis going forward.
(more…)I’m amazed this week is almost over. It’s been quite an intense week, particularly psychologically, as I stood alone as the last bear in the solar system as of Tuesday, in spite of plenty of doubters and dissenters hither and thither.
Just the past couple of days have been exceptionally positive for my portfolio, but the real potential is Friday, which could be either glorious or dreadful. The magic moment happened on Wednesday, and, God willing, that will mark the end of Wave Two so we start to have some real fun.
