Booms and Busts

Displaying 711 - 720 of 1767
Mark Thornton

Not only are stock markets near all time highs, the amount of margin debt is also at all time highs. Margin debt is money borrowed to leverage the purchasing power of portfolios.

Frank Hollenbeck

The Fed and Washington politicians tell us how well the economy is doing, but the problems of the last financial crisis remain, and if we look closer, we find stagnant wages, ageing equipment, and lenders looking to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

Mark Thornton

Why is it that only former Fed officials are willing to say the truth about the economy and monetary policy. I know they don't know the whole truth and they are blinded by power, but why do they always wait till they are "former" to tell the truth.

Mark Thornton

March’s economic report from the National Association of Credit Management dropped to the lowest it’s been this year. The combined index fell from 53.2 in February to 51.2 this month.

John P. Cochran

Once a recession sets in, markets can only repair themselves if prices — including wages — are allowed to fall where necessary. The resulting increases in real interest rates are the key to spurring new economic activity.

Mark Thornton

"In other words, you cannot accurately forecast a recession or financial panic by looking at either the announcement or the completion of the world’s tallest building"

 

So The Economist apparently does not think too "highly" of my skyscraper theory

Antony P. Mueller
Brazil's government has long been devoted to the idea that more government spending will create more economic prosperity. For a time, it seemed to work, but now reality and disillusionment have set in.
Mark Thornton

Europeans have long been fearful of the prospects of price deflation, but now that it has arrived they have embraced it.

Mark Thornton

The Fed has been messing with interest rates for a century and suddenly they have forgotten how to raise interest rates?