Economic Overviews

Chilling references to a potential (likely) financial crisis in Canada keep cropping up in official statistical data releases. First it was concerns about the housing bubble there and the high level of personal debt to income, now it's about how hard manufacturing is getting hit there in spite of the loonie (Canadian dollar) dropping 17% against the US dollar in the past 15 months. It really begs the question "Oh Canada, Are You Prepared For What's Coming?"

This isn't the time to listen to those leading politicians, economists and pundits who say we're not in a bubble and we're finally seeing a sustainable recovery. We're not. Central banks can't keep this bubble going forever... [Instead,] you need to prepare for another across-the-board bubble burst and the deepest downturn since the Great Depression, with deflation, not inflation, and this time, in spite of what others such as Jeff Clark might tell you, Gold will not be your defense, it will be your downfall. Here's why.

Every year the World Economic Forum surveys 900 global experts as to the global risks that could most likely disrupt global economic activity. Over the course of the last year risks such as state collapse or crisis, interstate conflict, terrorist attacks, and weapons of mass destruction have all soared.

When the Fed eventually raises interest rates it will likely usher in an unprecedented era of financial market instability and accelerated economic decline, and consequently, heightened social unrest, geopolitical instability, and a host of other nasty events

In 1990, Canadians owed 85 cents for every dollar of annual disposable income. Today that number has grown to a record $1.63. Meanwhile, Canadians are saving just 3.6% of their incomes today – a drop from 12% in 1990. Rising household debt levels have some sounding the alarm.

Change in wages, productivity, energy costs & currency values are dramatically redrawing the map of global manufacturing cost competitiveness. The new map will surprise you.

Here's everything you need to know what's happening in the single most underestimated, misunderstood, and perpetually disrespected country on earth - China.

For a host of disparate reasons – ranging from geopolitical tensions and currency wars to gargantuan unpayable debt and other macro-economic fundamentals – we believe the entire interconnected global economic, financial and monetary systems to be extremely fragile. Check out this time-honored function of protecting wealth.

In the financial world at this very moment, we have 8 different "weather systems" that are all developing in real time. If several of the more powerful components were to converge – and reinforce each other – then we could very rapidly reach the point of greatest financial instability that the world has seen since 2008.

The Federal Reserve lifts interest rates to slow economic growth and quell inflationary pressures. Currently, though, there's little evidence of inflationary pressures outside of financial asset prices, and economic growth is weak to say the least, so should we fear a Fed rate hike at this point? This article has the answer. Invest accordingly.