Economy

Canada, France and Switzerland stood alone among nine markets measured in recording annual price gains, based on second-quarter data, with inflation-adjusted price increases of 5%, 5% and 4%, respectively, compared to declines of 6% in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, 10% in Spain and 14% in Ireland. In fact, Canada's home prices have escalated 44% since 2005 - with a high of 68% in Vancouver - and they are up 7.7% in the past 12 months! Words: 1244

The widespread stagnation in wages, rather than the level of unemployment, may offer a better explanation for the failure of economic growth to accelerate two years after the end of the recession. Workers’ ability to negotiate higher earnings won’t return until the job market strengthens, and flagging confidence has raised the risk that consumers may retrench. [Let us explain.] Words: 1018

Canada's size, political structure, and culture will enable it to – properly governed – be more resilient to world economic problems than any other developed country. [For one thing] we don't have the extent of political polarization that... [is currently the case] in Washington...and now exacerbated to new levels in these difficult economic times – and that will, in my view, cause the U.S. to continue down an increasingly rocky economic road. [Below I put forth Canada's economic advantages and disadvantages.] Words:1026

Will global financial markets reach a breaking point during the month of October? Right now there are all kinds of signs that the financial world is about to experience a nervous breakdown. Massive amounts of investor money is being pulled out of the stock market and mammoth bets are being made against the S&P 500 in October. The European debt crisis continues to grow even worse and weird financial moves are being made all over the globe. Does all of this unusual activity indicate that something big is about to happen? Let's hope not - but historically, the biggest stock market crashes have tended to happen in the fall. So are we on the verge of a "Black October"? Words: 1200

A predictive software program called Senturion, developed for the U.S. military and sporting a 85% accuracy rate, has concluded that Greece is going to default. [Let me explain further.] Words: 244

Rising education and medical costs, on-going credit card interest payments, well used personal lines of credit and large mortgage debt and home equity loans - most a penchant for living beyond their means - is keeping 75% of American households in some degree of debt. Take a look and then pass it on to your friends, neighbors and co-workers.

The latest economic data suggests that recession is returning to most advanced economies, with financial markets now reaching levels of stress unseen since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. The risks of an economic and financial crisis even worse than the previous one – now involving not just the private sector, but also near-insolvent sovereigns – are significant. So, what can be done to minimize the fallout of another economic contraction and prevent a deeper depression and financial meltdown? [Below I recommend 8 ways that would do just that.] Words: 1641

An Associated Press release has said that U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has told eurozone finance officials the U.S. is not trying to lecture them on their debt crisis saying that "we still have our challenges in the United States" and that "our politics are terrible... maybe worse than they are in many parts of Europe". The U.S. finance chief said that given the challenges the U.S. faces, "we're not in a particularly strong position to provide advice to all of you." Why isn't this breaking news? Words: 570

Paul Volcker has written an Op-Ed for The New York Times entitled “A Little Inflation Can Be a Dangerous Thing,” in which he argues – and we really won’t dispute it – that allowing inflation above institutionally accepted levels of say, 2 percent, can indeed be a slippery slope, and a very bad thing, but times have changed since Mr. Volcker decided that he would do whatever it took to slay inflation. [These days a little inflation might be a very good thing. Let me explain.] Words: 1636

The debt crisis in the United States is unsustainable, and the debt crisis in Europe is unsustainable. As such, we are facing a global debt meltdown and are heading for an economic collapse. You aren't going to hear that truth from the media or from our politicians, however, because keeping people calm is much more of a priority to them than is telling the truth - and right now we are in the calm before the storm. Nobody knows exactly when the storm is going to strike (i.e. when the collapse is going to happen) - but it is definitely on the way -- and now even Goldman Sachs is admitting [that that is most likely the outcome of the present situation. Here is what they had to say recently in a "secret" document that has just now been made public.] Words: 1147