Economy

In the over 50 years that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has been keeping track, the share of Black Americans who are employed has consistently been lower than the share of white Americans with paid jobs. This changed in March of 2023.

Global housing prices rose an average of 6% annually, between Q4 2021 and Q4 2022. but, in real terms that take inflation into account, prices actually fell 2% for the first decline in 12 years. In today's graphic, we show the change in residential property prices with data from the Bank for International Settlements.

The Gold/Silver Ratio has been rising along with the strength of the US dollar.

Today’s chart uses data from Reventure Consulting to highlight the cost of buying vs. renting a single-family residence in the U.S. since 1970, adjusted for inflation.

The BRICS nations are coming of age....The bloc of five emerging countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—  will welcome six new members: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A reasonable debate can be had regarding the extent to which the U.S. economy may slow in the near-term but Canada's sensitivity to interest rates suggests that a Canadian recession is a matter of when, not if.

It is one thing to complain that the economy is not growing, or, that economic activity is slowing; but the 4 charts below indicate something more serious. Economic activity is in decline and the decline might be accelerating.

Inequality is one of the most volatile aspects of contemporary society, and it is getting worse. As the gap between the haves and the have-nots widens, and the middle class shrinks, the chances of social upheaval increase.

The cryptocurrency realm, already characterized by its unpredictable nature, has once again been thrust into the spotlight as Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, recently experienced a rapid price drop.

“De-dollarization” is being pursued by countries with agendas at odds with the US, including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran.