Only in a debt-based money system could debt be curiously cast as an asset. We’ve made “extend and pretend” a quaint phrase for a burgeoning market for financial lying and profiteering aimed toward preventing the collapse of a debt- (or lack-) based system that was already doomed by its initial design to collapse. This primer will detail the major components and basic evolution of fake wealth creation, accelerating debt expansion, hollowing out of the economy, and inevitable financial implosion. Words:1583

The classic argument is that, because 70% of the economy is driven by consumer spending, an increase in gasoline prices will cause a decrease in consumer spending, which will cause an economic decline. [My research, however, indicates that] the premise that higher oil prices will cause inflation and/or a recession is wrong. [Let me explain why that is the case.] Words: 1097

Households with credit card debt carry $16,000 at an average rate of 15% and, given that some households have little credit card debt, you can imagine how high the debt is for others.. Imagine, $16,000, but that is actually down by 17% as the grand American household deleveraging continues. [Be that as it may, credit card debt is still excessive with all ages and all income groups. Here are the facts.] Words: 760

Charles Nenner has been accurately predicting movements in the liquid markets for more than 25 years, and his most recent cycle analysis predicts that the current stock market rally is going to last through Q2 and then begin a major descent in 2013 - with the Dow eventually reaching 5,000! Read on to learn how Nenner's unique system works and what he forecasts for commodities, currencies, bonds, interest rates and more. Words: 435

The U.S. Dollar Index is signaling that this rally might have a bit more room to run. [Let me explain.] Words: 400

The agriculture sector has long been a popular place for commodity trading. After all, it was with agricultural futures that commodity trading got its start. Farmers had originally used these contracts to help offset any losses in crop yields. Now, the agricultural space has blossomed into a market chock full of options for investors, but many investors are still unaware of the vast opportunities that this sector offers. [Let us change all that!] Words:2376

[Although] investing in natural gas is an incredibly popular and active sector of the commodity world given its robust growth predictions,...it tends to exhibit violent daily swings with high and liquid volumes. While this can lead to significant losses, for those who play their cards right, trading natural gas can make for a nice short term reward. [That being said,] for the more traditional “buy and hold” investor there are still a number of options that, [while they] may not directly invest in the commodity, offer significant exposure under a safer structure. [In this article I have identified 25 ways to invest in natural gas to help investors pick the correct security for their portfolio]. Words: 1800

I have a personal friend who spends months every year developing business opportunities in China and I find his ground level perspective unlike anything written elsewhere. If you really want to know what is transpiring there go no further than to read this insightful email on the "China condition" particularly as it compares with that of the U.S. and Europe. Words: 1320

Commodities have obvious appeal to active investors looking to generate profits from short-term price movements [but while] the volatility of this asset class is ideal for risk-tolerant individuals who actively monitor their positions...commodities may also have appeal to the long-term, buy-and-hold crowd...These potentially appealing attributes come with plenty of risk, [however, as] the path to commodity exposure is full of potential obstacles and pitfalls that can erode returns and lead to a less-than-optimal investing experience. Here are ten rules of thumb that will help you achieve a more successful experience investing in commodity markets. Words: 2871

U.S. stocks are trading at their cheapest levels since at least 1990, according to such commonly used valuations as price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios as well as dividend yield...but [we ask,] cheaper than what? Different "investments" are valued differently at different times during the artificial central-banking business cycle that we must function under. In this case, we would argue, stocks are more likely reflecting potential chaos to come than a buying opportunity. Sure, there may be rallies during this fiat bear market but they should be considered within the context of the larger trends.