Michael Pento, president of Pento Portfolio Strategies, and Peter Tchir, founder of TF Market Advisors, talk about Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman's recommendation that policy makers should consider allowing slightly higher inflation as a way to spur the U.S. economy.

“The real risk for the euro zone now is not Greece, but France,” says a top French finance boss. Nicolas Baverez, a commentator who foresaw the country’s looming debt problems in a bestselling book of 2003, agrees: “I’m convinced that France will be the centre of the next shock in the euro zone.” [below their views are substantiated with some alarming and disturbing facts about France;s financial situation and how their politicians are failing to address the brewing crisis.] Words:740

Spain is a catastrophe [of major proportions and] to fully understand [why that is the case] we need to understand Spain in the context of both the EU and the global financial system. [Once you read what I outline below you will more fully understand why] I believe that the EU in its current form is in its final chapters. Whether it's through Spain imploding or Germany ultimately pulling out of the Euro, we've now reached the point of no return: the problems facing the EU (Spain and Italy) are too large to be bailed out! Words: 1345

It was just 6 months ago that Spain enjoyed a credit rating of AA. In early October, 2011, S&P downgraded Spain to an AA- rating with a negative outlook (details below as to why) and then again in January, 2012 from AA- to A for failing to make much in the way of improvements. Then, just last week, having clearly forewarned Spain that it was at risk of having it's credit rating even further downgraded with all the financial implications of such a move, S&P further reduced Spain's credit rating by two levels to BBB+. When you read what S&P said back in October and again in January, Spain has only itself to blame for its amazing mismanagement and sorry state of affairs. Words: 2000

How this economic disaster ends is something about which many of us speculate. Two extreme endings are likely — a sudden deflationary collapse or a period of very high inflation/hyperinflation which ultimately cripples commerce and resolves itself in a deflationary collapse. In either case, the deflationary collapse is another Great Depression. It is important to know which route will occur because of what will happen to asset values along the way. Words: 1057

Below is an interactive map of the 22 countries that make up Eastern Europe providing a snapshot of, and interesting facts about, each of the counties. Below is an interactive map of the 22 countries that make up Eastern Europe providing a snapshot of, and interesting facts about, each of the counties. If you want a fast and interesting geography lesson then this is it!

Analysts at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch have created the Global Wave, a compilation of seven global indicators designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of trends in global economic activity. The compiled data allows investors to predict equity market performance and...[it indicates that there is an 86% liklihood that we will experience a 14.2% increase, on average, in the performance of global stock markets in the next 12 months. Read more about the "Global Wave" below.] Words: 462

The disaster in Europe should be pushing the U.S. dollar up more than it is but it’s not, and that has me deeply worried. [I'm] worried that the next leg of the dollar’s decline may be right around the corner; worried that the loss of the dollar’s reserve-currency status could occur more quickly than even I had expected and worried that the “X&@!” may soon hit the fan, across the entire globe. [Let me explain.] Words: 600

The International Monetary Fund wants the rules of the IMF changed so it can lend directly to banks and underwrite a rescue of the Spanish financial system without increasing Spain's government debt. If the IMF is permitted to do so, however, the banking system's control would pass to the IMF and such an increase in powers would be momentous. Here's why. Words: 755

Money/credit expansion (inflation) is insidious and like an addictive drug. The first effects appear to be pleasant - a seeming increase, if not boom, in business; lower interest rates; more available credit and a decline in unemployment - BUT, unless the monetary stimulus is continued, and probably at increasingly higher doses, the temporary high disappears. Below is a sampling of what eventually happens when central bankers try to 'help' the economy by creating money out of nothing. Words: 799