MarketWatch's headine last Friday read You Have to Play to Win: U.S. stocks' stellar performance so far in 2012 is remarkable in part for the enemic trading volumns that have accompanied Wall Street's rise, and those on the sidelines, as with the lottery, stand no chance. I believe that this may be the single most deceptive and dangerous financial headline I have ever seen published by such an influential provider of financial information. [Let me explain why I think that is the case.] Words: 1232

One of the problems with the debate over the “national debt” is that there’s no generally agreed upon definition of that term. Is it what the federal government owes, or what it owes foreigners, or what the whole country, private and public sector together, owes? Does it include off-balance-sheet items and contingent liabilities? There’s a hundred-trillion dollar gap between lowest and highest on this spectrum, which allows each commentator to confuse the rest of us by picking the measure that best suits their point of view. [Let's try to decipher the true state of the nation.] Words: 1468

The Behre Dolbear Group has recently published its annual comparative country risk assessment of twenty-five countries that host the global mining industry. [If you own, or are thinking of buying, stocks of companies in this sector print, then I suggest you give the Report your full attention and pass this commentary on to friends, acquaintances and colleagues interested in the Resource Sector, and to your Investment Advisor. Words: 437

When forecasting, many economists and commentators fail to focus on the dramatic change in inter-country dependence in our ever more globalized world...and fail to let the actual markets influence their views. Below I critique two articles, rationalizing what they see for the price of gold for the balance of 2012. Words: 730

Risk inherent to the entire market or market segment is referred to as systematic risk and modern portfolio theory says that a blend of investments has the potential to increase overall return for a given level of risk, and/or decrease risk for a given return that the investor is trying to achieve. The expected risk/return relationship is known as the efficient frontier. [If you have a portfolio of investments then you need to fully understand what all this really means and how you can apply it to your portfolio makeup to enhance returns under any circumstances. Let me do just that.] Words: 1325

Hundreds of articles are posted every week but their content is almost never challeged. Campbell does just that. He conveys his comments, concerns and criticisms in a concise conversation, concluding his critiques with either his concurrence or contrary point of view. He invariably ends each critique with a question or two for you to mull over until his next insightful and thought-provoking commentaries. Put your thinking cap on and give them a read. Words: 1722

Does anyone believe the government cares about deficits? Does the American media care? If they do, why don’t you read reports like the following? Words: 970

I have developed a formula that has predicted gold price precisely over the last 12 years. if it continues in a similar fashion for the next few years we should see gold at $4,875 a troy ounce in 2015. Words: 438

Is it a coincidence that Greece, a country with a 40% smoking rate, has dug itself into such a financial mess? What is fiscal irresponsibility, if not an unwillingness to deal with discomfort today in exchange for future financial health? [Let me explain why an analogy to a country's addiction to smoking is so appropriate when considering the Greeks' attitude to their country's sovereign debt woes.] Words: 650

The stock market and inflation expectations remain joined at the hip. As the crowd anticipates higher inflation, the stock market rallies, and vice versa. This positive correlation between inflation and stock prices (a proxy for the economic outlook) won’t last forever and it’s anyone’s guess when [that will be but I have my views on it if you are so interested]. Words: 557