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Welcome.
My name is Chris Martenson. I'm not an economist. I'm a trained research scientist, and a former Fortune 300 VP. Most importantly, though, I'm a concerned citizen.
I think the next twenty years are going to look very different from the last twenty years. This site is my attempt to explain why.
You should start with the Crash Course. This series of videos is, I think, the clearest and most straightforward explanation of how our economy, energy systems and environment interact -- how we got to where we are today, and some reasonable expectations for the future.
Thanks for visiting my site, and hope to see you back here often.
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Market Recap - Ridiculous Productivity
Practically every day I post my observations about what is happening in the markets and larger world for enrolled members in the "Martenson Insider" area and then we discuss it.
Here is yesterday's post (11/5/09).
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After digging around and sifting through the things both said and not said, I have come to the conclusion that what we are seeing are the likely effects of a rescue operation.
By this I mean a large injection of stabilizing cash to one or more parties, possibly related to the recent large bankruptcies. Two of my friends, who have been actively trading for more than 20 years between them, threw in the towel this week, as their patterns and methods are no longer working.
Their conclusion is the same as mine; this market is not trading like it used to. It is trading chaotically, counterintuitively, and as if there's some sort of distorting influence involved.
First, we might just wonder if this isn't the impact of a rogue firm with entirely too much power moving the market for its own benefit. read more »
- cmartenson's blog
- 14 comments
- 2976 reads
Daily Digest - November 7
- Metals And Currencies: A Long-Term Dynamic Strategically Used To Preserve Wealth
- Mauldin: The Glide Path Option
- Dollar Will be "Utterly Destroyed": Strategist (Video)
- Fannie Mae...up to $200 billion needed
- The Commercial Loan Nightmare Facing U.S. Banks
- Moody’s: Pension Strains Put Pressure on Ratings
- (D.C.) Metro to appeal arbitrators' pay decision
- Auditor: Lorain will have trouble meeting December payroll
- DailyDigest's blog
- 3 comments
- 868 reads
Martenson Insider - Fed POMO activity and the Stock Market
Today, again, we receive news that Fed is continuing to pour more and more POMO money into the banking system, this time with a 'mere' ~$2 billion addition.
August 7 - New York Fed purchases $1.937 billion in agency coupons
As long-time readers here know, I have been tracking the Permanent Open Market Operations (or "POMO") activity of the Fed for a long time.
As I wrote in The Five Horsemen ( May 31 2009, enrollment required $):
read more »- 15 comments
- 10021 reads
Market Shift - Something Is Coming 
Note: This report is for enrolled members only. Join now to gain full access to all Martenson Reports.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Executive Summary
- A break in past relationships between the stock market, the dollar, and gold, along with a breakout in the VIX, could be signaling the beginning of an important turning point
- Capmark declares bankruptcy (CIT is next).
- A commercial real estate emergency is upon us.
- Is gold signaling a continuation of the financial crisis, or something more?
As you know, I spend a great deal of time combing the available market information for clues about what is happening in the economy and where it may be leading us. This past week (October 24 - October 31, 2009) showed some amazing developments indicating that a major turning point is once again upon us.
This assessment is based on several key events, including the bankruptcy of Capmark Financial, which kicked off the week, the return of volatility to the stock market (reminiscent of past tops), and the bizarre strength in the price of gold on Friday, even as the Dow peeled off nearly 250 points.
Let's take a look at these events one at a time...
read more »- 60 comments
- 8473 reads
FDIC Is Broke - Now What?
Note: This report is for registered users only. To read the report, register now, or upgrade to an enrolled membership and read all Martenson Reports.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Executive Summary
- With the most recent bank failures, the FDIC is out of funds.
- The FDIC is levying a one-time fee on member banks to cover the shortfall, but it will not be enough and it punishes the prudent.
- The FDIC has been suspiciously slow at shutting down banks that have admittedly already failed.
- Banks have been allowed to overestimate the actual worth of their assets using "mark-to-fantasy" accounting.
- Hundreds of banks are likely already mortally wounded and set to fail.
- The FDIC means well, but creates a moral hazard the effects of which now haunt us.
- Take prudent action: Choose only high-rated banks, and keep cash out of the bank.
Five more banks failed this week, resulting in a long weekend for the FDIC (see below). The largest of these, by far, was Colonial Bank, which will cost the FDIC some $2.8 billion. And that's assuming that their loss estimates pan out as expected and that the $15 billion in shaky assets on which the FDIC will share future losses do not turn into larger-than-expected losses.
read more »- 14 comments
- 3683 reads