Blogs

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 »

• Peter Schiff Vlog-Web Site Sabotage-Government Stupidity (Video)
• State and Local Pension Gap May Be $1 Trillion, Kramer Says
• N.Y. state 3-year deficit may top governor's forecast
• New Monetary Base number goes even higher
• Dollar shortage in China's foreign exchange market
• Junk Default Rate Is Highest Since Great Depression
• CMBS Delinquencies Swell to 5.5% in October, says BarCap
• Social Security inundated by new disability claims
• Zombie Banks

 read more »

• Crisis Compels Economists To Reach For New Paradigm
• State Budgets: How Bad Will It Get?
• Why Dilbert Is Doomed
• FED Gives Banks Deadline To Submit Exec Pay Proposals
• States Are Pondering Fraud Lawsuits Against Banks
• New Role For Goldman: Taking Away People's Homes
• Risks And Rewards On China's New Stock Board
• Small Banks Move In As Giants Falter
• Call It A Smart Thermostat
• Toxic Waste Threatens Vital Water Source In The Southwest

 read more »

Once again, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (waggishly referred to as the Open Mouth Committee during the Greenspan era, for its tendency to try and talk up a good response in the markets) has delivered a widely anticipated "non-event" from its most recent meeting.

That is, interest rates were left untouched at a level indistinguishable from zero.

As expected.

Once again I will try and provide translation services for the overly obtuse and meandering language preferred by the FOMC staff writers.  read more »

• U.S. Cuts Borrowing Need 43% for October to December
• More walk away from homes, mortgages
• 33 percent of LA employers in poll will lay off workers in 2010
• Small-Business Bankruptcy Filings Up 44% Year-over-year, Equifax Data Show
• More Muni woes on the horizon (San Francisco)
• Vallejo Voters To Consider Tax On Text Messages
• UC's retirement plan (costs)
• G20 Drive to Rebalance World Economy (a few quotes)
• Default Swaps Contracts Over $3B Triggered By CIT Bankruptcy
• October Personal Bankruptcies Highest Since 2005 Law Changes
• Treasury invites bloggers (Posted by Davos)
• Melt value of old and new coins

 read more »

• The Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex
• Geithner "Burned Billions," Shafted Taxpayers on CIT Loan, Prof. Bill Black Says
• The Social Management of Foreclosures
• IMF Sells Gold to India, First Sale in Nine Years
• It is Japan We Should Be Worrying About, Not America
• $2.3 Billion CIT Loss Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg
• FHA Will Be The Next Giant To Tumble
• Treasury May Block Goldman Sachs, Fannie Mae Deal
• Monthly Business Bankruptcy Filings Rise 7%
• House Health Bill Totals $1.2 Trillion
• What Are The Stakes In The U.S.-China Yuan Tussle?
• Fed's Path To Higher Interest Rates Begins To Take Shape 
• Vladmir Putin's Deputy Visits London Seeking Financial Relief For Russia
• Powering a Green Planet: Sustainable Energy
• Energy Seminar (2008-2009) from Stanford University (Video)
• Meeting The Energy Crisis With Potatoes
• Everybody In The Pool Of Green Innovation
• Snow Cap Disappearing From Mount Kilimanjaro

 read more »

• How Goldman secretly bet on the U.S. housing crash
• Commercial Lending Giant CIT Files Bankruptcy
• The Biggest Trade Deal Of The 21st Century
• Japan May Be Worse Off Than America
• Is Catastrophic The New Normal?
• US, EU Urged To Find Common Ground On "Too Big To Fail"
• Madoff Documents Reveal Incredulous, Unfocused SEC
• Credit Card Issuers In Support Of Debt Repayment Program
• How Moody's sold its ratings - and sold out investors 
• California's New Gold Rush 
• Getting Hotter: Geothermal Power Is Attracting The Big Boys
• A New Tool For Wind Power

 read more »

A new Martenson Report is ready for enrolled members.

Link:  Market Shift - Something Is Coming

A snippet:

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.

Click the above link to read this report.  Please note that the full report is available only to enrolled members.  To enroll, please click here.

[Note:  Comments are disabled here; see the Martenson Report content box on the main page for comments.]  read more »

• US Economic Growth Deconstructed
• Catching Argentinian Disease
• Burden of Safety Law Imperils Small Toymakers
• Spotlight on Eastern European Currencies and Gold
• The Grim Reality Is That America Is Not Out Of Recession
• Federal Debt: What Happens If Governments Can't Repay?
• FED Held Retreats At Luxury Resorts After Blasting AIG For The Same
• Inflation 'Supply Shock' Inferno
• How And Why China Will Flood the Gold Market
• Tuna ban 'justified' by science
• Solar Hybrid Ferries To Set Sail

 read more »

• Data Likely to Credit Stimulus for 650,000 Jobs
• Energy-savings project leaves Army in the cold
• Dead Government Walking
• Stocks Sizzle As China Debuts Nasdaq- Style Stock Market 
• Americans Becoming Increasingly Disheartened 
• 650,000 Jobs Created/Saved By Stimulus? There’s No Way to Know 
• California To Withhold A Bigger Chunk Of Paychecks Starting Sunday 
• Nine U.S. Banks Seized In Largest One-Day Haul  
• Do Banks Have Something To Hide?

 read more »