The 7-Year Cycle That Will Crush Uninformed Investors, Again

My Comments: Many of you have seen, or soon will when you get your January statements, that 2014 has so far been a bad year for the stock market. This is an article that suggests there is a pattern. I’m not convinced that what he says is not a coincidence, but then again, what happened …

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Tax Code Changes to Close the Widening Income Gap

My Comments: By the time you read this, the State of the Union Address earlier may render these thoughts useless. On the other hand, our government, bound as it is by the language of the Constitution, is supposed to work in our collective best interest. And that still leaves a lot of room for biased …

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Most Americans Favor Raising Minimum Wage

My Comments: By now you probably know there is a movement afoot to raise the minimum wage and that President Obama allowed as how he was going to include this idea for all contracts awarded by the Federal Government going forward. By now you also know that I’m no longer a young man, having read …

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Washington Must Not Settle for Secular Stagnation

My Comments: Tonight there will be a State of the Union Address. I read that it will include references to income inequality. Many might argue why this is important. If the vast majority of us have only enough money to sustain ourselves, with our time and energy focused on simply staying alive, it leaves little …

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7 Big Economic Predictions for Next 10 Years

The modest global recovery will endure, but market volatility is likely as the Fed tapers By Melanie Waddell / January 16, 2014 The economic outlook for the next 10 years will be one of resiliency, with the U.S. in 2014 and 2015 facing cyclical risks tilted toward better-than-trend growth for the first time since the …

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What Accounts For The Decrease In The Labor Force Participation Rate?

My Comments: I bet you are saying this is just another weird observation from Tony. And you may be right. But mindful that many of you, and many of me, are thinking of ways to predict what the markets will do this year. So... A reasonable predictor of future market movements which translates to whether …

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The 88-Year History Of U.S. Capital Markets From 1926-2013: What Happened When?

My Comments: With 2013 now in the rear view mirror, the compelling question is what is likely to happen in 2014. Every projection, mine, yours, experts of every stripe, have only the past available to offer insights for predicting the future. Here is someone who has created tables based on five and ten year results …

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A Higher Minimum Wage is the Tonic America Needs

My Thoughts: Employment numbers are higher than normal, though coming down slowly, and the argument made by those who oppose this idea is that it will cause more unemployment. Some marginal workers will lose their jobs, but the ability of those who do not and instead receive higher wages will spur consumption. That will have …

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A Thanksgiving Feast Of Rational Optimism

My Thoughts: My favorite all time writer in the world of finance, Nick Murray, brings another fine thought to the table. Being optimistic seems so much more reasonable than getting bogged down, week after week, month after month, in woe and gloom. Being positive seems so much more productive. And it reinforces the notion I’ve …

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Bits and Pieces – November 20, 2013

DOW AND S&P 500 AT RECORD HIGHS - The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 100 points on Tuesday, to finish at a record closing high. The S&P 500 ended Tuesday at a record high for the third straight day. The S&P 500 has risen 6.4% since October 8, when it hit its lowest …

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