Economic Outlook
04/25/2012
Today, we received news that a double-dip recession in the United Kingdom now is official. The U.K. economy shrank in the first quarter, as gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.2% from the fourth quarter… …
04/18/2012
There has been a lot of banter in the financial press about the folly of owning bonds right now. The theory is that if we are experiencing a strong recovery in the U.S. economy, then interest rates will… …
04/04/2012
First, debt problems slammed Greece. Now, they are hitting Spain. Recent events in Spain have emerged that make the country the next potential hotspot that could flare up into a recessionary fire… …
03/28/2012
If you read the financial media as much as I do, you’ve likely read about how little fear there is in this market right now. One such measure of the lack of fear is the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s… …
03/21/2012
One headwind of more immediate concern to this market than even oil prices is the economic slowdown in China. In recent days, investors have turned sour on Chinese stocks. The chief reason why is the… …
03/14/2012
In the midst of Tuesday’s big equity market rally, the Federal Reserve came out with a rather optimistic outlook on the U.S. economy. Though the central bank did acknowledge the potential negative… …
03/07/2012
One of the sectors I’m watching carefully right now is gold. Like equities, gold saw a huge run higher through the first two months of 2012. But since March, we’ve seen a decided downturn… …
02/29/2012
There’s no denying that the stock market is flashing bullish signs, but what about the bond market? Shouldn’t bond prices fall and bond yields rise in a bullish equity environment?… …
02/22/2012
After seven months of difficult negotiations, Greece finally has won the 130 billion euros in aid it needs to avoid the dreaded March bankruptcy. But that by no means is the end of this Greek… …
02/15/2012
I think 2012 will go down in history as a time when the global debt bubble came to an end. We surely will witness the first of many sovereign debt defaults this year. We also could witness the end of… …
01/04/2012
It’s 2012, and that means it’s a great time to make sure you have the right strategies in place for your growth assets, as well as the right strategies in place for your income-generating… …
12/14/2011
Investing in the equity markets is always a pursuit fraught with peril, but these days, the risk meter on your money is running dangerously in the red. You see, I think there’s high risk… …
11/22/2011
Downbeat news out of Europe largely took a backseat to the disappointing -- but not wholly unexpected -- news out of Washington, D.C., on Monday that the so-called “super committee” in Congress… …
11/16/2011
The situation in Europe continues to weigh on stocks. During the past week, we’ve seen the resignation of not one, but two prime ministers in the troubled region. Greece’s George Papandreou… …
11/02/2011
There were no surprises in today’s decision by the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged, and at nearly zero. The Fed announced that “low rates of resource utilization and a subdued… …
09/28/2011
Over the past three weeks, there’s been what I call a “precious” correction taking place. The precious I’m referring to is precious metals like gold and silver. These once high-flying… …
09/21/2011
There’s been a whole lot of buzz generated by President Obama’s latest proposal to make sure the rich pay their “fair share” of the nation’s tax burden. Forget the fact that… …
09/14/2011
Now that the Federal Reserve has committed to keeping interest rates at rock-bottom levels well into 2013, many pundits have been saying that the central bank essentially is out of bullets when it comes… …
09/07/2011
If you’re anything like the majority of Americans and me, you’ve just about had it with the inept political leadership in Washington. To say that these men and women are worthless would… …
08/31/2011
There are a lot of reasons to be tentative right now with respect to this market, so I thought I’d make you a shorthand list of what I think are the top 10 reasons to be cautious. Your own order… …
08/24/2011
The price of gold is up about 30% since the beginning of the year, and the shine in the value of the yellow metal now has made the SPDR Gold (GLD) the largest exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the block… …
08/17/2011
On Tuesday, I attended an investment conference sponsored by Fidelity Investments intended specifically for financial advisors and money managers. There were several good presentations, including one… …
08/10/2011
The Fabian philosophy has born many a great market call over the years. To give you a little sense of how good these calls have been, I’d like to share with you a short list of what my family calls… …
08/03/2011
The fear factor in the global markets is intensifying, and what asset class usually gets a lot of love when the fear meter is pegged to the max? You guessed it, gold. On Tuesday, gold prices hit a new… …
08/03/2011
“We’re not looking at a recession yet, but we’re at a tipping point,” said Bill Gross of Pimco. The manager of the world’s biggest bond fund told Bloomberg Television yesterday… …
07/20/2011
A deal on lifting the debt ceiling is getting close, and though the details have yet to be worked through, we are approaching the removal of a potential default from the list of worries the markets face… …
07/12/2011
The ongoing drama in the debt-ceiling negotiations is interesting political theater. Talk radio types and political news show hosts love it. That’s because the personal dynamics between President… …
07/06/2011
Join me on Thursday, July 7, at 1:00 p.m. PST (4:00 p.m. EST), for a FREE discussion of the rapidly changing financial markets. In this teleseminar, titled Mid-Year Review and Market Outlook, I will be… …
06/15/2011
The news out of China hasn’t been very good of late. On Tuesday, we found out that the country’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, raised bank reserve ratios for the ninth time… …
06/09/2011
After a big sell-off at the beginning of May, the price of gold -- as measured by the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) -- has come on strong. This ETF measures the spot price of gold, and that price is up about… …
06/01/2011
A few weeks ago, I went to the great city of Las Vegas to make several presentations at the annual MoneyShow. During those presentations, I discussed a variety of topics, including a new post-earthquake… …
04/27/2011
Today marks an historic day for the Federal Reserve, as it is the first time ever that a Fed Chairman will hold a post-meeting news conference. This publication had to go to print before Mr. Bernanke… …
04/20/2011
This week, we continue to celebrate the anniversary month of our flagship publication, Successful Investing. This April marks our 34th year of helping investors protect their serious money while achieving… …
04/13/2011
Monday, Monday, so good to me Monday mornin’, it was all I hoped it would be… --The Mamas & The Papas, “Monday, Monday” Our recent move from a Saturday, terrestrial radio… …
04/13/2011
Last week, we told you that April is a special month for the Fabian family, as this is the month that our flagship publication, Successful Investing, came into existence. This year, we celebrate our 34th… …
04/07/2011
It’s April, and that means something special to the Fabian family. Why? Well, because the April issue of our flagship newsletter, Successful Investing, is our anniversary issue. This year, we celebrate… …
03/30/2011
I recently broadcast my final AM radio show. Sure, this tried-and-true method of communication was very good to me over the last 12 years, but now it’s time to step into the future with the new… …
03/23/2011
Considering all of the massive global turmoil we’ve seen over the past several weeks, it’s actually stunning to see that the market has held up so well. The respective crises in Egypt, Libya,… …
03/16/2011
The top story -- perhaps the only story -- right now is Japan. The horrific combination of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown is almost worse than anyone can imagine. Yet through the entire tragedy,… …
03/02/2011
The latest spike in the oil patch has a lot of Americans speculating on just how high the price of crude oil can go before it really starts to hurt the economic recovery. With West Texas crude oil now… …
02/16/2011
I just returned from my annual trek to Orlando, Fla., for The World MoneyShow. This is an event that my family and I have been participating in for more than 25 years. In fact, I can remember quite vividly… …
02/09/2011
The energy on Capitol Hill today was apparent even through my CSPAN-tuned plasma TV. That’s because Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke walked into the proverbial lion’s den today as he… …
01/26/2011
During the past several weeks, we’ve taken you through Parts I, II and III of our four-part series on getting your 2011 financial house in order. Let’s recap these first three sections before… …
01/19/2011
During the past two weeks, we’ve taken you through Part I and Part II of our four-part series on getting your 2011 financial house in order. Part I was all about conducting an inventory of your… …
01/12/2011
In last week’s Alert, we began a four-part series on getting your 2011 financial house in order. Part I was all about conducting an inventory of all of your assets and all of your accounts -- taxable… …
01/12/2011
Are you ready to invest for success in 2011? Everybody says they’re ready to make money in the market, but let me ask you this -- do you have a well-thought-out strategy in place to do just that?… …
01/05/2011
It’s the first week of the first month of a brand new year, and that means now is a great time to get your fiscal house in order. Over the next four weeks, I will be taking you through four easy… …
12/15/2010
Hello and happy holidays! Now that we’ve entered the final month of what has been a very volatile, and extremely eventful, year in the financial markets, I thought it would be an appropriate time… …
12/15/2010
China is in the news again, but this time, the country is in the news for something that its economic gurus didn’t do -- they didn’t raise interest rates. Most China watchers thought that… …
12/08/2010
The big talk in Washington and on Wall Street is the proposed deal on an extension of the Bush tax cuts. Although the deal, worked out by President Obama and Republican leaders in Congress, hasn’t… …
12/01/2010
Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us, most of us have diverted our holiday attention to Christmas. I’m sure you’ve already been to a retail store or restaurant where they are playing… …
12/01/2010
Discipline is the way that I live To mankind I’ve much to give Won’t let you bring me down I’ll knock you out within one round --Mind of Substance, “Discipline” Being that… …
11/23/2010
The big headlines pushing the equity markets lower right now are coming out of Asia. Last week, we saw China take yet another step to put the brakes on inflation, as that country’s central bank… …
11/17/2010
Every once in a while, a humorist or satirist hits the proverbial nail on the head. This is certainly the case with a viral video posted on YouTube titled, “Quantitative Easing Explained.”… …
11/10/2010
On Saturday, Nov. 6, I hosted what I think was the most important investor teleconference of the year. The title of this presentation was “The Election’s Over -- Now What Do I Do with My Money.”… …
11/10/2010
Come on up for the rising, Come on up for the rising tonight --Bruce Springsteen, “The Rising” Another consequence of the Fed’s QE2 is going to be a rise in “long-term” Treasury… …
11/10/2010
Speculative buying in the commodities pits is hitting fever-pitch status, with investors pouring money into virtually every commodity out there. In fact, commodity prices have been booming ever since… …
11/03/2010
The midterm election is finally over, and though there are still several seats that are too close to call, the new balance of power in Washington has been set. Republicans decisively captured control… …
10/27/2010
The ETF universe now is teeming with more than 1,000 funds. Yet there is one asset class, particularly this year, that really has captured everyone’s attention -- and that’s precious metals… …
10/27/2010
We are less than a week away from what could be the most important midterm election in recent memory. Certainly, I think this is the most important election that I can remember. I think it’s much… …
10/20/2010
The latest fiscal mess confronting us is the new foreclosure fiasco. As you likely already know, news that many of the nation’s biggest lenders had made some major errors of oversight in processing… …
10/13/2010
On Sunday, iconic TV news show “60 Minutes” did a very interesting segment on the phenomenon known as “high-frequency trading.” The piece gave a detailed account of the fact that… …
10/06/2010
When it comes to international stocks, all systems are definitely in rally mode. Look at the charts below of two of the most widely held international exchange-traded funds (ETFs) -- the iShares EAFE… …
09/29/2010
Last Saturday, we talked about the current conditions in the market, and how best to position your money to take advantage of what I suspect will be some nice buy setups taking shape in the near future… …
09/29/2010
Just when you thought that Wall Street was safe from European protestors, the Old World streets get flooded again with protestors who fear they won’t continue receiving as much government largess… …
09/22/2010
Like many Americans, I watched President Obama’s Town Hall meeting about the economy on Monday that was hosted by CNBC. And judging from the response I’ve read about how unimpressed Americans… …
09/15/2010
In last week’s show, we discussed how you can prepare for what could be a big bust in the bond market. If your portfolio is heavily exposed to bonds, then you definitely need to check out this broadcast… …
09/15/2010
Long-term interest rates, i.e., yields on the 30-year Treasury Bond, have been at distress levels since they began their big downturn in April. That decline continued virtually uninterrupted right through… …
09/08/2010
Our most recent radio show focused on how yield-seeking investors can find the right investments for their individual portfolios. We also talked about how you can protect yourself from the bursting of… …
09/01/2010
Last week, we talked about the bearish sentiment permeating the market -- a sentiment that seems to have vanished in Wednesday’s trade. Recall that last week I warned about becoming too bearish,… …
08/25/2010
Last week’s radio show was all about secrets. Well, more specifically, it was about the seven secrets that ETF investors can use to maximize gains and minimize risk. If you didn’t get a chance… …
08/25/2010
What’s past is often prologue, and this Shakespearean phrase (from “The Tempest” for my fellow literary cohorts) certainly applies to financial markets. So when assessing the market’s… …
08/18/2010
There is perhaps no more contentious debate out there among market mavens than the inflation vs. deflation debate. In the inflation camp, you have those arguing that thanks to the government’s über-loose… …
08/11/2010
The mood in the Chinese markets has been very upbeat since about mid-July, with stocks that make up the iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (FXI) breaking out above their 50- and 200-day moving averages… …
08/04/2010
Over the course of the last several years, I’ve been telling you about the threat that deflation (as opposed to inflation) may pose to your serious money. Well, it seems as though now I am not the… …
07/28/2010
In last Saturday’s radio show, we talked about the new financial reform laws, and how they may affect your money. We also continued our discussion on underperforming, lemon mutual funds. If you… …
07/21/2010
Last week, we were back once again in Phoenix, and I want to thank all of my Arizona listeners for welcoming me with such open arms. Remember that the show is now on every Saturday, 10 a.m. Pacific, on… …
07/21/2010
Earlier today, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul bill. The new law, known as FinReg, is designed to protect the public from financial malfeasance on the part of financial… …
07/14/2010
Hello Phoenix, we’re back! Beginning this Saturday, 10 a.m. Pacific, we are back live on the air in the Phoenix area. The show will be broadcast on KFNN 1510, Arizona’s premier financial radio… …
07/07/2010
Last week’s radio show covered some of the wild happenings in financial markets during the first half of the year. We also discussed what’s in store for the latter half of 2010, and how you… …
06/30/2010
Last week’s radio show was devoted largely to a discussion of municipal bonds. We covered the issue of why your muni-bond portfolio may be at risk, and what you can do about it. If you’re… …
06/30/2010
By Jim Woods We know that conservatives, libertarians, most Republicans and Austrian School economists are at odds with President Obama’s economic policies. Count me in with this camp, as I think… …
06/23/2010
If you missed last Saturday’s radio show, you missed a very special homage to my father, Dick Fabian. This great investment thinker taught me nearly everything I know about how markets really work,… …
06/16/2010
I have to admit that soccer is not part of my normal sports-viewing habit. Yet this year, I am really getting into watching the World Cup. It’s always fascinating to see athletes who are the best… …
06/09/2010
I recently read an article in The Wall Street Journal that proffered the theory that there are seven reasons why investors shouldn’t dump international equity funds. Some of the key points in the… …
05/19/2010
I do a whole lot of research each week trying to discern the machinations of these volatile equity markets. Most of what I read is basic information designed to give me the facts I need to make an informed… …
05/12/2010
The debt crisis in Greece has me worried, and not just for the prospects of stocks around the globe. You see, much of the same issues currently afflicting Greece also have the potential to really harm… …
05/05/2010
Tuesday’s violent drop in stocks certainly rattled equity markets around the globe. These markets already were skittish about the recent debt downgrades in Greece, Portugal and Spain. And, news… …
04/28/2010
As expected, the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded its two-day meeting today by issuing the statement that there would be no change in interest rate policy. The Fed’s… …
04/28/2010
First, it was Greece, and then it was Portugal; now it’s Spain. Of course, I am talking here about the recent debt downgrades in these three PIIGS nations. PIIGS is the market acronym that stands… …
04/21/2010
Billionaire Steve Wynn is best known for creating the modern Las Vegas mega-hotel. His Mirage resort set a new standard for Las Vegas properties, and the town has never been the same since. Recently,… …
04/21/2010
It seems like no matter what area of the world you look at, the equity markets are on fire. Be it Asia, Europe or the United States, all three have created a trio of opportunities over the past year… …
04/14/2010
The Internet blogosphere is replete with lots of wild and crazy political, economic and financial musings. To be certain, there’s a lot of pure junk out there. Yet, every so often, I come across… …
04/14/2010
I know the vast majority of Alert readers haven’t been with us throughout our entire 33-year history (although I know a few of you who go back to the time before I even joined the newsletter). As… …
04/07/2010
It's hard to believe, but 33 years ago this month, my father, Dick Fabian, wrote the first issue of what was then called the Telephone Switch Newsletter. His approach back then was simple and straightforward;… …
03/31/2010
If you were ever in doubt about the unhealthy conditions of the federal government’s balance sheet, one look at the brilliant analysis by economist Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center at George… …
03/24/2010
My friend and colleague, Nicholas Vardy, is a money manager and writer of the weekly e-letter, The Global Guru, which I highly recommend to all of my Alert readers. In the latest edition, titled “The… …
03/17/2010
“The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.” --Ludwig von Mises The celebrated economic thinker was a genius at identifying the true nature of… …
03/17/2010
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has been all over the media lately with his plans to impose new regulation on the financial industry. One of the proposed changes to the current… …
03/17/2010
It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and that means you have slightly more than four weeks before you need to send that tax return to Uncle Sam. Over the past month, I’ve been working particularly… …
03/10/2010
“But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” --… …
03/10/2010
On Saturday, March 6, we held our latest teleseminar, titled “The Return of the Bear Market.” I want to personally thank all of you who joined me for this event, and as you know, we had a… …
03/10/2010
It’s March 10, and that means you have a little more than five weeks before you need to send that tax return to Uncle Sam. During the past month, I’ve been working particularly hard on my… …
03/03/2010
Right now, I am in the process of writing the 33rd anniversary issue of my flagship newsletter service, Successful Investing. This newsletter was started by my parents Dick and Marie Fabian in April of… …
02/24/2010
Join me on Saturday, March 6, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Standard Time, for a FREE update on the financial markets in 2010. In this teleseminar, titled “Return of the Bear Market,” I will… …
02/24/2010
It’s nearly the end of February, and that means tax season is in full swing. Over the past two weeks, I’ve been working particularly hard on my own tax situation, and I’ve been meeting… …
02/17/2010
It’s now February, and that means tax season is in full swing. During the past week, I’ve been working particularly hard on my own tax situation, and I’ve been meeting regularly with… …
02/09/2010
By now, all of us know about troubled Toyota Motor Co. and its massive recall issues. But on Tuesday, we found out that way back in late 2007, officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration… …
02/03/2010
As we begin 2010, we are entering what likely is a new era in the investing and financial landscape. Now is the time to prepare and execute a safe and profitable investment plan for the year ahead. It… …
02/03/2010
President Obama just submitted a new, 10-year federal budget that has me very worried. The primary reason for my concern is tax hikes. As I expected, the mammoth $3.8-trillion budget for the next fiscal… …
01/27/2010
It’s not easy being in power when the electorate is riled up. President Obama certainly found that out last week in Massachusetts, where the election of Republican Scott Brown to the vacant seat… …
01/20/2010
Oil and Water: they’re two elements that, chemically speaking, do not mix. Yet, both do mix nicely as one investment theme I’m watching in 2010. Let’s take a look at each separately… …
01/13/2010
Food is getting expensive. In 2010, this trend could be a chance for you to make some serious money. No, I’m not talking about opening a restaurant. Rather, I’m talking about investing in… …
01/06/2010
Location, location, location may be the mantra for sound real estate investing, but did you know that the principle of location also can be applied to equity investing? I am speaking here about what I… …
12/30/2009
By David R. Clarke, President, Miracle Debt Solutions If you read the economic history books, there’s not much fondness for the 1930s. This was the decade of the Great Depression, where unemployment… …
12/30/2009
Last week, we talked about what I think will be a big investment theme for 2010, rising interest rates. This week, we take a look at the second installment in our series about the top 10 investment themes… …
12/23/2009
I can't believe it, but 2010 is just about a week away. And soon, we'll all be resolving to not make the same mistakes we made in 2009. If you haven't started making your financial New Year's resolutions… …
12/23/2009
Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his band of central bankers signaled the market that the near zero cost of capital is going to continue for some time. However, what you have to remember… …
12/23/2009
It’s that time of year. It is time to start seriously thinking about the investment themes for the coming year. And the way I see it, identifying these themes is no easy task. Coming off what can… …
12/09/2009
By John Doan, president, Miracle Mortgage I frequently speak with people who fondly remember what their homes were worth two, three and four years ago. Many of them actually think their home will soon… …
12/09/2009
You may not have heard this news, but Greece just had its bond rating cut to BBB by Moody’s. Now, you may be asking what the big deal is. After all, what does Greece’s credit rating have to… …
12/02/2009
Believe it or not, you still can get a cheap mortgage at some of the lowest interest rates of the year. The professionals at Miracle Mortgage are offering a free assessment of your current financing,… …
12/02/2009
You might not be thinking about taxes with the holidays now in full swing, but my friend and CPA Lee Haight called me the other day to remind me that there are several strategies that I can employ before… …
11/25/2009
Now, for another perspective on being thankful, here is my good friend and writer extraordinaire Jim Woods with a few unconventional thoughts on the matter. Enjoy! By Jim Woods This Thursday is Thanksgiving,… …
11/25/2009
I can’t let this Thanksgiving week go by without addressing a few things that I’m truly thankful for. On Monday, I had a great conversation with a new Successful Investing subscriber who told… …
11/18/2009
I find it both a welcome relief and an ironic twist of fate that President Obama now feels compelled to address the issue of our national debt. In an interview with Fox News, (another ironic twist given… …
11/18/2009
“Has America’s Federal Reserve become the single greatest obstacle to global economic recovery? Central bankers around the world increasingly are asking this question as the American greenback… …
11/11/2009
By John Doan, president, Miracle Mortgage The stock market falls. The stock market rises. But real estate values continue to plummet and governments at every level continue amassing unsustainable amounts… …
11/11/2009
Last Saturday, I conducted my third installment of the five-part series titled, The Obama Impact on Your Money. In my presentation, I share three simple strategies you can use to grow and protect your… …
11/04/2009
In my youth, I spent many summer days working as a lifeguard on the beautiful beaches of Southern California. Yes, I know it was a tough job, but hey, somebody had to do it. Of course, I jest,… …
10/21/2009
Last week, I read a fascinating post on the blog of one of my favorite pundits, Mike Shedlock, better known to his audience as "Mish." In his post, Mish analyzed my friend and fellow market… …
10/21/2009
All right, I am going to make a prediction right now: interest rates are going to go up. Of course, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. With the unprecedented amount of government… …
10/14/2009
Whenever I need an update on the current real estate and mortgage rate environment, I turn to my trusted experts at Miracle Mortgage Corp. Today, we have a special treat from Miracle Mortgage President… …
10/08/2009
During the past several weeks, we've been keeping a watchful eye on three specific charts. Those charts are the S&P 500 Index, China and crude oil. For the past couple of weeks, the S&P 500 managed… …
09/30/2009
He’s one of the most respected bond fund managers around, and he’s had a really good track record of making correct calls on the equity and credit markets over the past decade. I… …
09/23/2009
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." -- Barack Obama Change. That's been… …
11/28/2008
President-elect Obama has acted swiftly in naming his economic team, and his selection of Tim Geithner as secretary of the Treasury; Larry Summers as director of the National Economic Council; Christina… …
11/12/2008
It's the economy, stupid.
Remember that phrase from the 1992 presidential election campaign? The term was coined by Democratic Party pit bull James Carville, and it refers to the idea that then Gov… …
06/28/2006
"Government cannot make man richer, but it can make him poorer." – Ludwig von Mises, free-market thinker and dean of the Austrian School of economics As we get ready for yet another rate… …