A Few Dollars More

“What is the government going to do about these gas prices?” a client from Texas asked me recently.

He had just filled up his Chevy pick-up and it cost him over $70. Together, we complained and commiserated over the coming $4/gallon gas price. We both agreed that the McCain/Clinton proposals to cut gas taxes during this summer’s driving season were not going to cut it long term, nor was a temporary suspension of stock piling more oil to our strategic reserve. I tried to think of a solution. In the ensuing silence, it finally dawned on me that there is no white knight out there that’s going to fix this. [Read more →]

The passage of yesterday’s massive housing bail-out bill by Congress was inevitable. Without it, the two government-sponsored mortgage companies the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) could have seen a mass liquidation of their equity and bank debt sending you and me into a world of hurt. You see without these two behemoths to intercede on our behalf, most banks or other institutional investors would be wary of lending us great sums of money for up to 30 years on a hope and a prayer—and that’s on a good day. [Read more →]

Given the amount of rain that has flooded our nation’s mid-west over the last month it may be hard to believe that the United States is facing a fresh water shortage. We are not alone. Water scarcity is growing worldwide and at an increasing rate. As it does food prices everywhere will continue to rise. Here’s why. [Read more →]

All the news that seems fit to print these days is on the subject of oil. This week in response to congress and the public’s demand “that something must be done” to halt the inflationary spiral of commodity prices, the United States Commodities Futures Trading Commission announced the formation of an interagency taskforce consisting of the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Treasury, Energy and Agriculture Departments to go after the commodity “speculators.” [Read more →]

All the news that seems fit to print these days is on the subject of oil. This week in response to congress and the public’s demand “that something must be done” to halt the inflationary spiral of commodity prices, the United States Commodities Futures Trading Commission announced the formation of an interagency taskforce consisting of the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Treasury, Energy and Agriculture Departments to go after the commodity “speculators.” [Read more →]

I first met John Roque in early 2001 while working for a boutique Wall Street investment bank which has since been bought by the French. John was our technical analyst. I had no interest in the subject at the time so I ignored him. That is, until he wrote his first positive report on gold that year and a year later wrote a similar report on the bullish future of oil and gas. It was then that I realized my mistake. Now, when John Roque talks, I listen. [Read more →]

“For Sale” signs are more prevalent than flowers this spring along the by-ways and highways of America. The housing bubble has burst. Sub-prime lending horror stories are causing a buyer’s strike while prices are plummeting. And yet, if you live in New York, or anywhere else in the Northeast, you are paying more than ever in property taxes. [Read more →]

Although the deadline, April 15, is still a good three months away, it might be time to think about contributing to your traditional IRA. That’s the individual savings plan that allows each of us to contribute up to $5,000 this year tax free ($6,000 if you’re over fifty) toward our retirement. We’re urged to contribute the maximum each year. [Read more →]

Over the last six years foreign stock markets have been the place to be if you wanted to capture double digit investment returns. This year overseas markets especially emerging markets have pulled back along with the U.S. markets. I see that as a buying opportunity for long term investors. [Read more →]

Given the number of headlines I have read recently concerning “bear markets”, I thought I might look at both sides of this “tragic” event but first exactly what is a bear market? The official definition is simple: when any index falls 20 % from its peak it officially enters bear market territory. As of yesterday, the S&P 500 index hit 1244– a 20 % decline from its October, 2007 peak. Now, all three of the major U.S. stock indexes have entered that danger zone. We have been there before. Since 1946 we’ve had eleven bear markets and we’ve survived every single one of them. [Read more →]