The Austrian School of Investment Thought
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Friday Humor: Two Stockbrokers Are In a Bank…
Two stockbrokers are in a bank, when, suddenly, armed robbers burst in, waving guns and yelling for everyone to freeze. While several of the robbers take the money from the tellers, others line the customers, including the two stock brokers, up against a wall, and proceed to take their wallets, watches, and other valuables. While … Continue reading
Are Democratic Presidents Really Better for the Economy than Republicans?
According to Richard J. Carroll in a Bloomberg.com Op-Ed piece promoting his new book, the answer is yes: In “The President as Economist: Scoring Economic Performance From Harry Truman to Barack Obama,” I compare the 12 presidents since World War II using 17 economic indicators, including growth in gross domestic product, rate of unemployment, inflation, … Continue reading
Barnhart Investment Advisory in Today’s Investor’s Business Daily
Barnhart Investment Advisory is featured in today’s Investor’s Business Daily article: Pros Top Picks ETF Picks for the Remainder of 2012. As always, please remember this should not be considered a personal recommendation. You should consult with your financial advisory before making any investment decisions. Click to request an introductory phone call with Barnhart Investment … Continue reading
Are U.S. Banks Ready for a Break Up of the Euro?
Simon Johnson, is the former Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is now at MIT. Last month he wrote “The End of the Euro: A Survivor’s Guide.” Today on Bloomberg.com he writes that U.S. Banks Aren’t Nearly Ready for the Coming Euro Crisis. Some of his thoughts on the matter: Very few … Continue reading
Market Recap and a Look Ahead (week ended 6/22)
The stock market encountered a roller coaster ride this week, rallying early based on positive news in the Greek Elections and in anticipation of a potential QE3 announcement from the Fed on Wednesday. When the Fed only delivered on Operation Twist, stocks sold off. The S&P 500 finished the week at 1,335, down 0.6% for … Continue reading
Friday Humor: A Minister and a Stockbroker at the Pearly Gates
A minister dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy who’s dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter addresses this guy, “Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?” The guy … Continue reading
Thoughts on the Fed (FOMC) Meeting
The FOMC wrapped up its two-day meeting by announcing that it will extend the Operation Twist program for the rest of the year. The statement also said that “the committee [FOMC] is prepared to take further action as appropriate to promote a stronger economic recovery and sustained improvement in labor market conditions in a context … Continue reading
The Rain in Spain…
No sooner has the financial world breathed a collective sigh of relief over the results of the Greek Elections, than the dam appeared to spring another leak. This time in the form of surging Spanish bond yields. As reported by the WSJ.Com yields on the Spanish Ten Year Treasury “surged to the highest on record … Continue reading
Market Recap and a Look Ahead (week ended 6/15)
A nervous stock market managed to post a modest gain for the week as the financial world awaits the results of Sunday’s election in Greece. The S&P 500 Index closed at 1,342 up 1.3% for the week. Randall Forsyth of Barron’s noted that “stocks took off Thursday afternoon in the U.S. in reaction to various … Continue reading
Friday Humor: (The Onion) Drunken Ben Bernanke Tells Everyone at Neighborhood Bar How Screwed Up Economy Really Is
From the Onion: SEWARD, NE—Claiming he wasn’t afraid to let everyone in attendance know about “the real mess we’re in,” Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke reportedly got drunk Tuesday and told everyone at Elwood’s Corner Tavern about how absolutely…..Excerpt from The Onion Very funny, but also very sad that there is more truth in this article … Continue reading
Coming to a Theater Near You?
Back in April the Sun Sentinel news in Ft. Lauderdale, ran an investigative series titled Bad-Neighbor Banks, which focused on the side effects of the South Florida foreclosure crisis. The article describes how some of “the world’s biggest banks” have left vacant homes to literally rot away. In Florida the problem is magnified by the … Continue reading
Keep ’em Coming Bartender…
They say a pessimist is just an optimist who has the facts. They also say that where a pessimist sees a half empty glass, and the optimist half full; the pragmatist simply fills the rest of the glass with Vodka. This week Barron’s Magazine published the midyear roundtable update and it just might leave you to … Continue reading
Market Recap and a Look Ahead (week ended 6/8)
The S&P 500 posted its biggest gain of the year with 3.6% rebound in the aftermath of a tough month of May. Yields on the benchmark Ten Year Treasury rose to 1.63% after finishing the previous week below 1.5%. SPY data by YCharts
Friday Humor: The Economist and the Politician
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced his altitude and saw a man below. “Excuse me, but can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago but I don’t know where I am,” he said. The man below replied: “You are in a … Continue reading
Taking a Look at: TIP – Treasury Inflation Protected Bond ETF; an underappreciated workhorse
TIP data by YCharts By Ted Barnhart Today we look at the iSharesBarclays TIP Bond ETF, ticker symbol TIP. Followers of the “Austrian School of Economics” naturally fear the return of a 70’s style (or worse) inflation, but at the same time understand the deflationary risks associated with the bursting of a credit bubble. Balancing … Continue reading
All Eyes on Ben
The Federal Reserve Open Markets Committee (FOMC) does not meet until the 19th of this month, but this is a big week for Central Bankers nonetheless. On Wednesday the European Central Bank (ECB) meets and as Neil Dennis of the Financial Times writes,“Given the rapid deterioration in confidence and business activity surveys in May, there … Continue reading
Market Recap Week Ended June 1, 2012
A tepid jobs report for the month of May along with European fears, including news/rumours of Spanish banking withdrawals left the S&P 500 Index at 1278, down more than 3% for the week. More Ominously, the U.S. Ten Year Treasury Note closed at a record low of 1.47%. Even more astounding yet, the The German … Continue reading
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