Recent content by spazz

One of Shiller's arguments that markets, in the long run, are in fact irrational was to just look at the non-correlation between dividends and stock price movements. Dividends have more or less increased over the past 100 years (with little variance). However, looking at the long term stock...

I did not read the article but I suspect many individuals will be forced to withdraw money out of their 401k's in order to maintain their high current standard of living.

I may be wrong, but i think it is also notable that many countries, such as Switzerland and (maybe) Canada, have little or NO government insurance for their banking system Actually there is CDIC insurance - up to $100,000 per deposit (restrictions apply). They collect premiums from each...

In Canada we have the CMHC, which insures mortgages and is a government agency. They take a pretty sizeable (1-3% I believe) premium on all mortgages that have less than 20% down. The govt. also restricts what types of assets CDN banks are allowed to hold on their books. BTW Royal Bank of...

Three more to add: A decreasing unemployment rate ( excl stagflation of course), government deficits, and the depreciation of a local currency can all have an impact on the inflation rate

Let the spending begin! NEW YORK -- If U.S. consumers are worried about conserving cash from the tax-rebate cheques they've started getting in the mail, Dean Rallo isn't seeing any evidence of it at the four furniture and appliance stores he oversees in Buffalo. .... Still, even if consumers...

This is disconcerting, however this just might ease some of the liquidity problems for those greedy little banks Bank bail-outs to be kept secret Dan Atkinson, Simon Watkins, Mail on Sunday (Link courtesy of Agape from FWF) Bank bail-outs to be kept secret | This is Money

New proposed plans for the finance sector - comments? Paulson Proposes Financial Overhaul: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

This puts us on a cliff edge where we could easily fall into a Japan scenario all too easily. It's not happening this way today, but how can baby boomers not switch into saving mode soon? Countries with high govt deficits generally lead to higher consumer savings down the road. Unfortunately...

A major difference between the US and Japan hasn't been mentioned. Demographics. Japan is losing population. They are not having children. Their population replacement rate is only 1.32--far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the population even. Both the U.S and Japan have low dependency...

Indeed, but he is a hoot to watch - always LMAO when that man is on the air throwing those little bulls everywhere!

Recent article from CB: AP IMPACT: More Americans Tap Retirement Accounts to Make Ends Meet; Withdrawals Carry Risks | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online My appologies if a similar article has already been posted As home prices fall and banks tighten lending standards, more...

how would it be possible for us to have a higher standard of living if prices went up faster than wages? Don't forget increases in both human (education) physical capital (infrastucture), technology / innovation, and a higher labour force participation rate (more working peeps in the country...

Not in Vancouver it isn't Vancouver, Canada - homes prices are still rising. If you want to get into that market, a SDH with cost you around $700,000 cdn in the GVA. The buyers/sellers/media believe that they are simply immune from N.A. housing downturn. Buyers are so wrapped up with this...