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Filtered by author: Mike Larson

Which banks are at risk of failure? Which markets are set to tank? What should you do about it RIGHT NOW? My answers …

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 18, 2012 at 7:30am

If there’s anything we’ve all learned over the past few years, it’s that knowledge is power when it comes to investing in, borrowing money ... [More »]

Europe melting down! U.S. stalling! What to do right away!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 11, 2012 at 7:30am

Earlier this year, both in Orlando, Florida, at the World MoneyShow and here in Money and Markets, I said that five “Great Deceptions” threatened the ... [More »]

Euro Zone Heading Off a Cliff!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 4, 2012 at 7:30am

Europe is a lovely place to visit. The amazing architecture. The outstanding food. The multitude of cultures and languages. Personally, I can’t wait to honeymoon there in June! [More »]

If All You Have Is a Hammer …

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 27, 2012 at 7:30am

The evidence everywhere is unequivocal: Despite trillions in printed dollars, euros, pounds, and yen … despite the passage of almost four years since the heart of the credit crisis … despite all the proclamations of government bureaucrats and central bankers, the economy and capital markets remain on the ropes! Take housing … I told you [More »]

Housing Rebound Petering Out as Weather Effect Wanes!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 20, 2012 at 7:30am

Well that didn’t take long! Shortly after I warned that the momentum darlings of this market — Apple (AAPL), Priceline.com (PCLN) and ... [More »]

Bubble cycle playing out … again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 13, 2012 at 7:30am

Dot-bombs. Housing. Commercial real estate. $150 oil and commodities. The bubble cycle in asset class after asset class has played out ... [More »]

Is the foreign slowdown wave ready to wash up on OUR shores?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 6, 2012 at 7:30am

The latest figures make one thing abundantly clear to me: Europe is mired in recession. Asia is slowing as well. Despite the ... [More »]

The latest on housing, the economy, easy money, and more!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 30, 2012 at 7:30am

There's so much to talk about sometimes, I hardly know where to begin. This is definitely one of those weeks, considering the powerful rally we've seen in stocks ... [More »]

Déjà vu all over again in housing!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:30am

In late 2009, just a few months before the 2010 spring selling season for homes got underway, the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index (HGX) started to ... [More »]

Bonds get rocked! Is the low-rate era over?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 16, 2012 at 7:30am

Interest rates are the lifeblood of the capital markets and the real economy. Lower rates and easy money fuel asset bubbles and economic ... [More »]

What happens when the real world gets in the way?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 9, 2012 at 7:30am

What can derail the best laid plans of central bank mice and policy-setting men? The real world! You see, as I’ve been saying for months now, just about the only thing that has mattered to the stock market was the worldwide wave of money printing. [More »]

Remember, the Money Has to Go Somewhere!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 2, 2012 at 7:30am

Sometimes, investment analysis can be extremely complicated ... You have to be able to turn a balance sheet upside down and inside out ... [More »]

5 Great Deceptions, 5 Protective Strategies for Today’s Markets

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 24, 2012 at 7:30am

Just a few days ago, I had the privilege of speaking to several hundred people at the World MoneyShow in Orlando. The gist of my presentation? [More »]

So what SHOULD you buy in a world fraught with risk?

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 10, 2012 at 7:30am

In Europe, despite news of what seems like the hundredth Greek deal, default is all but inevitable down the road. In the Middle East, tensions are ... [More »]

Split between “Real” and “Asset” Economies Never More Clear Than Now

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 3, 2012 at 7:30am

Many average investors like to think that the performance of the STOCK market is closely tied to the underlying ECONOMY. And in most ... [More »]

Fed pledges low rates till kingdom come! What it means …

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:30am

Last week, I discussed how the European Central Bank has lost its marbles, launching its own version of quantitative easing. I dubbed it “QE-E.” I also said ... [More »]

Is QE with a European Twist Driving Markets?

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 20, 2012 at 7:30am

Low volume stock rallies driven by nothing fundamental ... A steady upward move in bond prices, and decline in interest rates ... [More »]

Like clockwork, another year brings calls for another housing market “bottom”

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 13, 2012 at 7:30am

What was one of the best performing sectors in late 2011 ... and the first several days of 2012? Would you believe HOUSING?? [More »]

Why 2012 looks to be even ROUGHER than 2011!

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 6, 2012 at 7:30am

Welcome to 2012! I trust you had an enjoyable holiday season like I did ... and that you’re just as ready as I am to make this your most profitable year ever. [More »]

My #1 profit play for 2012 …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 30, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s no secret that I’m calling for major market weakness going into the New Year. Why? Because I don’t believe any of the bailout hype coming out of Europe ... [More »]

The most important lesson of 2011!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 23, 2011 at 7:30am

It’s at times like these, with the year winding down, that I always get contemplative. I like to ponder the last 12 months of market action, and consider what lessons we ... [More »]

Global economy fading fast … and no one’s coming to the rescue this time!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 16, 2011 at 7:30am

There’s no longer any doubt. It’s not something the bulls can argue against. The global economy is fading fast — from one ... [More »]

To print or not to print? That’s the question for the ECB!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 9, 2011 at 7:30am

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about central banks in the past few years, it’s that they will print money — and then print some more ... [More »]

Avalanche of Downgrades Overwhelming Bondholders! What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:30am

Maybe it’s because we got our first genuine “cold” front here in South Florida — dropping the mercury all the way to 53 degrees. But the ... [More »]

European, U.S. Debt Markets Flashing Red!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 25, 2011 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you. But I think I ate enough turkey yesterday to last me until the New Year! Getting family and friends together, watching football, ... [More »]

Europe credit markets imploding! Why it matters to YOU!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 18, 2011 at 7:30am

In this market, it’s easier than ever to be confused. I say that because Wall Street pundits and European technocrats keep telling you that ... [More »]

What I Learned about Europe’s Credit Crisis in Germany

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Europe is at the heart of the current credit crisis. Developments in Italy, Greece, and the rest of the PIIGS countries are driving the ... [More »]

Whaddaya know? Europe screws it up again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Two days. Two lousy days. That’s how long the “Bailout Rally” in the euro currency lasted in the wake of last week’s European summit! We shot up from ... [More »]

Why I keep hammering on the “hope vs. reality” theme!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 28, 2011 at 7:30am

We’ve had one heck of a party on Wall Street in the past few weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up from 10,404 on October 4 through 11,891 yesterday ... [More »]

Tread carefully when rumors are flying!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 21, 2011 at 7:30am

Wall Street has had a serious case of “buy the rumor” lately, with the Dow tacking on more than 1,200 points amid multiple reports of alleged bailout programs ... [More »]

Chase this rally? No way!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 14, 2011 at 7:30am

If you didn’t know, read or watch anything before October 4, you’d think we were in the strongest economy and strongest market environment ever! After all, the Dow ... [More »]

Bear market is here! Are you prepared?

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 7, 2011 at 7:30am

I’m convinced more than ever that we are entering a new bear market, and a double-dip recession. Here’s why ... [More »]

Hunt for European bailout enters “Theatre of the Absurd” territory!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 30, 2011 at 7:30am

The fumbling around for a “solution” to the European debt crisis continued this week. And frankly, we’re entering “Theater of the Absurd” territory! What does that mean for you? Simple ... [More »]

Bernanke’s “twist” falls flat! Dow plummets! What to do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 23, 2011 at 7:30am

Folks, I’ve been warning you repeatedly — for the last several months — to get defensive. I’ve urged you to sell most of your stocks, dump risky bonds, eliminate your ... [More »]

As Go the Credit Markets, So Go Stocks!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 7:30am

I have a simple rule I follow when it comes to investing in markets like these: As go the credit markets, so go stocks! Or stated another way, if you spend all your time watching ... [More »]

The Shocking Case for Dow 7,000!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 9, 2011 at 7:30am

How far can we fall? How ugly are things going to get? How likely is a 2008-style meltdown? I have a two-word answer for you: Dow 7,000! That’s an incredibly likely downside target. So today, I’m going to lay out my shocking case for a ... [More »]

European Bailout Fatigue Spells Big Trouble for Stocks!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 2, 2011 at 7:30am

There comes a time when you just can’t go back to the well. When your citizens — in the words of Howard Beale from the movie Network — stand up and say “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” ... [More »]

Wall Street Missing the Boat on Fed and QE!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 26, 2011 at 7:30am

QE2 had less of an impact than QE1. QE3 would have an even smaller impact because everyone in the world knows that QE ultimately doesn’t work. I’m talking about nothing more than a few hundred Dow points ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: The Ultimate Financial Catastrophe

by Mike Larson | Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 7:30am

In the last five editions of Money and Markets, I’ve detailed how the United States has taken the same steps toward economic doomsday that have triggered Europe’s current financial nightmare ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: Washington Declares WAR on the Dollar!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 19, 2011 at 7:30am

So far in this series, we’ve seen how the United States has taken the same steps towards economic doomsday that Europe has; made the same blunders that are now bringing Europe to its knees: First, Washington ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday: Europe Crashing! U.S. Is Next!

by Mike Larson | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 7:30am

The news out of Europe could not be more frightening: Its debts are mounting as it bails out its most endangered states. Its banks are stretched to the breaking point as they struggle to prepare for the default of member states they ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #3: We’ve Sold Our Birthright for a Mess of Porridge

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Our big reliance on foreign debt began in the year 2000. Back then, Washington owed foreigners a total of $1 trillion. The single largest loans came from Japan. In fact, at that time, the U.S. borrowed more ... [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #2: Government Debt Exploding!

by Mike Larson | Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Yesterday, in the first installment of his “Six Steps to Financial Doomsday Series,” Mike Larson examined the first massive blunder Washington has made to bring us to this point — out-of-control spending. Today, Mike continues his series by looking at the impact of America’s massive debts. I strongly recommend that you do NOT miss a [More »]

Six Steps to Financial Doomsday STEP #1: Government Spends Everything It Has

by Mike Larson | Monday, August 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Europe is in tatters. Its governments are barely clinging to power. Its economy is crippled and bleeding. Its banks are fighting for their very lives. The cost in human terms is horrendous. Millions of jobs have been vaporized. Family businesses ... [More »]

Embracing the Volatility for Major Profits!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 12, 2011 at 7:30am

These are some of the most volatile markets I’ve ever seen. Down 630 points on the Dow Jones one day. Up 430 points the next. And that’s not all! We’ve seen $50-$70 daily moves in gold ... 8-cent moves in the value of the Swiss franc ... [More »]

Recession strikes! Markets tank! Next …

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 5, 2011 at 7:30am

The “recovery-less recovery” in the U.S. economy is over. Finito. Done. That’s the only conclusion a rational investor can come to in light of the latest numbers. Just consider what we’ve learned in the past few days ... [More »]

Sovereign debt crises … economic slump … and now, earnings trouble?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 29, 2011 at 7:30am

Things aren’t looking good on the debt crisis front in Europe ... just a few days after the “great bailout!” [More »]

Financial Stocks Tanking! Ignore at Your Own Peril!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:30am

The KBW Bank Index includes 24 of the nation’s largest banks — “Too Big to Fail” institutions such as Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) ... “superregionals” like U.S. Bancorp (USB) and PNC Financial Services ... [More »]

Why so many bailouts, and trillions of newly printed dollars, STILL aren’t fixing the world’s problems!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 15, 2011 at 7:30am

The European sovereign debt crisis. The double-dip in the U.S. housing market. The resumption of the U.S. economic slump. Policymakers certainly have their hands full right now. Hardly a day goes by without ... [More »]

Why this summer, it truly IS different!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 8, 2011 at 7:30am

They’re lining up in the wake of last week’s rally. You know who I’m talking about. The “second half recovery” crowd. Two years ago, in the summer of 2009, they said a short-term pullback in the market ... [More »]

Recession Warning Flags Flying Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 1, 2011 at 7:03am

The United States emerged from a grueling 18-month recession just two short years ago, according to the business cycle arbiters at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Yet for many Americans, the ... [More »]

Time to dust off the credit crisis playbook!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 7:30am

Football teams that use the same playbook year after year are virtually guaranteed to lose. Their opponents figure out what their game plan is, they adapt to it, and they shut them down. Yet for some reason, politicians around the world ... [More »]

Urgent Alert: Dump Your REITs Now!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 17, 2011 at 7:30am

Right here in Money and Markets — in May 2007 — I issued one of my most important and prescient warnings ever. I proclaimed the multi-year run in the real estate investment trusts, or REITs, over. And I ... [More »]

Steroids Wearing Off! Key Sectors Slumping! Urgent Action Required!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 10, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been a huge football fan for years. I started watching Dallas Cowboys games when I was five because I loved the star on the team’s helmets. I cheered for the Miami Dolphins because I live in South Florida ... [More »]

Economy losing steam! Three moves to make now!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 3, 2011 at 7:30am

I sure hope they have a lot of lipstick in Washington and on Wall Street. Because they’re going to need it to gussy up the latest economic news! Just over the past several days, we’ve learned that ... [More »]

European Debt Crisis Accelerating … Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 27, 2011 at 7:30am

Oh boy, here we go again! After trying to paper over the problem for several months, the European Central Bank (ECB) is rapidly losing its battle against the debt crisis in the “PIIGS” countries — Portugal, Ireland, ... [More »]

The “Forgotten Crisis”

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 20, 2011 at 7:30am

We’ve hit the debt ceiling. And in early August, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will run out of strings to pull to keep us from defaulting. That’s undermining confidence in our bonds. We’ve all been paying ... [More »]

What I’d tell Ben Bernanke if he was in the REAL “Hot Seat”!

by Mike Larson | Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7:30am

Last Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke went before the Senate Banking Committee to answer questions about the Dodd-Frank bill. His testimony focused on bank regulation, financial stability, ... [More »]

Is Another Economic “Tipping Point” at Hand?

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 13, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been railing against the Federal Reserve’s reckless monetary policies for a while now. QE2 and ultra-low interest rates are fostering new asset bubbles, distorting the markets, driving the price of ... [More »]

Coming this Wednesday: America’s Financial Armageddon

by Mike Larson | Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 7:30am

America’s Financial Armageddon is rushing towards us like a runaway freight train, and this coming Wednesday we will explain exactly how and when in an emergency briefing with that exact title. [More »]

The Value of REAL Sovereign Debt Ratings

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 6, 2011 at 7:30am

If there’s anything we’ve learned about the major ratings agencies, it’s that they’re almost ALWAYS a day late and several bucks short. In the early 1990s, they failed to downgrade or adequately warn about ... [More »]

Hey Ben, wake up! The problem is your message, not its delivery!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 29, 2011 at 7:30am

So this was it. The week where a Federal Reserve Chairman finally stepped out of his ivory tower and came down to speak to the unwashed masses. Specifically, the Federal Open Market Committee didn’t just ... [More »]

S&P throws down the gauntlet! Prepare for the consequences!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 22, 2011 at 7:30am

Almost one year ago, Weiss Ratings challenged the major credit ratings agencies. The gist of the message? Stop dillydallying around and downgrade the long-term sovereign debt rating of the United States in ... [More »]

Memo to Fed: Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 15, 2011 at 7:30am

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen. New York Fed President Bill Dudley. Rather than use their official titles, I think I’ll just call them the founding members of the “Ostrich Club!” ... [More »]

How to Protect Yourself from Our “Keystone Kop” Congress!

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 8, 2011 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you. But when I watch these Congressmen on TV argue back and forth about the budget, I’m reminded of those old Keystone Kops episodes. The 1910s-era silent films featured a rotating ... [More »]

Bernanke Battling Dissention in Own Ranks?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 1, 2011 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking a lot recently about how the Ben Bernanke Fed is facing policy challenges from abroad. Central banks the world over have been raising interest rates for months, in both the emerging and ... [More »]

Rising Inflation Turning Up the Heat on Central Bankers!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:30am

A hilarious thing happened earlier this month. The President of the New York Fed, William Dudley, tried to justify the Federal Reserve’s easy money policy. In a speech before the Queens Chamber of Commerce, ... [More »]

Urgent Market Update on Gold, Silver, Oil, Dollar!

by Mike Larson | Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 5:00pm

Just a short while ago, gold futures surged to the highest level in world history — $1,449 an ounce. Silver hit $38.18, the most since the Hunt Brothers cornered the silver market in 1980. Crude oil touched ... [More »]

$200 Billion Hit to World’s 3rd Largest Economy! What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 18, 2011 at 7:30am

The images and stories out of Japan are truly heartbreaking. The devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami several days ago killed thousands of people ... [More »]

Settling the commodities debate — once and for all!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 11, 2011 at 7:30am

Is it just me, or does it seem like we’ve been here before? Oil prices are soaring into the triple digits, driving the cost of gas toward $4 a gallon and beyond. Soybeans are skyrocketing. Wheat is surging. Corn is ... [More »]

U.K., other countries showing the courage to get policy right!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 4, 2011 at 7:30am

Here in the U.S., we have a problem: A lack of courage in Washington. Specifically, the courage among policymakers to make the difficult decisions — and take the difficult actions — to deal with our financial ... [More »]

BOE, ECB Put Pressure on Fed; Four Ways to Profit!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 25, 2011 at 7:30am

The list of opponents to the Federal Reserve’s “easy money forever” policy is growing longer. In the U.K. ... we learned that the Bank of England is tilting more to the hawkish side. Policymaker Spencer Dale joined ... [More »]

Inflation everywhere … including my break room!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 18, 2011 at 7:30am

Inflation finally hit home a few days ago. There I was, counting out change for the soda machine in my company’s break room. Three quarters — 75 cents — is what ... [More »]

Dissension in the Fed’s ranks! What it means …

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 11, 2011 at 7:30am

A remarkable thing happened this week. Truly remarkable. But just in case it got lost amid the Egyptian chaos ... coverage of the subzero temperatures up north ... or the after-analysis of the Super Bowl, I’m going to shout it from the rooftops ... [More »]

What Exactly Is the Fed Waiting for Again?

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 4, 2011 at 7:30am

In just the last few days, we’ve seen ... * Brent crude hit $100 overseas. That’s a key benchmark of world oil prices, and the fact that it breached the triple digits for the first time in over two years is a huge ... [More »]

Rate Hike Rumblings Increasing in the Interest Rate Market

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Psst! I have a secret for you. Central bankers in developed markets may actually start raising interest rates some day! Shocker, I know! But if you follow the latest market moves — and listen to some of the ... [More »]

So where CAN you get some yield?

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7:30am

With European sovereign debt? Nope. Municipal and state debt? Nope. Long-term U.S. Treasuries? Haha! Don’t make me laugh! None of those are good places to generate income, for all the reasons I’ve ... [More »]

European dominoes continue to tip! Immediate steps to avoid losses …

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 14, 2011 at 7:30am

Do you remember Baghdad Bob from Gulf War II? He was the Iraqi minister of information who kept pledging that the U.S. was being routed and our troops were nowhere near Baghdad ... even as they were ... [More »]

Memo from Washington: We’re going to borrow, print, and spend no matter what!

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 7, 2011 at 7:30am

The municipal bond crisis we’ve discussed before is continuing to fester. The sovereign debt problems I’ve mentioned are continuing to threaten regional bond markets in Europe. And the rise in interest rates here ... [More »]

Global Rate Hiking Cycle Gathers Steam; What to Do …

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:30am

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, here in the U.S. markets late last week. But on Christmas Day, China’s central bank shocked investors ... Specifically, the People’s Bank of China raised short-term ... [More »]

Lessons Learned by Looking Back at 2010

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 24, 2010 at 7:30am

The year is winding down, and boy has it been an exciting and volatile one. Bonds. Currencies. Financial stocks. Some of the gyrations we’ve witnessed in those instruments over the past 12 months were ... [More »]

What to Do as the Fed Plays Ostrich

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 17, 2010 at 7:30am

The latest Federal Reserve meeting came and went this week. And I gotta tell you, the Fed should replace the eagle on its website with an ostrich! I say that because the post-meeting statement was a bunch ... [More »]

Interest Rates Surge as Fed, Congress Crush Debtholders

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 10, 2010 at 7:30am

Washington, 0. The bond market, 1. That’s the score folks, in case you haven’t been keeping track. The Federal Reserve Chairman said his $600 billion “QE2” program would lower interest rates. Instead, rates ... [More »]

Deficit Commission Fiddles While Rome (and Dublin … and Athens … Lisbon) Burns!

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The meltdown in Europe’s debt market just keeps getting worse. In the past several days ... Ireland was forced to follow Greece down Bailout Road. The country needed $113 billion in aid to fill a Grand Canyon ... [More »]

Why I’m THANKFUL for the Bond Market Sell Off

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you, but I’m still stuffed from yesterday! I ate enough turkey to feed a small army, and that’s not even counting all the trimmings. But frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanksgiving is ... [More »]

List of Fed’s enemies grows longer as bond market carnage spreads

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s always gratifying when the mainstream media picks up on a theme you’ve been banging away at for weeks. And boy is that happening now. Just get a load of the headlines we’ve seen in recent days ... [More »]

Bernanke QE2 Program Backfiring! Global Money War Intensifying!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 12, 2010 at 7:30am

The reviews are coming in fast and furious — and they’re downright terrible! I’m not talking about the latest romantic comedy or action movie. I’m talking about the reviews of the Federal Reserve’s ... [More »]

Fed money-printing scheme triggering bond price meltdown!

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 1:30pm

Since talk of new money-printing first surfaced a few weeks ago, 30-year bond yields have jumped sharply higher — from 3.46% to 4.29%. That’s a 21% surge in borrowing costs! It’s the biggest interest ... [More »]

Winners and Sinners in the Global Money War

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 5, 2010 at 7:30am

There’s a Great Global Money War raging right now — and the U.S. is losing. That’s the inescapable conclusion I draw from the market action I see on my screens ... the headlines coming across the tape ... [More »]

QE2 Sends Interest Rates Up. Yes, Up!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 29, 2010 at 7:30am

So if the latest reporting is to be believed, QE2 is a fait accompli. The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday said the Federal Reserve plans to purchase “a few hundred billion dollars” worth of Treasuries over a ... [More »]

Mortgage Mess Comes Back to Haunt Bankers … Again

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 22, 2010 at 7:30am

Halloween is right around the corner. So it’s only appropriate that — just like some bad horror movie character — the mortgage monster keeps coming back to haunt bankers. Indeed, major financial ... [More »]

Tensions Rise as Global Policymakers Part Ways

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 15, 2010 at 7:30am

The tension out there is so thick you can cut it with a knife. I’m talking about the tension building between central bankers and policymakers in developed nations and their counterparts in so-called emerging ... [More »]

Central Bankers' Global Race to the Bottom

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 8, 2010 at 7:30am

Well, that pretty much seals the deal. I’m talking about the latest, lousy batch of employment data. The ADP Employer Services report out Wednesday showed the economy shedding 39,000 jobs in September ... [More »]

The Biggest Disconnect of All Time

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 1, 2010 at 7:30am

I’m seeing one of the biggest disconnects of all time — between the underlying U.S. economy and the performance of the stock market. Just consider what we’ve learned about the economic fundamentals in ... [More »]

Fed confirms: QE2 on tap … despite dismal failure of QE1! Have these guys gone nuts??

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 24, 2010 at 7:30am

This week, Federal Reserve officials did it. They jumped the shark. Crossed the Rubicon. Bought a ticket on the express train to financial Never Never Land. Whatever you want to call it. I say that because ... [More »]

Short-Term Rally; Long-Term Worry Still the Name of the Game

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 17, 2010 at 7:30am

I often get asked the question: “Why are you so gloomy?” Or “Why can’t you look at the BRIGHT side of things?” And you know what my answer is? In regular life, I am an optimist. Optimistic to a fault ... [More »]

The Feeding Frenzy in Fixed Income

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 10, 2010 at 7:30am

More than a decade ago, investors speculated wildly in dot-com stocks. You don’t need me to remind you how that ended. Then a half-decade ago, investors went hog wild in real estate. That didn’t work out so ... [More »]

"Double-Dip" Deepens as Housing Collapses

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The Double-Dip recession I’ve been predicting for some time is deepening. And nowhere is the emergence of this powerful economic force more clear than in the housing market. All the fresh economic data confirms ... [More »]

Broken Bank Stocks a Canary in the Market Coal Mine?

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 20, 2010 at 7:30am

If there’s one sector of the stock market that trades like death warmed over, it’s the financials. Bank stocks simply can’t get out of their way these days. Take the KBW Bank Index (BKX) of 24 leading U.S. ... [More »]

Fed Policymakers Screw It Up Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 13, 2010 at 7:30am

Albert Einstein famously defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. But apparently the message hasn’t gotten through to the folks in the Eccles Building in ... [More »]

The Dismal Jobs Picture – and the Fed's Misguided Medicine

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 6, 2010 at 7:30am

Can we just stop sugarcoating the issue? Dispense with the happy talk? Instead, let’s cut to the chase here: This job market sucks. Plain and simple. By this stage in a true economic recovery, the country ... [More »]

Solving the Mystery of the "Great Disconnect"

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 30, 2010 at 7:30am

We have a “Great Disconnect” on our hands. On Monday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released its latest manufacturing survey. This wasn’t old, stale data; the survey was conducted in mid-July ... [More »]

Where's the Credit?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 23, 2010 at 7:30am

I used to love those Wendy’s commercials in the 1980s. You know, the ones that mocked the burger patties at competing restaurants with the catchphrase “Where’s the beef?” Today, I can’t help but ask a ... [More »]

Pushing on a String … Again?

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 16, 2010 at 7:30am

In the wake of the latest batch of “double-dip” chatter, the market’s attention is shifting back to the Federal Reserve. Investors are asking a simple question: “What, if anything, will the Fed do if the ... [More »]

More "Stress Test" Hokum, this Time in Europe

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Of all the questionable bailout and backstop programs the government rolled out in the wake of the credit crisis, the whole “stress test” episode for the banks stands out the most. The idea was that the Fed and ... [More »]

Double-Dip Recession Warning Signs Everywhere! Batten Down the Hatches!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 2, 2010 at 7:30am

The bright red warning signs of a double-dip recession are flashing everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. In just the past few days, we learned that ... New home sales imploded 33 percent to ... [More »]

Lousy Economy Pulling Rug Out From Under Housing

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:30am

Heads up, folks! It’s time for a very important housing market update from the front lines. More than a year ago in these cyberpages, I told you that housing was stabilizing. All my indicators pointed to an ... [More »]

The "Snowball" Scenario Sinks Sovereigns

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 18, 2010 at 7:30am

A blockbuster draft report from the European Commission saw the light of day recently, thanks to some reporting from Bloomberg. It highlights an incredibly dangerous Catch-22 facing many sovereign nations ... [More »]

Debt Facade Cracking in U.K. as Sovereign Contagion Spreads

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 11, 2010 at 7:30am

When Greece’s markets first started cracking wide open, a lot of claptrap spewed forth from Wall Street. The general consensus: The problems in Athens would stay bottled up in Athens. They would remain ... [More »]

Economy Stalling as Easy Money Effect Wears Off!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 4, 2010 at 7:30am

The evidence is coming fast and furious — and it all points in the same direction! Washington’s “bought and paid for” economic recovery is stalling out as the easy money effect wears off. Just consider what ... [More »]

Credit Crisis Indicators Going Bonkers Again! Batten Down the Hatches!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 28, 2010 at 7:30am

Heads up people. Something very big is happening in the global credit markets — something you darn well better pay attention to. The very same “Credit Crisis” indicators that were flashing red before the ... [More »]

Missed the MoneyShow? Then Don’t Miss Out on This!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 21, 2010 at 7:30am

I was in Las Vegas last week for the MoneyShow — and let me tell you, it was a blast! I enjoy meeting subscribers face to face, and I really appreciate the tough, probing questions that were asked of me ... [More »]

Budget-Busting Bailouts in Europe to Drive Global Debt Burden Higher!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 14, 2010 at 7:30am

I’ve been out in Las Vegas this week for the MoneyShow. So naturally, I have gaming on the brain. My conclusion after reading the latest news out of Europe? The European Central Bank (ECB) and ... [More »]

Greek Crisis Turns Deadly Serious; Will the World’s Governments Learn from It?

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 7, 2010 at 7:30am

This week, the financial crisis in Greece turned deadly serious. No longer are investors just losing boatloads of money. People are starting to lose their lives! The latest bout of chaos struck on Wednesday during ... [More »]

The Great Interest-Rate Explosion of 2010-2011 How to Protect Your Wealth and Profit

by Mike Larson | Monday, May 3, 2010 at 7:30am

The dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. The housing bubble of the mid-2000s. They both wreaked massive havoc on investor portfolios. Trillions were lost ... both here and abroad. At Weiss Research, we take ... [More »]

Financial Ebola Sweeps Through Global Bond Markets

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 30, 2010 at 7:30am

The cost of borrowing for the Greek government shot up almost NINE-FOLD in the span of six months. That is bond market Armageddon. And it’s playing right on the trading screen of every investor around ... [More »]

Rising Rates Right Around the Corner! Protect Yourself NOW!

by Mike Larson | Monday, April 26, 2010 at 7:30am

Benjamin Franklin once called death and taxes the only certainties in this world. These days, I’d add rising interest rates! I believe they’re coming ... that the Federal Reserve is powerless to stop the inevitable ... [More »]

Greek domino topples; Rest of the "PIIGS" next!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 7:30am

It’s Sunday morning and I’m enjoying some quality time with my two girls. Yesterday it was a local baseball game; today they’re all excited about seeing the new “Oceans” movie. I guess you could say it’s ... [More »]

Housing Market Changes Open Surprising Pockets of Investment Value

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Boy did last week’s column prompt a lot of comments. And frankly I’m not surprised. Many people thought I was nuts when I called the housing market top in 2005. They simply didn’t believe my prediction that ... [More »]

Helpful Selling Lessons for Today's Housing Market

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 16, 2010 at 7:30am

By now you should know I believe the biggest story for the capital markets is no longer housing. It’s interest rates. But that doesn’t mean I’m ignoring the housing market. Far from it. Heck, you could say ... [More »]

Why I Worry So Much about Bonds

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 9, 2010 at 7:30am

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before ... First, the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates and floods the economy with cheap, easy money. Second, some asset class starts to benefit from the influx of ... [More »]

Bond Market Verdict: Treasuries Riskier Than Toilet Paper!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I have a lot of respect for Warren Buffett. As Nilus has noted before, he’s one of the world’s best long-term investors. He has a knack for buying low and selling high. And his Berkshire Hathaway holding company ... [More »]

Another Challenge for Bonds?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 19, 2010 at 7:30am

It should be pretty clear that I’m bearish on the bond market. The massive budget deficits and debts we’re racking up should hammer Treasury prices. So should the steadily growing concern about the credit ... [More »]

Politicians: “Don't Like the Message? Shoot the Messenger!”

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 12, 2010 at 7:30am

Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this one ... You have an entity that took on too much debt. It cooked its books. It failed to get its fiscal house in order. Its “executives” repeatedly refused to take the ... [More »]

Brits Pounded As Debts, Deficits Hit Home. Next Up: Us!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 5, 2010 at 7:30am

Boy are things getting ugly in the U.K. The British currency, the pound, is getting crushed. The price of long-term British debt securities, called gilts, is heading down. And the cost of default insurance on the ... [More »]

Another Report from the Housing Market's Front Lines

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 26, 2010 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking about interest rates an awful lot lately ... and for good reason. The next BIG story in the bond market is clearly the sovereign debt crisis. But I don’t want to ignore the housing market ... [More »]

Debt Auctions Bombing … China Heading for the Hills … Higher Rates Dead Ahead!

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 19, 2010 at 7:30am

You can’t count on Washington to proactively warn you about major economic and market problems ... Politicians and Fed policymakers failed to warn investors away from tech stocks during the Nasdaq ... [More »]

In Case You Didn’t Make It to the MoneyShow …

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 12, 2010 at 7:30am

Last week’s World MoneyShow in Orlando was a huge success! I had the pleasure of meeting several of you at the Gaylord Palms Hotel, and I couldn’t have been happier with the constructive feedback you shared ... [More »]

A Time for Honesty, Sacrifice, and a Serious Financial Course Change

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 5, 2010 at 7:30am

I just got back from my first lengthy vacation in years — to New York, London, and Paris. I enjoyed many fine meals and fun nights out with friends. I got to see everything from the Rosetta Stone and ... [More »]

Banks Can No Longer Sing “What a Friend We Have in Washington”

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 29, 2010 at 7:30am

These days, the financial industry’s locus of power can’t be found in London. It’s not in New York City. Frankfurt? Tokyo? Davos, Switzerland? Nope, nope, and nope. The real decisions that impact ... [More »]

While Fed Dilly-Dallies, Central Bankers Overseas Get To Work

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 15, 2010 at 7:30am

I talked in last week’s column about how our Federal Reserve won’t raise interest rates until the cows come home. But you can’t say the same thing about many central banks overseas ... The men ... [More »]

Cutting Through the Fed Tightening Claptrap

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 8, 2010 at 7:30am

There’s a real debate waging on Wall Street. Just like that famous scene from the 1974 movie Chinatown, where Faye Dunaway’s Evelyn Mulwray goes back and forth saying “She’s my daughter ... [More »]

Treasuries, Treasuries Everywhere, but Not an Aggressive Bidder to Bid

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 18, 2009 at 7:30am

The holiday season is here — and in just a couple of weeks, 2009 will fade into the history books. I truly hope that you and your ... [More »]

Sovereign Debt Defaults the Next Shoe to Drop?

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 11, 2009 at 7:30am

Governments the world over have spent the past year bailing out, backstopping, insuring, and stimulating their financial sectors and economies ... [More »]

Where to Look in a World Starved For Yield

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:30am

The Federal Reserve’s policy of pegging interest rates to the floor is having a slew of consequences. It’s driving down the dollar. It’s helping fuel new asset bubbles... [More »]

See No Asset Bubbles … Hear No Asset Bubbles … Speak No Warnings About Asset Bubbles

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 27, 2009 at 7:30am

Ever see one of those “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” statues or pictures? The ones with the three monkeys, one covering his eyes, one covering his ears, and one covering his mouth ... [More »]

The Hidden Costs of Too Much Government Debt

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 20, 2009 at 7:30am

This week was a fascinating one on the geopolitical front. President Barack Obama travelled to China in what was billed as a major diplomatic trip. The idea? Try to reach common ground on ... [More »]

The Latest on Rates, the Fed, Asset Inflation, and More

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 13, 2009 at 7:30am

When it comes to Lay’s potato chips, the saying goes, you can’t eat just one. And when it comes to the interest rate and financial markets, I just can’t focus on one thing this week. There’s just too ... [More »]

Fed Signals "All Systems Go" for More Inflation

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 6, 2009 at 7:30am

I have been adamant recently in saying that the Federal Reserve would not ... would NOT ... signal an end to the easy money environment at this week's policy meeting. These guys simply lack the political ... [More »]

Your Fall Housing Market Update

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 30, 2009 at 7:30am

Every few months for the past couple of years, I’ve made it a point to update you on the state of the housing market. I feel it’s ... [More »]

The Fed's Latest, Greatest Round of Asset Inflation

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 23, 2009 at 7:30am

There goes oil, surging past $80-a-barrel. That’s up 150 percent from the December low, in case you’re keeping score. Gasoline? Wholesale prices are up more than 40 cents a gallon in just under a month ... [More »]

Getting Inside the Fed's Head

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 16, 2009 at 7:30am

Every so often, someone decides to pick a fight with me over the Federal Reserve. They say I’ve got it all wrong. They say the ... [More »]

Tightening Begins Overseas; Here? Not So Much …

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 9, 2009 at 7:30am

Just a couple of weeks ago, I told you what to expect from the U.S. central bank on the interest rate front. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not now. And not for a long, long time ... [More »]

Preemptive Tightening from THIS Fed? You Can’t Be Serious.

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 25, 2009 at 7:30am

This week’s Federal Reserve meeting was supposed to be a big deal. Ahead of the two-day gathering, I don’t know how many stories I read suggesting that the Fed might start ... [More »]

Easy-Money Fed Fueling Dollar “Carry Trades”

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 18, 2009 at 7:30am

A fascinating thing just occurred in the global interest rate market: For the first time since 1993, it became cheaper to borrow dollars than Japanese yen! The three-month dollar-based London ... [More »]

What happens when they DO find an alternative to U.S. bonds?

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 11, 2009 at 7:30am

Every time I talk about the risk of our foreign creditors selling off their U.S. Treasuries, I hear the same objection: These guys have no place else to put the money! They’ll ALWAYS buy our ... [More »]

China is now a net SELLER of U.S. Treasury notes and bonds!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 7:30am

We told you this was coming. Heck: A blind man could have seen it a mile away. For many months now, we’ve predicted that Washington’s wild spending and borrowing spree would make the ... [More »]

Not Enough Work to Go Around This Labor Day

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 4, 2009 at 7:30am

Home prices have plunged so far that buyers are tentatively stepping back into the housing market again ... And government largesse in the form of “Cash for Clunkers” giveaways has ... [More »]

Housing Market Stabilization on Track

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 28, 2009 at 7:30am

Almost four months ago, I made one of the most dramatic shifts in my investment outlook ever. After warning — in advance — that we would experience a devastating housing and mortgage ... [More »]

Even Warren Buffett Is Now Saying Bonds Could Crack!

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 21, 2009 at 7:30am

I’ve made no secret about my view on U.S. bonds and the U.S. dollar ... I’ve minced no words, and cut no corners ... Instead, I have given you specific, consistent guidance on those ... [More »]

The Problem with Sticking It to Your Creditors

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 14, 2009 at 7:30am

In the past several days, the Dollar Index has resumed its swan-diving ways. This benchmark index, which tracks the performance of the U.S. dollar against six major global currencies ... [More »]

The Never-Ending Waves of Debt

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 7, 2009 at 7:30am

I don’t know if you’re a beach person. But I certainly am. My two girls and I love the sand, the sea, and the sun, and we’re thankful we get to enjoy them all the time here in South Florida ... [More »]

Flexibility Breeds Opportunity

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 31, 2009 at 7:30am

If there’s one thing you learn fast in this business, its flexibility. If you stay rigid, unwavering, and unyielding in the face of a mounting pile of contrary technical and fundamental evidence ... [More »]

The Banking Winners and Losers

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 24, 2009 at 7:30am

The government is helping to create a two-class system of banks — winners and losers. Despite their protestations to the contrary, the bailout efforts of the Federal Reserve and the ... [More »]

Meet the Thrifty American

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 17, 2009 at 7:30am

Sometimes when we're analyzing market trends ... figuring out which investments to buy ... or just trying to live our daily lives, we miss the forest for the trees. We focus too much on the ... [More »]

Credit Losses Rising Anywhere and Everywhere

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 10, 2009 at 7:30am

Remember when policymakers at the Federal Reserve told us in 2007 and 2008 that the credit problems were “contained” to the subprime mortgage sector? Or when then-Treasury ... [More »]

Your Summer Housing Market Update

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 3, 2009 at 7:30am

Every few months, I feel it’s my duty to let you know the latest about what’s going on in housing. There is simply so much off-the-wall blather, bogus data, and downright misinformation out ... [More »]

More Power For the Fed? Seriously?

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 26, 2009 at 7:30am

In last week’s Money and Markets column, I gave you a broad outline of the Obama administration’s regulatory reform scheme. This week, I want to zero in on one of its weakest ... [More »]

Washington Moves to Muzzle Wall Street

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 19, 2009 at 7:30am

This was the week that Washington decided to muzzle Wall Street. Specifically, the Obama administration revealed a sweeping series of new proposed regulations and reforms ... [More »]

The Law of Unintended Consequences

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 12, 2009 at 7:30am

So let me see if I get this straight. From their recent lows ... Crude oil prices have more than doubled — to $72 a barrel from $33.55. Gasoline prices have surged 62 percent to $2.62 a ... [More »]

Geithner Goes Begging in China; What It Means to You …

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 5, 2009 at 7:30am

So this is what it’s come to: Our Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, has to jet off to Beijing to beg for mercy from our biggest global creditor. He has to sit by and be lectured in the ways ... [More »]

Want to Make Money in Bonds? Look Overseas!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 29, 2009 at 7:30am

Making money in bonds when the dollar is tanking ... when deficit spending is surging ... when interest rates are rocketing ... and when the U.S. government’s AAA credit rating is openly ... [More »]

How to Keep Your Finances From Imploding – Even if Washington Torpedoes Its Own!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 22, 2009 at 7:30am

I’ve been talking a lot lately about how our country is on a collision course with fiscal disaster. We’re borrowing money like crazy. We’re spending trillions we don’t have. Our budget ... [More »]

Digging a Deeper Budgetary Hole

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 15, 2009 at 7:30am

Most Americans dread April 15. That’s when we all have to pay the fiddler — or more specifically, Uncle Sam. If you don’t get your tax check in on time, you may get a knock on your door ... [More »]

An Important Housing Market Update

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 8, 2009 at 7:30am

If you’ve been reading my stuff for the past few years, then you’ve been ahead of the real estate pack every step of the way. I warned you well in advance that the housing market would ... [More »]

Sayonara Treasury Bubble!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 1, 2009 at 7:30am

You’d think that after the dot-com bubble ... the housing bubble ... and the bubbles in commercial real estate and private equity, investors would have learned their lesson. Nope! They did the ... [More »]

The Fed: Our Next Troubled Bank?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 24, 2009 at 7:30am

The Federal Reserve is watching the backs of U.S. banks. But sometimes I wonder, “Who’s watching the Fed’s back? Is the Fed our next troubled bank?” You see, all of this garbage paper ... [More »]

Economy Booming Again? Seriously?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 17, 2009 at 7:30am

It’s hard to find anyone who’s still bearish on the economy or the market these days. Listen to the average pundit on CNBC and this is what you’ll hear: The credit crisis? It’s over! Quit ... [More »]

Subsidizing Failure in Washington

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 10, 2009 at 7:30am

Imagine you went to get your driver’s license. You studied up on your state’s requirements. You learned the rules of the road. You practiced driving in your neighborhood under the watchful eyes ... [More »]

Mark to Market Madness … Geithner Plan Shenanigans … the Economy … and More

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 3, 2009 at 7:30am

I’ve had a lot on my mind this week, and so has the market. Mark to market accounting ... the Geithner plan ... and the latest economic data have all been capturing the attention of investors ... [More »]

What if Treasury Held an Auction and No One Showed Up?

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 27, 2009 at 7:30am

The U.K. Treasury held a bond auction on Wednesday morning. On the offer were 1.75 billion pounds ($2.55 billion) worth of 40-year “Gilts” — the U.K. equivalent of U.S. Treasuries ... [More »]

Fed Moves Spark Refi Madness!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:30am

The Federal Reserve has done it now. In poker terms, it’s gone “all in.” Specifically, the Fed said this week that it will ramp up its purchases of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Mortgage Backed ... [More »]

Eureka! The Banking Industry’s Problems Are Solved!

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 13, 2009 at 7:30am

Who knew it would be so easy? Who knew we could solve the banking industry’s collapse by simply changing how we account for assets. Eureka! Problem solved! That seems to be ... [More »]

Upside Down and Out of Luck

by Mike Larson | Friday, March 6, 2009 at 7:30am

This week, the Obama administration released the details of how its expanded refinance and mortgage modification programs will work. I’ve combed through the details. And the view I shared ... [More »]

Three market developments keeping me up at night

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 27, 2009 at 7:30am

I'm a worrier by nature. I can't help it. My job is to peer around the corner, figure out what's next, and most importantly, discern what can really go WRONG in the economy and the markets ... [More »]

Straight talk on the Obama mortgage plan

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 20, 2009 at 7:30am

Hardly a day goes by without another government bailout plan, and this week was no different. In Arizona on Wednesday, President Obama rolled out a plan designed to reduce foreclosures ... [More »]

Why Geithner's bank bailout plan got a Bronx cheer

by Mike Larson | Friday, February 13, 2009 at 7:30am

This was supposed to be a great week for Washington and Wall Street. The administration had leaked in advance that it was going to put a full-court press on for its stimulus and bailout programs ... [More »]

Another banking "solution" … or yet another failure?

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 30, 2009 at 7:30am

Have you ever seen the fantastic Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day?” Murray plays Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors who’s forced to cover the annual February unveiling of Punxsutawney Phil ... [More »]

Why Washington should take a bike ride

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 23, 2009 at 7:30am

Several months ago, I decided it was time to get off my duff and improve my fitness level. But by doing what? Running? Too boring as far as I’m concerned. Rowing? Not really practical for me ... [More »]

The more black holes D.C. fills, the more open up

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 16, 2009 at 7:30am

When I was a kid, black holes fascinated me. The idea that you could have an area of space so massive ... so dense ... that it could suck in and absorb ANYTHING that got too close ... [More »]

The biggest flood of red ink the world has ever known

by Mike Larson | Friday, January 9, 2009 at 7:30am

How much is $1.186 trillion — or $1,186,000,000,000, written out the long way? It’s more than the inflation-adjusted cost of the Vietnam ($698 billion) and Korean Wars ($454 billion) ... [More »]

Your 2009 Real Estate Outlook

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 26, 2008 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you, but I had a great time watching my little girls open their presents on Christmas morning. You should have seen the smiles on their faces! I sincerely hope that ... [More »]

Desperate times, desperate measures … and lots of questions

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 19, 2008 at 7:30am

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has done it. He's thrown down the gauntlet. Desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say, and the Federal Reserve has now gone "all in." [More »]

Postcards from the Bond Market Edge

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 12, 2008 at 7:30am

I thought I had witnessed a lot of craziness in the bond market over the past year: The utter obliteration of subprime mortgage bonds ... The crash of auction rate securities, and ... [More »]

Warning: Big, Blatant Sell Signal in These Stocks …

by Mike Larson | Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 3:45pm

I have just gotten a series of large, unabashed sell signals in every single U.S. stock that has anything to do with real estate, housing and construction. And I'm going to take ACTION on these ... [More »]

The Biggest Bubble of All: Long-term Treasuries?

by Mike Larson | Friday, December 5, 2008 at 7:30am

We’ve lived through some truly historic bubbles in recent years: The dot-com bubble was a doozy ... The housing bubble was even bigger, and ... Now I’m wondering if we aren’t dealing with ... [More »]

Three big questions to ponder this holiday weekend

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 28, 2008 at 7:30am

It’s a beautiful, long holiday weekend. I’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving (and my birthday) with my family, and I’m sure many of you are also busy with relatives and friends. So I’m going to keep this ... [More »]

S&P 500 Crashes Through Bear Market Low! Housing Heads South!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 21, 2008 at 7:30am

Yesterday was a historic day for the market. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index plunged by 6.7% to 752.44. The bear market low of October 2002 was 768.63 — and we sliced through it like a hot... [More »]

Heads up: Major crash recos early this week!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, November 16, 2008 at 7:30am

On Thursday, precisely 17 minutes after the S&P 500 hit its lowest point of this entire bear market, I urged my subscribers to take more profits on their inverse ETFs. And now, with thousands ... [More »]

My "Outrage List" keeps getting longer and longer

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 14, 2008 at 7:30am

I don’t know about you. But I started keeping a mental “Outrage List” a while back. The idea: Chronicle all the ridiculous statistics, all the lies, all the questionable practices, and all the dubious ... [More »]

The Humpty Dumpty Syndrome

by Mike Larson | Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 7:30am

Despite the global euphoria that greeted Barack Obama's landslide victory on Tuesday, U.S. stocks posted their greatest post-election decline in history — evidence that investors are now ... [More »]

A new president … new ideas … and an old problem: How to pay for it all!

by Mike Larson | Friday, November 7, 2008 at 7:30am

It's been one heck of a week in American politics. We have a new president-elect in Barack Obama ... a new approach to governing... [More »]

Stand by! Major recos tomorrow!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 7:30am

Today's my quiet time to spend with my wife, my two daughters, and friends. But it's also my day to sneak away to my home office, track the foreign markets and put the finishing touches on the recos ... [More »]

Urgent bonus issue: The Coming Insurance Meltdown

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 31, 2008 at 6:00pm

You've seen hundreds of subprime lenders bite the dust, with New Century Financial and Countrywide leading the way ... You've seen giant banks like Washington Mutual and Wachovia suffer ... [More »]

The Government's Newest Interest Rate Conundrum

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 31, 2008 at 7:30am

Step into my interest rate time machine for a minute, if you will. We're going back to February 16, 2005 — the day former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the Senate ... [More »]

Watch out! Crash gaining momentum!

by Mike Larson | Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 7:30am

We told you this was coming. Last month, we warned you that this would be the blackest "Black October" in years. We begged you to use contrarian investments to multiply your money when ... [More »]

The Credit Virus Spreads Worldwide

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 24, 2008 at 7:30am

Back in 1997, a minor currency crisis in Thailand rattled a few regional market players. But the rest of the world ignored it ... at first. They said it wouldn't matter to the U.S. and would be just ... [More »]

Economy Crumbling

by Mike Larson | Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 7:30am

I invest prudently to help ensure the future financial well-being of my wife and two daughters. And Martin, who visited us recently, shares the same philosophy. But when future history books ... [More »]

Why Mortgage Rates Are Rising Despite Government Efforts!

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 7:30am

The government is throwing everything ... and I do mean EVERYTHING ... at the credit and mortgage markets. It has taken over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It has agreed to buy ... [More »]

Black October Is Here

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 10, 2008 at 7:30am

The Hunt for Red October was a great movie. Lots of suspense. Great acting from Sean Connery, as usual. And although the special effects could have been better, it was 1990, so I’ll cut the ... [More »]

The "Real" Economy Heads South

by Mike Larson | Friday, October 3, 2008 at 7:30am

Everyone has been acutely focused on Washington — specifically, if and how the financial industry will get bailed out. The Senate voted to approve a revised $700-billion bailout package, ... [More »]

Category 5 Credit Market Hurricane!

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 26, 2008 at 7:30am

I'll never forget Hurricane Jeanne, which struck Florida four years ago this week. My wife, young daughter, and I huddled in the shower of our older house as the battery-powered TV flashed ... [More »]

I Have Seen the Enemy, and He is CDS

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 19, 2008 at 7:30am

It's been quite the eventful week on the bailout front, eh? The Treasury and Federal Reserve drew the line at Lehman Brothers, allowing the fourth-largest broker in the U.S. to file for bankruptcy ... [More »]

Two Forces Driving the Credit Crunch

by Mike Larson | Friday, September 5, 2008 at 7:30am

The credit crunch. We all know it's here, and that it's impacting virtually every corner of the financial markets. But a lot of investors don't really understand how a crunch really works ... [More »]

Latest FDIC Report Reads Like a Horror Novel

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 29, 2008 at 7:30am

Every three months the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) puts out "Quarterly Banking Profiles." Most investors have never heard of them. The mainstream press has largely ... [More »]

The GSE End Game?

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 22, 2008 at 7:30am

This week, shares of the two Government Sponsored Enterprises, or GSEs, imploded again: Fannie Mae lost 39% between last Friday and yesterday's close. Freddie Mac tanked 46%. ... [More »]

The Cold, Hard Numbers on the Credit Crunch

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 15, 2008 at 7:30am

Last week, I gave you several real-world examples of lenders who were refusing to take the Federal Reserve's "bait." A quick recap: The Fed has been driving the cost of money down in an ... [More »]

What the Fed wants … and what the Fed is getting

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 8, 2008 at 7:30am

It's no secret what the Federal Reserve — as well as Congress and the Bush administration — want. They want banks to open their wallets. They want lenders to keep the credit ... [More »]

When is enough, enough?

by Mike Larson | Friday, August 1, 2008 at 7:30am

When is enough, enough? How much is too much? Those are the questions I've been pondering lately as I survey the housing and mortgage market landscape. It seems like every week we ... [More »]

Wall Street in Financial Stock Fantasyland

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 25, 2008 at 7:30am

My daughters love Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. The two-and-a-half year old is a fan of Cinderella's merry-go-round, while my five-and-a-half year old likes Dumbo's flying elephant ... [More »]

Bank stocks rally! Great selling opportunity!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 18, 2008 at 7:30am

Mike here with a quick update on the so-called "big rally" in bank stocks this week. Yes, their shares have soared for the last two days. And yes, Wall Street is cheering. But if you're ... [More »]

Mortgage tremors rocking the financial world!

by Mike Larson | Friday, July 11, 2008 at 7:30am

The ground is shaking. The buildings are swaying. Now, you have to wonder how many of them will come tumbling down. I'm talking about the major financial institutions in this country. The ... [More »]

Fed Blows It! Wall Street Pounded!

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 27, 2008 at 7:30am

Boy, did Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke blow it this week! Investors were looking for a strong Fed statement because they believed it would support the dollar and snuff out ... [More »]

Inflation out of control! What to do ?

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 20, 2008 at 7:30am

I hate to be the one to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theatre. But the time for keeping quiet has long since passed. The time for ignoring the gathering clouds of smoke is over. It's time to sit ... [More »]

Inflation To Inevitably Surge Even Higher!

by Mike Larson | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 7:30am

I first met Martin about 14 years ago, at the Weiss School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where I had enrolled my three young children. Martin was running his research and ratings ... [More »]

Central Bankers Finally Tightening the Screws

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 13, 2008 at 7:30am

Believe it or not, it’s finally happening. It’s dawning on Federal Reserve policymakers ... and on many other global central bankers from Canada to Asia to Europe ... and beyond. The ... [More »]

Forget IF there's speculation in commodities. Ask "WHY?"

by Mike Larson | Friday, June 6, 2008 at 7:30am

Congress is up in arms. And the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is on the warpath. Their target: Speculators in the natural resources market. The CFTC said this week that it's ... [More »]

Treasuries Cracking! Rates Rising!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 30, 2008 at 7:30am

Over the last several weeks, I've been steadily ratcheting up my warnings on the interest rate front. On April 25, I noted that the "Bond King" Bill Gross believed Treasuries were overvalued ... [More »]

Banks and Builders Hit the Skids … Again!

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 23, 2008 at 7:30am

Bank of America, National City, and American International are all at 52-week lows. Countrywide Financial and Wachovia are almost there, too. Oh and those home builders? The ones Wall Street ... [More »]

Inflation Nation

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 16, 2008 at 7:30am

What's it going to take? What will it take to get the Federal Reserve to join the rest of us in Realityland when it comes to inflation? That's the question I keep asking myself day after day ... week after ... [More »]

Your Latest Credit Market Road Map

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 9, 2008 at 7:30am

New developments in the credit and bond markets are happening fast and furiously. This week, I'm going to give you my latest take on the most significant news unfolding. I'll tell you what I'm seeing, why ... [More »]

Will the Fed Ever Learn?

by Mike Larson | Friday, May 2, 2008 at 7:30am

This week, I had the pleasure of taking my oldest daughter to her kindergarten orientation. It was the coolest thing to see Maya looking all around at the art classroom, the cafeteria, and the model rocket ... [More »]

Bonds finally ready to crack?

by Mike Larson | Friday, April 25, 2008 at 7:30am

I think this could be the start of a large move upward in interest rates. And I’m not the only one who is starting to sit up and take notice. Remember Bill Gross? The Pimco Total Return Fund, guided by the legendary bond investor, recently reported a pos [More »]

U.S. Thu 5/24/12, 4:00pm
Index	Last	Change


NASDAQ	2,839	-10.7

S&P 500	1,321	+1.9


Europe Thu 5/24/12, 11:51am
Index	Last	Change
FTSE 100	5,350	+83.6

CAC 40	3,038	+35.0

DAX	6,316	+30.1


Asia Thu 5/24/12, 2:28am
Index	Last	Change
HANG SENG	18,666	-119.8

NIKKEI 225	8,563	+6.8

CSI 300	2,595	-21.6