May 2013-End of the Road-John Williams

Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com  
Anybody who thinks the U.S. is in a so-called recovery isn’t listening to economist John Williams.  He contends, “We haven’t had a recovery and we’re not about to have one, and it’s getting worse.”  Williams says it’s because, “The consumer is in very serious trouble. . . . The average guy is not making it.  His income is not keeping up with inflation.”  As far as Congress getting the budget and debt ceiling under control, Williams says, “Both sides are faced with devil’s choices.”  If Congress does not get its financial house in order by the new deadline in mid-May 2013, Williams predicts, “It will be the end of the road . . . . They are not going to have another opportunity . . . they are pushing the limit as it is now.”  Williams says he expects, “. . . a negative reaction in the next 3 or 4 months to the dollar.” Williams adamantly calls for hyperinflation to the U.S. dollar by the end of 2014.  Join Greg Hunter as he goes One-on-One with John Williams of Shadowstats.com.

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Park Avenue, Money, Power and the American Dream

Park Avenue, Money, Power and the American Dream by totalinvestor

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Labor Minister Says France Is “Totally Bankrupt”

zerohedge.com / By Tyler Durden / January 28, 2013, 16:47
Things in France must not be very serious, because the French labor minister accidentally let the truth come out a little earlier today. As the Telegraph reports, France’s labour minister sent the country into a state of shock on Monday after he described the nation as “totally bankrupt.”
Remember: France is one of the supposedly stable countries in Europe.

“Michel Sapin made the gaffe in a radio interview, which left French President Francois Hollande battling to undo the potential reputational damage. “There is a state but it is a totally bankrupt state,” Mr Sapin said. “That is why we had to put a deficit reduction plan in place, and nothing should make us turn away from that objective.” It appears that once one wipes out the propaganda and the smooth politico talk, things are bad and getting worse at Europe’s core. “Data from Banque de France showed earlier this month that a flight of capital has already left the country amid concerns that France’s Socialist leader intends to soak the rich and businesses. The actor Gérard Depardieu has renounced his French citizenship and decamped to Russia in protest, while David Cameron said Britain will “roll out the red carpet” to attract wealthy individuals. Pierre Moscovici, the finance minister, said the comments by Mr Sapin were “inappropriate”.”

At least France can hike the tax on the millionaires to 75% to generate more money. Oh wait, no it can’t.
READ MORE

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Silicosis suit could crush S.Africa’s gold mining sector

Thousands of ex-gold miners suffering from silicosis have launched a class action suit in South Africa, in what could prove the final nail in the coffin of the country’s battered but vital mining sector.

Already buckling under huge operational costs and seemingly endless labour unrest, some 30 gold mine operators were last month slapped with litigation by thousands of their former employees.
The plaintiffs - mostly black migrant labourers from nearby countries and South Africa’s far flung mountainous villages of the Eastern Cape region - allegedly contracted the lung disease while drilling gold bearing rocks.

Already theirs is the biggest class action in South Africa’s legal history, involving more than 17,000 complainants.

And the list is growing by around 500 people each month, according to lead attorney Richard Spoor.
That stream could very well become a torrent.

Academic calculations estimate some 280,000 people have worked in gold mines for a minimum of 10 years, long enough to inhale dangerous levels of silica dust. (more)

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Finding The Best Broker For You: What Every Investor Must Know

Q: How do you pick the right broker? I know I should invest, but I just really don't trust myself to do it right. There's just so much to think about, so I think I'd like to go with a broker. But I'm not sure how to pick one of those either. Help!!
-- Todd, Akron, Ohio

A. Hi, Todd. By the nature of your question, it's clear that you are just starting out as an investor. So you should be spending time learning as much as you can about investing before deciding alone which stocks and funds are best for you. In fact, you may never have the time and energy to do all the homework necessary to stay informed about investing moves.

That's why a full-service broker is surely a good option for you. Note these are different brokers than the "online brokers" such as E-Trade (Nasdaq: ETFC) or TD Ameritrade (NYSE: AMTD), which allow you to trade stocks for rock-bottom fees, but offer minimal investing advice or counsel.
You've probably heard of all of the leading full-service brokers, as they likely have a branch office right in your town. The top six full-service brokers (ordered by the number of brokers they employ) are:

• Morgan Stanley
• Merrill Lynch
• Wells Fargo Advisors
• Edward Jones
• UBS
• Raymond James

There are many other good options, though some firms don't have the same armada of brokers operating out of retail offices and instead rely on telephone and Web-based customer support. For example, Fidelity Investments (NYSE: FNF) and Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCHW) handle as many accounts as the firms noted above, but they may not have an office near you.

Another distinction: The full-service brokers noted above, such as Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Merrill Lynch, offer a suite of financial planning services -- which can include estate planning and long-term wealth management strategies that may be better tailored to your needs.

If you think that sounds like what a financial planner can do, you're right. Today's full-service broker is expected to know much more than just investments. They should be reasonably knowledgeable about taxes, insurance, family trusts and other topics, and will advise you on how to structure your portfolio in the context of your long-term financial goals.

Every year, ratings firm J.D. Power & Associates polls several thousand investors to see which firms deserve high marks and which ones are to be avoided. You can read about the 2012 rankings here.

Since these brokers are expected to take a good deal of time to get to know your financial needs, they won't work with just anyone. They aim to charge hundreds of dollars a year -- in fees and/or commissions -- which is obviously not a realistic expense burden if you only have $5,000 or $10,000 to invest. If you are thinking about starting off with just a few stocks, and have less than $50,000 to invest, then you may be steered to an online customer service agent who can do little more than open an account for you. (more)


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Could This Small-Cap Biotech Could be Your Ticket to 91% Profits?

Biotech stocks have a history of volatile moves, but the swings in this issue could make the calmest trader seasick. Between April 2009 and April 2010, biotech stock Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN) surged nearly 2,000%, from a low near $2.60, to a peak near $54.

By July 2011, as management cut sales estimates of its flagship product, the stock had given up 80% of its value and fell to a low near $10.40. There was a countertrend rally to the mid-teens, but after falling to the mid-$3 range, shares can now be picked up in the low $6 range.

Here's what makes me excited now about the stock technically... (more)

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Jim Sinclair: QE is the Only Tool to Feign Solvency, Gold is the Only Tool to Accomplish Solvency!

Legendary gold trader Jim Sinclair sent another email alert to subscribers over the weekend, continuing his in-depth series on the monetary crisis in progress, and the fundamental reasons the dollar will hyperinflate and result in $3,500 + gold.
Sinclair stated that the dollar is re-entering a decade long major bear market, and that this is the foundation set in steel that will launch the next major bull phase in the gold price very soon.
While Sinclair has long urged readers to take physical gold positions without margin, with gold mining shares near historic lows compared to gold bullion, Sinclair states that condemning gold shares is total nonsense utilized by PM scoundrels.
Sinclair concludes by stating that Every problem we have from national to private is a balance sheet problem. As QE is the only tool to feign solvency, Gold is the only tool to accomplish solvency.
Read More @ Silver Doctors


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Palladium reserves in Russia, the world’s largest producer, are “pretty much exhausted”

Palladium in USD, 2 Years – (Bloomberg)
Tightness in the platinum and palladium markets has begun to see prices move higher.
Palladium reserves in Russia, the world’s largest producer of the metal, are “pretty much exhausted” and sales this year may be only 3 metric tons, according to Johnson Matthey Plc.
Russian inventory sales dropped 68 percent to 250,000 ounces last year from 775,000 ounces in 2011, according to Johnson Matthey.
Shrinking Russian stockpiles at a time when output is falling helped send the metal into the biggest shortage in 12 years.
Output in South Africa, the second-biggest producer, was disrupted by labor disputes and strikes, while lower grades contributed to a decline in Russia.
Palladium for immediate delivery has risen again today and is trading at $741/oz. Palladium, last quarter’s best-performing precious metal, has risen 5.4% this year after advancing 7.5% in 2012.
Palladium supply declined 12% in 2012 to 6.48 million ounces on the South African disruptions.

Platinum in USD, 2 Years – (Bloomberg)
Platinum supply dropped 10% to 5.68 million ounces because of declines in top producer South Africa, coming to less than the 5.84 million ounces forecast in November, according to Johnson Matthey.
Zimbabwe was the only major producing nation to increase output, Duncan said.
Platinum supply probably will be curbed further because of difficulties in South Africa, while auto catalyst demand is expected to stay “flat” this year, before a “much stronger” 2014, according to JM.



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