Loan

Default: the Student Loan Documentary

Upcoming Screenings: June 7-9 2011 in Chicago @ NCTC Federal Conference: Mapping the Future, Center For Solvent Progress tax-coalition.org ...

Hot Midday Stocks at NYSE - HTZ, HST, ING, AVP, SLM

Hertz Pandemic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) moved up 1.44%, currently trading at $12.00 and its comprehensive traded volume is 1.16M shares while reporting against its average volume of 4.06M. HTZ shares were trading within the fluctuate of 11.96-12.18 while its opening price is 12.06. The stock has a 52-week latitude of 7.80-17.64. The market capitalization of the company stands at 5.00B and it has 416.69M eminent shares.

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (Hertz Holdings) is a worldwide airport encyclopaedic use car rental brand, operating from approximately 8,500 locations in 146 countries as of December 31, 2010. The Assembly has two segments: car rental and equipment rental. The Company operates both corporate and licensee locations in cities and airports in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia and New Zealand. In extension, the Company has licensee locations in cities and airports in Africa and the Middle East. The Establishment’s company-operated rental locations are those through which the Company, or an agent of its, rent cars that it owns or leases. In its kit rental business segment, the Company rent equipment through approximately 320 branches in the Concerted States, Canada, France, Spain, Italy and China. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Coterie completed the acquisition of Flexicar. In September 2011, the Company acquired of Donlen Corporation. Manager Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST) gained 2.38%, currently trading at $14.65 and its blanket traded volume is 3.06M shares while reporting with the total traded supply of 9.31M shares. HST opened the day at 14.65, it made an intraday low of 14.46 and an intraday extreme of 14.68. The stock has a 52 week low of 9.78 and 52 week maximum of 19.88. The market capitalization of the company stands at 10.35B and it has 706.23M excellent shares. Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (Host Inc.) operates as a self-managed and self-administered genuine estate investment trust (REIT). Host Inc. owns properties and conducts operations through Proprietor Hotels & Resorts, L. P. (Host L. P.), of which Host Inc. is the sole common partner and in which it holds approximately 98.4% of the partnership interests (OP units). The extant approximate 1.6% partnership interests are owned by various unaffiliated narrow partners. As the sole general partner of Host L. P., Host Inc. has the exclusive and rank responsibility for Host L. P.’s day-to-day management and control. As of February 18, 2011, it had 120 hotels in its portfolio, consisting of security and upper upscale hotels containing approximately 63,000 rooms. As of February 18, 2011, it also owned a 25% interest in an Asian combined venture that is in the process of acquiring a 36% interest in a joint venture that is developing seven properties totaling about 1,750 rooms in India. ING Groep N. V. (ADR) (NYSE: ING) gained 6.28%, currently trading at $8.46 and its whole traded volume is 2.58M shares while reporting with the total traded quantity of 5.89M shares. ING opened at 8.69 and is trading within the range of 8.41-8.71. The cache has a 52 week low of 5.80 and 52 week high of 13.41. ING’s shop capitalization is 32.02B and it has 3.78B outstanding shares. ING Groep N. V. (ING) is a global fiscal institution offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to experience the needs of the customers. It operates in six business segments: Retail Banking, ING Usher, Commercial banking, Insurance Europe, Insurance Americas and Insurance Asia/Pacific. In November 2009, the Crowd completed the sale of annuity and mortgage businesses in Chile to Corp Order Vida Chile, S. A., and it completed the sale of its life insurance and wealth superintendence venture to ANZ. In January 2010, the Company completed the sale of its Swiss Private Banking function to Julius Baer. In January 2010, ING completed the sale of its Asian Private Banking obligation. In February 2010, the Company completed the sale of its United States independent retail stockbroker-dealer units. In December 2010, the Company sold 5% risk in Fubon Financial Holding Co Ltd. In June 2011, the Company disposed Clarion Partners. Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) cut change grew 2.34%, currently trading at $17.06 and its overall traded size is 1.68M shares while reporting with the total traded volume of 7.64M shares. AVP shares were trading within the roam of 16.70-17.07 while its opening price is 16.92. The 52-week range of the forerunner is 16.09-31.60. AVP’s market capitalization is 7.35B and it has 430.71M outstanding shares. Avon Products, Inc. (Avon) creates, manufactures and markets looker and non-beauty-related products. The Company’s product categories are Beauty, Construct and Home. Beauty consists of color cosmetics, fragrances, skin tend and personal care. Fashion consists of fashion jewelry, watches, clothes, footwear, accessories and children’s products. Home consists of gift and decorative products, housewares, presentation and leisure products and nutritional products. Its international operations are conducted through subsidiaries in 63 countries and territories exterior of the United States. In addition to these countries and territories, its products are distributed in 41 other countries and territories through distributorships. In July 2010, the Group completed the acquisition Silpada Designs, Inc. (Silpada), a direct seller of jewelry products, generally in North America. In March 2010, the Company completed the acquisition Liz Earle Looker Co. Limited (Liz Earle). SLM Corporation (NYSE: SLM) soared 1.11%, currently trading at $12.78 and its total traded volume is 789,171.00 shares while reporting the stock has average everyday volume of 5.97M shares. SLM opened the day at 12.85, it made an intraday low of 12.71 and an intraday treble of 12.92. The stock has a 52-week range of 10.91-17.11. SLM’s buy capitalization is 6.50B and it has 508.74M outstanding shares. SLM Corporation, known as Sallie Mae, is a holding troop that operates through a number of subsidiaries. The Company’s primary business is to originate, usage and collect loans made to students and/or their parents to finance the cost of their education. The South African private limited company provides funding, delivery and servicing support for education loans in the Collective States, through its non-federally guaranteed Private Education Loan programs and as a servicer and collector of loans for the Conditioned by trust in of Education (ED). In addition, the Company is a holder, servicer and collector of loans made under the Federal M Education Loan Program (FFELP), a program that was recently discontinued. The Company has three concern segments: the FFELP Loans segment, Consumer Lending segment and the Transaction Services segment.

private student loan availability as of june 2009 - Bookshelf


Costs and Policy Options for Federal Student Loan Programs
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Pock Kantrowitz, “Characteristics of Private Student Loan Borrowers Who Do Not Use Federal Lore Loans” (published by FinAid.org, June 7, 2009), ...

Student loan law, collections, intercepts, deferments, discharges, repayment plans, and trade school abuses
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8, 2009). 103.12 Fitch Ratings, US Private Loan ABS Exhibiting Economic downturn Strains (Feb. 25, 2009). 103.13 Student Lending Analytics, Summarization of December 16, ...

Foreign Medical Schools, Education Should Improve Monitoring of Schools That Participate in the Federal Student Loan Program
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We conducted this play audit from June 2009 to June 2010 in ... will adversely lay hold of federal student loan availability for future students attending ...

Internet Makes Bad Credit Unsecured Personal Loan Easily Accessible

There is no gainsaying the fact that availing a loan is no more a tough task. With the loan market growing bigger and bigger and new lending institutions emerging constantly like mushrooms, getting a loan of one’s choice has become quite easy. Yet, it can’t be denied that there are certain loan products, which are not easy to come by. One such loan is bad credit unsecured personal loan . There are genuine reasons behind the scanty availability of this specially designed loan.

First of all, it is an unsecured loan . It has no backing of any collateral. This implies that the lender has no material guarantee to recover his money. Failure of the borrower means loss of lender’s money. Though he can take the borrower to the court, he will have to work hard to retrieve his money. Legal action may be taken against the borrower, but this will not help the lender recover his money fast. Because of this, lenders hesitate to offer this loan unless they are satisfied with certain criteria.

The second reason why bad credit unsecured personal loan is not easily obtainable is that applicants usually belongs to the vulnerable group. He has a bad credit record means that he has already failed in his debt commitment. It presages that he may fail in future. This may work as premonition and make the lender shy away from giving approval to his loan application. However, if this loan product exists then certainly there is a way to avail it.

The easiest way to avail bad credit

Welsh October letter

The twenty-five year period between 1982 and 2007 may be the best period in economic terms in our nation’s history. There were only two shallow recessions, each lasting just 8 months. This extended period of economic growth and stability provided a wonderful investment climate that lifted the DJIA from under 1,000 in 1982 to over 14,000 in 2007. In order to gain a better perspective and appreciation of this period of prosperity, one should stand back and view a long term chart of the DJIA from 1946, just after the end of World War II. What quickly becomes apparent is the extended rally in the DJIA from near 150 in 1949 to 1,000 in 1966 that was also accompanied by strong economic growth, stability, and very little social unrest. Sandwiched between these two wonderful windows of growth and stability is the period of 1966 and 1982. These 16 years were marked by instability that not only engulfed the economy, but also resulted in enormous social stress. As assassinations gave way to race riots, war demonstrations, runaway inflation, and mile long gas lines, it felt as if the foundations underpinning our society were shifting.

From a historical perspective, visualize a pendulum that oscillates between stability and instability, with each period reaching an extreme after 15 to 20 years. The period of stability that ended in 1966 was heralded with the political phrase “ ’ in 1999, and bid technology stocks to absurd valuations. In response to the bursting of the tech bubble, the Federal Reserve aggressively lowered interest rates to keep the economy from deflating. Ironically, the extended period of economic stability between 1982 and 2000 encouraged market participants to take on highly leveraged risks, even as the pendulum was already swinging away from stability toward instability.

As I discussed in last month’s letter, there are numerous cyclical and secular headwinds that could easily take another 5 to 7 years to work through. (The September letter is available at welshmoneymangement.com, click on Publications and this month’s letter.) The fundamental challenges facing our financial system and all levels of government are structural in nature, and the result of excesses that have built up since 1982. There are no easy solutions.  During the 1966-1982 period of instability, the DJIA made its price low in December 1974. (Chart below.) Even though the period of instability had another 7 years to run, the DJIA never fell below 730. My hope (and prayer) is that the March 2009 low marks the price low in the stock market, even as the economy struggles and social unrest increases in coming years. If the March 9 low is broken, it would suggest that all the efforts and money spent to prevent a deeper economic contraction had failed.

History suggests that these extended periods of instability (1929-1949, 1966-1982), do not reward investors who buy and hold, or the institutions that disdain cash. As a kid growing up in the Midwest, during July and August, I always wore a t-shirt and shorts and wore a crew cut. In January and February, my hair was longer and I never went outside in shorts and a t-shirt. (Well maybe once on a dare.) If my parents had known, they would have rhetorically asked me if I was stupid. So here’s a worthwhile question.

Over the last two years, the Federal Reserve has responded with unprecedented programs to initially prevent a complete collapse of the financial system and subsequently to restore some measure of functionality to the credit markets. The Treasury Department launched a large bailout of banks deemed too big to fail, and Congress passed a huge stimulus package. Despite these extraordinary efforts, overall credit is still contracting, residential and commercial real estate prices are still deflating, and consumer incomes are shrinking. On the plus side, the stock market rally has recovered half of the bear market losses, and corporate bond prices have also rebounded significantly. The economy has stabilized and is rebounding, but at a price. Government income transfers amounted to 17% of total personal income in the first half of 2009. Federal fiscal stimulus dollars helped plug the gaping hole in state budget deficits, which enabled them to avoid deeper cuts in services. But the safety net provided by the federal government will produce trillion dollar deficits for years to come. At some point, the Federal Reserve will shrink monetary stimulus and end their market support programs. The Federal government will need to raise taxes and lower spending to rein in the Federal budget deficit in coming years. The removal of these economic life support measures must be timed and balanced against the numerous secular and cyclical headwinds that will suppress economic growth and tax revenue in coming years. This sounds like a prescription for years of instability. Unless you believe the Federal Reserve and Congress are capable of perfect execution.

The uncomfortable reality is that none of us, including the Federal Reserve and Congress, knows how all of this will play out. What we do know is that we are in a period of instability and higher unpredictability. During periods of instability, the surprises are generally negative. This will require that investors adopt a more flexible investment game plan than quarterly rebalancing a diversified portfolio of assets.

The next potential challenge within the current period of instability will develop in the next six to nine months, as the U.S. economy will: A ) smoothly transition into a self sustaining economic expansion, B ) experience a modest dip, with GDP growth sagging to around 1% to 1.5% before reaccelerating, C ) experience a more pronounced dip lasting up to two quarters with one quarter of GDP near 0% before rebounding, D ) perform a flawless one and one-half gainer after the V-shape recovery stalls and go to hell in a hand basket. The correct answer to this question is important since the financial markets will obviously respond accordingly. Experts suggest that when confronted with a multiple choice question, and a distinct lack of certainty, go with C . If for no other reason, correct does begin with C . However, since forecasting and investing involves a high degree of probability, I would assign the following odds: A 5%, B 30%, C 45%, D 20%.

According to the , the economy grew 3.4% in the third quarter, and will expand 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Next year, they expect GDP to average 3% growth. Their forecast assumes there will be a smooth orderly transition into a self sustaining recovery in 2010, with only the slightest dip in the fourth quarter. They have chosen A .

In order for this forecast to come true, credit availability from the  securitization markets and banking system will have to measurably improve, businesses large and small will need to increase business investment and hiring, consumers will need real income growth so they can save spend more, and global growth must strengthen so exports can increase further. For a self sustaining recovery to take hold in the first half of 2010, each of these significant factors would have to already be improving. They aren’t.

Thirty years ago the banking system provided 75% of the credit funding the economy. Within the advent of the securitization of Fannie Mae mortgages in the early 1980’s, the credit funding process evolved substantially. By 2007, the share of bank funded credit had shrunk to 35%, while the securitization markets for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, receivables, and student loans provided 40%. In December 2007, I wrote that the Federal Reserve would not be able to contain the coming credit crisis, since the Fed’s leverage on the credit creation process through the banking system had become so marginalized. The securitization markets were created by financial innovation, but built on the trust provided by the rating agencies that the securities bought by investors were worthy of the triple A rating they carried. That trust has evaporated and along with it the private market based credit funding our economy depended upon to finance economic growth. In 2006, the amount of home mortgages not securitized by government agencies was almost $750 billion and was $700 billion in 2007. In the first half of 2009, just $8 billion has been securitized by non government agencies. Commercial real estate securitization has vaporized from $200 billion in 2007 to $0 so far in 2009. The securitization of auto loans, credit card debt, receivables, and student loans has also contracted significantly.

To fill this void, the Federal Reserve launched its Term Asset-backed Securities Loan Facility program (TALF). Through mid-September, the Fed has purchased $905 billion of government guaranteed mortgages to keep mortgage rates low. The Fed has said it will continue buying until it reaches $1.25 trillion. It is estimated that the Fed’s purchases represent 80% to 85% of the market. In other words, . Will the mortgage market continue to function, without Federal Reserve life support? Maybe. I’d feel better if the Fed’s market share was closer to 25% or less, as the $1.25 trillion ceiling approached. It is likely that the securitization markets will operate with diminished capacity for an extended period, as they are weaned from the Fed’s substantial support.

Lending by banks will remain constrained as lending standards remain high and banks, large and small, absorb additional losses on every type of credit. According to the , the delinquency rate on bank credit cards, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit hit record highs as of June 30, driven by rising unemployment and falling incomes. Unemployment rose and incomes weakened further in the third quarter, so delinquency rates have not peaked. Bank balance sheets will be further burdened by losses from commercial real estate, as regulators push banks to set aside more in loss reserves for their commercial real estate exposure. The reduction in available credit will have a greater impact on medium and small businesses, which do not have access to the credit markets. Small business lending is down $113 billion since the end of 2008, according to the Federal Reserve.

Between 2000 and 2008, the major credit card companies increased the number of credit cards issued to small businesses from 5 million to 29 million. More than 80% of small business owners rely on their credit cards to provide short term financing for their business. According to the recently reported that 79% of the businesses surveyed say lending standards have tightened drastically, along with lowered credit lines. Small businesses employ 50% of the work force and contribute 38% of annual GDP. Small businesses account for 75% of the new jobs created, so the contraction of credit to small businesses will impair job growth in coming quarters.

Between 1982 and 2007, credit and debt grew faster than GDP. Credit availability from the securitization markets and banking system is not only growing more slowly than in the 1982 to 2007 period, it is still . At some point non government debt will begin to grow again, but it is likely to remain weak in the first half of 2010. We won’t see the rates of credit expansion that existed in the 1982 to 2007 period for a very long time. Nor the GDP growth it helped finance.

In September, capacity utilization rose to 70.5%, well below the thirty-year average of 81.0%. The huge overhang of excess capacity will delay when companies will need to buy new equipment, which will mute any increase in business investment in the first half of 2010.

In the second half of 2007, I noted that the Household Employment Survey, which provides the data to calculate the unemployment rate, often leads changes in the reports, 54% of unemployed workers are permanently laid off, the highest in 30 years of records. Roughly 33% of workers have been out of work for over 26 weeks, the highest since World War II.

The average workweek of 33 hours is a record low. Weekly earnings over the last year have risen a scant .7%. Weekly pay for 80% of the work force has fallen for nine consecutive months, according to the In the 44 years of records, the next longest string was 2 months in the 1981-1982 recession. There are now 6.3 people competing for each job opening, far higher than the 2.8 peak in July 2003, after the 2001 recession.

If all these statistics sound bleak, it’s because they are. Last week, Democrats in the Senate reached an accord to extend jobless benefits for another 14 weeks, so nearly 2 million unemployed workers won’t exhaust their benefits by year end.

Consumer spending represents 70% of GDP, and without job growth and income growth, consumers aren’t going to have the disposable income needed to absorb the slack as government stimulus spending runs down in the first half of 2010.

According to the . This suggests that bank lending in the U.S., but more so in Europe, will be impaired through the end of 2010. This will restrain economic growth in Europe. Japan will remain weak in 2010.

China’s GDP is less than 10% of world GDP, and it derives 35% of its GDP from exports. Between 2003 and 2008, the U.S., Europe, and Japan absorbed 65% of China’s exports, according to . Over the last year, Chinese exports have fallen 13%. Given the weak outlook for growth in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, the total volume of Chinese exports to these countries will only grow modestly. In the first half of 2009, Chinese banks increased lending by $1.1 trillion, and the government added a $570 billion stimulus plan. Although a large portion of the Chinese stimulus went into infrastructure projects, there is no doubt real estate speculation has increased and additional export capacity added. Given the weak growth that is likely worldwide in 2010, excess capacity is going to be an ongoing problem in China. And I believe some of the frenetic lending in 2009 will lead to losses for Chinese banks in coming years. After all, bankers will be bankers.

The U.S. economy is not likely to make a smooth transition into a self sustaining economic expansion in the first half of 2010, since each of the factors necessary are not in place. This suggests that the coming dip will be deeper than expected, which will raise fears of a double dip recession. My guess is the appearance of the V-shaped recovery shifting into a sustainable recovery will be maintained into the first quarter of 2010. If the coming dip materializes as I expect, every asset that has rallied in anticipation of a sustainable recovery – stocks, oil, gold – will be vulnerable to a sizable sell off, especially if the answer is C . And if the answer is D , we may have a 2008 déjà vu moment all over again.

Since we won’t know for a number of months whether a self sustaining recovery is at hand, or a double dip, combining technical analysis with fundamental analysis could prove valuable. Until there are significant indications that the rally from the March low is over, based on technical analysis, I will not turn negative on the market.”

The overall technical health of the market is in good shape. The advance/decline line is making new recovery highs along with market averages, and the daily number of stocks making new highs continues to expand. Last week 802 stocks made new 52 week highs. This suggests that the 1 to 3 month outlook remains constructive.

The next few weeks are a bit more problematic, as I noted in a As measured by the 21 day average of total volume, volume expanded 5.9% as the market declined between September 29 and October 2. (1.309B to 1.378B). This is the first time volume has expanded on a decline since the March low. Since October 2, the S&P has rallied from 1,019 to 1,092, but total volume has shrunk from 1.378B to 1.255B, or -8.9%. As noted last month, I thought the S&P could trade up to 1,095. Although 1,109 is possible, doing a little selling or hedging into strength is a good idea. A decline to 990-1,015 by the end of October, or early November is likely, given the technical back drop. The DJIA closing above 10,000 and Intel’s good news should help the market hold up a bit more, although trading is likely to be choppy. The market is likely to make higher highs after this correction, based on the overall technical health of the market, and statistical support for the V-shape recovery during coming months .”

As discussed in the August letter, the stock market is a bit like the line of scrimmage in football. Whichever team controls the line of scrimmage, usually wins. The line of scrimmage in the stock market is formed by the balance between buying pressure and selling pressure. Since the investment bias is skewed by the buy and hold philosophy, buying pressure holds the stronger hand most of the time. Investors are constantly counseled to diversify and buy and hold, through good times and bad. They are taught that diversification is all the risk management needed. This investment philosophy works well in a secular bull market, like the 1982-2007 period. Of course, a rising tide lifts all boats, and confusing a secular bull market for brains can be detrimental to your portfolio, as most investors have learned since 2001. Most large institutions also embrace this investment approach, and consider holding cash a performance burden. This suggests that the market will likely hold up, at least into year end, as institutions and most investors refrain from raising cash.

those who called me to ask if I still liked the position and are still long, raise the stop to $45.00. The high yield bond market often mirrors the stock market. If the stock market undergoes the correction I expect, high yield bonds will also sell off. In March, I recommended the Fidelity Capital Income fund at $5.46, Value Line Aggressive Income Fund $3.82, and the Nicholas High Income fund $7.71. It’s time to sell. FAGIX closed Friday at $8.26, up 51.2%. VAGIX was $4.58, up 19.8%. NNHIX was $9.23, up 19.7%.

Gold has proven stronger and the Dollar weaker than I expected. Sentiment on gold remains very optimistic, and if anyone else likes the dollar, they went into hiding weeks ago. Gold stocks have been underperforming gold, which is normally a leading indicator of coming weakness in gold. Last month, December gold was shorted at $1,038.00 and stopped when gold traded up to $1,054.50. The double short gold ETF DZZ, was bought at $17.00, and stopped when it traded at $16.45. With sentiment so overwhelmingly bullish, I still think gold and the gold stocks are near a high and on the cusp of a correction. Rather than trying to pick an entry point in the monthly letter, I will issue a Special Update, with new instructions. If the economic recovery story remains intact into early next year as I expect, gold may correct in the next few weeks, and then rally early next year, along with the stock market. If the economy experiences the kind of dip I expect, the larger decline in gold and the gold stocks will unfold next year.

The dollar continues to grind lower. We are long the December futures from last month under 76.40, which was reached on October 6. The long dollar ETF UUP was simultaneously purchased on October 6 with UUP at $22.60. The stop on both positions remains 74.50 on the December futures. I am looking for the dollar to rally to near 81.00, which is just below the high in early June at 81.50.

E. James Welsh

Pete,

When measured on a daily basis, the relative strength between the gold stocks and gold ebbs and flows. So this provides a way to measure the short term trading swings. Currently, the relative strength of gold stocks is weaker than the the last peak on Sept 16, which was lower than the peak in early June. This then is the third drive and second divergence, so technically it presents a weakening picture. The bullishness toward gold and bearishness toward the dollar are at extremes. This suggests that there are far more traders long gold and short the dollar. There are momentum divergences on both. As noted in my response to Pat, the dollar is making the over of Business Week, which is a reflection of the end of a trend. As you may remember, in the summer of 1982, Business Week ran a cover asking “Are Equities Dead?”, just before the biggest bull market in history began.

Pat,

You’re right. My call on the dollar is based on the excessive bullishness about gold and bearishness toward the dollar in the near term. In addition, the assumption most are making is that the Fed and other central bankers are going to be successful in halting the march toward deflation. They probably will be successful, but the outcome is more in doubt than the consensus realizes. The notion that inflation is a sure thing because of QE is too logical to be taken at face value. The old definition of inflation was too much money chasing too few goods. We have just the opposite. There is too little money chasing too many goods, in a world of excess capacity, and an environment where credit growth is contracting. If I’m right, another bout of deflation in 2010 will help the dollar hurt gold, oil etc. But after that, the response from the Fed and Congress, and other central bankers will bring the rush out of all currencies you are expecting.

Fantastic thoughts. Just few doubts:

Wouldn’t you read Gold prices as a forecast or estimate of probability for scenarios A to D? An input rather than output. Then, possibly, the gold prices are indicating that probability for scenario D is higher than 20%. (I would allot 30% to D and 20% to B – though C remains most likely).

Other part of argument, if people are anti-dollar and pro-gold, it means they are not comfortable with other developed world currencies Euro, GBP, JPY, AUD or even the developing world like CNY. So then doesn’t it imply that one or more of these (developed world) currencies will blow-up before dollar does?

To take it a bit further, such currency implosion will strengthen the dollar till finally fundamentals will catch up with it. In fact this process itself will stress the dollar fundamentals.

rahuldeodhar,

As noted in the letter, I don’t think anyone ‘knows’ how this is going to play out. But I do not believe markets know any more than you or I do. People are buying gold as part of the V-shaped recovery story, demand from China expectations, inflation expectations, and money chasing whatever is working right now. When the S&P made it’s high in 2007 was it ‘telling’ everyone that the credit crisis was over? Or the Nasdaq in 2000 was telling us the New Paradigm was real? If, as I think likely, the coming dip in the economy is deeper than expected, commodities are going to get hit, and maybe hard. If that occurs, what does that imply for inflation later next year? This is why I think technical analysis must be used in conjunction with fundamental analysis to first stay with a positive trend, but being able to observe when the trend is turning, especially if the coming turn down in commodities jives with the expected coming dip in the economy.

And you’re right, the euro is setting up for a large decline. Their banks are in worse shape than the banks in the US. Japan is a basket case, so the Yen is vulnerable too. A decline in the Euro and Yen will lift the dollar. Business Week asked this question on their cover, “What happens If the Dollar Crashes” with the words Dolalr Crashes in red. Just in case we didn’t get their verbal meaning. thanks for your comment.

Jim

I bought gold in January 09 (first time ever) because of the armagedon ($ crash scenario). It is pretty cheap insurance right now. I think more investors will have a part of their portfolio in this cheap insurance.

I appreciate your insights and evaluation and find one more scenario that is the only one that makes sense to me. Lets call it E for emerging markets are the only game in town. This scenario is that all this cheap money the fed is making available to the really smart Goldman traders is going to wherever there is a believable story that economic recovery is possible. After all emerging markets are where this rally started and are really bigger than the US stock rally. US stocks are just responding to that.

When reality hits about the overcapacity in China, and that no economy can replace the US (US consumer is not only in debt, undersaved but also aging with 80 million retiring soon) I think all the risk assets that have gone up nicely this year will come down, the dollar carry trade will unwind, and the dollar will go up until they start to print more dollars. Maybe Bernanke will take a trip to my birthplace of Argentina and learn from my cousins how to run the printing presses. That takes me back to gold. See why I think it is great insurance. I am no longer worried about the return on my money but the return of my money and I am no longer considering fiat currencies safe if there is no economic recovery.

Jan Chicago PMI manufacturing index was a better than expected 61.5 vs the consensus of 57.2, is up from 58.7 in Dec and is at the highest level since Nov '05. The key bright spot was the Employment component which rose to 59.8 from 47.6, to the most since Apr '05. New Orders rose 2 pts to 66.4 and Backlogs rose 2.3 pts to 54.3. Inventories rose by 10 pts to the highest since Aug '08 when it was last above 50. Bottom line, the number was solid and provides further evidence of the manufacturing contribution to GDP as inventories...

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