Author Archive: Jeremy Parkinson

How To Find The Best Sector ETFs

How To Find The Best Sector ETFs

Finding the best ETFs is an increasingly difficult task with so many to choose from. How can you choose with so many available ETF’s? Why ETF Labels are Confusing There are at least 44 different Financials ETFs and at least 188 ETFs across all sectors. Do you need that many choices? How different can the […]
A Tale Of Two Economies – It Was The Better Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times

A Tale Of Two Economies – It Was The Better Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times

Guest Post by Paul Kasriel, The Econtrarian As quantitative easing comes to an end (apparently) by the Fed and is taken up by the European Central Bank (ECB), let’s compare the behavior of nominal domestic demand in each central bank’s economy and venture a reason for any differences. Plotted in Chart 1 are index values […]
Lower Oil Prices And The U.S. Economy

Lower Oil Prices And The U.S. Economy

For the last 4 years, the national average retail price of gasoline in the United States stayed within a range of $3.25-$4.00 a gallon. But that all changed this fall, with U.S. consumers now paying an average price of $2.82. Source: New Jersey Historical Gas Price Charts Provided by GasBuddy.com This usually is the time of year when gasoline prices […]
Employee Quits Are Up: Is It Time To Raise Wages?

Employee Quits Are Up: Is It Time To Raise Wages?

The number of employees quitting their jobs is the highest it has been since early 2008, when the recession was just getting started. The number of vacant jobs is the highest it has been since 2001. The unemployment rate continues to fall. Only one thing has not changed: wage inflation. Is it time for companies […]
Fear Of “Surge In Debt Defaults, Business Failures And Job Losses” Means Many More Chinese Rate Cuts

Fear Of “Surge In Debt Defaults, Business Failures And Job Losses” Means Many More Chinese Rate Cuts

If admitting you have a problem is the first step toward recovery, then China is making progress. The question is progress to what, because the generic answer, “another debt-fueled boom” is no longer applicable. Recall that as we noted here initially in the summer of 2013, the very reason why China finds itself in a reformist quandary […]
The Fed Concerned About “Importing” Disinflation

The Fed Concerned About “Importing” Disinflation

The latest Reuters poll is showing 24 out of 43 economists projecting the first rate hike in the U.S. by June of next year. The futures market is pricing lift-off by September. Citi’s latest analysis puts it in December. And all of these forecasts are running way behind the so-called Taylor Rule, which suggests that the Fed Funds […]
Oil Price Slide – No Good Way Out

Oil Price Slide – No Good Way Out

Written by Gail Tverberg, Our Finite World The world is in a dangerous place now. A large share of oil sellers need the revenue from oil sales. They have to continue producing regardless of how low oil prices go unless they are stopped by bankruptcy, revolution, or something else that gives them a very clear signal to stop. Producers […]
Startups Shine At Cleantech Open 2014 Global Forum

Startups Shine At Cleantech Open 2014 Global Forum

The Cleantech Open held its 2014 Global Forum on San Francisco’s Treasure Island and I had a first-hand view of the action.  My direct involvement this year culminated with the previous day’s final pitches and investor connect speed rounds at a Financial District hotel.  I stayed for the Global Forum because thought leaders invariably have […]
Last Week Support / Resistance Trades 23 November 2014 – EUR/USD, EUR/JPY

Last Week Support / Resistance Trades 23 November 2014 – EUR/USD, EUR/JPY

We had expected the level at 1.2557 might act as resistance as it had acted previously as both resistance and support. Note how these “flipping” levels can work really well. The H4 chart below shows how the price printed a bearish pin bar with a bounce off this level just before Monday’s London session, shown […]
Alipay And Taobao Expand In Australia, Helping Local Businesses Reach China

Alipay And Taobao Expand In Australia, Helping Local Businesses Reach China

Photo Credit: Shutterstock, Flags of China and Commonwealth of Australia   As a part of its global expansion, Alibaba (BABA) announced today that both its payment affiliate Alipay and Taobao marketplace are committed to bringing Australian products, brands and businesses closer to Chinese customers. This move is expected to boost Chinese consumption of Australian products […]