US Markets

DJIA9738.62chart+351.01
NASDAQ1874.74chart+30.49
S&P 5001040.39chart+37.04
2008-10-14 09:37

Intl. Markets

FTSE4473.17chart+216.27
DAX5337.75chart+275.30
Nikkei9447.57chart+1171.14
2008-10-14 09:22

Commodity Futures

Oil84.35chart+3.16
Gold844.15chart+0.00
Copper2.52chart+0.19
2008-10-14 08:38

Treasury Yield

13 Weeks0.35chart+0.14
5 Year3.01chart+0.25
10 Year4.02chart+0.16
2008-10-14 09:18

Exchange Rates

JPY102.67chart+0.00
EUR0.73chart+0.00
GBP0.57chart+0.00
2008-10-14 09:36

Author Archive

Dumb Investing: Investment Themes »

The recent pulldown in commodity prices has not convinced me to reduce allocation in gold/energy. Investors bought into the “demand destruction” theory while the US Dollar went up in response to problems in the European Union.  In herd-like fashion, hedge funds and institutions exited in tandem, triggering stop loss orders and heralding the “end of the commodities boom”.
I [...]

Gaming the System »

Hank Paulson should go back to trumpeting his “Strong Dollar Policy.” He recently made comments in London regarding stability in financial markets during market crashes.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson called for regulatory changes that would allow financial firms to fail without threatening market stability.
The Treasury chief also proposed potentially requiring the White House to sign [...]

Do Not Meddle in the Energy Markets »

Barack Obama proposed to have the government regulate energy markets. His argument is that the high price of oil is due to speculators.
While this would be “change,” it would be change of the wrong kind.
Obama should focus on basic economics: supply and demand. As hedge fund manager T. Boone Pickens has pointed out:
Speculators have nothing [...]

The Case for Gold [Part 2] »

Continuing “The Case for Gold” series here on Dumbagent, I’ve been researching junior mining companies that could potentially benefit from the rise in gold prices.
Please keep in mind that this is for informational purposes only. Junior gold miners carry with them high risks and are volatile in price movements. These companies are not for speculation.

The Case for Gold [Part 1] »

Ben Bernanke and his posse at the Federal Reserve have to choose between lessening the availability of liquidity to banks that desperately need it (raising rates) or giving them liquidity but risking inflation (doing nothing or lowering).
No matter what happens in the April meeting, inflation has already gotten out of control, and this can be [...]