Sign in
Sign in
Recover your password.
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Browsing Category
Markets
Builder News: Comstock defaults, NVR pulls offering
I have been so busy following the ongoing saga in financial services that I forgot to tell you about two Washington DC-area home builders in the news. Comstock, a privately-held developer, just defaulted on almost $100 million in debt. In…
The US dollar is on a tear
The U.S. Dollar is rising like I haven't seen for quite some time. Sterling, the Euro, the Australian Dollar and the Swiss Franc have all been plummeting against the dollar for the past two months, hitting multi-year lows.Below is a chart…
The TED spread is still too high
You would think that after the biggest bailout in financial history, one could breathe a sigh of relief. However, as I write this post, the markets are getting pummeled, financial stocks in particular. What is clear from the TED spread is…
The irony of falling prices and first-time homebuyers
When the housing mania was in full bloom, many first-time home buyers were understandably panicked about being locked out of home ownership and missing the boat to get onto the property ladder. This was the case in both the UK and in the…
The dollar rally spells trouble for some investors
It was about 4 weeks ago now that I said I thought the dollar rally was not a fundamental move, but a monster bear market rally which will end up hurting dollar shorts. Back then, the Euro was trading for 1.5164 dollars. Today, the Euro…
Home Equity Loans: Banks overzealous on cuts
When it comes to residential property in the US, banks were overzealous on the way up and now they are overzealous on the way down. You have probably heard that banks are cutting HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) like mad. Borrowers,…
Nationwide: UK house prices down 10.5%
House prices are falling at an ever faster rate in the UK, according to Nationwide's latest survey for August 2008. The Nationwide Index was down to 329.5 from 335.9 in July, a fall of 1.9%. The index is down 10.5% compared to August 2007,…
What happened to peak oil?
Up until two days ago oil was crashing down toward $110 a barrel as demand growth estimates have been clipped. So what happened to peak oil? Nothing happened; peak oil should still be a concern.
For a larger context on peak oil, see my…
The wisdom of crowds, the precision of models and going contrarian
I am a contrarian by nature. That has its pluses and minuses. As a contrarian, I am constantly thinking to myself, "but, is that really true?" As a result, I often find myself recognizing a trend before it catches on or standing…