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Gold and oil are very different in their investment characteristics since gold is purchased principally to hold as an inflation hedge and oil is purchased primarily for refinement into gasoline and other petroleum products. Typically, this makes oil much more subject to international political factors and global economic forces. However, Gold has taken a more [...]
One of the primary monetary news items to note as 2010 draws to a close is the announcement of more ‘quantitative easing’ by the Federal Reserve1. In plain terms, this means that the Fed will purchase treasuries on the open market. This will have the effect of artificially increasing demand for treasuries, which will push [...]
Atlanta represents an investment gem in the southeastern United States. It has spectacular economics from a development and employment perspective that make it a tremendous opportunity for income property investors. With a wide diversity of employers, many universities, and a vibrant cultural presence in the city, Atlanta has attracted a tremendous amount of in-migration from [...]
One of the important ratios to keep in mind when examining the equity markets is the gold price relative to the major stock market indexes. This provides a valuable insight into the extent to which market values reflect a real shift of sentiment toward equity value, versus the extent to which the value has lost [...]
One of the principal economic leading indicators for 2011 will be the movement of 10-year treasury rates. The reason for this is because 30-year fixed rate mortgages are indexed against the 10-year treasury, and interest rate movements have a dramatic impact on the affordability of homes. One of the significant problems faced by the government [...]
The Denver area has been a historically stable real estate market for both owners and investors. Market values experienced a downward correction following the financial crisis of 2008, showed signs of stabilization as 2009 transpired, but that stabilization was short-lived, as the market experienced volatility moving out of 2009 and into 2010. Currently, approximately 35% [...]
By now, most people have heard about the second round of “Quantitative Easing” being conducted by the Federal Reserve. In short, this means that the Fed will be purchasing treasury bills with freshly printed money to inject more cash into the monetary system. To date, most of this additional liquidity has been limited to banks [...]
Market values in Phoenix are currently at approximately the same level as in the year 2000. The market area experienced a tremendous run-up during the real estate bubble and a spectacular during the financial crisis. During 2010, the regression back to fundamentals continued in Phoenix. For people who bought at the wrong time, this value [...]
The general price level in 2010 relative to 2009 shows average price levels that are nearly flat. The reason for this trend is significant commodity price increases in 2007 and 2008 that collapsed after the global financial crisis. Much of the reason for the price volatility in commodities is leveraged buying and selling through hedge [...]
One of the most important concepts for investors to understand is that a dollar today is not the same as a dollar yesterday, and is not the same as a dollar tomorrow. Over time, inflation erodes the purchasing power of currency. This is critically important, because most people focus on the nominal change in the [...]
