By Louis James, Casey International Speculator It’s understandable that people want to know where the precious metals market is headed next. And not just because big fluctuations can be nerve-wracking, but because it makes a big difference how you’d invest today if, for instance, you think there’s a big correction ahead (save cash to buy cheaper)...

Fallond Stock Picks Stuck with a bit of a head cold, but more importantly – temporarily “homeless” as we seek a new rental. Not a whole lot of choice in our area suitable for two young whipper-snappers! Because of this, likely will be post-light until next week and will play it by ear from then. Market was a smidgen more volatile...

From the desk of John Thomas The Mad Hedge Fund Trader Friday, April 8, 2010 Take a Look at Occidental Petroleum (OXY). As a follow up to my trade alert for Macro Millionaires to buy the double leveraged oil major ETF (DIG), I thought you’d like to know what my second choice was. There are a lot of belles...

A Casey Report interview with Dr. Andrew Bogan Dr.Andrew Bogan is a managing member of Bogan Associates, LLC in Boston, Massachusetts. He has spoken at many international investor conferences – his specialty being global equity investing – and has been interviewed on live television for CNBC’s Strategy Session. In an attempt to understand...

From the desk of John Thomas The Mad Hedge Fund Trader Thursday, April 7, 2010 An Evening With the Chinese Intelligence Service. I normally avoid the diplomatic circuit, as the few non committal comments and soggy appetizers I get aren’t worth the investment of time. But I jumped at the chance to celebrate...

Tim Iacono In this item at Baseline Scenario, Simon Johnson looks at how small businesses are fighting back against big bankers in their efforts to kill one of the key parts of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation – exorbitant “swipe fees” for debit cards by big banks. As a lobby group, the largest U.S. banks have been dominant throughout...

By Jeff Clark, BIG GOLD It’s no secret that the silver market is red hot. As I write, silver American Eagles and Canadian Maple Leafs are sold out at their respective mints. Buying in India has gone through the roof, especially noteworthy among a people with a strong historical preference for gold. Demand in China continues unabated. Silver stocks...

by Tyler Durden Marc Chandler, head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers, shares Zero Hedge’s healthy dose of skepticism over two things: the pace of tightening in Europe, which the market is now taking for granted (the EURUSD hit 1.4315 earlier following rumors of Petrodollars now being recycled by purchasing European currency, not dollars:...

Fallond Picks Markets experienced a third day of indecision, leaving things much as they were yesterday. The S&P has an inside day doji with modestly higher volume (although volume well below that of late March and early April). Natural play is to trade break of 3-day high/low with a stop on the flip side of the break. ($SPX) via StockCharts.com The...

Scott Redler of T3Live While we have seen great sector rotation during this bounce over the past few weeks, one group we have not seen participate is the banks. The group has continued to cope with the uncertainty of new financial regulations, and each time they seem poised to break out they are reeled back in. However, it pays to watch some things...

Tim Iacono Not having looked closely at either of the proposed budgets for the decade ahead, no keen insights will be offered as to the merits of either President Obama’s plan or the one offered yesterday by Rep. Paul Ryan, but, as shown below from this story over at the Cato@Liberty blog, either way, we’re looking at government spending of $5...

Tim Iacono Here’s that Bloomberg interview from late last week with Marc Faber in which the Gloom, Boom, and Doom publisher ruminates on the future course of Fed policy as it relates to the stock market. Skip to about the 3:45 mark to hear, “My view is that they will do QE3, QE4, QE5 until QE26 – until the whole system breaks down”. What’s...

There wasn’t a whole lot going on in lead indices. The S&P finished with a low volume doji which could offer a swing trade opportunity on break of high/low (stop on the flip side). Technicals are bullish and rising, so the expectation is for a break to the upside. But a double top can’t be ruled out either – for this to confirm...

by Karl Denninger After a consolidation process that took up most of the 1990s, the United States went through a substantial fiscal deterioration since 2001 as a result of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, the expansion of Medicare and the rapid increase of per-capital healthcare costs. The “consolidation” in the 1990s? Where was the “consolidation”...

by Tyler Durden Anyone remember the scaremongering tactics used by the kleptocracy when TARP was passed and when the Fed tried to hide its discount window borrowings (oh yes, the market really plunged on Thursday)? If not, here is a reminder, courtesy of a letter just released by the boy who not only cried wolf on so many different occasions, but...