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U.S. household stock wealth at highest level since dotcom bubble

"Currently, according to Ned Davis Research, stocks represent 40% of total household financial assets, much higher than the 28.2% average allocation since 1951. There’s been only one other occasion since 1951 in which stock allocation was higher than it is today — at the top of the late 1990s internet bubble, when it rose to 47.5%. Every other major stock market top of the last seven decades, in contrast, occurred when households’ equity allocation was lower than today’s level. At the 2007 stock market top, for example, the allocation peaked at 37.1%."

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Stock Market’s New Threat Is Record Margin Debt

"In the U.S., margin debt is at more than three times the level recorded before the 2008 financial crisis began, and is even greater than its peak in 2000 before the dotcom crash, according to research released last week from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Journal indicates."

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Japanese debt-slavery: more dropping dead from overwork

"Japanese employees work significantly longer hours than their counterparts in the US, Britain and other developed countries. Japan’s employees used, on average, only 8.8 days of their annual leave in 2015, less than half their allowance, according to the health ministry. That compares with 100% in Hong Kong and 78% in Singapore."

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Signed as Law: California Will End Support for Most Federal Immigration Enforcement

SACRAMENTO (Oct. 5, 2017) – Yesterday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill to withdraw state resources from the enforcement of most federal immigration laws.  Once in effect on Jan. 1, 2018, the new law will likely have the effect of further nullifying those federal acts in practice. Introduced by Sen. President Kevin de Leon and…

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Spain suspends Catalan parliament, threatens ‘greater harm’

"The Madrid government has refused to rule out invoking article 155 of the constitution. The article, which has never been used, makes provision for the central government to step in and take control of an autonomous region if it 'does not fulfil the obligations imposed upon it by the constitution or other laws, or acts in a way that is seriously prejudicial to the general interest of Spain'."

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Now in Effect: Two Montana Laws Take on Warrantless Electronic Data Collection

HELENA, Mont. (Oct 5, 2017) – On Sunday, two Montana laws went into effect that work together to ban warrantless collection of cell phone data in most situations. These laws not only increase privacy protections in the state, they also hinder one practical impact of federal surveillance programs. Rep. Daniel Zolnikov sponsored both House Bill 147 (HB147)…

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