Middle Class Dismissed

Dow hits 15000, but percentage of Americans owning stocks hits a low

"Although the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed for the first time above 15000 Tuesday, a new poll finds that the percentage of Americans who own stocks stands at a 15-year low point. Barely half of Americans, 52 percent, now say they own stock outright or as part of a mutual fund or self-directed retirement account, the polling group Gallup reported Wednesday. The level has been falling for six straight annual surveys, even though US stocks have more than doubled in value since hitting a recession low point in 2009. The decline in stock investing has been largest among middle-aged and middle-income Americans, the poll found." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDow hits 15000, but percentage of Americans owning stocks hits a low

Bill Bonner: Buffett is frightened

"Investors have reached a new level of bullishness. They're borrowing again to buy stocks, confident that prices go in only one direction. There's also a swift current of economic analysis telling us that the commodities boom is over, the Fed has the situation under control and the bull market in gold is finished. All of which is amazing and often breathtaking. Stock market investors don't seem to know or care that the only thing holding up their investments is something that will ultimately destroy them. And that the longer it continues, the bigger the mess when it finally blows up. We're talking, of course, about the Fed's monetary policy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBill Bonner: Buffett is frightened

Glenn Greenwald: U.S. oligarchs focused on military and surveillance state to put down unrest

“You can do one of two things in response to that discontent: You can try to placate it, whether symbolically placate it or substantively placate it so you avoid that kind of extreme income disparity… [and] even things out a just little bit more, however much you need to calm people down; or you consolidate your own power so that even if people become discontent, there’s nothing they can do to you because you’ve created this massive militarized state, this massive surveillance state. Our elite appears to be doing the later, and very little of the former, if any.” Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald: U.S. oligarchs focused on military and surveillance state to put down unrest

“Butt Out,” 60% of 18 to 34-Year Olds Tell Federal Government

"Despite a horrendous unemployment rate of 45% for this age group — almost as bad as Spain’s and Greece’s — about 60% of America’s young adults believe that the government should get out of their lives. Even more amazing, half believe that the government is not helping the economy. Two-thirds are favorable to entrepreneurship. These opinions were made clear in a recent poll sponsored by the Young America Foundation. Unfortunately, only 44% think that free markets are positive." Continue reading →

Continue Reading“Butt Out,” 60% of 18 to 34-Year Olds Tell Federal Government

The Pension Rate-of-Return Fantasy

"In June of 2012, Calpers lowered the expected rate of return on its portfolio to 7.5% from 7.75%. Calpers had last dropped the rate in 2004, from 8.25%. But even the 7.5% return is fiction. Wall Street would laugh if the matter weren't so serious. And the trouble is not just in California. Public-pension funds in Illinois use an average of 8.18% expected returns. The 100 top U.S. public companies with defined benefit pension assets of $1.3 trillion have an average expected rate of return of 7.5%. Three of them are over 9%. (Since 2000, these assets have returned 5.6%.) Who wouldn't want 7.5%-8% returns these days? Ten-year U.S. Treasury bonds are paying 1.74%." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Pension Rate-of-Return Fantasy

Moody’s: ‘Strategic Default’ Viewed as Less Taboo by Cities

"The number of defaults from U.S. municipal issuers rated by Moody’s Investors Service has more than tripled to 4.6 per year since 2007, showing willingness to pay can’t be taken for granted, the company said in a report. Five municipalities rated by Moody’s defaulted last year, including Stockton, California, which became the biggest U.S. city to seek Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in June. Wenatchee, Washington, failed to honor a guarantee on an interest payment for a sports arena. The figure doesn’t include issuers such as Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, which 'selectively defaulted' on contingent liabilities, the report said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMoody’s: ‘Strategic Default’ Viewed as Less Taboo by Cities

Bank deposits of over €100,000 may be at permanent risk in Europe

"Deposits of over €100,000 are likely to be hit in the event of future European bank collapses, according to a proposal put forward by the Irish presidency of the European Council ahead of a key meeting of finance ministers next week. Discussions on the controversial bank resolution regime, which is likely to see savers with deposits over €100,000 'bailed in' as part of future bank wind-downs, are due to intensify this week in Brussels, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, which will be chaired by Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBank deposits of over €100,000 may be at permanent risk in Europe

Colleges In U.S. Offer Highest-Ever Discount to Entice Students

"Private nonprofit colleges are offering students tuition discounts of 45 percent, on average, in response to a changing financial environment that stems from the weak economic recovery. Price reductions, designed to boost attendance, were at an all-time high in 2012 and outpaced the rate during the recession, according to a study of 383 private-nonprofit four- year schools. The reduction in tuition revenue comes at a bad time for colleges, as the number of U.S. high-school graduates is expected to decline through the rest of the decade, according to a report released in January by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingColleges In U.S. Offer Highest-Ever Discount to Entice Students

Young people are three times as likely to be unemployed in global economy

"Global youth unemployment has risen to close to its crisis peak and will climb higher as the economic recovery falters, a report by a UN agency has warned. The International Labour Office said the youth unemployment rate had been falling since hitting 12.7% in 2009, but this year had climbed again to stand at 12.6%. The rate is forecast to reach 12.8% by 2018. The ILO paints a grim picture for school leavers and graduates across large parts of the world, saying young people continue to be almost three times more likely than adults to be unemployed." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingYoung people are three times as likely to be unemployed in global economy