Much ado has been made about the European Union enacting a partial (90%) ban on Russian oil. I have written in the past about how sanctions have quite failed to cripple the Russian economy, but have contributed significantly to debilitating inflation and supply chain issues in the west. (I am certainly not opposed to sanctions, … Continue reading How the Russian oil ban charade is contributing to inflation →

I realize my blog posts are getting rather... dark... lately. I wish I could talk myself into a contrarian worldview on the economy, because I love bargain-hunting during financial pukes. I just don't see the path there right now. And I am not sure how many investors are willing to get into the business of … Continue reading Electric utilities will be an even bigger mess than usual out west this summer →

Here is a chart from geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan providing a useful overview of the global market for oil and its physical and political vulnerabilities. It's somewhat dated, but still good. Analysts at JP Morgan say they expect the average price of gas nationally to hit $6 by the end of summer. This week it … Continue reading Understanding the market for oil →

Here's a lesson in why people like Elizabeth Warren and Robert Reich are cranks on inflation and the profitability of corporations. So Walmart's stock is tanking today. Last I checked, it was down 9%. If these greedy corporations have been so proficient at gouging their customers, why aren't investors scrambling to own shares? What an … Continue reading Walmart’s earnings – a lesson on the difference between profits and profit margins →

I have seen a lot of people online puzzling about retail sales. Despite inflation being at a 40-year high, consumer spending does seem to be holding up. How can that be? Also, with so many economists and business leaders suggesting that we are headed into a recession, why aren't people cutting back on spending? One … Continue reading It’s all going on credit cards →