Central Bank of Nigeria Bolsters Cryptocurrency Ban, Enthusiasm Endures

Google Trends for Bitcoin in Nigeria

“…the CBN [ Central Bank of Nigeria ] has no comfort in cryptocurrencies at this time and will continue to do all within its regulatory powers to educate Nigerians to desist from its use and protect our financial system from activities of fraudsters and speculators..” The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), “Response to Regulatory Directive … Read more

FANG Without A Bite: A Market With A Bullish Divergence and Still Not Oversold – Above the 40 (June 3, 2019)

AT40 = 24.1% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) AT200 = 37.9% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 18.9Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary “The stock market might turn at lower levels.” Jim Cramer, CNBC’s Mad Money, June 3, 2019 This truism is a bit silly, … Read more

The Federal Reserve Finally Tries to Fight A Bubble…In the Price of Farmland

(Originally published in Inflation Watch) Under Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve was known to stand on the sidelines while bubbles in asset prices grew and grew. Greenspan had a lot more faith in the Federal Reserve’s ability to mop up the subsequent mess caused by a bubble’s collapse than in its ability to stop a … Read more

As America Invests In Its Grid Modernization, You Can Too

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) On October 5, 2011, the Obama administration announced the launch of pilot projects for grid modernization. This news comes as a welcome relief to the constant drumbeat of recessionary fears. This news also suggests that … Read more

The (Limited?) Opportunity for Regulatory Renewal

The never-ending debate about government regulations has recently inherited an intriguing level of urgency with the economy stalled and both major political parties targeting regulations as potential impediments to growth. The Obama administration announced plans to remove regulations that it estimated would save businesses $5 billion over five years. In an all too predictable partisan … Read more

“Collateral Damaged” Tackles America’s Addiction to Debt and Credit

“Collateral Damaged: The Marketing of Consumer Debt to America” by Charles R. Geisst is a detailed and captivating examination of the history and growth of consumer debt in America. The book scrutinizes the political, cultural, social, and financial forces that converged to inflate America’s tremendous bubble in consumer credit. Geisst reaches all the way back … Read more