Are We On The Brink Of A Retail Spending Boom?

Posted on by admin

Thanks, Old Man Winter. Consumers have already been in a sour mood, and you're not helping matters. Icy roads and bitter winds have left many people to stay at home -- and keep their cash in their pocket.

For companies that have been looking for signs that retail spending is finally ready to grow, this roadblock has been unwelcome. The bleak winter likely explains why retail spending on goods and services like cars, restaurants and gas stations slipped 0.4% in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the National Retail Federation.

Yet before you conclude that the era of robust consumer spending will never return, consider an interesting stat offered up by J.P. Morgan: In just the past two years, consumers' net worth has expanded by $13 trillion. Continue reading "Are We On The Brink Of A Retail Spending Boom?" →

What Separates The Winning Traders From The Losers?

Posted on by The INO.com Team

I want to talk to you today about a topic that I feel is the most important aspect of trading.

It's called "The Psychological Gap."

It's what separates the men from the boys... and the winning traders from the losers.

Warning:  Avoid the mistake of thinking this isn't important.

There's a big difference between fantasizing about trading and actually executing trades.

One person makes money while the other falls prey to limiting beliefs and fails to see a dime.

Having the right trading mindset is the key.

You might not know this because you're still committed to learning... Continue reading "What Separates The Winning Traders From The Losers?" →

Transcripts Show Fed Officials Easing Tension With Jokes

Posted on by The INO.com Team

By The Associated Press

In 2008, as they faced imploding financial markets and a staggering economy, Federal Reserve policymakers occasionally lightened their mood with references to Monty Python, "Desperate Housewives," "Star Wars" villains and plastic surgeons in San Francisco's East Bay.

They also sketched sometimes varying pictures of the financial crisis, with Janet Yellen, now the Fed chair, among those who most accurately grasped the depth of the crisis at hand.

The Fed on Friday released transcripts from its 14 policy meetings during 2008, six of them emergency conference calls. It was a frantic year in which officials rescued investment bank Bear Stearns, bailed out insurer American International Group and mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and allowed the venerable investment bank Lehman Brothers to fail in the biggest bankruptcy, in American history.

The documents offer some revealing behind-the-scenes looks at the Fed in action: Continue reading "Transcripts Show Fed Officials Easing Tension With Jokes" →

Weekly Futures Recap With Mike Seery

Posted on by The INO.com Team

We’ve asked Michael Seery of SEERYFUTURES.COM to give our INO readers a weekly recap of the Futures market. He has been Senior Analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.

Michael frequently appears on multiple business networks including Bloomberg news, Fox Business, CNBC Worldwide, CNN Business, and Bloomberg TV. He is also a guest on First Business, which is a national and internationally syndicated business show.

Gold Futures

Gold futures in the April contract rallied about $25 this week to close right near session highs this Friday afternoon in New York up $10 an ounce at 1,326 an ounce developing outstanding chart structure as I am still recommending long positions in gold as I think higher prices are ahead so place your stop at the 10 day low of about 1,262 an ounce which is still quite a distance away but this chart looks very solid to me & that stop will be raised next week just like it will in silver. It’s amazing what a couple of months can do as in 2013 everybody was bearish gold including myself and now in 2014 the tide turned to the upside. Continue reading "Weekly Futures Recap With Mike Seery" →