Leonard Melman: Are You Prepared for Hyperinflation?

The Gold Report: You recently told a crowd of investors at Prospectors Developer Association of Canada (PDAC) that precious metals are the best place to invest in an inflationary period. Why is that?

Leonard Melman: When prices are going up, you wouldn't want to be in housing stocks or auto financing, but you would certainly want to be in precious metals. You also might want to short the bond market. That is why you have to be aware of the direction of inflation. It is important to the concept of precious metals pricing. If you've been around for a few years, as I've been lucky enough to be, then you can easily recall a time when high inflation was the absolute key ingredient in massive previous bull markets. That is why I thoroughly look at what has led to past inflation and hyperinflation. I use four examples: the Roman Empire, the French Revolution in the late 1700s, the German hyperinflation in the 1920s and the recent catastrophe of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. I examine whether America and other countries in the world are perhaps following the same paths that led to those previous hyperinflations.

TGR: Do you think investors are going to see hyperinflation in the foreseeable future? Continue reading "Leonard Melman: Are You Prepared for Hyperinflation?"

5 Easy Tips for Picking Mutual Funds

In one our recent issues subscriber Jory G. sent us the following question:

“I have a 401(k) with my present employer that has a number of investment options, virtually all of which are mutual funds. Is it possible for Mr. Miller to address in a future letter what we might do to maximize growth or minimize loss in such programs? I realize there are many different 401(k) programs out there, but I just feel overwhelmed when trying to decide which of the funds provide the best growth/protection.”

As all of our readers know, I am neither licensed nor qualified to give personal investment advice. However, I can sure discuss mutual funds in general.

Jory, I would like to back up and start at the beginning. Continue reading "5 Easy Tips for Picking Mutual Funds"

Why The Market is Ripe for a MAJOR Shift

PIMCO CEO and all-round market egghead Mohamed El-Erian coined the term "The new normal" during the financial crisis of 2008.

El-Erian's new normal is defined by slow economic growth, persistent unemployment and an accommodative fiscal policy from global central banks and volatile markets.

This new normal results in meager bond yields of only 2% and a tepid return from equity investments. Up close, this seems like an accurate description of today's economy. But if you step back and look at the bigger picture, then maybe the new normal is just becoming the "old normal" again. Continue reading "Why The Market is Ripe for a MAJOR Shift"

Gold Chart of The Week

Each Week Longleaftrading.com will be providing us a chart of the week as analyzed by a member of their team. We hope that you enjoy and learn from this new feature.

Weekly Gold Report (March 4th through March 8th)

I don’t know about all of you, but if I never hear the term “sequester” for as long as I live, I will not complain!

As expected, the US Government did a fine job of hyping the event and waiting until the eleventh hour to make a decision. And as usual, no compromises were made and stock indexes barely flinched. In fact, most global markets seemed to be following scheduled news as if the “sequester” debate was not even an issue. Continue reading "Gold Chart of The Week"

Cash Alternatives: Making Money Work for You

Just what are "cash" and "cash options?" Some of us take those terms for granted, but after a recent article on sector allocation, one of our subscribers wrote in asking for clarification. Money Forever recommends holding approximately one-third of your portfolio in cash or cash options, but what does that really mean?

To clear up any confusion, "cash options" are not publicly traded options. "Cash alternative" is probably a more appropriate phrase.

I had a pleasant surprise over the holidays, as my own baby-boomer children struck up several kitchen-table discussions. They are wrestling with how to fund their children's college followed by their own sprint to the retirement finish line.

My daughter Dawn said it best: Continue reading "Cash Alternatives: Making Money Work for You"