Independent thinking for complex markets and current events
Across the United States, the Transportation Security Administration is facing a staffing crisis so severe that entire airports may soon be unable to operate normally. Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl warned that smaller regional airports could be forced to close their security checkpoints entirely if officer absences continue. This is not speculation. It is …
Farmers are sounding the alarm. Fertilizer prices have jumped 77 percent in just twelve days of the Iran conflict. Thirty percent of global fertilizer flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Crops cannot grow without fertilizer. Corn, soy, wheat, and other essential crops are now at risk. Grocery bills are about to surge. Food shortages are …
Something uncomfortable is starting to show up across several economic headlines at the same time. Fuel prices are climbing again. According to data from AAA, the national average price of gasoline has surged to roughly $3.43 per gallon, after sitting around $2.97 just a week earlier. That is a jump of nearly 50 cents in …
Dubai’s image as a safe, tax-free haven is rocked by blasts from Iranian airstrikes The United Arab Emirates has sold itself to foreigners for years as a sunny, safe, tax-free oasis. That peaceful image was shattered Saturday as Iranian weaponry rained down on Dubai, setting fire to a five-star resort, threatening the world’s tallest building, …
Mark Cuban is right: Software is dead. There are 33 million companies in the US.99% of them have zero clue how to use AI. They don't need a "SaaS" subscription.They need a custom workforce. I’m 25. I’m building that workforce for $50/mo. – OpenClaw (Autonomous)– MiniMax… https://t.co/5ut5MkhVLh pic.twitter.com/CC6DaIcx2I — Ziwen (@ziwenxu_) February 16, 2026
The housing affordability crisis is forcing homebuilders to do something they’ve almost never done: slash prices on new homes more aggressively than homeowners are for their homes on the market. This is a first for the housing market in recent history, according to a Realtor.com report released Thursday. “The current housing market is entrenched in an affordability …
Let’s be honest.. The only thing this administration has kept their word on has been deportations. Everything is still unaffordable ( gaslit everyday & saying it’s a “hoax” ), gotten into countless wars ( none have ended ), bailing out foreign countries, none stop foreign aid,… https://t.co/JfNUVC61Jy — blake (@blakestonks) December 6, 2025 BESSENT: US …
Congressional Perks: Congress spends on pricey airfare, lodging and private jets. Members of Congress regularly commute between Washington, D.C., and their home districts with taxpayers paying the tab, but some choose to spend more than others – a few even charter private jets, an investigation by The Center Square found. When it came to charter …
The economy just got punched. $31 billion in tariffs hit in a single month. August didn’t end in prosperity or surplus. It ended in extraction. Every dollar was drained from consumers and corporations, funneled straight into the Treasury’s vault. The machinery of wealth didn’t grind forward, it was siphoned sideways. Importantly, tariffs are being paid …
Bernadette Spofforth lay in jail on a blue gym mattress in a daze, finding it difficult to move, even breathe. “I just closed down. But the other half of my brain went into Jack Reacher mode,” she said, referring to the fictional action hero. “Every single detail was in this very vivid, bright, sharp focus.” …
It’s clear the economy is slowing down badly and yet the market continues to hit new highs daily. Such a bizarre world. pic.twitter.com/0YaCw6mAGQ — QE Infinity (@StealthQE4) August 6, 2025 The U.S. economy is experiencing a noticeable slowdown in mid-2025, with sluggish domestic demand growth, muted job gains, and new tariff actions poised to impact …
The housing boom feels permanent until it isn’t. Case‑Shiller data showed home prices slowing again in May, with the 20-city index up just 2.3 % year-over-year and down 0.3 % from April. That marks one of only a few outright declines in modern memory, alongside 2008’s crash and 2022’s Fed tightening cycle ﹙raw data via Zillow and …
The housing market is showing clear signs of financial strain, particularly among first-time buyers who are facing mounting difficulties keeping up with mortgage and debt payments. The numbers point to deeper issues in affordability and financial sustainability, raising concerns about whether the current trajectory is setting up for broader instability. Recent data suggests that a …
In America today, a government worker can retire at age fifty and collect ninety percent of their base salary for life. This is not some rare fantasy. It is reality for many career federal, state, and local employees, especially those in law enforcement, fire departments, and political circles. Some do thirty years and walk away …
Meta is on fire. Up 25% since the start of the year, the stock is riding an unprecedented 20-day winning streak, leaving the rest of Big Tech in the dust. The secret? AI dominance, metaverse expansion, and a major hardware breakthrough. At $736.67 per share, Meta is now worth a staggering $1.87 trillion. The company’s …
Those who scream about fairness and socialism are the same ones quietly stacking millions while telling hardworking Americans they need to sacrifice more. Chuck Schumer—$81 million net worth, $13 million in 2024 alone. From what? Salary? Chuck Schumer's net worth is $81 million.He earned $13 million in 2024 according to Wealth Tax.Where did it come …
Seeing McDonalds and Starbucks struggle at the same time is a warning sign also. Last time that happened was 2008. — WarnTracker 2.0 (@j77324) December 20, 2024 McDonald's has laid off some workers in California. Lamb Weston, which 14% of their business comes from selling fries to McDonald's, reported terrible earnings today. pic.twitter.com/EH7FplOpb8 — WarnTracker …
by confoundedinterest17 CMBS delinquencies are on the rise. The delinquency rate for commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) tied to office properties reached 10.4 percent in November 2024, approaching the 10.7 percent peak reached during the 2008 financial crisis. The ascent is the fastest two-year increase on record, with rates climbing 8.8 percentage points since late 2022, …
US: Bank prime loans & NFIB short-term loan rates Soon to fall? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/SLE8afYmoM — Win Smart, CFA (@WinfieldSmart) October 9, 2024 “The most recent surveys by the NFIB show that business conditions are deteriorating quickly for smaller companies that create about 65% of the jobs in the US. I could show you a dozen …
“NEW – Two high-ranking officials from President Zelenskyy’s party in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukraine, are facing serious corruption allegations after nearly $6 million in cash was discovered in their homes. But we don’t have enough for hurricane Helene victims? The accused include the head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Center for Medical and Social Expertise and her …
by Mike Shedlock New home sales fell 4.7 percent in August but the supply of homes started homes and finished homes is the big story. Data from the Census Department, chart by Mish Let’s discuss the New Residential Sales report for August 2024. New Home Sales Details New Home Sales: Sales of new single-family houses in August …
Millions of American seniors are having a hard time affording their prescription medications, a new National Health Statistics report suggests. The study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that approximately 4% of those aged 65 and older can’t afford their prescription at all, and more than 3% of them skipped doses, …
by Michael When U.S. consumers are doing well, the U.S. economy does well. But of course the opposite is also true. When U.S. consumers are not doing well, the U.S. economy really suffers. The government has been trying really hard to put a happy face on things, but the truth is that the standard of …
South Florida faces a condo crisis as thousands of units flood the market, leading condo owners to sell due to rising costs.
JUST IN: More than 33% of US consumers are now worried about making ends meet over the next 6 months. This includes 30% of Americans earning $150,000 or more annually, according to the Fed survey of 5,000 respondents. Over the last 12 months, 43% of all surveyed consumers and… pic.twitter.com/fRqJlcbOUv — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) …
A recent report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies highlights an interesting paradox: while home prices soar and homeowners’ equity increases, many homeowners are still struggling with rising costs. Here are some key points: Equity Growth: The average homeowner’s equity has surged by $28,000 over the past year, reaching an average of about …
The impact of inflation has been particularly challenging for middle-class Americans. As prices surged, their income growth failed to keep pace, resulting in a strain on their ability to maintain their desired lifestyle. In fact, 72% of middle-income families now report that their earnings are falling behind the cost of living, up from 68% a year ago. Additionally, 74% say …
67% of middle-class Americans express concern that their income isn’t keeping pace with the rising cost of living. This situation has led to what JPMorgan analyst Matthew Boss calls a “selective recession.” While upper-income consumers fare better, lower-income Americans are struggling to make ends meet due to elevated prices and dwindling savings. The pressure persists as inflation continues, …
Amid rising financial pressures, a recent LendingTree study reveals that over 18 million Americans are living in homes that strain their budgets, highlighting a growing crisis of being house poor in high-cost states like California, Hawaii, and New York. House Poor Americans: A recent study by LendingTree revealed that more than 18 million Americans are living in …
