I've talked about this many times before but it looks like the US market is about to take a hit. Jay's already seen the writing on the wall and moved to protect his equity and gains from the last few years. I suspect those who invested over the last 3-5 years are at risk of losing all or part of their current valuations if this thing goes where I think it will go.

Housing "Recovery" Endgame Escalates

8 pages of mostly superficial advertorials. It's not a magazine it's a junk mail flyer amongst a sea of similar junk mail.

What are you trying to achieve Johnno?

I tend to think more in terms of speculating rather than investing. There are no safe or good places. Much of the sentiment within markets is about chasing what yield can be found with an emphasis on capital preservation. 

I think Abbot will favor the property market in general however Joyce is warning about a bubble forming which is contrary to his commentary over the last few years. In the main I think the unsophisticated investors will loose ground. Gains will be more about luck than anything else. Sydney is the only market worth considering. Has been for a while but that could all change if Australia starts to struggle. There's a huge amount of Chinese money flowing into Sydney and I can't see that changing anytime soon. The Chinese tend to buy where investors don't though and that complicates the decision process if you're trying to chase the segments of the market most likely to appreciate.

There are pro's and con's to holding PM's or PM miners through shares. It's just another investment that can be used in an overall strategy. 

BNP Warns Only 10% Chance That Abenomics "Ends Well"

Japan’s core CPI (which excludes perishables) surged 0.7% y/y in July, but the upturn is largely due to higher prices for energy that reflect rising import prices due the yen’s weakness. Despite global exuberance at Abe's "progress", BNP notes that there are still no signs of price growth for rent and service prices, factors behind Japan’s protracted deflation. Crucially, BNP believes that Abenomics could lead to four possible medium-term outcomes: (1) Continued deflation (35% probability), (2) Financial repression (40%), (3) High inflation (15%), and (4) Happy end to deflation via revived trend growth (10%).

Via BNP Paribas

Which is really no chance at all truth be told. I thought 10% was optimistic.

Had a family friend who died of cancer a few years back. Right up to 3 days before he died he believed he was getting better and was making plans for the future.

The collapse is happening as we speak. The reason it doesn't appear to be a collapse is you and many others think it has to happen quickly and all at once. It's also being masked by $85/mth in FED stimulus. Without SNAP cards there'd be 47 million Americans lined up at soup kitchens.

Dominica …. US$100k + exp. A little piece of paradise.

You might find this interesting..

http://www.economic-citizenship-programs.com/

Chinese money is flowing into property markets especially Sydney. It has been for a while but appears to be picking up of late. It's probably the single biggest force driving the market at the moment. Where the Chinese go is where you are likely to see the biggest gains. But beware. Capital flows go both ways. 

Foreign investors are virtually ignoring FIRB requirements and agents aren't interested in highlighting the abuses. If the govt ever decides to clamp down in this area (unlikely but not impossible) then valuations may take a hit. There is very little underpinning markets at the moment aside from foreign capital. Inflows may increase if international conditions worsen as capital flight looks for safety. The down side is that once that cycle is over there is a high probability of a market(s) retracing. 

That in mind suggests PI's should have a speculative facet to their investing mindset and strategies.

Had to laugh when I read this

BIS veteran says global credit excess worse than pre-Lehman

(Mr White, chairman of the OECD’s Economic Development and Review Committee.)

Mr White said the world has become addicted to easy money, with rates falling ever lower with each cycle and each crisis. There is little ammunition left if the system buckles again. “I don’t know what they will do: Abenomics for the world I suppose, but this is the last refuge of the scoundrel,” he said