Rickards: A Geopolitical Earthquake

Authored by James Rickards via the Daily Reckoning,

Our specialty is forecasting. We use multiple branches of science in our predictive analytic models including complexity theory, behavioral psychology, Bayes Theorem, neural networks (a form of artificial intelligence or AI), inference, subject matter expertise and good old-fashioned intuition to arrive at the market and geopolitical predictions we offer our readers.

Our track record speaks for itself. We predicted Brexit when polls gave it only a 25% chance. We predicted Trump’s 2016 victory when polls gave it only a 5% chance. We were the only publication in the world to predict the exact number of Trump’s electoral votes in the 2024 election (312 votes; no one else predicted he would win all seven swing states). There are many other examples. Our forecasts on gold and silver prices are followed all over the world.

But science and applied mathematics are not the only ways to do forecasting. There’s ample room for imagination and creative fiction. In fact, all forms of forecasting are fiction because the events predicted haven’t happened yet. They only become “true” when the forecast plays out.

In this genre, you can think of Jules Verne, who wrote about Captain Nemo and the Nautilus in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869), decades before systems such as electric propulsion, long-duration submersion and life-support systems were used in submarines.

Another great science fiction writer is Arthur C. Clarke whose 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) described adventures in space that still have not been achieved but are being actively pursued by Elon Musk and others. The pseudonymous author Big Serge is a current master of this genre as it applies to military affairs and geopolitics.

Unlikely Scenarios (For Now)

With this as background, let’s jump into the creative end of the pool and offer some scenarios that are definitely fictional (as of now) and not hard forecasts (that’s for another time), but rather scenarios that if not likely are at least possible and worth your consideration. In some ways, the more unlikely the scenario the greater the impact on your portfolio if it does come to pass.

Trump has backed away from his threat to take Greenland by force if a deal could not be worked out with Denmark, which controls the territory today. But Trump is famously volatile and could reverse his views in a minute if the newly proposed framework for transferring Greenland to the U.S. on some basis yet to be announced falls through.

What if NATO members such as the UK, Denmark, France and Germany send their armed forces to defend Greenland? None of those powers are particularly strong and it’s unlikely they could muster more than two brigades for this purpose (about 5,000 troops in total).

Under the direction of U.S. NorthCom, with a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, cyber warfare, drones and elite airborne troops trained in Arctic warfare, the U.S. could put those NATO troops into full retreat with substantial casualties on their side in a day or two at the most.

The U.S. would gain Greenland, but the armed confrontation would be the end of NATO. That’s not necessarily a bad thing from the U.S. perspective. NATO members have not been paying anywhere near their share of the costs of military preparedness.

The War in Ukraine has shown that most NATO weapons, including Patriot anti-missile batteries, Abrams and Challenger tanks, HIMARS precision-guided artillery, Bradley fighting vehicles and cruise missiles are obsolete when up against Russian hypersonic missiles, drones, anti-missile defenses and GPS jamming techniques. NATO is probably falling apart anyway, but a debacle in Greenland would accelerate that ending.

The Great Powers Would Rule

Without NATO, the Baltic Republics could be rapidly invaded and annexed by Russia. They already have large Russian-speaking populations and were part of the former Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991. This annexation would be a tragedy for some but a homecoming for others.

The major NATO powers might form a new military alliance centered around France and its nuclear weapons. Yet, the U.S. would still have allies in Europe including Italy, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, the Slovak Republic, Poland and Greece.

These countries form a kind of wall between Russia and Western Europe. Europe could find itself cut off from Russian natural gas because of Ukraine and also cut off from U.S. natural gas because of the battle for Greenland.

With the U.S. controlling its own oil and that of Venezuela and Guyana, and Arab countries siding with the U.S., Western Europe could find itself with almost no energy supplies apart from its pathetic patchwork of windmills and solar farms and French nuclear reactors. Western European manufacturing would quickly grind to a halt.

With the U.S. grabbing Venezuela and Greenland and Russia helping itself to the Baltic Republics, China could decide that the time was ripe to seize Taiwan. The U.S. might allow this to happen on a view that its sphere of influence is the Western Hemisphere through the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

Of course, the U.S. would destroy Taiwan’s semiconductor fabrication and research facilities on its way out the door. The U.S. would rapidly expand its indigenous semiconductor manufacturing while mining the Western states of the U.S. and Greenland for rare earths.

Have you heard of the Chagos Islands? They’re an archipelago of seven atolls including more than 60 islands lying 300 miles south of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The Chagos are controlled by the UK as the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Except for their natural beauty, they would be unremarkable but for the fact that the Chagos includes the island of Diego Garcia, which houses a U.S. Naval Support Facility. That facility has been used to launch B-52, B-1 and B-2 bomber attacks throughout the Middle East including the Gulf War, the Global War on Terror and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the UK has agreed to cede the Chagos to the island nation of Mauritius, also in the Indian Ocean closer to Madagascar. The UK would take back a lease to Diego Garcia, but Mauritius would be sovereign. Trump has called the Chagos deal “stupid”. Would Trump take over the Chagos Islands to prevent the transfer to Mauritius? Possibly yes. That would be one more nail in the NATO coffin.

Japan sensing that its alliance with the U.S. might be on shaky ground could decide to build its own nuclear weapons to deter Chinese threats. Japan has long had this technology and engineering capability. Now it would decide that all bets are off and it needs to move as quickly as possible to become a nuclear military power.

In these scenarios, the Great Powers of Russia, China, the U.S. and possibly Japan would strike out on their own and seize as much adjacent territory as they could. The small powers like Greenland, Venezuela, the Baltic Republics and the Chagos Islands would be gobbled up. And the middle powers like the UK, France and Germany would watch helplessly as their assumptions about the shape of the world melted like ice cubes on a hot day.

Big Serge writes, “Our history is full of great wars which began in seemingly small places: the Lexington Common, Fort Sumter, an Archduke’s touring car in the back alleys of Sarajevo.” Could Greenland or Guyana or even the Chagos Islands be the next Sarajevo?

That may seem unlikely. But a look back at the last seven years that brought us COVID, twenty-million illegal immigrants, the War in Ukraine, a senile Biden, the War in Gaza, B-2 bombers over Iran, the seizure of Venezuela, two impeachments and the reelection of Donald Trump should teach us that the least likely scenarios happen with much greater frequency than conventional forecasts expect.

We will stick to our rigorous forecasting techniques. But we will also find a place for fictional scenarios of the kind described above. Fiction has a funny way of becoming fact.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 12:50

Kiev Left With Few Hours Of Power Per Day In Subzero Temps

Ukraine and Russia have just wrapped up a second round of US-mediated negotiations in Abu Dhabi, but overnight Ukrainian cities were hit with another massive aerial attack on the national power grid.

"Russia is carrying out another massive attack on the Ukrainian power grid facilities," grid operator Ukrenergo said on Saturday. "Due to the damage caused by the enemy, emergency outages have been applied in most regions."

via AFP

Ukrenergo said in its Telegram statement, "Currently, the attack is still ongoing. Restoration work will begin as soon as the security situation allows."

Dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones were unleashed, in what has become an almost nightly reality. Already rolling emergency blackouts have impacted towns and cities across Ukraine, but this fresh assault resulted in more blackouts.

According to some specifics in the NY Times:

The overnight strikes hit high-voltage transmission lines that are used to transmit electricity nationwide and that form the backbone of Ukraine’s power grid, as well as power plants and substations, said Denys Shmyhal, the country’s energy minister.

The damage prompted Kyiv to request emergency electricity assistance from Poland, Mr. Shmyhal said on social media. The strikes were the latest in a series of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure during a winter freeze.

Mr. Shmyhal said the bombardment on Saturday had forced operators at nuclear power plants to “unload” reactor units, meaning that workers reduced power output or shut down reactors as a precautionary measure when external electricity supplies became unstable.

Supplies were already in a dire situation after the even larger Feb. 3rd Russian attack on the energy grid.

At this point the capital area is expected to receive only four to six hours of electricity per day in February. Some residents are without heat and water, amid dangerously frigid temperatures, which in recent days have plunged down to -25°C (-13°F).

The European Union and NATO have been scrambling to come up with ways to both keep the lights on in Ukraine and defend its cities and vital infrastructure from being devastated by Russia.

Kyiv calls for Polish aid after 'massive' Russian attack on Ukraine power grid
➡️ https://t.co/dI7XMPCOKg pic.twitter.com/NHQCazQhgA

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) February 7, 2026

All of this is part of Moscow's attrition strategy, knowing it can outlast, out-gun, and out-manpower Ukraine. This is also about inflicting broader pain and suffering among the population, in hopes of destabilizing the Zelensky government enough to replace him.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 12:15

The Reflation Narrative

Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmnentAdvice.com,

The market got off to a strong start in 2026, with investors chasing industrials, materials, and commodity-related stocks as the reflation narrative gained traction. The “reflation narrative” is the belief that a range of policies will boost the rate of economic growth in the U.S. without triggering inflation. As I discussed at our recent 2026 Investment Summit, the markets are banking on the effects of the passage of the OBBBA, tax cuts, and deregulation to fuel earnings and profit growth in 2026.

Furthermore, the markets are focused on the Federal Reserve with expectations of further rate cuts and easing of monetary policy. All of these actions aim to increase consumption, investment, and employment, which in turn will increase wages and corporate revenues.

Over the last few months, the reflation narrative has re-emerged. After years of tightening by global central banks to tame post-pandemic inflation, the focus has started to shift. Inflation has moderated in the U.S., and growth remains positive, albeit soft in some sectors. Policymakers and market participants are watching for signs that rate cuts could soon be back on the table, particularly as employment softens.

Wall Street strategists and economists are optimistic. They argue that the worst of the inflation fight is over and believe central banks will continue to ease as economic growth stabilizes while inflation edges closer to its targets. In turn, they expect this will feed into earnings growth and a further expansion of profit margins.

The bull case for reflation is rooted in falling inflation, positive real wage growth, continued fiscal support, and a resilient labor market. These factors suggest that consumer demand will remain stable or even improve if borrowing costs fall. The combination of lower interest rates and improving consumption sets the stage for rising corporate revenues and higher stock market valuations.

Several recent data points support the reflation view:

• U.S. headline inflation dropped from 9.1% in mid-2022 to 2.7% by the end of 2025.

• Real wage growth has turned positive lifting household purchasing power.

• The unemployment rate remained close to 4%, signaling continued labor market strength.

• Fiscal policy remains expansive, with the U.S. running deficits near 6% of GDP.

• The Fed has stopped hiking and begun cutting rates.

If these trends hold, the reflation narrative gains credibility. However, there is also a risk that a resurgence of economic growth leads to inflation and interest rates rising, which could undermine an already overvalued market. In this post, we will examine the bull and bear cases for the reflation narrative and discuss how to navigate them.

Bull Case for Reflation and Growth

As noted above, the reflation narrative rests on three key arguments: the OBBBA impact, deregulation and reform, and rate cuts.

The byproduct of those impacts is that corporate earnings should accelerate. Analyst forecasts for S&P 500 earnings in 2026 are expected to increase by double digits for the bottom 493 stocks, which follows negative to muted growth in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Furthermore, the hope is that if inflation cools and input costs stabilize (i.e., reduced employment), companies may expand margins further, as noted above. Sectors such as technology, materials, industrials, and consumer discretionary should lead the way.

While the U.S. consumer remains resilient, credit card delinquencies are rising but still below historical peaks. Given that personal consumption accounts for nearly 70% of GDP, it is real disposable incomes that are the link to the growth story. The hope is that incomes will rise, even if employment declines, thanks to increases in productivity.

Lastly, fiscal spending continues at high levels. For now, deficit spending combined with private sector investment (i.e., data center buildout), supports the reflation narrative. In 2026

If these conditions persist, reflation becomes a self-reinforcing cycle.

Growth picks up => Earnings rise => Market valuations hold or expand.

In turn:

Investor sentiment improves => Asset prices rise => Wealth creation feeds consumption.

If the reflation narrative holds, leadership remains in cyclicals, industrials, financials, and materials. Technology can benefit too, especially from falling discount rates. As future cash flows are valued more attractively, growth stocks could continue to rally.

However, there is a fly in the ointment to be aware of.

Bear Case That Could Derail Reflation

If the reflation narrative comes to fruition, as expected, strong economic growth will require increased demand. That increased demand will be reflected in rising wages and higher commodity prices, which will translate into a rise in inflation. In other words, it is difficult to get “reflation” without also getting “inflation.”

For the markets, if inflation does not stay contained, the Fed may not ease as markets expect. In fact, rate cuts could be delayed or reversed, which would derail the reflation setup.

Key risks include:

• Services inflation remains sticky.

• Rent and shelter components lag and could re-accelerate.

• Oil prices rise on geopolitical shocks.

• Labor markets remain tight, which drives wage inflation.

If inflation expectations rise, bond yields would move higher. That would hurt valuations for both stocks and real estate. Higher long-term rates would tighten financial conditions and reduce the stimulus effect. For now, inflation expectations remain anchored to slower economic growth, but if that reverses, so should expectations.

Another major risk is global weakness. China’s economy remains fragile, characterized by low confidence and significant debt overhangs. Europe faces stagnant growth and energy insecurity. In the event of a global slowdown, which is a likely possibility, such a scenario would reduce demand for exports, lower corporate profits, and put pressure on U.S. manufacturing.

Furthermore, while the current debt and deficit levels are nowhere near a “crisis” level, they are at levels that reduce economic growth as non-productive debt diverts revenues from growth. As Stuart Sparks of Deutsche Bank noted previously:

“History teaches us that although investments in productive capacity can in principle raise potential growth and r* in such a way that the debt incurred to finance fiscal stimulus is paid down over time (r-g<0), it turns out that there is little evidence that it has ever been achieved in the past.

Rising federal debt as a percentage of GDP has historically been associated with declines in estimates of r* – the need to save to service debt depresses potential growth. The broad point is that aggressive spending is necessary, but not sufficient. Spending must be designed to raise productive capacity, potential growth, and r*. Absent true investment, public spending can lower r*, passively tightening for a fixed monetary stance.”

Of course, we would be remiss not to mention that stock market valuations remain elevated. The S&P 500 trades at a price-to-forward-earnings ratio of approximately 22x. At such levels, it is difficult not to question whether the reflation narrative has already been priced into the current market. If that is the case, and earnings disappoint, or rates remain high, a valuation correction could occur.

Given the bull and bear case for the reflation narrative, what should investors do?

Investor Tactics for an Uncertain Path

Our expectation is that we may see a mix of both scenarios in 2026. A bullish narrative in the first half, but disappointment during the second half. As such, investors should prepare for multiple scenarios. The key is to stay flexible and risk-aware. Tactical allocation can help manage through different macro regimes.

Recommended actions:

• Diversify across asset classes. Hold stocks, bonds, and cash.

• Within equities, favor companies with strong balance sheets and pricing power.

• Look at cyclical sectors for reflation exposure: financials, industrials, materials.

• Consider real assets as inflation hedges: REITs, infrastructure, and commodity funds.

• Use TIPS or inflation-protected bonds to guard against price spikes.

• Hold some short-term treasuries or high-quality bonds in case of slowdown.

Watch key data points:

• Inflation prints (CPI, PCE)

• Wage growth and employment trends

• Central bank communications

• Corporate earnings revisions

• Yield curve shape and credit spreads

Avoid over-concentration in momentum trades. If reflation falters, volatility will return quickly. Maintain liquidity to capitalize on market dislocations.

Conclusion

Reflation is a credible but fragile narrative. It depends on inflation falling, rates declining, and growth stabilizing. If these factors align, reflation can lift earnings and asset prices. But risks remain high. Inflation could return, geopolitics could worsen, or global demand could slip.

Investors must be cautious and prepared. Avoid betting on a single outcome. Manage risk, stay diversified, and follow the data. The path ahead is uncertain, but opportunities exist for those who stay alert and disciplined.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 11:40

Goldman Finds Consumer Trends Remain Solid Amid K-Shaped Economy Fears

Goldman analysts Scott Feiler and Eric Mihelc updated clients this week with the latest read on consumer health.

The key takeaway: spending trends remain resilient heading into spring, even as the K-shaped economy narrative dominates the news cycle and the Trump administration continues to push affordability measures.

"It seems like consumer trends are still solid. It's not a clean sweep, but we're seeing January growth as strong, or stronger than December for most companies we have heard from," Feiler said.

There was good news earlier this morning: University of Michigan consumer sentiment rose unexpectedly to a six-month high, driven largely by higher-income households benefiting from stock market gains. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a reading of 55, but the index came in at 57.3. The report also suggests that tariff-linked inflation fears have eased among Democratic-leaning respondents (read the report).

Back to Feiler's note, where the key takeaway is that consumption trends remain solid:

I wanted to briefly highlight the conversations we are having, inbounds we are getting from investors and stocks in focus on the back of these themes.

1. Health of the Consumer. Fine, Right?: It seems like consumer trends are still solid. It's not a clean sweep, but we're seeing January growth as strong, or stronger than December for most companies we have heard from.  Last night, COST beat January sales and saw a 50 bps acceleration vs December. BOOT guided last night and spoke to broad-based acceleration in January comp. CMG spoke to momentum in January. Importantly, Visa provided a table showing acceleration in January trends vs the last 3 months.  There are also expectations for very strong revenues later this morning from TPR, RL & EL.

Bottom-line, any challenges with the market are not a result of any change to consumption trends, which are generally strong.

2. Under The Hood: At this point, it's not a growth scare. Momentum trades & pockets of TMT are clearly the setter of price each day. Our generally US High Beta Momentum basket was -10% yesterday, its worst day since 2020 and 2nd worst day in the last 20 years. It's barely a blip on the long-term chart. The difference between this episode and others is most seem to be struggling to pinpoint the exact reason for why (i.e. positioning, technicals, capex surprises, commodities, software worries spreading, etc). It's not a consumer growth scare though.

3. Are Consumer Momentum Names Impacted?  The Consumer Momentum (high vs low) pair was "only" down -3.7% yesterday, so certainly an impact this week, but not as bad as at the TMT or market level.

4. Which Consumer Stocks Have Been Impacted to the Downside From the Momentum Factor?: The names that did come up in conversations as fitting this theme and seeing some relative weakness were CVNA, SN, ONON, AS, W, CELH, MNST & ROST (albeit small).

5. How are Consumer Investors Feeling?: Consumer Discretionary & Staples have both been substantial outperformers the last week and YTD (+600 bps), with the majority of that spread the last few days. Do investors seem happy about this? Feedback is not that positive, which is supported by outPB data. Why? A few of the pain points have been grocer outperformance, the move higher in WMT (shares short at 8 year highs), general staples strength, some underperformance in off-price and the choppiness in the cruise line pair trades.

6. GARP in Consumer? Expecting pushback here (given a debate about what's a "reasonable price"). There has been a clear move the last few days into GARP in the market. We can debate whether some of these valuations actually fit the theme but some of the names it has impacted the last few trading sessions are WMT, SBUX in consumer, while Pete Callahan (TMT) highlighted AAPL, DIS, MA, ADI in other sectors. Any good GARP ideas? Happy to discuss as that's where the search is for, based on feedback with all the other GS sector specialists.

7. Pressure Point Themes: Grocery outperformance, total staples outperformance vs most discretionary and cyclical pockets, momentum underperformance (of course), the lag (last week) in off-price and outperformance of Vegas-centric casinos.

8. Some Consumer Names in Focus:

• WMT to all-time highs TGT rally (covering or real buying?)

• SN weakness (just the momentum unwind? we think yes)

• SBUX small bounce back part of the hunt for GARP (many would disagree the valuation fits GARP)

• AS (part of the momentum factor, or something else?)

• CPRI (one of the most 2-way debated names and active trading stocks on our desk)

9. From PB – 1st Time Since Covid: Yesterday's moves severely impacted all equity strategies simultaneously, with more than two thirds of funds in each index down (GS PB data). The last time all three strategies were down more than 75 bps in a single day happened during the COVID sell-off.  Systematic L/S was down 76 bps yesterday, the worst day since 2nd October 2025 (still +2.5% YTD). Fundamental L/S down 84 bps (still +2.3% YTD).  Within this, TMT focused managers were down 278 bps on the day. Multi-Strats equity portfolios were down 190 bps, the worst day since 9th April 2025 (still +3.9% YTD).

10. This Table From Our Baskets Team Yesterday is Awesome, With Consumer a Standout:

Separate from Feiler's note, which presents no immediate alarm about the consumer, are the AI disruption risk and the software sell-off, which have dominated headlines this week.

Here's the latest from our market desk:

• What's Priced In? Goldman Says Tech Wreck Leaves Software 'Cheapest Since 2010'

• Goldman Calls The Bottom For The Historic Software Rout: Here's Why

• "Room For Relief": JPMorgan Traders See 'Rebound Possible' After Historic De-Grossing

Let's not forget that last month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promised consumers "substantial refunds" and bigger paychecks this spring as President Donald Trump's economic agenda begins to deliver results.

The looming threat for the consumer is still the K-shaped economy...

Professional subscribers can learn more about the consumer space on our new Marketdesk.ai portal​​​​.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 11:05

US Retains Right To 'Militarily Secure' Chagos Air Base, Trump Says

Authored by Evgenia Filimianova via The Epoch Times,

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 5  he retained the right to “militarily secure” the U.S.–UK Diego Garcia air base in the Chagos Islands, if future arrangements threatened American access.

Trump has criticized the UK’s decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it an “act of total weakness” last month. Under the agreement, signed in October 2025, the Diego Garcia military base would remain under UK control for at least 99 years, ensuring continued access for U.S. forces.

Trump said in a Feb. 5 post on Truth Social that he held “productive discussions” with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the issue.

“I understand that the deal Prime Minister Starmer has made, according to many, the best he could make,” he said. “However, if the lease deal, sometime in the future, ever falls apart, or anyone threatens or endangers U.S. operations and forces at our base, I retain the right to militarily secure and reinforce the American presence in Diego Garcia.”

The base is regarded by the United States as a critical hub for operations across the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indo-Pacific.

Trump cited its strategic location and “great importance” to the U.S. national security.

“We have the most powerful Military in the World. Our Military Operations, over the course of the last year, were successful because of the strength of our warfighters, modern capability of our equipment and, very importantly, the strategic location of our Military Bases for staging, and other reasons,” he said. “Let it be known that I will never allow our presence on a Base as important as this to ever be undermined or threatened by fake claims or environmental nonsense.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said in a Feb. 5 statement that Starmer and Trump “agreed on the importance of the deal to secure the joint UK-U.S. base on Diego Garcia, which remains vital to shared security interests.”

“The UK and US will continue to work closely on the implementation of the deal, they agreed,” the spokesperson added.

An undated photograph shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia. U.S. Navy via AP

Starmer said in January that the issue had been raised repeatedly with the White House and maintained that the Trump administration had already reviewed and supported the agreement at an agency level.

Legislation to implement the Chagos treaty is currently in the final stages of British parliamentary scrutiny, known as “ping pong,” as amendments are exchanged between the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The deal, which includes 3 billion pounds ($4 billion) to be paid by the UK to Mauritius over the term of the agreement, with an option for a 50-year extension, is opposed by a number of Conservative Party lawmakers.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch last month told lawmakers in Parliament that Starmer is “giving away” UK territory and paying 35 billion pounds ($47.5 billion) “for the privilege.”

“Donald Trump is right: Labour are betraying Britain by giving away the Chagos Islands. Keir Starmer is *paying* Mauritius £34bn to seize our sovereignty and make us a tenant in our own military base. He needs to end this self-sabotage,” Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said in a Jan. 20 post on X.

Addressing lawmakers during a debate in Parliament on Jan. 28, British Foreign Office Minister Seema Malhotra said that the treaty protected British and allied interests.

She said that the deal “guarantees full UK operational control of Diego Garcia for generations to come.”

Malhotra also said that the opposition’s cost estimates were “wildly exaggerated” and that government figures had been independently verified.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 10:30

Guac Relief: Avocado Prices Tumble Ahead Of Super Bowl

Guacamole, wings, pizza, chips, and beer dominate the typical Super Bowl menu, as the weekend becomes one of the world's highest food-consumption sporting events.

We have good news for consumers. First, as we reported earlier, PepsiCo announced it will slash prices by 15% on snack brands such as Lay's and Doritos.

The second piece of good news is on the avocado front. Prices in Mexico have plunged, down more than 19% from a year earlier as of the end of December.

Bloomberg reports a bumper Mexican harvest after heavy rainfall has driven record US imports ahead of the Super Bowl, pushing supplies higher while driving prices lower, a perfect mix for millennials in the K-shaped economy.

The US sources nearly 90% of its avocados from Mexico, mostly Hass, with current retail prices ranging from 70 cents to $1.50 each, well below Covid-era highs.

"That has never happened before," said Alvaro Luque, president and chief executive officer of Avocados from Mexico.

"Last year we had great rain, so the fruit not only was abundant, but the sizing of the fruit was very good," Luque added.

Demand has spiked from millennials and Gen Z, he said, as there is no real substitute for avocados: "If you want guacamole, there's only one option."

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 09:55



 

 

This week, I speak with Bob Moser, Owner, Principal and CEO at Prime Group. We discuss his early career in real estate,  and his current holdings. Our focus is on his investments in self-storage assets and why this non-traditional real estate was so essential to his investment strategy. We also discuss how interest rates and the change in homeowner age impact commercial real estate.

Moser’s initial commercial real estate investment experiences began in mobile and RV parks. During the Great Financial Crisis, he noticed that self-storage did not suffer the same declines the rest of the commercial real estate space went through. Soon after, he liquidated his non storage investments, and went all in on self-storage.

His favorite book is here; A transcript of our conversation is available here Tuesday.

You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.

Be sure to check out our Masters in Business next week with Heather & Doug Bonaparthe, a married couple who work together and wrote a book on the financial challenges couples face: “Money Together: How to find fairness in your relationship and become an unstoppable financial team.” Our discussion sits somewhere in between financial planning and couples therapy, built around real stories that try to help couples find a healthier approach to money.

 

 

 

Favorite Books

 

The post MiB: Bob Moser, Prime Group Founder and CEO  appeared first on The Big Picture.

Soros Praises Spain's Sánchez For Mass Amnesty Of 500,000 Illegals

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Alex Soros, son of billionaire George Soros, has lavished praise on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for granting legal status to up to 500,000 illegal migrants, stating that Sánchez shows “what real leadership looks like” by confronting issues with policies that are “both principled and pragmatic.”

Soros added, “We need more elected leaders like him!” This endorsement comes amid widespread backlash against Sánchez’s open-borders agenda, which critics slam as a betrayal of Spanish citizens.

In a post on X, Alex Soros highlighted Sánchez’s approach, quoting the prime minister’s own words: “They care for aging parents, work in small and large companies, and harvest the food on our tables. On weekends, they walk in our parks and play on the local amateur soccer team….”

Soros praised the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for granting legal status to 500,000 illegal aliens, says "we need more elected leaders like him" pic.twitter.com/5wHXPTJUHL

— Daily Romania (@daily_romania) February 6, 2026

The amnesty, implemented via a royal decree bypassing parliament, targets undocumented migrants who arrived before the end of 2025 and can prove at least five months of residence in Spain. 

As The New York Times reported , the Socialist-led government describes it as essential for Spain’s economy, where migrant labor supports agriculture and tourism.

Yet, this move has ignited fury across Spain, with opponents decrying it as an incentive for further illegal entries from North Africa and Latin America. 

As we detailed in our earlier coverage, Spaniards face the prospect of integrating another half-million migrants amid rising tensions and massive resource strains.

The timing of Soros’s praise is telling, as Sánchez’s regime grapples with corruption scandals and probes into his inner circle. 

Facing a firestorm of criticism on X, where users label the amnesty “treasonous,” the far-left government has threatened to “limit and likely ban” the platform entirely.

Sánchez himself, in addition to his underlings, has indicated a desire to ban X.

?? Spain's far-left PM Pedro Sánchez claims social media has become a “toxic, unpunished universe.”

“Do we want a technology that amplifies deception? A society in which a techno-oligarch can get into the phones of millions of citizens to tell them lies?” Sánchez said.

His… pic.twitter.com/RZDkJUcLbh

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 5, 2026

BREAKING: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez is attacking Elon Musk for the crime of sharing news of his decision to legalize 500k illegals to win elections and change the face of Europe. He’s now calling for censorship of X to silence criticism of his policies. pic.twitter.com/0toFoav1vN

— Ian Miles Cheong (@ianmiles) February 3, 2026

?? Spain’s Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz is continuing the campaign launched by far-left PM Pedro Sánchez against ?, Musk, and Trump, saying:

“I have left ?. Those who stay there are feeding the politics of hatred. We are not vassals of Elon Musk or Trump, and I… pic.twitter.com/L65kgF24as

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 6, 2026

This crackdown mirrors broader European efforts to stifle dissent, from French raids on X’s offices to EU fines under the Digital Services Act. Musk himself fired back at Sánchez, dubbing him “dirty Sanchez” in response to the censorship push.

Soros’s intervention underscores the globalist playbook: push mass migration to reshape demographics, then silence opposition through free speech restrictions. 

With Spain’s amnesty poised to exacerbate border chaos—echoing Angela Merkel’s 2015 disaster—Sánchez’s policies prioritize foreign arrivals over native Spaniards, fueling demands for accountability.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 09:20

The post Oren Cass Uses Good Economics in Attacking Finance in NYT appeared first on CEPR.

Year Two Of The Largest Ever Global LNG Supply Wave Is Hitting Markets

Roughly two and a half months after Goldman's head of Global Commodities Research, Samantha Dart, laid out a timeline for what she called the "largest ever" LNG supply wave to hit global markets, she published a new client note late this week reiterating that the "supply wave is still on track."

"2025 was year one of what we see as the largest ever global LNG supply wave, lasting seven years," Dart began the note, warning that "this wave is the main driver of a lengthy bearish cycle for European natural gas (TTF) and LNG (JKM), which we expect to bottom in 2028/29."

Dart forecasts that TTF and JKM will average below $5/mmBtu by the end of the decade, around 2028-29, compared with current TTF prices of around $41/mmBtu.

Here is Dart's update on the global LNG supply wave that is in year two, hitting markets:

We see realized 2025 and forecasted 2026 LNG supply largely in line with our previous expectations, despite the recent US disruptions and recent delays to liquefaction capacity starts. Specifically, 2025 global LNG supply averaged 431 mtpa, only marginally below our 433 mtpa expectation as of end-2024, as a large beat in the US (driven by larger-than-expected ramp up at Plaquemines) was ultimately offset by smaller misses across existing LNG producers. We see some of these misses, like for Algeria and Indonesia, as likely structural, owing partly to growing domestic energy demand, and we incorporate further supply losses (-1 mtpa in total initially, but building to -3 mtpa in 2028-2030[1]) in our forward balances.

Global LNG supply has started 2026 below our previous expectations driven by export capacity start delays in the US, Canada, Congo and Australia, though by 4Q26 we expect supply to largely catch up with our earlier numbers.

On net, we still expect 2025-to-2030 global LNG supply growth (+193 mtpa, 45% of 2025 global supply) to far exceed Asia demand growth (+144 mtpa), even taking into account our estimated demand response to low gas prices (>40 mtpa from China alone). We expect this oversupply to take European gas storage to congestion, particularly in 2028/29, leaving a temporary price-driven curtailment of US LNG exports as the likely solver of the imbalance in that period, in our view. We note that all but one of the supply projects in our balances through 2029 have already reached a Final Investment Decision (FID)[2].

The largest ever LNG supply wave is underway, and the early leadership is clear: U.S. capacity is ramping fastest and setting the tone for global balances.

Exhibit 18: The LNG supply wave has started.

Exhibit 12: Supply growth is being led by the U.S.

Exhibit 17: U.S. liquefaction start ups and ramp schedules, the core driver of incremental volumes.

Exhibit 3: Global LNG supply growth remains structurally above Asia demand growth, pushing the market toward a late decade pressure point. In 2028 to 2029, the implied balancing mechanism is supply curtailment, most likely via price driven reductions in US LNG exports as storage and logistics constraints tighten.

Professional subscribers can find out more about NatGas markets on our new Marketdesk.ai portal​​​​.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 07:35

Watch: Comedy Writer Testifies Before US Congress On UK's Chilling Free Speech Crackdown

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Graham Linehan, the Irish comedy writer, testified before the US House Judiciary Committee, detailing how Britain’s authorities hounded him over online posts challenging trans ideology—exposing the chilling grip of censorship under Keir Starmer’s government.

His appearance underscores America’s growing scrutiny of Europe’s speech-stifling laws, with Linehan urging lawmakers to push back against policies that silence women and crush free expression.

The hearing, titled “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation,” examined how regulations like the EU’s Digital Services Act and the UK’s Online Safety Act enable government overreach, forcing platforms to censor content globally and punishing dissenters. Chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan, it highlighted arrests for online speech, including Linehan’s own ordeal, as threats spilling over to US shores.

???British police arrested a non-UK citizen arriving from the United States for his online speech

Graham Linehan is an Irish comedy writer who tweeted jokes critical of transgender ideology while in the United States.

When he flew to London, Linehan was arrested at Heathrow… pic.twitter.com/p7vi5t7AOY

— House Judiciary GOP ?????? (@JudiciaryGOP) February 4, 2026

Linehan opened his testimony by recounting his shift from comedy to activism. “I spent 30 years writing comedy for British television. It was a career that I loved but it ended when I began noticing that women were losing their livelihoods, their social circles and even their freedom for defending rights won over 100 years ago by the suffragette movement,” he said.

He explained his views aligned with those facing backlash: “They believed as I do that single sex spaces are essential for women’s privacy, dignity and safety. They believed that children should not undergo experimental medical treatment that ravages their health and shortens their lives. They believe women have a right to fair sport.”

These stances, Linehan testified, made him a target. “For holding them I became the target of a series of harassment campaigns that cost me my career, my marriage and eventually drawn from my homeland.”

He detailed police involvement: “For a decade the British police have harassed me for expressing views that I don’t think in ten years not one person—not the police who arrested me and not the colleagues who condemned me or friends who turned away—has told any of us what we did wrong.”

Linehan stressed the ideological clash: “I want everyone to understand that gender ideology and free speech cannot coexist. You can hear the lie in the very language: trans woman meaning man, man meaning woman, health care opposite of health care. Men’s demands, ideology that tells lesbians they are bigoted for not accepting male partners is not progressive—it is homophobic.”

Bringing it stateside, he cited a US case: “Right now a man named Hobby Bingham who calls himself Princess Zoe Andromeda Love is a registered sex offender in this country. He raped a 12 year old girl, was transferred to the Washington Corrections centre where he raped a developmentally disabled female inmate. This is not happening in Britain—it’s here.”

Linehan called for action: “First, use every diplomatic lever you have to pressure the British government to implement its own Supreme Court ruling… Women just won a landmark case confirming that sex means biological sex… Please make sure to make it clear that America is watching.”

He continued, “Second, put pressure on the Irish government to reopen the conversation it never had in 2015… The Gender Recognition Act was quietly passed—no public consultation, referendum, no women’s rights organizations consulted.”

“Third, recognize free speech is not preserved simply by declining to arrest people,” Linehan urged, adding “We need new whistleblower protections for the digital age. If government will not defend dissenters from institutional retaliation and mob rule then what is the First Amendment for?”

This testimony stems from Linehan’s September 2025 arrest at Heathrow, where five armed officers detained him over three gender-critical tweets posted from the US. 

The incident spiked his blood pressure to stroke levels, landing him in hospital amid what he called a “persistent harassment campaign” by trans activists and police.

The testimony arrives amid escalating revelations about Britain’s free speech erosion. As we previously highlighted, some 10,000 arrests were made in 2024 for “grossly offensive” social media posts—30 per day—under vague communications laws, outpacing even Russia’s crackdown while real crimes like knife attacks and burglaries fester unsolved.

As we have also detailed, the Trump administration has offered asylum to UK “thought criminals,” including gender-critical activists.

Sources indicated the White House eyed protections for those prosecuted over silent protests or online dissent, influenced by Elon Musk’s highlighting of such cases.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 07:00

Peter Schiff: Printing Money Is Not the Cure for Cononavirus



In his most recent podcast, Peter Schiff talked about coronavirus and the impact that it is having on the markets. Earlier this month, Peter said he thought the virus was just an excuse for stock market woes. At the time he believed the market was poised to fall anyway. But as it turns out, coronavirus has actually helped the US stock market because it has led central banks to pump even more liquidity into the world financial system. All this means more liquidity — central banks easing. In fact, that is exactly what has already happened, except the new easing is taking place, for now, outside the United States, particularly in China.” Although the new money is primarily being created in China, it is flowing into dollars — the dollar index is up — and into US stocks. Last week, US stock markets once again made all-time record highs. In fact, I think but for the coronavirus, the US stock market would still be selling off. But because of the central bank stimulus that has been the result of fears over the coronavirus, that actually benefitted not only the US dollar, but the US stock market.” In the midst of all this, Peter raises a really good question. The primary economic concern is that coronavirus will slow down output and ultimately stunt economic growth. Practically speaking, the world would produce less stuff. If the virus continues to spread, there would be fewer goods and services produced in a market that is hunkered down. Why would the Federal Reserve respond, or why would any central bank respond to that by printing money? How does printing more money solve that problem? It doesn’t. In fact, it actually exacerbates it. But you know, everybody looks at central bankers as if they’ve got the solution to every problem. They don’t. They don’t have the magic wand. They just have a printing press. And all that creates is inflation.” Sometimes the illusion inflation creates can look like a magic wand. Printing money can paper over problems. But none of this is going to fundamentally fix the economy. In fact, if central bankers were really going to do the right thing, the appropriate response would be to drain liquidity from the markets, not supply even more.” Peter explained how the Fed was originally intended to create an “elastic” money supply that would expand or contract along with economic output. Today, the money supply only goes in one direction — that’s up. The economy is strong, print money. The economy is weak, print even more money.” Of course, the asset that’s doing the best right now is gold. The yellow metal pushed above $1,600 yesterday. Gold is up 5.5% on the year in dollar terms and has set record highs in other currencies. Because gold is rising even in an environment where the dollar is strengthening against other fiat currencies, that shows you that there is an underlying weakness in the dollar that is right now not being reflected in the Forex markets, but is being reflected in the gold markets. Because after all, why are people buying gold more aggressively than they’re buying dollars or more aggressively than they’re buying US Treasuries? Because they know that things are not as good for the dollar or the US economy as everybody likes to believe. So, more people are seeking out refuge in a better safe-haven and that is gold.” Peter also talked about the debate between Trump and Obama over who gets credit for the booming economy – which of course, is not booming.

We are living in crazy times. I have a hard time believing that most of the general public is not awake, but in reality, they are. We've never seen anything like this; I mean not even under Obama during the worst part of the Great Recession." Now the Fed is desperately trying to keep interest rates from rising. The problem is that it's a much bigger debt bubble this time around , and the Fed is going to have to blow a lot more air into it to keep it inflated. The difference is this time it's not going to work." It looks like the Fed did another $104.15 billion of Not Q.E. in a single day. The Fed claims it's only temporary. But that is precisely what Bernanke claimed when the Fed started QE1. Milton Freedman once said, "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program." The same applies to Q.E., or whatever the Fed wants to pretend it's doing. Except this is not QE4, according to Powell. Right. Pumping so much money out, and they are accusing China of currency manipulation ? Wow! Seriously! Amazing! Dump the U.S. dollar while you still have a chance. Welcome to The Atlantis Report. And it is even worse than that, In addition to the $104.15 billion of "Not Q.E." this past Thursday; the FED added another $56.65 billion in liquidity to financial markets the next day on Friday. That's $160.8 billion in two days!!!! in just 48 hours. That is more than 2 TIMES the highest amount the FED has ever injected on a monthly basis under a Q.E. program (which was $80 billion per month) Since this isn't QE....it will be really scary on what they are going to call Q.E. Will it twice, three times, four times, five times what this injection per month ! It is going to be explosive since it takes about 60 to 90 days for prices to react to this, January should see significant inflation as prices soak up the excess liquidity. The question is, where will the inflation occur first . The spike in the repo rate might have a technical explanation: a misjudgment was made in the Fed's money market operations. Even so, two conclusions can be drawn: managing the money markets is becoming harder, and from now on, banks will be studying each other's creditworthiness to a greater degree than before. Those people, who struggle with the minutiae of money markets, and that includes most professionals, should focus on the causes and not the symptoms. Financial markets have recovered from each downturn since 1980 because interest rates have been cut to new lows. Post-2008, they were cut to near zero or below zero in all major economies. In response to a new financial crisis, they cannot go any lower. Central banks will look for new ways to replicate or broaden Q.E. (At some point, governments will simply see repression as an easier option). Then there is the problem of 'risk-free' assets becoming risky assets. Financial markets assume that the probability of major governments such as the U.S. or U.K. defaulting is zero. These governments are entering the next downturn with debt roughly twice the levels proportionate to GDP that was seen in 2008. The belief that the policy worked was completely predicated on the fact that it was temporary and that it was reversible, that the Fed was going to be able to normalize interest rates and shrink its balance sheet back down to pre-crisis levels. Well, when the balance sheet is five-trillion, six-trillion, seven-trillion when we're back at zero, when we're back in a recession, nobody is going to believe it is temporary. Nobody is going to believe that the Fed has this under control, that they can reverse this policy. And the dollar is going to crash. And when the dollar crashes, it's going to take the bond market with it, and we're going to have stagflation. We're going to have a deep recession with rising interest rates, and this whole thing is going to come imploding down. everything is temporary with the fed including remaining off the gold standard temporary in the Fed's eyes could mean at least 50 years This liquidity problem is a signal that trading desks are loaded up on inventory and can't get rid of it. Repo is done out of a need for cash. If you own all of your securities (i.e., a long-only, no leverage mutual fund) you have no need to "repo" your securities - you're earning interest every night so why would you want to 'repo' your securities where you are paying interest for that overnight loan (securities lending is another animal). So, it is those that 'lever-up' and need the cash for settlement purposes on securities they've bought with borrowed money that needs to utilize the repo desk. With this in mind, as we continue to see this need to obtain cash (again, needed to settle other securities purchases), it shows these firms don't have the capital to add more inventory to, what appears to be, a bloated inventory. Now comes the fun part: the Treasury is about to auction 3's, 10's, and 30-year bonds. If I am correct (again, I could be wrong), the Fed realizes securities firms don't have the shelf space to take down a good portion of these auctions. If there isn't enough retail/institutional demand, it will lead to not only a crappy sale but major concerns to the street that there is now no backstop, at all, to any sell-off. At which point, everyone will want to be the first one through the door and sell immediately, but to whom? If there isn't enough liquidity in the repo market to finance their positions, the firms would be unable to increase their inventory. We all saw repo shut down on the 2008 crisis. Wall St runs on money. . OVERNIGHT money. They lever up to inventory securities for trading. If they can't get overnight money, they can't purchase securities. And if they can't unload what they have, it means the buy-side isn't taking on more either. Accounts settle overnight. This includes things like payrolls and bill pay settlements. If a bank doesn't have enough cash to payout what its customers need to pay out, it borrows. At least one and probably more than one banks are insolvent. That's what's going on. First, it can't be one or two banks that are short. They'd simply call around until they found someone to lend. But they did that, and even at markedly elevated rates, still, NO ONE would lend them the money. That tells me that it's not a problem of a couple of borrowers, it's a problem of no lenders. And that means that there's no bank in the world left with any real liquidity. They are ALL maxed out. But as bad as that is, and that alone could be catastrophic, what it really signals is even worse. The lending rates are just the flip side of the coin of the value of the assets lent against. If the rates go up, the value goes down. And with rates spiking to 10%, how far does the value fall? Enormously! And if banks had to actually mark down the value of the assets to reflect 10% interest rates, then my god, every bank in the world is insolvent overnight. Everyone's capital ratios are in the toilet, and they'd have to liquidate. We're talking about the simultaneous insolvency of every bank on the planet. Bank runs. No money in ATMs, Branches closed. Safe deposit boxes confiscated. The whole nine yards, It's actually here. The scenario has tended to guide toward for years and years is actually happening RIGHT NOW! And people are still trying to say it's under control. Every bank in the world is currently insolvent. The only thing keeping it going is printing billions of dollars every day. Financial Armageddon isn't some far off future risk. It's here. Prepare accordingly. This fiat system has reached the end of the line, and it's not correct that fiat currencies fail by design. The problem is corruption and manipulation. It is corruption and cheating that erodes trust and faith until the entire system becomes a gigantic fraud. Banks and governments everywhere ARE the problem and simply have to be removed. They have lost all trust and respect, and all they have left is war and mayhem. As long as we continue to have a majority of braindead asleep imbeciles following orders from these psychopaths, nothing will change. Fiat currency is not just thievery. Fiat currency is SLAVERY. Ultimately the most harmful effect of using debt of undefined value as money (i.e., fiat currencies) is the de facto legalization of a caste system based on voluntary slavery. The bankers have a charter, or the legal *right*, to create money out of nothing. You, you don't. Therefore you and the bankers do not have the same standing before the law. The law of the land says that you will go to jail if you do the same thing (creating money out of thin air) that the banker does in full legality. You and the banker are not equal before the law. ALL the countries of the world; Islamic or secular, Jewish or Arab, democracy or dictatorship; all of them place the bankers ABOVE you. And all of you accept that only whining about fiat money going down in exchange value over time (price inflation which is not the same as monetary inflation). Actually, price inflation itself is mainly due to the greed and stupidity of the bankers who could keep fiat money's exchange value reasonably stable, only if they wanted to. Witness the crash of silver and gold prices which the bankers of the world; Russian, American, Chinese, Jewish, Indian, Arab, all of them collaborated to engineer through the suppression and stagnation of precious metals' prices to levels around the metals' production costs, or what it costs to dig gold and silver out of the ground. The bankers of the world could also collaborate to keep nominal prices steady (as they do in the case of the suppression of precious metals prices). After all, the ability to create fiat money and force its usage is a far more excellent source of power and wealth than that which is afforded simply by stealing it through inflation. The bankers' greed and stupidity blind them to this fact. They want it all, and they want it now. In conclusion, The bankers can create money out of nothing and buy your goods and services with this worthless fiat money, effectively for free. You, you can't. You, you have to lead miserable existences for the most of you and WORK in order to obtain that effectively nonexistent, worthless credit money (whose purchasing/exchange value is not even DEFINED thus rendering all contracts based on the null and void!) that the banker effortlessly creates out of thin air with a few strokes of the computer keyboard, and which he doesn't even bother to print on paper anymore, electing to keep it in its pure quantum uncertain form instead, as electrons whizzing about inside computer chips which will become mute and turn silent refusing to tell you how many fiat dollars or euros there are in which account, in the absence of electricity. No electricity, no fiat, nor crypto money. It would appear that trust is deteriorating as it did when Lehman blew up . Something really big happened that set off this chain reaction in the repo markets. Whatever that something is, we aren't be informed. They're trying to cover it up, paper it over with conjured cash injections, play it cool in front of the cameras while sweating profusely under the 5 thousands dollar suits. I'm guessing that the final high-speed plunge into global economic collapse has begun. All we see here is the ripples and whitewater churning the surface, but beneath the surface, there is an enormous beast thrashing desperately in its death throws. Now is probably the time to start tying up loose ends with the long-running prep projects, just saying. In other words, prepare accordingly, and Get your money out of the banks. I don't care if you don't believe me about Bitcoin. Get your money out of the banks. Don't keep any more money in a bank than you need to pay your bills and can afford to lose.











The Financial Armageddon Economic Collapse Blog tracks trends and forecasts , futurists , visionaries , free investigative journalists , researchers , Whistelblowers , truthers and many more













The Financial Armageddon Economic Collapse Blog tracks trends and forecasts , futurists , visionaries , free investigative journalists , researchers , Whistelblowers , truthers and many more

The FBI released a summary of its file from the Hillary Clinton email investigation on Friday, showing details of Clinton's explanation of her use of a private email server to handle classified communications. The release comes nearly two months after FBI Director James Comey announced that although Clinton's handling of classified information was "extremely careless," it did not rise to the level of a prosecutable offense. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the next day that she would not pursue charges in the matter. "We are making these materials available to the public in the interest of transparency and in response to numerous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests," the FBI noted in a statement sent to reporters with links to the documents. The documents include notes from Clinton's July 2 interview with agents, as well as a "factual summary of the FBI's investigation into this matter," according to the FBI release. Throughout her interview with agents, Clinton repeatedly said she relied on the career professionals she worked with to handle classified information correctly. The agents asked about a series of specific emails, and in each case Clinton said she wasn't worried about the particular material being discussed on a nonclassified channel.