United States

The US became an unsustainable service sector based economy from the 1970s onward when service sector employment diverged from manufacturing without a corresponding boost in productivity. Even Alan Greenspan has warned that America is "in trouble basically because productivity is dead in the water..." There are numerous reasons for this plunge in worker-productivity, from perverted inventives not to work to unintended consequences of monetary policy enabling zombies, but perhaps the most critical driver is exposed in the following dismal chart...

Now that there have been at least four documented close encounters between Russian fight jets and US ships and/or spy planes (including two barrel rolls) in the past two weeks, each of which has taken place in the immediate vicinity of Russia's borders (or above Russian naval bases), there have been two recurring questions: i) why does the US continue provoking Russia with its "fly-by" attempts, well aware what the Russian response would be and ii) if one simply ignores who was the instigator, why has Obama not contacted Putin to at least express indignation at these interceptions.

The biggest financial and geopolitical story from mid-April was Saudi Arabia's threat that should the US pass a bipartisan law which would take away immunity from foreign governments in cases arising from a "terrorist attack that kills an American on American soil" and specifically could hold the Saudi kingdom responsible for its role in the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, then the Saudis would retaliate by selling up to $750 billion in American assets. 

Authored by David Hay, via EvergreenGavekal.com,

"Low interest rates cause secular stagnation: they do not cure it.” -CHARLES GAVE

 

“Negative interest rates are the dumbest idea ever.” -JEFF GUNDLACH, the new “King of Bonds”

 

“Laugh but listen.” -WINSTON CHURCHILL, addressing the British House of Commons, warning it once again of the rising threat posed by Nazi Germany, to derisive laughter.

Submitted by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,

According to the World Economic Forum, the United States has achieved a new TOP 10 ranking. Tell us what we’ve won Bob:

“Coming in at #10 – the United States, at 104%, gets nothing but the privilege of being on the list of countries with the highest debt/GDP ratios.”