The New York Federal Reserve’s latest household‑debt report shows U.S. credit‑card balances climbing to a record $1.3 trillion in the fourth quarter, while the number of open accounts also hit an all‑time high. The surge reflects persistent consumer spending despite elevated inflation and tighter credit conditions. Mortgage and auto‑loan growth slowed, leaving revolving credit as the primary driver of household debt expansion. Analysts warn that the mounting balances could strain finances as interest rates rise.

The episode reviews the afternoon market dynamics for corn, soybeans, wheat, and livestock futures, noting a shift from steady to lower overnight prices before a positive day‑trade bounce driven by soy meal and oil strength and weather concerns in South...

The U.S. private‑sector retirement system is witnessing a historic shift, with IRA balances now exceeding 401(k) assets by roughly $7 trillion. This migration moves workers’ savings out of the ERISA‑protected 401(k) framework into a less regulated IRA environment. IRAs lack the...

Buying silver bars online is presented as a practical way to add a tangible, low‑cost precious metal to a diversified portfolio. The article highlights that online bullion dealers offer broader product ranges, real‑time pricing and lower overhead, which translate into...

In this episode, the host reviews recent price movements in South African thermal and industrial coal, highlighting a notable price rally driven by strong demand from Indian sponge‑iron and cement producers. The discussion references insights from the McCloskey OPIS coal...

USD/JPY fell for a second day as Japan’s new lower‑house majority under Prime Minister Fumio Takaichi spurred a rally in Japanese equities and a shift of capital into the yen. The decline was amplified by weak U.S. retail‑sales data and...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted Brazil's new trade agreement with China that will use their own currencies instead of the U.S. dollar, signaling a shift toward a secondary, dollar‑independent global economy. He warned that as more nations transact...

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Employment Cost Index (ECI) fell for the second straight quarter, marking the slowest annual wage growth in more than four years. In Q4, total compensation rose just 2.8% year‑over‑year, down from...
![[CW6] The Washington Minerals Summit (and Its Derivatives), Oak Ridge’s Renaissance, and the Uranium Policy Wave](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Lzc6!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01a1bf0f-a07f-4ec1-ad53-1b0487956974_850x850.png)
The episode reviews a wave of concrete investments and policy moves across critical minerals, highlighting the Washington ministerial where the US stepped back from price‑floor schemes while Australia pressed ahead with its Strategic Reserve, and Brazil’s Serra Verde secured a...
Bond yields pulled back toward the 4.1‑4.2% band after weak retail‑sales data, reversing a brief flirtation with the 4.30% ceiling on the 10‑year Treasury. The market is now pricing in a softer labor outlook ahead of the February non‑farm payrolls...

The U.S. Commerce Department reported that January 2026 consumer spending stalled, with retail sales slipping amid unusually cold weather. Month‑over‑month retail sales fell 1.2%, while personal consumption expenditures dropped 0.8% year‑over‑year. Analysts say the weather‑induced headwind temporarily depressed demand, but...

In this episode the host examines prediction‑market odds for Latin American leaders being ousted before the end of 2026, using data from Kalshi and Polymarket. He highlights Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador as the most volatile cases, while noting that...

Per‑Olof Nilsson, co‑founder of PriorNilsson Fonder, has resumed his role as lead portfolio manager of the low‑risk hedge fund PriorNilsson Yield, a position he held from the fund’s launch in 2002 until August 2025. The transition does not alter the...

The episode reviews the S&P 500’s pause just short of record highs as investors await upcoming U.S. economic data, starting with retail sales. It highlights that technology stocks led the recent rally, buoyed by AI news from OpenAI, and that...

The episode examines Mexico’s Operation Swarm, focusing on the February 12 arrests of more than a dozen officials from the tourist town of Tequila, including its mayor, for colluding with organized crime. It explains how the operation, championed by President‑elect...

The episode examines how China’s digital yuan (e‑yuan) reshapes the internationalization of the renminbi by focusing on usage rather than ownership. It explains that traditional barriers were convertibility and capital controls, which limited the ability to sell or move RMB...

The guide walks sellers through every stage of a Swiss property sale, from initial pricing and mortgage planning to the final notary signing. It highlights the choice between DIY sales and hiring an agency, emphasizing the cost‑benefit of professional marketing...
The US MSCI index has underperformed global peers in 2025, ending a year of relative strength. Investors are shifting toward high‑growth emerging‑market stocks such as South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, and Taiwan, while Japan rallied 5.7% after a decisive election. The...
Alphabet’s 2025 year‑end headcount rose by 7,497 employees, barely below its 2023 peak, while Amazon added roughly 20,000 workers to reach 1.576 million, just 2% shy of its 2021 high. Both companies experienced massive hiring surges in 2020‑21—Alphabet grew 60% and...

The Terner Center released a new series of resources that examine how U.S. states govern affordable‑housing finance, highlighting the costly fragmentation of multiple agencies and programs. An interactive map and a landscape scan of all 50 states reveal which entities...

U.S. Treasury yields slipped across the board for the week ending February 6, 2026. The benchmark 30‑year rate fell 0.02 percentage points, while the 10‑year yield dropped 0.04 points to 4.22 %. The 3‑year Treasury rate settled at 3.57 %, reflecting a modest broad‑based decline. These...

Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) owners are increasingly using sale‑leasebacks to unlock the equity tied up in their buildings. By selling the property to an investor and signing a 10‑15‑year triple‑net lease, physicians retain operational control while converting real‑estate assets into...

The episode dissects the collapse of a $235 million sale of Jameson Development’s 28‑storey tower at 2538 Birch Street in Vancouver, which was under Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act protection. It explains how funding from BC Housing was suspended, leading to a...
The episode explores how income investing has shifted from relying solely on dividends to incorporating options strategies like covered calls and cash‑secured puts to generate cash flow, especially from non‑dividend‑paying growth stocks. It explains the mechanics of these strategies, their...

In this episode Edward Corona dissects the sudden 16% plunge of Hims & Hers Health (HIMS), linking it to a dual blow from GLP‑1 hype‑driven expectations and mounting legal and FDA scrutiny. He explains how lawsuits and regulatory pressure are...

US grain storage capacity expanded steadily from 2000 to 2019, adding roughly 350 million bushels per year, but growth has essentially stopped after 2020. Meanwhile, crop production kept rising, pushing the surplus capacity margin down to just 5 % in 2025. On‑farm...

The United States continues to be described as a ‘Goldilocks Plus’ economy, balancing low inflation with solid growth. Recent data show the labor market still tight, but a wave of layoffs in technology and manufacturing raises concerns. Analysts warn that...

The episode dissects Pagaya Technologies' Q4 2025 earnings, highlighting revenue of $335M (slightly below estimates) and a record GAAP net income of $34M boosted by one‑off tax benefits. Management explained a deliberate slowdown in growth to protect profitability, cutting exposure...

Investors are confronting a new capital‑allocation landscape as hyper‑scale cloud firms pour record capex into AI infrastructure, squeezing the cash traditionally earmarked for share buybacks. The article argues that despite this shift, the market’s largest shareholder – passive index funds...
Monday.com’s shares tumbled 22% to about $76.70 after its earnings release, marking a record‑low close. The stock is now 82% below its November 2021 peak and 51% beneath the $155 IPO price. While Q4 revenue rose 25% to $334 million and beat...

TurboTax is offering a limited-time promotion that lets new mobile‑app users file federal and state returns for free, covering all forms included in its Deluxe and Premium tiers. The offer excludes the web platform and any TurboTax Experts products, requiring...

The February 2026 North American Oil Data Deck reveals that petroleum liquids output hit a record 31.4 million barrels per day, driven by a surge in Canadian production that more than compensated for flat U.S. and Mexican output. Meanwhile, continental...

The 2026 tax filing season (for the 2025 tax year) officially began on January 26, 2026, with the deadline set for April 15, 2026. Inflation adjustments raised tax brackets, standard deductions, and contribution limits, while the OBBBA legislation expanded the SALT cap to $40,000...

The IRS still permits tax payments via credit or debit cards through two processors, ACI Payments (1.85%‑2.95%) and Pay1040 (1.75%‑2.89%) for 2026. By pairing a cash‑back card that earns at least the processing rate, taxpayers can offset fees and even...

The average U.S. homeowner now stays in a property for 8.6 years, the longest stretch since the early 2000s. Rising home prices and persistently high mortgage rates are forcing owners to hold onto homes longer, while the share of Americans...

The author has refreshed his proprietary Amazon valuation model using the company’s latest 10‑K filing, projecting financial performance through 2026. The update incorporates recent trends in e‑commerce, cloud services, and advertising revenue streams. Detailed assumptions and calculations are hosted behind...
Overnight Treasury markets experienced a sharp, high‑volume move despite a relatively narrow price range. The volatility was triggered by news that Chinese regulators asked banks to limit their exposure to U.S. Treasuries. Domestic traders quickly digested the information, and by...

The episode examines the interim U.S.-India trade deal announced in February 2026, which cuts U.S. tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% and obliges India to cease Russian oil imports in favor of U.S. energy supplies. It traces the...

The episode examines the increasingly fraught relationship between Mexico’s President‑elect Claudia Sheinbaum and former U.S. President Donald Trump, focusing on five intersecting issues: Mexico’s humanitarian aid and oil shipments to Cuba, alleged ties between Venezuela’s Maduro regime and Mexico’s Morena...

The episode dissects private‑credit defaults, arguing that most defaults are driven by borrower‑specific (idiosyncratic) factors rather than systemic risk, which the media often exaggerates for clicks. Data from the Cliffwater Direct Lending Index shows realized losses remain well below historic...

In this free webinar, host Doug Garber brings together oil market veteran Paul Sankey and AlphaSense researcher Xavier Smith to dissect the current state of Venezuela’s oil sector. They explore the country’s production potential, the political and operational barriers that...

The episode examines the surge in emerging market (EM) debt and equity performance through January 2025, noting record growth rates and unprecedented fund inflows. It compares today’s bullish sentiment to the pioneering phase of EM investing four decades ago, highlighting...

In May 2008 Warren Buffett concluded a four‑day European roadshow in Milan, where he fielded questions from MBA students about investing, management, and life. The trip was part of Berkshire Hathaway’s hunt for family‑owned businesses to add to its decentralized...
Big Oil’s XLE ETF has surged 19.1% year‑to‑date, outpacing the clean‑energy ICLN’s 13.2% gain. The rally follows the Trump administration’s move to ease sanctions on Venezuela, a country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves. While the prospect of tapping...

Fundrise announced that its Innovation Fund will list on the NYSE as a closed‑end fund, shifting from an open‑end structure that trades at NAV to a fixed‑float vehicle. The article explains how ETFs, open‑end mutual funds, and closed‑end funds differ...

The latest "Talk Your Book" episode breaks down the three A’s shaping the U.S. economy—asset prices, artificial intelligence, and the affluent consumer. It highlights a widening market breadth and offers a framework for valuing the world’s largest firms. The discussion...

In this episode, economist Alasdair Macleod outlines a 2026 outlook where a tightening silver market, driven by massive physical shortages and surging demand from China and India, is creating a sharp premium between Shanghai and Western markets. He warns that...

The episode examines a regional bank that has rebuilt its balance sheet, achieving profitability, capital ratios above 12%, and improved liquidity after addressing over $12 billion of higher‑risk loans. It highlights that despite these fundamentals, the bank’s subordinated floating‑rate notes are...

The episode explains that China’s official macro debt ratio hit a record 302.3% of GDP in 2025, driven primarily by government borrowing while household and private company debt fell. It highlights the real‑estate crisis as the catalyst that halted household...

The episode examines a draft German law that would require wind and solar developers to cover the costs of connecting their projects to the electricity grid, a move prompted by a surge of connection requests, especially from large‑scale battery storage...