Monday, March 29, 2010

Pleasure and Pain



The gray areas represent recessions.

As seen in the chart, oil has gone up faster than the S&P 500 this decade. Oil has also gone up faster than the S&P 500 during this economic recovery.

Should this new long-term trend continue, I would expect more pain than pleasure. Note that the trend can continue even if oil's price does not rise. Stocks falling in price would be sufficient.


Hussman Funds - Weekly Market Commentary

As I emphasized last week, even if we had no concern at all about a second wave of credit strains, we would still be fully hedged here based on the present combination of rich valuations, overbought conditions, overbullish sentiment, and hostile yield pressures. Presently, we are also at the peak of concern about the potential for fresh credit difficulties to emerge, as we move into the first portion of the Alt-A / Option ARM reset schedule.

Econbrowser: Not a textbook rebound

Is this as good as it gets? For the time being at least, it seems to be.

See Also:
Trend Line Disclaimer

Source Data:
EIA: Crude Oil Spot Prices
Yahoo: Historical Prices for S&P 500
NBER: Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions

9 comments:

EconomicDisconnect said...

Higher oil and gas prices are so 2 years ago! Nothing can stop this economy!

EconomicDisconnect said...

Mark,
is this why you are always playing games online???:
http://www.geekologie.com/2010/03/paying_girls_to_play_video_gam.php

Now why didn't I think of that business??

Stagflationary Mark said...

"Nothing can stop this economy!"

Let me be perfectly clear.

1. Cheap oil brakes the economy like economy brakes brake. There's almost no braking power at all.

2. Expensive oil breaks the economy like economy brakes break. There's a tremendous amount of breaking power.

3. Zero interest rate polices brake the economy like economy brakes brake and then break the economy like economy brakes break.

It's all so simple really. ;)

EconomicDisconnect said...

If prior link did not work use:
http://tinyurl.com/yb4uhvt

Would that be slotted/drilled brake rotors or the new age carbon fiber deals?

mab said...

Stag, GYSC,

Here's something that irks me about the way the system of "positive" inflation is set up:

The harder and more successful the productive economy is, the more the FIRE eCONomy prospers at the expense of the productive economy.

The fruit of labor, productivity and ingenuity is more debt. I hate to be a downer cow, but that CONcept really bugs me.

I'll tell you what else bugs me - the notion that "savings" gluts lead to global debt impoverishment. Seriously. I'm supposed to believe a savings glut means people the world over are unable to afford places to live????? WTF!

It's all a big sham. The propaganda has reached unimaginable levels.

Stagflationary Mark said...

GYSC,

I meant to comment on The World's Oldest [Gamer] Profession link you offered but the phone rang, lol.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

Seriously. I'm supposed to believe a savings glut means people the world over are unable to afford places to live????? WTF!

The savings glut is a disease that specifically targets the wealthy. It's a sham(e) that they alone must bear that burden.

mab said...

Stag,

The savings glut is a disease that specifically targets the wealthy. It's a sham(e) that they alone must bear that burden.

Good point. It's a sham(e) there isn't more shared sacrifice in our eCONomy.

Oh well, I guess we all have our own "El Guapos" to CONquer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioKto0di3EA

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

Bernanke said he'd offer us more "transparency" but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eCCAAsLJeY