page-loading-spinner
Home Geopolitics

Geopolitics

Image | The Phantom Mania
The Phantom Mania
by Chris Martenson

Well, stocks are back at all-time highs. Ignited by the Fed’s “Not-QE” program and endless Trump administration teases of an “imminent” China deal, the S&P 500 has been propelled above its upward Bollinger band — a hyperextension only seen one other time since 2007.

Every week since Not-QE was announced has seen the S&P close green (this week finally ending the streak, barely). We’re officially in a melt-up, where both good news and bad news are accepted as valid reasons to push stocks even higher.

But what’s notable about this melt-up is that it’s missing a compelling narrative. Every past asset price mania required a feel-good mantra that convinced the masses “This time is different!”.

But today? What’s the radically better future being promised? Where’s the party train headed to?
The Phantom Mania
 by Chris Martenson

Well, stocks are back at all-time highs. Ignited by the Fed’s “Not-QE” program and endless Trump administration teases of an “imminent” China deal, the S&P 500 has been propelled above its upward Bollinger band — a hyperextension only seen one other time since 2007.

Every week since Not-QE was announced has seen the S&P close green (this week finally ending the streak, barely). We’re officially in a melt-up, where both good news and bad news are accepted as valid reasons to push stocks even higher.

But what’s notable about this melt-up is that it’s missing a compelling narrative. Every past asset price mania required a feel-good mantra that convinced the masses “This time is different!”.

But today? What’s the radically better future being promised? Where’s the party train headed to?
Image | Sebastian Junger: Is Our Material Wealth Undermining Our Happiness & Health?
Sebastian Junger: Is Our Material Wealth Undermining Our Happiness & Health?
by Chris Martenson

One the most personally meaningful podcast interviews we’ve done over the years was Our Evolutionary Need For Community, recorded with Peabody award-winning author Sebastian Junger.

Since recording our initial interview with Sebastian, we’ve often shared the insights from it with the Peak Prosperity tribe at live events and in our writings. So this week we decided to reconnect with Sebastian, and hear how his thoughts and conclusions on the topic have evolved since we last talked with him.

It’s clear that he believes more than ever that the future prosperity of our society will be rooted in rediscovering how to create and foster the communal bonds our tribal ancestors lived by. And that begins by taking an honest look at the narratives, behaviors, and modern conveniences and temptations that keep us trapped in unhappy, unhealthy isolation.

Sebastian Junger: Is Our Material Wealth Undermining Our Happiness & Health?
 by Chris Martenson

One the most personally meaningful podcast interviews we’ve done over the years was Our Evolutionary Need For Community, recorded with Peabody award-winning author Sebastian Junger.

Since recording our initial interview with Sebastian, we’ve often shared the insights from it with the Peak Prosperity tribe at live events and in our writings. So this week we decided to reconnect with Sebastian, and hear how his thoughts and conclusions on the topic have evolved since we last talked with him.

It’s clear that he believes more than ever that the future prosperity of our society will be rooted in rediscovering how to create and foster the communal bonds our tribal ancestors lived by. And that begins by taking an honest look at the narratives, behaviors, and modern conveniences and temptations that keep us trapped in unhappy, unhealthy isolation.

Image | Off The Cuff: Descent Into Madness
Off The Cuff: Descent Into Madness
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

In this week’s Off The Cuff podcast, Chris and James Howard Kunstler discuss:

  • America’s death-match style of politics
  • Corruption is everywhere these days
  • Society is dangerously close to violence as faith is lost
  • The shrinking Overton window

Strap in for an hour of angst. Acerbic commentator James Howard Kunstler addresses a litany of deficiencies in today’s system, most notably the many forces removing prosperity and freedom for the bottom 99%.

Click to listen to a sample of this Off the Cuff Podcast or Enroll today to access the full audio as well as all of PeakProsperity.com’s other premium content.

Off The Cuff: Descent Into Madness
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

In this week’s Off The Cuff podcast, Chris and James Howard Kunstler discuss:

  • America’s death-match style of politics
  • Corruption is everywhere these days
  • Society is dangerously close to violence as faith is lost
  • The shrinking Overton window

Strap in for an hour of angst. Acerbic commentator James Howard Kunstler addresses a litany of deficiencies in today’s system, most notably the many forces removing prosperity and freedom for the bottom 99%.

Click to listen to a sample of this Off the Cuff Podcast or Enroll today to access the full audio as well as all of PeakProsperity.com’s other premium content.

Image | Did Everything Just Change?
Did Everything Just Change?
by Chris Martenson

With this week’s twin announcements of new QE and a partial China trade agreement, the bulls are suddenly having the time of their lives.

So, does this mean happy days have returned? Have we been rescued from the mountain data warning of an economic slowdown and lower asset prices? Does the Fed — and now China, too — have our back again?

Is it time for investors to become optimistic once more?
Did Everything Just Change?
 by Chris Martenson

With this week’s twin announcements of new QE and a partial China trade agreement, the bulls are suddenly having the time of their lives.

So, does this mean happy days have returned? Have we been rescued from the mountain data warning of an economic slowdown and lower asset prices? Does the Fed — and now China, too — have our back again?

Is it time for investors to become optimistic once more?
Image | Realistically, What’s Left To Power Asset Prices Higher?
Realistically, What’s Left To Power Asset Prices Higher?
by Adam Taggart

Here we are again. The markets are within a few percentage points of their all-time highs, but just can’t seem to muster the momentum to break out above them.

We saw similar conditions back in March/April and then again in July. Both times, the S&P dropped sharply after failing to remain above 3,000.

Both situations presented profitable opportunities to short stocks.
Realistically, What’s Left To Power Asset Prices Higher?
 by Adam Taggart

Here we are again. The markets are within a few percentage points of their all-time highs, but just can’t seem to muster the momentum to break out above them.

We saw similar conditions back in March/April and then again in July. Both times, the S&P dropped sharply after failing to remain above 3,000.

Both situations presented profitable opportunities to short stocks.
Image | The Hard Truth About Assets
The Hard Truth About Assets
by Chris Martenson

If you prefer to listen to this article, read by its author Chris Martenson, click the player here below: | Download | ___________________________________________________________________________________ In this post, you’ll learn why hard assets will be more important than ever as the global economy undergoes drastic shifts. Enrolled members also have access to Part 2, Defending Against The Global…
The Hard Truth About Assets
 by Chris Martenson

If you prefer to listen to this article, read by its author Chris Martenson, click the player here below: | Download | ___________________________________________________________________________________ In this post, you’ll learn why hard assets will be more important than ever as the global economy undergoes drastic shifts. Enrolled members also have access to Part 2, Defending Against The Global…
Image | Waiting For The Black Swan
Waiting For The Black Swan
by Chris Martenson

Two more tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning  (6/13/19) in the Gulf of Oman, and if hostilities advance we could be facing a ‘black swan’ event. One that changes everything, and divides the world into ‘before’ and ‘after’ periods.

A lot of us are waiting for ‘something’ to happen. We know that there are too many unsustainable trends and practices running and we fall into the “let’s just rip the Band-Aid off” camp.   Some, like myself, have lost faith in the political leadership and institutions and doubt they retain any capacity to attend to anything more than their own selfish interests, let alone manage the difficult tasks ahead rooted as they are in systems theory and managing complexity.
Waiting For The Black Swan
 by Chris Martenson

Two more tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning  (6/13/19) in the Gulf of Oman, and if hostilities advance we could be facing a ‘black swan’ event. One that changes everything, and divides the world into ‘before’ and ‘after’ periods.

A lot of us are waiting for ‘something’ to happen. We know that there are too many unsustainable trends and practices running and we fall into the “let’s just rip the Band-Aid off” camp.   Some, like myself, have lost faith in the political leadership and institutions and doubt they retain any capacity to attend to anything more than their own selfish interests, let alone manage the difficult tasks ahead rooted as they are in systems theory and managing complexity.
Image | Off The Cuff: The Party’s Over
Off The Cuff: The Party’s Over
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

In this week’s Off The Cuff podcast, Chris and Mish Shedlock discuss:

  • Next Up: A Currency War With China?
  • Recession Warning
  • A War With Iran, Too?
  • More Cracks In Europe

The self-delusional “Everything is awesome and getting better!” narrative that has pushed markets ever higher for the past years is suddenly unravelling. The current China tariffs will undo any remaining salubrious impact of the Trump tax cuts, a global recession appears underway, and — seriously — are we about to go to war with Iran??

Click to listen to a sample of this Off the Cuff Podcast or Enroll today to access the full audio as well as all of PeakProsperity.com’s other premium content.

Off The Cuff: The Party’s Over
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

In this week’s Off The Cuff podcast, Chris and Mish Shedlock discuss:

  • Next Up: A Currency War With China?
  • Recession Warning
  • A War With Iran, Too?
  • More Cracks In Europe

The self-delusional “Everything is awesome and getting better!” narrative that has pushed markets ever higher for the past years is suddenly unravelling. The current China tariffs will undo any remaining salubrious impact of the Trump tax cuts, a global recession appears underway, and — seriously — are we about to go to war with Iran??

Click to listen to a sample of this Off the Cuff Podcast or Enroll today to access the full audio as well as all of PeakProsperity.com’s other premium content.

Image | War with Iran – The Risk is Elevated
War with Iran – The Risk is Elevated
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

Is it really about to go down in Iran?  Is a war now coming?

The Twitter feeds I have tracking Iran are on fire this morning.

Looks like the Trade deal is bad enough and the Barr investigation threatening enough that the “answer” is war with Iran.
War with Iran – The Risk is Elevated
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

Is it really about to go down in Iran?  Is a war now coming?

The Twitter feeds I have tracking Iran are on fire this morning.

Looks like the Trade deal is bad enough and the Barr investigation threatening enough that the “answer” is war with Iran.
Image | The Trade Deal Has Collapsed
The Trade Deal Has Collapsed
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

Count me as surprised, but it seems like the China trade deal is collapsing.  Surprised because both sides, China and the US, have much to lose in this battle.

While there’s certainly some temporary local benefit to various pockets and sectors of the economy, the fact remains that the world economy is still exhibiting signs of slowing down and anything that puts additional weight on the economy right now could be the stone that sinks the barge.
The Trade Deal Has Collapsed
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

Count me as surprised, but it seems like the China trade deal is collapsing.  Surprised because both sides, China and the US, have much to lose in this battle.

While there’s certainly some temporary local benefit to various pockets and sectors of the economy, the fact remains that the world economy is still exhibiting signs of slowing down and anything that puts additional weight on the economy right now could be the stone that sinks the barge.
Total 1325 items

Community

Top Conversation

 Prep Now for the Coming Winter Challenges
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the needs and sustainability of our family. We have six young children, our oldest just turned 12 and our youngest just turned 3 months old. I love the considerations that the article had above and thought I would add a few things that I have considered for our situation. My...
Image | hgrootveldgmail-com by hgrootveldgmail-com
36 95
View the conversation
Image | GoldCore

GoldCore

Learn more
Image | Above Phone

Above Phone

Learn more