Lumber Prices Are Through the Roof, Punishing Apartment Builders.” —The Wall Street Journal (5/25/2021). [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] Home builders nationally are facing soaring costs....Read More
“The Levi Strauss Strategy” Caterpillar Inc. said it will buy mining giant Bucyrus International Inc. for about $7.6 billion as the heavy-equipment giant looks to bolster its mining-equipment production. –“Caterpillar to Buy Bucyrus”; Wall Street Journal (11/15/2010) What do corporations do when the price of metals — both base and precious — double and triple?...Read More
Gold Down 3% . . Mosaic Down 5% . . . Apple Down 3% etc. If you’re a fan of “30 Rock,” you’ll recognize Liz Lemon’s signature line (“There it is . . “) when she spots the inevitable flaw in her prospective new, too-good-to-be-true suitor. So, for everyone waiting for a break in what’s...Read More
The Other “Black Gold” I expect to make more money in agriculture than I do in gold. — Investor Jim Rogers Jim Rogers might not be quite the household name that Warren Buffett or George Soros is, but long-time investors know Rogers as an astute, independent market analyst — who’s made gobs of money, for...Read More
“Certificates of Confiscation” Once Again? Certificate of Confiscation: 1970’s term for bonds, certificates of deposit (CD’s), etc. yielding less than (rising) inflation. How do you get people (and corporations and banks) to stop hoarding cash, and put it to work, stimulating the economy? Reduce interest rates to zero. But what if that still doesn’t do...Read More
U.S. Dollar Down, Everything Else . . Up! Perplexed by the action in stocks and commodities since last Spring? (I’ve addressed housing in many, many other posts.) See the explanation (below), courtesy of David Rosenberg, chief economist and strategist at Toronto-based investment manager Gluskin Sheff. It’s a bit wonky — note the references to the...Read More
