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Oil prices could surge to as high as $200 a barrel if the Iran conflict extends into June and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Bloomberg reported, citing an analysis from Macquarie Group. A war lasting through the second quarter could drive historically high real prices, analysts including Vikas Dwivedi said in a note, assigning a 40% probability to that scenario. A separate outlook, with a 60% probability, sees the conflict ending by the end of this month. Brent crude (CO1:COM) is on track for a record monthly gain in March as the war involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran...

Another Crisis Looms Right Around The Corner by: The Housing Time Bomb November 24, 2009 Folks, I consider this to be one of my most important posts. I am going to offer a warning and some advice. I am extremely concerned about the things that I am seeing in the markets. The US dollar carry trade, soaring gold, and the apparent imminent passing of health care reform are the last straws that are going to eventually break this market's back. As a result, I have tweaked my investment strategy. I will explain my concerns in further detail later on in...

Washington is bluffing that it will not bail out California, and every other state suffering from collapsed revenues and massive job losses. If cuts in police and schools don’t force DC off from its current position, then the math will. Because in many states the aggregate revenue losses and looming cuts to state payrolls will largely render the intended effects of federal stimulus as moot. Frankly, unless Washington prints money and bails out every state that needs capital, including California, federal power will decline...