October 4, 2022 – trendsjournal.com

TRENDS ON THE U.S. ECONOMIC FRONT

U.S. GOVERNMENT’S INTEREST COST SOARS TO $580 BILLION THIS YEAR

The U.S. government has borrowed hundreds of billions of dollars since 2019 to fund health care and an array of stimulus and rescue programs during the COVID War.

ANOTHER FED BANKSTER BANDIT CAUGHT VIOLATING FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE RULES

Raphael Bostic, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, has amended his most recent financial disclosure report after revealing he had failed to list transactions that violated a Fed rule limiting trades ahead of the central bank’s rate-setting meetings.

MORTGAGE RATES RISE TO 20-YEAR HIGHS AS HOME PRICES FALL AT RECORD PACE

The national average interest rate on a fixed-rate, 30-year mortgage nudged up to 6.92 percent on 13 October, climbing from 6.66 percent a week ago to its highest since April 2002, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) announced.

ECONOMIC UPDATE—MARKET OVERVIEW

Welcome to the global freak show. What a sick, deadly joke. Ben Bernanke, the clown boy who played Fed Head prior to, during and following the “Panic of ’08” (the economic collapse forecast by Gerald Celente who took out the domain name in November 2007) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics last week.

AIRLINE TRAVELERS IGNORE INFLATION, HIGHER TICKET PRICES

The average price of an airline ticket is 43 percent higher than a year ago and 0.8 percent more expensive than in August, but travelers are still taking to the skies in an ongoing post-COVID travel boom.

TOP TREND DRAGFLATION: PRODUCER PRICE INDEX EDGED UP IN SEPTEMBER

The prices suppliers charge factories for raw materials added 0.4 percent last month after falling in July and August, the U.S. labor department reported, a sign that inflation may still have more room to rise.

TRENDS ON THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC FRONT

TOP TREND, NEW WORLD DISORDER: IMF, WORLD BANK WARN OF INSTABILITY AMID FINANCIAL CRISES

“The world is in a dangerous place,” Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s finance minister, said in her closing remarks to the joint meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), held in Washington, DC, 10 through 16 October.

WHEN THE ECONOMY FALLS JOBS GO WITH IT

The world is headed into Dragflation: Declining economic growth and rising inflation. This combination of rising prices and rising interest rates whereby people pay more to buy less has resulted in companies in many sectors to lay off employees.

SPOTLIGHT: BIGS GETTING BIGGER

The value of mergers and acquisitions that companies announced during the first nine months of this year is 34 percent below those making the news during the same period in 2021, data service Refinitiv reported.

CHINA HALTS SALES OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS TO EUROPE

China will no longer ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe to help ease the continent’s energy crisis, the government has told gas exporters, Bloomberg reported.

YEN SINKS TO LOWEST VALUE IN 32 YEARS

The Bank of Japan’s insistence on holding its key interest rate at -0.25 percent has driven the yen down still further, sinking it to ¥146.95 to the dollar on 12 October, the lowest since 1998, and driving it down to ¥148.90 on 17 October, its weakest since 1990.

“BREATHTAKING” DROP IN DEMAND SHOCKS CHIP COMPANIES

Earlier this month, leading computer chip makers Samsung Electronics and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) reported earnings that fell far short of expectations, which many analysts interpreted as a sign that a lasting economic rebound is further away than previously thought, Bloomberg reported.

TRUSS SACKS FINANCE CHIEF, BACKTRACKS ON MASSIVE TAX CUTS

After barely five weeks on the job, U.K. finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng got the boot from prime minister Liz Truss last Friday and was replaced by Jeremy Hunt, a veteran Conservative party politician and former foreign minister who immediately set about righting his predecessor’s wrongs.

U.S., GERMANY CALL FOR “FUNDAMENTAL REFORM” OF WORLD BANK

At the World Bank’s annual meeting last week, Germany and the U.S. presented a proposal calling for “a fundamental reform” of the institution.

ALMOST HALF OF CANADIAN HOUSEHOLDS NEARING INSOLVENCY

Forty-six percent of Canadian households report approaching “insolvency,” defined as no more than $200 away from being unable to meet their routine basic financial obligations, according to the quarterly Consumer Debt Index compiled by MNP, a Canadian bankruptcy and insolvency counseling firm.

STRONG DOLLAR MEANS WEAKNESS IN EMERGING NATIONS

Sri Lanka and Zambia have defaulted on their debts, with another dozen countries at, or already tipping over, the edge of insolvency, Reuters reported.

OPEC+ CUTS DAILY OIL OUTPUT LIMIT BY TWO MILLION BARRELS

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia, and its other allies, known collectively as OPEC+, have agreed to cut daily oil production by two million barrels a day in an attempt to lift oil prices back up above $100 a barrel in the face of a weakening global economy.

ECB FEARS INFLATION WILL LAST FOR YEARS

The European Central Bank’s [ECB’s] governing council is expressing concern that inflation in the Eurozone, which ran recently at 10 percent, will become “self-reinforcing” and last for years as the euro remains weak and governments pump stimulus money into national economies to soften the impact of soaring energy costs, the Financial Times reported.

WHEN THE ECONOMY FALLS JOBS GO WITH IT

Dragflation: Economic growth declining and inflation rising... plus the pressure of interest rate hikes that are drying up the cheap money pool are causing companies in many sectors to lay off employees. Job cuts in September came in at 29,989, up 46.4 percent from a month earlier. Job cuts have jumped 66 percent year on year in September according to the Challenger report.

SHIPPING LINES CANCEL CARGO VOYAGES FOR LACK OF DEMAND

During what normally is the busiest time of year, ocean cargo lines are canceling sailings due to lack of demand as retailers cancel orders or place no new ones.

THOUSANDS OF GERMAN RETAILERS POISED TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS

More than 15,000 German stores face bankruptcy brought on by energy prices that have risen an average of 147 percent since the beginning of this year, the German Retail Association (HDE) said last week.

DRAGFLATION: GERMANY’S FACTORY OUTPUT SLUMPS AS ENERGY CRISIS TAKES HOLD

German factories turned out 0.8 percent fewer goods in August than in July and 2.9 percent less compared to February, just before Russia invaded Ukraine, the national statistics office reported.

DRAGFLATION: IMF CUTS GLOBAL GROWTH FORECAST AGAIN

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced its expectation for global economic output for the fourth time this year, paring it to 3.2 percent this year and 2.9 percent in 2023.

JAPAN SPENDS ALMOST ¥3 TRILLION TO SALVAGE THE YEN

Last week, Japan’s government spent ¥2.84 trillion, the equivalent of $19.7 billion, to keep the yen’s value from falling even further against the dollar.

HONG KONG’S HOME PRICES CRASH

During the last week of September, no new apartments were sold in Hong Kong, an island with almost 7.5 million people, the Financial Times reported.

SPECIAL UKRAINE WAR REPORT

U.S. DRAWS LINE IN THE SAND FOR MEXICO: WITH US OR NOT

Mexico, which has spoken out against the Ukraine War but has not chided Russia over its invasion, is feeling increased pressure from the U.S. to take a more assertive role as the war drags on.

EU’S BORRELL SAYS RUSSIAN ARMY WOULD BE ‘ANNIHILATED’ IF PUTIN USES NUKES IN UKRAINE

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy head, said at an event in Belgium on Thursday that Russia’s military would be annihilated by overwhelming force if Moscow used nuclear weapons during its war with Ukraine.

UKRAINE’S FOREIGN MINISTER ADMITS BOMBING CRIMEA BRIDGE

Dmitry Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister who has been one of the most outspoken advocates of more weapons and war, was caught in a prank Zoom video admitting to being behind attacks on civilian infrastructure in Crimea and Belgorod.

PUTIN GIVES UPDATE ON UKRAINE WAR, KYIV’S REFUSAL TO NEGOTIATE, RECENT BOMBINGS

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow continues to seek peace negotiations, does not want to destroy Ukraine, and believes that Germany is making a strategic mistake in trying to appease NATO instead of its own domestic interests.

NOT A “PROXY WAR”: WEST IN FULL-OUT WAR WITH RUSSIA

One of NATO’s top priorities is to supply Ukraine with anti-missile systems after Russia’s attacks last week showed a willingness by the Kremlin to target civilian targets deep in major cities.

UKRAINE’S ACCEPTANCE IN NATO WOULD ASSURE WWIII AND BE ‘CATASTROPHIC’ FOR MANKIND

A top Russian security official said last week that a decision by NATO to take Ukraine into the alliance would mean World War III.

SERBIA: EU LATEST SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA WILL CRIPPLE ECONOMY

A top Serbian government official lashed out against the latest round of sanctions to be imposed against Russia and called them the first package that also takes aim at Belgrade.

FEATURED GUEST ARTICLE by Dr. Joseph Mercola

SIMPLE NASAL WASH REDUCES RISK OF COVID HOSPITALIZATION

Rinsing your nasal passages with a saline solution within 24 hours of a COVID-19 diagnosis could reduce your chances of being hospitalized by 8.5-fold.

TRENDS IN THE MARKETS by Gregory Mannarino

EXPECT A NEW DEBT EXPANSION CYCLE TO BEGIN

If central banks do not find another mechanism to continue to inflate, IMMEDIATELY, the entire global financial system will melt down.

TRENDS IN TECHNOCRACY by Joe Doran

FIRST AMENDMENT SHOWDOWN: MISSOURI VS BIDEN

The case is Missouri vs. Biden. It could bring the trampling of American free speech rights by the Federal government centerstage, if there’s still any honesty or integrity left in American jurisprudence.

RADICAL AMERICANS FUNDING LONDON “JUST STOP OIL” PROTEST

Will their bank accounts and crypto accounts be shut down? This past week saw chaos in London, as a radical group called “Just Stop Oil” formed human blockades across major city streets, glued themselves to police vehicles, and were even dragged to the curb by angry motorists.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SUBVERTS CONSTITUTION WITH “AI BILL OF RIGHTS”

This past week the Biden Administration issued a “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights,” setting out a legal framework for how AI should be developed.

TRENDS IN CRYPTOS

BLOCKCHAIN BATTLES

A 4 October Roll Call article outlined how a Republican takeover of Congress might lead to more crypto regulatory clarity, and perhaps a decision to forgo a consumer-facing (i.e. retail) CBDC.

META VIRTUAL WORLD NOT WINNING HEARTS AND MINDS

One might think Horizon Worlds is a perfect simulation of an elitist paradise. There are no hordes of unwashed masses uselessly consuming, and everyone taking part is wearing cutting-edge rose-colored glasses.

BLOCKCHAIN BATTLES

LIVE WEB3 BASED GAMING WILL TAKE CENTERSTAGE AT ESA ESPORTS ARENA IN ISTANBUL. The Esports industry—also known as competitive video gaming—has grown exponentially over the past decade, including inclusion at many colleges.

BINANCE BLOCKCHAIN HACK FORCES NETWORK SHUTDOWN

The Binance blockchain, one of the largest in crypto by market cap, this past week dealt with one of the worst attempted exploits the crypto sector has seen yet.

TRENDS IN THE COVID WAR

WEEKS AFTER BIDEN DECLARES COVID “PANDEMIC OVER”, WHITE HOUSE EXTENDS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

If you want to control the public, keep them living under a constant state of emergency. One month ago, the U.S. President declared “The pandemic is over,” Biden said in a “60 Minutes” interview.

DANGEROUS COVID VARIANTS BEING CREATED IN BOSTON BIOLAB

Paging Rand Paul on the bat phone. For anyone who supposed that gain-of-function and chimeric virus experiments were no longer happening, after U.S. authorities admitted a Wuhan biolab might’ve leaked the deadly COVID virus…think again.

GEOPOLITICS

PRO-PUTIN SPEAKER IS ELECTED IN ITALY JUST WEEKS AFTER MELONI ELECTION WIN

Last month’s election of Giorgia Meloni for prime minister in Italy was seen as the first sign that the country could change its pro-EU posture and its nearly unlimited support of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

MASSIVE PROTESTS BREAK OUT IN PARIS OVER SOARING PRICES

Thousands took to the streets of Paris on Sunday to express outrage over soaring prices—adding new pressure to Paris after earlier strikes at oil refineries and nuclear power plants.

IRANIAN OIL WORKERS JOIN STRIKE AFTER DEATH OF 22-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN POLICE CUSTODY

Oil workers in Iran have joined the protests sweeping the country after the death of a 22-year-old woman in the custody of the morality police last month who allegedly violated the Islamic dress code.

CHINA’S XI HINTS THAT HE WILL NOT LET UP ON COUNTRY’S ZERO-COVID POLICY…WILL WEST FOLLOW AGAIN?

Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, indicated Sunday at the 20th Party Congress that Beijing will not let up on its “zero-COVID” policy despite growing unrest in the country.

U.S. LAYS OUT ROADMAP TO MAINTAIN WORLD DOMINATION WITH ‘MODERNIZED’ MILITARY EQUIPPED FOR ‘STRATEGIC COMPETITION’

The Biden administration released its National Security Strategy last week that took a long look at how the U.S. can remain the world’s dominant country, and—as is tradition in Washington—it focused on peerless military.

TRENDS-EYE VIEW

NEW ENGLAND WILL LIKELY SEE PUNISHING NATURAL GAS PRICES THIS WINTER

Magical thinking has now led to an impending crisis in New England which relies more heavily on natural gas for home energy and heating than anywhere else in the country.

UNIONIZATION, TOP TREND 2022: OKLAHOMA APPLE STORE VOTES TO UNIONIZE

Employees at an Apple store in Oklahoma voted to unionize and be represented by the Communications Workers of America—becoming the computer giant’s second store in the U.S. to vote in favor of union representation.

TOO FAT TO FIGHT: U.S. ARMY TO CANCEL WEIGHT LIMITS FOR TROOPS AS RECRUITMENT NUMBERS PLUNGE

The U.S. Army will reportedly end its weight requirement for troops after it fell 25 percent short of its recruiting goal in 2022 and will instead focus on an overall fitness score.