Money & Markets Report: September 15, 2022

133 Comments

  1. I heard from a friend in Bulgaria: the price of electricity is now 3X the average family’s monthly income.
    Catherine, I really hope that God has a comma planned – a REALLY big one.

    1. I doubt that. In Romania I paid ~80Euro in one month and I have used AC most days. Salary is 500Euro(fast food worker)- 2500(Programmer)- 3000(Doctor), and I thing Bulgaria is about the same.
      On the other hand, food prices went up 2-3 times. A lot of people have no money left after buying food and paying utilities. I also expect that heating cost to at least double this winter.

  2. New Biden Executive order. The gist is: poison more of us faster, more efficiently, more profitably, and dispossess us of the very fabric at the root of life–same old stuff, just now with an official push from the Oval Office.

    “National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative”

    “We need to develop genetic engineering technologies and techniques to be able to write circuitry for cells and predictably program biology in the same way in which we write software and program computers; unlock the power of biological data, including through computing tools and artificial intelligence; and advance the science of scale‑up production while reducing the obstacles for commercialization so that innovative technologies and products can reach markets faster.”

    Thrown in there for good measure is the use of the label of “external stakeholder”. That term is really creeping into official economic language beginning from last few years.

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-advancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-innovation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american-bioeconomy/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

    2. For them, not much. After all the federal agencies have been buying ammunition. 🙂

  5. I have not seen this corroborated. From the UK, recent news.
    /quote
    Not sure where to put this, (feel free to move if another thread is more appropriate) but had petrol rationed today. Filled up at local supermarket using self service. Put in credit card and warning came up, limit of £99. Filled car and as it got to £98, pump started slowing down and stopped at £99. Tried to keep filling, but pump stopped working and would not start again. No signs warning of this until too late and you’ve selected pay at pump. Will try pay at cashier next time to see if limit applies.

    I did read about this in a letter sent by my bank, but it implied that the petrol company would check bank balance first, then if sufficient funds, allow the car to be filled, not limited to £100.
    /unquote

      1. I agree. Banks are really campaigning everything online. Even online savings accounts that are only digital. Don’t save digital money, it equals debt money. Cash and Coin is not debt money as of yet.

  6. Fairly important matter:
    The Washington Post, which is not really reliable, has an extensive article on what the rail strike means, and it affects my hobby job (chairman of a water utility) in the sense of their mentioning specifically chlorine gas for water treatment. This signals me that there is more afoot than just disgruntled brakemen and conductors.

    Article https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/13/rail-strike-railroad-shutdown-biden/

    I think they have run up test balloons in Jackson, Mississippi and West Baltimore to begin scaring people about water treatment. That’s what particularly concerns me about this train strike and the fact that the communist Washington Post is mentioning such a specific matter. You are really “hosed” without clean water. We are, of course, taking preemptive measures.

    1. Excellent point, John. Something is most certainly up. And yes, water is an ultimate control point.

      1. “Amtrak announced yesterday that it will be canceling all of its long-distance train routes in the United States – with the decision to do so effective immediately. The cancellation of the long-distance routes comes following the potential for strike action by the freight and railroad unions, which would have a significant impact on the rail company’s ability to carry out its planned journeys and would lead to significant disruptions across the rail network.”

        This article lists the long-distance and short routes that will be cancelled, and those that will remain in place.

        https://www.traveloffpath.com/amtrak-cancels-all-long-distance-train-routes-effective-immediately/

        1. In Sydney, NSW, Australia, there have been ongoing train strikes and disruptions for months on end.

  7. Catherine,
    I have heard many musicians are cancelling their concerts in the next few months and multiple CEOs stepping down. . Then you have said a couple times October is a month to watch out for. Is there something I don’t know about that is supposed to happen in October? Thankyou.

    1. US Budget finalizes and new spending year begins on OCT 1 in US. Throughout the month, the mid term elections are coming to a culmination in early November. Maximum tension as the pig goes through the snake.

      1. Sean Mendez and Justin Bieber to name a couple musicians. Forbes article titled CEOs Are Quitting And Joining The Great Resignation—Here’s Why will list all the CEOs quitting

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