Juggling Dynamite

When the banking crisis crippled global markets seven years ago, central bankers stepped in as lenders of last resort. Profligate private-sector loans were moved on to the public-sector balance sheet and vast money-printing gave the global economy room to heal.

Time is now rapidly running out. From China to Brazil, the central banks have lost control and at the same time the global economy is grinding to a halt. It is only a matter of time before stock markets collapse under the weight of their lofty expectations and record valuations. Here is a direct video link. (warning the clip does not play in Firefox for some reason, try Safari to view.)

Copper hitting a new 52 week low this morning as global commodity demand continues in a well earned secular downturn. Too bad more countries, companies and individuals who reaped big income from the secular boom 2000 to 2011, did not save more for the mean reversion period now upon them…

Crude bulls, stung by the worst July on record, should expect further pain as slumping commodity currencies cut production costs.

Drillers from Russia to Canada, the world’s second- and fourth-biggest oil producers, sell crude in U.S. dollars while paying most operating costs in local currencies. The Canadian dollar dropped to an 11-year low against its U.S. counterpart this month while the Russian ruble trades near a six-month low.

Global oil supply has proven resilient. A 60 percent decline in U.S. dollar prices since June 2014 hasn’t curbed U.S. production, which is near the highest level in four decades. Iraq is producing at a record pace and Russian oil output reached a post-Soviet high this year. The world’s oil glut will last through 2016, the International Energy Agency said in an Aug. 12 report. Here is a direct video link.

Technology that helps consumers make smarter choices while saving them money and helping the planet. “Good growth”.

Project Sunroof uses information that’s in Google Maps to figure out how much sun falls on a roof and takes into account stuff like the angle of the roof, the weather, and obstructions like trees and chimneys. Then it uses those measurements to figure out how many panels you’d probably need and how much you could save on your electric bill, including solar incentives in your area. You can see how buying or leasing panels affects your savings, and then send your estimate to installers in your area, instantly.

Visit google.com/sunroof and enter your address to find out how much solar energy could save you. Project Sunroof works in Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Fresno. But anyone can sign up to find out when it expands to their neighborhood.

Here is a direct video link.