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Canadian Insolvencies Begin To Rise, Even With Support Measures In Place

Canada is pulling all of the measures to make sure households and businesses don’t go bust, but it’s just time for some. Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) data shows insolvencies increased in Q3 from the previous quarter. The quarterly increase is somewhat surprising, considering the number of lender support programs.

Canadian Insolvencies Rise 7.9% In Q3

Insolvencies are climbing as lockdowns ease, although they haven’t gone above last year’s levels. There were 35,535 insolvencies filed in Q3 2020, up 7.9% compared to the previous quarter. This also works out to a decline of 40%, when compared to the same quarter last year. Not as high as last year, but they’re rising even amongst a more lender friendly environment….CLICK for complete article

See If You Think These Are Worth It

  • BT Global’s Paul Beatty recommended 6 new stocks at last year’s World Outlook Financial Conference. If you had invested $2000 in each one – your $12,000 investment would now be worth just over $24,000 – up over 100%.
  • Mark Leibovit’s top recommendation at 2020 World Outlook Financial Conference was Tesla at $150. Even after this week’s declines it’s still trading at $400. But that’s not all. Mark loved the solar stocks and other clean energy plays. He recommended five stocks/ETFs. The worst performer was Nuveen ESG, up 40%.
  • Every stock in The 2020 WOFC Small Cap Portfolio, done in conjunction Keystone Financial’s Ryan Irvine, is up by double digits. With big winners like Viemed up 40%.

Those are obviously great results, but that’s why we search out and invite some of the top analysts in the English speaking world to the World Outlook Financial Conference. Obviously past performance is not a guarantee of future success but the consistent results we’ve achieved over the years have not been by accident. Our analysts have been chosen precisely because they have strong track records.

No, they are not right every time but their uncanny ability to read the various investment markets while employing proven risk management techniques has clearly raised their probability of success dramatically. Whether you’re interested in stocks, gold, oil, real estate, interest rates or currencies we bring in the top analysts to the Conference to cover them all.

This Year Will Be Different… But Not Where It Counts

World Outlook Financial Conference 2021? Absolutely! We are not going to let a little thing like COVID-19 stop us. I’m joking, COVID-19 is a big thing. It’s resulted in the massive build up of government debt. Canada is now looking at $1.4 trillion in federal debt. The US has tacked on $3 trillion and counting. Then you have to add on provincial/state deficits.

And it’s the same story around the world. I’ll give you an early WOFC 2021 prediction – debt is going to be a major story – make that THE major story – over the next two years and beyond.

Do you like shocking stats? Then think about this. Bloomberg reports that bond investors in troubled companies like JC Penny, Neiman Marcus and the Men’s Wearhouse are getting as little as three cents on the dollar on their bonds.  To put that in perspective, the norm is 40 cents on the dollar in a distressed company, not 3 cents.  My forecast is that there’s a lot more heartbreak to come for bond investors in a wide range of companies and industries.

My biggest question remains how long can the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Canada and other central banks intervene in the credit markets in order to keep interest rates down? In the last year they’ve bought literally trillions of dollars of government debt because otherwise interest rates would have risen in conjunction with the increased risk inherent in today’s environment.

But can it go on forever? Both Stephen Poloz, recently retired head of the Bank of Canada and the Parliamentary Budget Office stated that the Bank of Canada is fast approaching the limits of its bond buying without doing major damage to the currency and overall monetary system.

If you think there’s been wild swings in the market leading into the US election – just wait. As the cracks in the monetary system become more apparent, as well as the consequences of the record increase in both government and corporate debt hit home – the volatility will be profound.

My sense if that most people, including our leaders don’t understand the magnitude of the changes taking place. They talk about the “unprecedented” impact of COVID-19, yet other than taking on record amounts of debt, they act as if it’s business as usual. It’s not and the implications are profound.

The Bottom Line

The level of volatility and the violence of the moves in all markets necessitates taking advantage of the best possible research and analysis available. While financial programs and conferences often feature cheerleaders for a variety of products or industries, we focus on top flight independent analysis. Periods of historic change provide incredible opportunities and incredible danger.

At the Outlook Conference and on Moneytalks, I’m trying to help you avoid the danger and take advantage of the opportunities.  I’m proud of the fact that not only did we warn well in advance about the significant changes in the market starting the last week of January 2020, along with the accompanying panic sell off beginning in late February – last year’s WOFC focused on gold and silver along with the coming commodities boom.

Less than four months later silver had more than doubled while gold rose over $450 to a record new high. I don’t know any other conference/broadcast who got the trend so right. And we are nowhere near the end of the story. The full consequences of the coming monetary crisis are not close to being fully played out.

Join us at this Year’s World Outlook Financial Conference 2021 from Your Living Room Sitting in Your Underwear

I have to admit I’ve always wanted to use that line since I saw it in an advertising for an “at home investment course” about 40 years ago. I apologize if that’s a frightening visual.

But the point is that this year’s conference will be entirely online. Not a big surprise given there’s no sign that COVID related restrictions on travel and live indoor events will be lifted by early February.

The big advantage of going online is that we can feature more top-notch analysts. We’ll have exclusive interviews and presentations with people like Martin ArmstrongGreg Weldon and Mark Leibovit, who’s been Timer’s Digest Timer of the Year, Gold Market Timer of the Year and Long Term Timer of the year to name just a few.

Plus you’ll be able to watch the conference broadcast at its regular times starting Friday afternoon, February 5th through to Saturday afternoon February 6th – AND you’ll also be able to watch it again and again whenever you’d like – on demand, anytime, from anywhere in the world.

And of course, we have an online/on-demand “ticket” Early Bird offer for you. If you purchase your 2021 Conference access pass before December 5th you will get $50 off, a 25% discount – I’m thinking the best $199 you’ll spend this year. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.

In the meantime, I hope you and your family are doing well – or at least as well as can be expected in what author, Christopher Kock describes as “the year of living dangerously.”

My sincere best wishes for you and your family,

Mike Campbell

PS  To purchase your online / on-demand access pass and for other Conference details CLICK HERE

Investors Ignore Evidence At Their Financial Peril

Some of my favorite movies are when a group of investigators tracks down “wrong-doers.” At first, they have only a few clues that are disparate and have little context. However, as the movie progresses, the clues coalesce into a meaningful outcome of catching the villain. In the financial markets, our job as investors is much the same. However, at the peak of bull market cycles, investors begin to ignore evidence at their financial peril. 

Let’s take a look at the clues which may be more meaningful than individuals are currently assuming.

Clue 1: Valuations Expensive On Every Level

“Market bubbles have NOTHING to do with valuations or fundamentals.”

I have touched on the impact of valuations and forward returns. Currently, these fundamental concerns remain devoid of attention by investors chasing short-term performance. Despite the March selloff, record numbers of unemployed, and a deep recession, the markets remain near all-time highs.

“We are in a crisis, the worst crisis in my lifetime since the Second World War. I would describe it as a revolutionary moment when the range of possibilities is much greater than in normal times. What is inconceivable in normal times becomes not only possible but actually happens. People are disoriented and scared. They do things that are bad for them and for the world.”- George Soros

As shown in the chart below, the S&P 500 is trading in the upper 90% of its historical valuation levels…CLICK for complete article

Bitcoin Heads Towards $16,000 And No One’s Cashing In

Bitcoin has soared by more than 10% in the past two days, overtaking the $15,000 mark for the first time since January 2018, with experts speculating it could reach $20,000 soon, back to its 2017 peak.

The crypto currency is now becoming the world’s favorite safe haven.

“It was important for bitcoin to overcome the resistance area near $12,000,” Alex Kuptsikevich, FxPro senior financial analyst, told Forbes.

The fear factor plays into this, of course, and we saw it in 2016 presidential elections, too. Then, the price of bitcoin was around $709 before it climbed towards $20,000.

But this time around there’s history to learn from, in addition sentiment–as well as a series of positive moves towards bitcoin, including PayPal’s big tie-in to the crypto.

PayPal customers will now be able to use cryptocurrencies to pay merchants beginning in early 2021.

Last month, PayPal secured the first conditional cryptocurrency license from the New York State Department of Financial Services, the first approved entity for a conditional Bitlicense in New York State.

By many accounts, PayPal’s move makes crypto “useful”–to the mainstream.

With prices riding above $15,600 at the time of writing, it’s hard to argue–as many do–that it will end up crashing into oblivion.

Andy Edstrom of California-based WESCAP Group recently said that one bitcoin will be worth $400,000 by 2030.

Germany’s largest lender, Deutsche Bank, suggests that cryptocurrencies could replace cash payments within the next decade.

Bitcoin has witnessed strong growth this year during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Bitcoin more than doubling in value year-to-date.

And mainstream companies keep jumping on board…CLICK for complete article

Quote of the Week, Shocking Stat & Goofy Award


Quote of the Week
The US electoral system has been challenged by both sides since 2000 – no surprise this time is no different.

Shocking Stat
Two massive new studies find good news for those worried about schools, daycare, and children as spreaders of COVID19.

Goofy 
The election exposes the deeply troubling tendency of pundits and activists to continually pretend all members of minority groups think alike.