Kerry Lutz's--Financial Survival Network

It's no secret that Inspector Clouseau Meuller's probe has been misguided from the get go. Now it's becoming more obvious by the day. His latest refusal to turn over documents demanded by District Court Judge Emmett Sullivan is shocking. Prosecutors defy court orders at their own peril and Judge Sullivan is not one to be trifled with. Also have a listen James's Christmas Album. And while we're on the subject of Christmas, it's time to wish one and all A Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

U.S. jobs and wages rose by less than forecast in November while the unemployment rate held at the lowest in almost five decades, indicating some moderation in a still-healthy labor market.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 155,000 after a downwardly revised 237,000 gain in the prior month, a Labor Department report showed Friday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey called for an increase of 198,000. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2 percent from the prior month, compared with forecasts for 0.3 percent, though wages matched projections on an annual basis, up 3.1 percent for a second month.Treasury yields initially dipped and the dollar declined as the report added to signs that economic growth is cooling a bit, following weakness in business-equipment orders and an ebbing of consumer optimism. While the data may spur more concern over the outlook after stocks and bond yields tumbled this week, some investors may see the prospect of a slower pace of Federal Reserve interest-rate increases as a positive following an expected hike this month, as equity futures rose following the jobs data.

“It’s not like 155,000 is a terrible number, but it’s below what people were looking for,” said Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. After an unusually strong two quarters for the economy, “we’re looking for growth to step down this quarter and you should probably also expect to see the labor market cool off some. It’s consistent with the economy coming off what people call a sugar rush.”For the Fed’s interest-rate hikes, “December is pretty close to a done deal,” Feroli said. “For next year, it depends what the data looks like the next couple of months. It doesn’t feel like things are softening in an alarming way. If it’s really soft, they’ll take a break.”The jobless rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent in November, matching estimates. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said late Thursday that the U.S. labor market is “very strong” by many measures and that the economy is “performing very well overall.”Even so, one key risk is the trade war between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies. While the nations agreed last weekend on a 90-day pause for new tariffs, the accumulated levies and developments have created uncertainty for companies and may weigh on the employment outlook.

Retailers showed solid demand for workers overall, hiring 18,200 people in the month before Christmas; general-merchandise stores added the most employees while clothing and electronics stores cut workers. Transportation and warehousing, a category closely linked to retail, also saw gains of 25,400 in the month. Construction jobs rose by 5,000, the weakest since a decline in March, as gains cooled among residential specialty trade contractors. Manufacturing remained strong at an increase of 27,000.

The monthly gain in average hourly earnings for all private workers followed a downwardly revised 0.1 percent increase, the report showed. The annual increase topped 3 percent for a second month, reflecting how companies are steadily raising pay to attract and retain workers as the availability of workers tightens.

No one in government seems to care about the country's burgeoning debt. Not the President, not Congress or anyone in the Swamp. How much longer can the party go on? Al Caceido is very concerned and believes that we will soon reach the tipping point. What will happen then is anyone's guess, but it's not going to be pleasant and a lot of promises will be broken.

Adam is feeling reassured by the recent market downturn. While the overall averages are flashing correction, many tech stocks are flashing bear market! His advice is buy the stocks, if you must, that showed strength during the downturn, not those showing weakness. In addition, he is very bullish on the Cannabis sector since Altria's (f/k/a Phillip Morris) major investment. Adam believes it's going to keep bloom into a leading sector. Otherwise caution is the byword. 

Sound business and ethics used to go hand-in-hand. Now they're distant cousins under the best of circumstances. Have we gone too far down the rabbit hole to ever return? Or perhaps it's just part of a cycle. Speaking of cycles, we discuss electric vehicles and why they're making so little progress in the global auto marketplace. Are the current crop of EV's that are about to be released, designed to fail? Perhaps, but the future seems clear, some day EV's will dominate.

Dr. John Lott, National Columnist and Top Selling Author, elaborates on Gun-Free Zones and gives his opinion on why they invite mass shootings. Gun-free zones are intended to reduce violent crime and mass shootings in specific locations. Did anyone ask the gunman if this is the case?

Dr. John Lott explains most gunmen are smart enough to know that they can kill more people if they attack places where victims can’t defend themselves. That’s one reason why 98 percent of mass public shootings since 1950 have occurred in places where citizens are banned from having guns. Why aren’t more outlets catching on?

Trump started out his administration with a bang and now he might go out with a whimper. John sees the midterm rout as a referendum on the President. Will he turn it around? Anything is possible, after all who ever dreamed (except us) that Trump could possibly win the presidency. And yet here he is. What can he do to bring back the magic? John thinks a dose of decency will go a long way. 

It's no secret that China has been acquiring vast sums of gold over the past decade. Jeff Clark believes that when the true extent of their acquisitions is revealed it will lead to a major rally in precious metals prices. The Chinese have also been busy buying up and investing in mining projects around the globe. In addition, gold contracts on the Shanghai are settled in physical metal, which is further pulling gold out of the West. Taking all these factors into consideration, at some point the price of gold is almost certain to rise substantially. 

2555 is the low Charles expected on the S&P. He's been out of stocks since January and thinks the decline will continue into first quarter of 2019. Today’s earnings look bad and the Treasury yield is down. Unemployment peak is negative for the economy. the smart money is moving out of the market and has been for quite a while. 60 year social unrest cycle has appeared (remember the 1960's) and it’s just getting started. Oil price is telling us deflation is on its way. Commodity cycle is turning down. Long term oil is coming down to mid 30’s, Copper is coming down as well. Ag commodities look good in the long run. Home builders recent sharp decline is a great indicator of real estate cycles. Stay tuned!

It's been 10 years since the Crash of 2008-09. And we have learned absolutely nothing. A look at the rioting in France proves this point. There are many aspects to it, but failing economic policies, higher prices, out of control immigration have all contributed to the inferno. Will Marine LaPen be the next lead of France? Let's find out what the bookies are saying. We also answer your questions so keep them coming. 

Warren Bravo is extremely bullish on the Cannabis sector and is especially upbeat on his company's proprietary aquaponic growing method. Using indoor fish tanks with nutrients fed directly to Cannabis cuttings. It could be the holy grail of Cannabis cultivation. Much additional analysis of the sector included herein. 

Dr. Richard Ebeling joined us today for an in depth discussion of the role of the state, free markets and Austrian Economics. For decades, Dr. Ebeling has been at the movement's forefront. Now at long last it's starting to get traction. He believes that the best cure for Internet censorship and our relationship with China is to let the market work. Eventually it will bring about the desired results, whether it's freeing up the Internet or bringing peace between the US and China. Controversial but well thought out. He will be back with us again soon. 

Hillary Kramer is all about finding those stocks that are the game changers. Much like Peter Lynch, she believes that the best companies are yet to be found. Whether it's TJ Maxx, UPS Stores, Apple or a host of other up and coming companies, they're out there like gem stones just waiting to be scooped up. 

According to Karen Kataline, when Democrats gain control of the house in January, they will be fighting harder than ever to convince us that law-abiding citizens shouldn’t be trusted to have guns to defend themselves. Not long ago, they balked bitterly at the accusation that their real goal was to repeal the Second Amendment. Now, many have finally started to admit that this is precisely what they had in mind all along. Good for them. Better for us. They are easier to beat when they tell the truth. Unfortunately, that’s never very often.

We caught up with our good friend David Morgan today. He's bullish on gold and believes that the annual seasonal rally has begun. Longer term he's especially bullish in light of the supply situation, or peak gold. He believes that recycling of precious metals, especially those contained in smart phones, will become more widespread. Lot's more here. 

There's a reason why Gwen Preston calls herself the Resource Maven. She's a believer in the long term viability of the mining industry. If you don't believe it, look around your home and think what would be left if we didn't have copper. While it's been trading below $3 a pound for quite a while, it can't stay that way, because demand will keep increasing and we will hit a supply shortage. New sources will have to be developed and that's a very capital intensive endeavor. So somewhere in the future is $4 and higher copper, economics will eventually dictate it. 

Gwen's expecting the usual seasonal bump for gold. After that it's anyone's guess. But don't worry too much about the Millennial generations inability to understand precious metals. They chased Bitcoin to the stratosphere and they'll eventually chase gold as well. 

President Donald J. Trump said he wants to “drain the swamp.” But is it a swamp or an ocean? It’s about time the American people had some hard facts regarding the federal bureaucracy.

In Operation Drain the Swamp, Adam exposes all of it. We showcase who receives how much, where they work, and what they do. Most importantly, he reveals how much these bureaucrats cost the American taxpayer.

During the 2016 presidential election, the supporters of Donald Trump on the right—and even those supporting Bernie Sanders on the left—felt that the “system was rigged” for insiders. Adam highlights the facts and stories to prove it. In Operation Drain the Swamp, there's also a step-by-step guide to civil service reforms.

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, there's major rioting in Paris and other European cities. Is this a case of they're mad as hell and not gonna take it any more or have we reached a tipping point. Elections seem to produce the most unlikely of candidates who say many things but do the same old stuff once they arrive in office. What's an Austrian Economist to do? And what about Trump and Xi, a match made in Hades. It's okay because as a charming economist once said, somewhat seriously, In the long run we're all dead. 

Major US stock markets were up with DJIA up 1.7%, S&P 1.8, NASDAQ up 0.3% and Russell 2000 up 1.5% . Emerging markets were up 4.5%. TSX reversed course up 1.2% and TSX-V down 8.0% due to end of the year tax loss selling. Bitcoin the always volatile digital currency was off a painful 37% last month. Gold was up 0.7% and Silver was off 0.5% . Pt keeps plunging ever lower off 4.6% and Pd was up 9.7% again nearing record highs. Copper was up 2.6%. Oil was a huge loser for the month off, with WTI down 21.2% and nearly the same with Brent down 21.1%. Natgas hit $4.65 up a whopping 43.0%. Uranium continues its rebound with a 1.8% gain and is up 30% for the past six months. Currencies saw the Greenback rise .1% and the Euro was flat for the month. Rate on the 10 year T Bond backed down to a 3.03% yield. Till next year!

Raghee Horner is an astute student of the markets. Right now she's down on tech but high on Walmart. We're in a market where staples will rule. It's more of a defensive play on the Fangs, but push comes to shove and consumers need to buy food and drugs and tech is often optional. Oil looks to be weak for the foreseeable future as Old Man Oil keeps on Fracking along. Corn has been weak but that could change shortly with new Ethanol mandates. Beans future pricing depends upon the US - China Trade War. Lots more here and don't forget about the dividend aristocrats. 

Andrew Weekly is extremely bullish about uranium. This energy source has been the Rodney Dangerfield of the energy industry since the nuclear disaster at Fukushima. However, the world needs more electricity from carbon free sources and the newest generation of power plants it truly failsafe. No more Chernobyl's. Prices are starting to go up as excess supplies are worked off and production has been cut. And let's not forget China's nuclear buildout. 

FSN Listeners to get a discount on the Nuclear Energy Report: just click the link below and enter code: nuke10 when you check out.

With headlines like "The Betrayal of White Women Voters," it's obvious that the left is playing identity politics right up to 2020 elections. Today on Townhall.com, Amy Clark of the Moms March Movement and Moms March USA wrote that "Vote-Shaming is the New 'Get Back in the Kitchen'", which she says is not only wrong, "it's shocking".

Black Friday-
Retailers earn 40% of their sales in this short holiday season time frame. And many of us never cast a shadow in the doorway of a store. We shop online.
Seeing the pictures of Black Friday, with people pressed up against the outside of store windows, after fighting for space to park, like some scene from the zombie show The Walking Dead, who really wants to go to a store and be part of that?
More and more Americans are shopping online, almost exclusively, and not just at Christmas. It’s easier, the selection is bigger, there’s no teenaged sales clerk standing nearby, busily NOT helping me, and sometimes it’s cheaper. For many stores, especially those that offer little or nothing as part of their unique shopping experience, this is becoming a monstrous problem that will only get worse over time. The current crop of big spenders – the Boomers – increase their online spending each year, but the young set lives online.

As the Echo Boomers take over the position of top spending cohort in the years to come, the stores want to make sure they’re in line to maintain their share. Or go the route of Sears and disappear.
4 Trends to watch:

1. Will in-store purchases increase this season? An August, 2018 In-Store Holiday Shopping survey of 1,200 American consumers found that 88% of shoppers intend to shop in physical stores this season.

2. Unique shopping experiences expected. Shoppers today are happy to drive to physical stores seeking “an experience,” as opposed to simple transactions.

3. How much will online purchasing increase? “The second quarter of 2018 e-commerce estimate increased 15.2% from the second quarter of 2018, while total retail sales increased 5.7% in the same period,” according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

4. The multi-channel sales is the wave of the future. Various sales approaches include providing customers with an integrated shopping experience. In addition to brick and mortar locations, shoppers have access to products online from a desktop or their mobile phone.

But every story has at least two sides. While sales may be good news for the retailers and the stock holders, the bad news is in a new survey of over 2,000 U.S. consumers from buyback site Decluttr showing some 66 million consumers will wake up with a hangover of more debt after the holidays. Christmas, along with everything else has gotten more expensive. Americans are attempting to keep up with the increases by taking on more debt. Thanks to increases in mortgage debt, auto loan debt, and credit card debt, Americans now have more debt than ever before.

In August, 2018 the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data released its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. The report shows that total household debt in the U.S. increased by $82 billion in the second quarter, which means Americans now collectively carry $13.19 trillion in debt. One thing is for sure. This is not sustainable.

One of our favorite guests Darryl R. Schoon joined us for a continuing dialog about the financial collapse that never really ended. We're about done with intermission and then things are really going to get interesting. Capitalism requires that interest be paid on investments, which means that profits must continue to increase just to pay debt service. Unfortunately, we're at a period of time where we collectively can't afford the interest tab any longer and that's where the fun begins. System crashes and breakdowns become the norm. And we're talking a new normal that few but Darryl and FSN community members have a glimmer of. Buckle your seatbelts, Darryl spells it all out for you. 

The idea came easy for former Navy Officer Laura Deming. After hearing Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters “a basket of deplorables” she new it was time to act. That was followed by Peter Strzok texting his friend Lisa Page, “I’m in a Walmart in Southern Virginia and I can just smell the Trump support”. Thus was born - 'Deplorable Fragrances' (www.cult45llc.com).

"I figured I'd create a scent to go with the Trump movement," says Deming. Now she and her business partner, and former host of 'RedNationRising', Timothy Shea are selling 'Deplorable' & 'Deplorable Dude' perfume and cologne coast to coast (see short client bios below).

"We needed to make sure the Trump support we are seeing also had a fragrance that every liberal could smell," says Shea. "With Deplorable & Deplorable Dude' we have such a scent and one that's a perfect Christmas gift for the Trump supporter in your family."

Cult45 LLC., is a veteran own business and 'Deplorable' and 'Deplorable Dude' fragrances are made entirely in the USA. Be sure to check it out if you're stuck on a gift this holiday season.