This is a bit old (five days ago). One thing after listening to the testimony is the Fed helped to hide Merrill’s loss, intentionally.

Private sector jobs growth, if measured by change over the last decade, reaches almost zero.

More from Business Week.

We are in a commodity super cycle.

China’s industrialization is certainly one of the main contributing factors. And if the current cycle is coupled with high inflation, if not hyperinflation, where investors find investing in both bonds and equities become much less attractive, the super cycle will be pushed to a newer level.

Watch this video analysis from FT:

(click to watch the video)

An analysis of recent development of Chinese currency Yuan.

(click to watch the video; source: FT)

The latest reading was 6.9%, a 16-year high. Are we witnessing a fundamental shift in American consumption??

(click to enlarge; source: St. Louis Fed)

Alan Blinder, former Fed vice chairman, on inflation and when to expect the Fed will hike the rate. His main message: inflation is not the danger.

Economists and policy makers are divided over whether we will have a surge in inflation, and when the monetary policy should be tightened after inflation appears.

Uncertainties in government’s attitude and actions toward inflation will certainly make inflation-hedge investment strategies look even more attractive.