Change Management International - Robert Ian

Teleseminar Audio: Global Economic Changes and Gold

Robert's second teleseminar was another successful event. Again, over 100 people from around the world registered and listened to this program.

This teleseminar series is a work in progress and is evolving with each broadcast. This presentation featured a significant amount of Q&A and was reflective of the current interests of our participants.

Robert will be conducting regular teleseminars each month going forward. Please sign up for his email list to stay informed.

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Bank Failures and Bailouts: How You Will Secretly Pay

Last Fall it was 416 distressed banks. Now, according to FDIC Chairman, Sheila Bair, the number has risen to 775 distressed banks. And according to Elizabeth Warren, Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, she has identified nearly 3000 community and regional banks that are classified as "risky" due to the coming collapse of the commercial real estate market. Regardless of whose numbers you look at, Sheila Bair's near term numbers, or Elizabeth Warren's longer term numbers, the number of at-risk banks is growing by leaps and bounds.

The conclusion is that for the foreseeable future, the trend that will be realized, is continuous bank consolidation. Is this necessarily a good thing? Well, if you're one of the banks who gets to do the consolidating, it's a great deal for you because a significant amount of the risk in terms of troubled assets is being subsidized by the FDIC. The FDIC is also entering into loss share agreements with the acquiring banks further increasing the potential losses for the FDIC as additional loans fail in the coming months and years.

Click to Play Robert Ian's GoldSeek Radio Commentary  Download mp3

Strategic Defaults Carry Little Stigma For Delinquent Borrowers

There was an informative article on Marketwatch.com this week about strategic defaults on home mortgages. Strategic defaults are when borrowers who are underwater on their home loans, decide it's not worth it to stay current on their payments each month. Typically borrowers who strategically default continue to meet their other financial obligations like credit cards and auto payments. According to research presented in the article, Morgan Stanley estimates that 12% of all mortgage delinquencies in February were the result of strategic defaults. And the trend is growing.

The trend is growing because the stigma is disappearing. "Stigma" has long been the scarlet letter of the financial industry when it comes to delinquent borrowers. Stigma used to be an effective tool because it used to be, not so very long ago, that there were jobs, that there was access to credit, that there was a market in which to sell your home, and if you defaulted, it was likely due to some lack of responsibility on your part. That used to be true. But by and large, not so, anymore.

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Atlas Is About To Shrug: How Ayn Rand's Epic Novel Is Playing Out In Real Time As The Global Financial System Collapses

Another week, another trillion dollars. European Union finance ministers agreed this week on a 720 billion Euro bailout for troubled Eurozone countries, hoping and praying that somehow this intervention will keep out-of-control markets from attacking the weaker members of the 16 countries that use the faltering Euro. It isn't going to succeed. The battle has already been lost. Mathematically the game is already over. Derivatives and debt have pushed the Eurozone and Euro to the edge of collapse. And this is being solved how? By adding even more debt?

The markets, and I use that term loosely, because freely traded markets haven't existed in this world for a very long time. The markets rallied on this news. The markets, and the trading programs that run them, are as psychotic and insane as the finance ministers who actually believe they have done something good for the people of the European Union. When in reality, what's actually happened, is they have tightened the shackles of financial bondage and sold their citizens into a deeper level of financial slavery, that can never be repaid. Freedom can never be achieved. Because when massive amounts of debt are issued to solve the problem of massive amounts of debt, the casualty, is your future production.

Click to Play Robert Ian's GoldSeek Radio Commentary  Download mp3

As Currencies Collapse What Happens To The Dollar And Gold?

As I write this commentary, the dow has fallen nearly 250 points, the NASDAQ has dropped 80 points and gold is down 11 dollars. All of this is occurring amidst fears that the economic crisis in Greece could spread, and spread rapidly. Those fears are well founded. The gyrations that are occurring throughout the global economic landscape cannot be looked at as independent events. They are all interconnected events closely aligned with one another, separated only by time, and whatever paper currency in which they are denominated.

Click to Play Robert Ian's GoldSeek Radio Commentary  Download mp3