The task I face every week as I begin this column is to interpret the tea leaves so we can get some glimpse into the future of the economy, and thereby get an idea of how to invest our hard-earned money. In theory, the direction of the economy (both local and global) will have a direct influence on stocks, bonds and other investments.

Last week we looked at the continuing evidence of deflation, which is my primary concern when I analyze the future direction of the markets.