Thoughts from the Frontline

The Economic Silly Season

By John Mauldin

June 13, 2003

The Economic Silly Season
What is Dent Smoking?
The Trillion Dollar Company?
Japan Taxes Cash
Back at The Fed Ranch
There Is No Free Lunch at the Fed

It seems to be the economic silly season. This week we will explore some of the more absurd ideas to make their way to my reading material this week. I call these to your attention not to make fun of them (well, maybe a little), but because they offer an excellent opportunity for enlightenment. We will look at Japan's plans to tax cash (not profits or interest but actual cash in your bank account), Yahoo selling bonds with no interest, Greenspan buying insurance, Freddie Mac and the NASDAQ going to 14,500 by the end of the decade. We won't even have time to get to poor Martha Stewart.

As a side note, I will be in New York in two weeks, June 23-25 where I will be conference co-chair and speaking at the annual Hedge Fund Forum. I will also be on CNBC with Ron Insana, tentatively scheduled at either 5 or 6 PM Eastern on Tuesday the 24th. I still have some time to meet with clients and potential clients. I will also be in San Francisco in mid-August. Details below.…

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