Some Perspective on the U.S. Economy

In today's economic environment there is a little of everything for the pessimist and the optimist.

Foreclosures are at record levels. Sales volume is way down. Vegas seems to be ground zero for bad housing news. As I mentioned in a previous post, to some investors, it has never been a better time to buy real estate.

Today's global economy is pulling the world's poor into the middle class at a rate of 70,000,000 people each year according the Goldman Sachs.

That means they will want to buy stuff. That means they will want to buy stuff from the U.S. And because of the weakness of the dollar our stuff is a pretty good bargain in other parts of the world. That could be why the Container ships are full and moving product over seas. (23% over this time last year). Yes, folks manufacturing is back.

And according to John Mauldin it is THE reason we are not in a deep recession. He is a great read and as his newsletter is headlined this week, Take a Deep Breath, The World Will Not End.

Some more interesting tidbits from his newsletter that kind of puts things into some perspective:

• Next year there will be 2.3 million weddings in the US, at an average cost of $30,000 (we have helped increase the average this year considerably). That is $72 billion on weddings. And many of those new families start with the need to find a place to live, furnish a home, and build their nest.
• 4.3 million babies were born in the US. Each of them will need all sorts of "stuff" - food, education, and places to live - in (hopefully) 20-25 years.

That spells opportunity. Mauldin goes onto point out that despite our big scary problems here and abroad that there are some really good things happening that usually in the end overshadows the bad. And his best advice: "Markets will adjust, and the world will be a better place. Things will work out better for you as an individual if you anticipate the problems and make the proper adjustments, as much as possible, in advance."

John Mauldin, Best-Selling author and recognized financial expert, is also editor of the free Thoughts From the Frontline that goes to over 1 million readers each week. for more information on John or his FREE weekly economic letter go to: http://www.frontlinethoughts.com/learnmore

Comments

[Ryanphilips]

I needed this, at last a ray of hope, i am fed up with all these Mortgage crisis going on. John Mauldin definetly put a sense on, what you have written here is just commense, but we all know commonsense is not too common afterall.
_______________
Ryanphilips
http://www.unproduct.com
Ryan