The Starbucks coffee shop franchise has developed into a corporate juggernaut and has set the standard for coffee retailers across the globe. With over 16,000 store locations, Starbucks grossed over $10 billion in 2011. They continue to grow and serve over 40 countries. There is no easy answer to how this company has been able to […]
The Key to Starbucks’ Success Read More »
On August 24th in the year 410 AD the “Barbarians” appeared at the gates of Rome and successfully sacked the city. They spent three days pillaging and causing all sorts of mayhem. Thus began the saying that has come to mean a destruction from without by uncivilized people, “Barbarians at the Gates”. Historically these particular barbarians  were
Zombies at the Gate Read More »
How the Federal Reserve is Showing Financial Fear Think about one of those movie scenes when the leading man does all he can to defeat the big, bad enemy — punches, kicks, slams, stabs, shoots — but the bad guy just won’t go down. In fact he doesn’t even look fazed. That’s when the protagonist
Have you heard about the Fed’s 180 degree turn? Read More »
Throughout the history of banks, tellers represented the connection between individuals and their money in a financial institution. They handled deposits, transfers, withdrawals, loans, credit increases and account openings and closures. The Internet, however, has started to change all of that. More than ever before bank customers are choosing to process their transactions online or
Will Online Banking Render Tellers Obsolete? Read More »
Financial Trend Forecaster has undergone a facelift. Yes, we’ve updated the the site to make it more user friendly. It is now easier to navigate on that new tablet or iPhone you got for Christmas. The pages scale and adjust themselves to narrower screens and we’ve added a few touches just to make it more
We’ve Got a New Look Read More »
Editor’s note:Â Greed has caused tremendous harm around the world, as people fight and die over scarce resources and many mistakenly believe that the Bible says that “money is the root of all evil” but actually that is a misquote. 1 Timothy 6:10 says “For the Love of Money is the root of all evil” Â but
Is Money the Root of All Evil? Read More »
While the price of gold has languished in a trading range much of the year, leaving some investors scratching their heads, many have been buying – and in some cases, really loading up. It’s a tad puzzling that gold hasn’t broken into new highs, despite enough catalysts to move a herd of stubborn mules. But
Banks to Start Holding Gold as Reserves? Read More »
These days very few people can afford to buy a house for cash. So, if you’re looking to purchase a new home, you’re probably planning on getting a mortgage. Obviously, that requires you to pay additional interest to the bank, adding thousands of dollars to the purchase price. By making some smart choices before you
Get A Lower Interest Rate on Your Mortgage Read More »
Was the U.S. Ratings Downgrade from AAA to AA in 2011 a Problem? Before Standard & Poor’s cut the United States’ credit rating last summer, few economists or politicians believed that the United States could ever lose its gold-standard AAA rating. As a stable, vibrant democracy backed by a strong military, it was inconceivable that
What Happened with the U.S. Ratings Downgrade Problem? Read More »
by David Galland, Casey Research Late at night on November 6, along with John Mauldin, Doug Casey and a group of partygoers in a café here in Cafayate, we watched on a small television as Obama’s contract was renewed by a majority of the mob. As was the case with many readers, I suspect, my
The US Continues Along an Alarming Sociopolitical Continuum Read More »
