Postcards From the Fringe

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen gave her first major address on Monday... which gives us a glimpse into what she – and other global leaders – expect for the U.S. dollar and world economy...

In today's mailbag, readers encourage Tom to find meaning in possessions... continue saving pennies... and ask about a gold shortage...

Old investment wisdom used to say that stocks were immune to inflation because they are investments in businesses. but investors now know that's not true. However, they can still turn to the old-timers to learn about the realities of inflation...

For weeks, Tom has pounded the table on the idea that consumer price inflation is coming... and it won't be held off for long now that the U.S. government has pumped trillions of dollars into the Main Street economy. America's big news outlets are just picking up the story...

In this week's mailbag edition, Tom talks about his latest contrarian investment idea (collecting copper pennies)... whether one should hold gold or real estate... and what he suggests in saving for retirement...

Copper mining magnate Robert Friedland believes the U.S. is going to build a new, smarter electric grid, which will electrify the world economy. In light of that, there's one metal that could be a promising investment in the process...

The federal government's money-printing and rising national debt are serious issues. But they're not an economic crisis. The real economic crisis, Tom says, which involves the state of the U.S. dollar, is still a ways off...