http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick? The Retired Investor/@theMarket Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:25:13 EDT en-us http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4634 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4634 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:59:00 EDT Markets are betting that a ceasefire will hold between the U.S., Iran, and maybe even Israel. They are also gambling that the outcome of this weekend's negotiations between those parties will end with the opening of the Straits of Hormuz.   Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen,... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4633 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4633 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:26:00 EDT By now, everyone understands rising beef prices are a never-ending story. Fewer consumers complain about seafood prices. That may change as sticker shock hits the fish counter.   The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that fish and seafood prices increased by 3.89 percent so... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4632 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4632 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:36:00 EDT Trump's Iran war speech on Wednesday night was not the hit that he hoped it would be. It only lasted 19 minutes, but it was more than enough to send investors' hopes crashing and the price of oil higher by 11 percent. Yet hours later, on Thursday morning, Iran hinted at some progress... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4631 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4631 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:20:00 EDT Airlines and passengers alike are buffeted by everything from weather to war. Long lines at the security gates, cancelled or delayed flights, war, weather, and the stock market have hurt both commercial carriers and their human cargoes.   March had not been good for either airline... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4630 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4630 Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:11:00 EDT Diesel fuel is now above $5 per gallon. You might think that doesn't matter to you, but that would be an erroneous and costly assumption. That's because diesel fuels the main engine of our economy, commercial transportation.   If you think gas prices are soaring due to... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4629 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4629 Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:52:00 EDT The Fed is on hold. Iran is not. Oil regains highs, despite Trump's efforts. Markets test a critical support level. Read no further, unless you want the gory details.   My first downside target has been met. The S&P 500 Index has fallen to the 200-Day Moving Average (DMA).... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4628 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4628 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:41:00 EDT In keeping with the administration's return to its own brand of 16th-century mercantilism, could the next colony they seek be Cuba? It appears to be a strong bet, but for what purpose?   Given the actions and words of our government officials, the next country, or in this case,... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4627 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4627 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:51:00 EDT Twenty percent of the world's energy flows remain bottlenecked by the Straits of Hormuz. As oil prices stay high enough to cripple the global economy and drive inflation, Iran is counting on that leverage to back the world into a corner. And for now, it’s working.   It... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4626 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4626 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:48:00 EDT The introduction of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi are exploding in popularity. At the same time crypto currency trading seems to be falling off a cliff. Are the two connected?   "Crypto is so yesterday," said one Gen Z trader, in response to my question.... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4625 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4625 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:15:00 EST As we close out the first week of Donald Trump's attack on Iran, markets have succumbed to the relentless rise in oil prices. The higher the energy prices rise, the lower global stock markets will fall.   West Texas oil is up more than 25 percent this week compared to last week,...