I agree with your first two predictions. I think the gold bubble popping will not be too dramatic, since I don’t foresee anything happening that will reinstate confidence in the dollar. I agree it is a bubble and it will pop. Economic growth will continue in the public sector, but will shrink in the private sector. This may be an overall growth, but not the kind we want. I agree on your last two predictions, too.
.-= Emily´s last blog ..What about socialization? =-.

I predict a stock crash as big or bigger than the last one sometime within the next three years. I don’t feel that it is possible to say whether it will take place in 2010 or not.

I predict a collapse of belief in the Buy-and-Hold Model of understanding how stock investing works following the next crash.

I predict great damage to public confidence in the U.S. political system as a consequence of the next crash.

I predict an economic surge following the collapse of belief in Buy-and-Hold as a national debate on how stock investing really works is launched and generates hundreds of exciting new insights (insights that have been sitting around waiting to be developed for close to 30 years now but which have been ignored because of the feeling that it is “rude” to point out the flaws in Buy-and-Hold).

I predict that we survive the crash and the consequent loss of public confidence in our political system. But just barely.

I predict that we see so much economic growth as a result of the economic surge brought on in the wake of the crash that we end up looking back at this economic crisis as the best thing that ever happened to us (while also feeling very sad for the millions whose lives or careers or financial plans were destroyed by it).

Rob
.-= Rob Bennett´s last blog ..“Fixed Income Should Equal Age, BUT Adjusted Up or Down Depending on Valuations” =-.

I saw a psychic on CNN the other day. And although I think psychics are crazy this one predicted oil rising to all-time highs. That’s bold, but it is going up – maybe $120/barrel by the end of summer and then back down a bit. There is still plenty of oil in this world, but it is getting increasingly harder (and more expensive) to drill for. They days of cheap gas are gone.

The psychic also said there will be water shortages. I agree with this, too. Water is something developing countries are increasingly demanding for so many things. I think seeds and water are things to invest in in the future (but I’m not sure about this year).

Yes the Fed will raise rates – albeit slowly.

I think the gold bubble will last for a while as oil rises and then it will pop. Gold is still just saved – it isn’t used. No commodity that isn’t used in mass amounts cannot remain valuable. I think it’ll bust in 2011.

Employment number will get better, but they’ll be historically high for years to come.