Jamelle Agbuis

A new meme is spreading in financial markets: The US Federal Reserve is about to turn off the monetary spigot. US Printmaster General Ben Bernanke announced that he might start reducing the monthly debt monetisation program called 'quantitative easing' (QE) as early as autumn 2013, and maybe stop it entirely by the middle of next year.

This is good news. Gold is doing what it should do. And it is giving us another good opportunity to buy a life vest before the boat sinks.

In his speech on May 22nd, Chairman Bernanke did the equivalent of playing an ace, standing up and turning around. He gave you a massive hint at one of his rules. But what does that hint mean?

Gold dropped another -$18 an ounce... Mr. Market is working his devious magic... scaring away the Johnny-come-latelies... putting the fear of God into the rest of us.

The 2013 Financial Year could best be summarised by Charles Dickens' immortal opening line in A Tale of Two Cities: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'

The hugely controversial grand prix in Bahrain will be in early March, a couple of weeks earlier than the traditional season opener at Albert Park outside Melbourne.

Today's Daily Reckoning takes a break from normal operations so we can bring you an exciting discussion on Port Phillip Publishing's latest investment service: Revolutionary Tech Investor.

Today's Daily Reckoning takes a break from normal operations so we can bring you an exciting discussion on Port Phillip Publishing's latest investment service: Revolutionary Tech Investor.

'U.S. stocks rose, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (SPX) higher for a second day, as China's cash crunch eased and slower-than-forecast economic growth fueled speculation the Federal Reserve will maintain stimulus.' - Bloomberg News

Your constitutional right to not be searched or detained by law enforcement officials without reasonable suspicion or probable cause has been further eroded by a recent Supreme Court ruling, which now allows police officers to freely collect DNA samples from individuals they arrest in connection with serious crimes. Even if such individuals are eventually found to be innocent and are later acquitted, such DNA collection can legally take place prior to this determination, according to the ruling....

How quickly it all turns from gloom and doom to rainbows and bunny-rabbits. Well it's not quite that rosy, but the last couple of days have been a little more positive in markets. That makes us happy, and if you're a politician, you'll likely attribute it to something you think you've done well.

Shoppers at a local Target store in Wilsonville, Oregon, just outside of Portland were shocked recently to step outside the big box depot into a sea of already dead and dying bumblebees.

Reacting on an EU decision to postpone a new round of membership talks for at least four months, Merkel told the German parliament this week that Turkey's membership in the European Union is conditional on respect for human rights and political reform in Ankara.

Speaking at a financial forum in Shanghai, head of the People's Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan said investors can no longer depend on cheap cash to fund riskier operations, cautioning that the central bank will conduct pre-emptive adjustments to liquidity in the banking system to keep financial markets stable.

Central Banks are traditionally the largest holders of gold. Most Central banks are now diversifying their foreign exchange reserves with gold. In 2012 gold buying by central banks globally reached 534.6 metric tonnes. According to World Gold Council the global reserves rose to 31671.4 tonnes in March 2013. Here is a top ten list of the countries holding the most gold as reserve.

The speed at which oceans are warming could see parts of the world become uninsurable if climate change is not checked, warned the Geneva Association, a global insurance think-tank, adding that governments need to invest more in flood defences and tighten building restrictions in risky locations to mitigate the fallout from extreme weather hazards.

Massive defence spending in the Asia-Pacific region is driving an "explosion" in the global arms trade, and Asian military budgets are likely to eclipse the United States' by 2021, a study by respected analysts IHS Jane's showed on Tuesday.

Basil is an aromatic plant that has been utilized for a very long time as a culinary herb in order to add a much appreciated fragrance to a wide variety of dishes. It has earned its credentials in many cuisines from the regular use of pesto, a mixture of basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.

Ben Bernanke is losing control. He desperately wants inflation. He's getting deflation instead. He wants low interest rates; yet rates are rising.

Until about 10 years ago, whenever an African soccer team conceded a goal at the World Cup, the analysts would say the team was 'defensively naïve', and give a knowing wink at the TV audience.

'When will America's economy finally stop limping along?' asks Steve Hargreaves for CNN Money. Next year, 2014, he says with a degree of confidence we find puzzling at best.

"Democracy requires an informed citizenry in order to function properly, and transparency and accountability are essential parts of that. That means knowing what our government is doing to us, in our name." - Bruce Schneier

Breastfeeding improves brain development in newborns. New research published in NeuroImage reported that babies fed with breast milk showed more white matter growth in their brains.

If you or someone you know has a child that has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chances are the child is actually just fine.

A series of poor performances in 2013 may be starting to take their toll on former world number one Rory McIlroy.

World number one Tiger Woods has aggravated an elbow injury and won't play in another event until next month's Open Championship.

Ford Motor Company has conducted experimental tests for new communicative technology, named 'Electronic Brake Light', aimed at mitigating or preventing rear-end collisions in heavy traffic or around blind corners.

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class continues to gradually reveal itself with spy photographers this time getting good shots of the new sedan's grille and front end.

Seventy Holden vehicles were cut and crushed in Canberra this weekend at a road rescue training event hosted by the Australasian Road Rescue Organisation (ARRO).