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Five Decades Of Asset Bubbles: Which One Is Next?

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Or maybe this is a trick question, and the answer for the "New Normal", when all central banks are coordinating on reflating the biggest asset bubble of all time, is "all of them"...

And some thoughts on the chart above from Obermeyer Asset Management:

The above chart shows that once every ten years or so, some investment theme becomes dominant and takes on bubbly proportions. What these dominant themes seem to have in common are roots in economic factors that morph into “truths” that take on a life of their own. These “truths” have self-reinforcing properties where market prices validate the “truth” and vice versa. This creates a virtuous cycle until market prices become unsustainably high, reverse themselves, and essentially purge the beliefs that created the risky condition. This is often a lengthy process.

 

The purpose of this commentary is not to explore the well-covered ground of how manias form and unwind. Rather, it is to highlight the role of psychology within investment markets and advise caution when conventional beliefs or “truths” begin to take shape. The reality is that there is no single truth that can be relied upon to make money in financial markets. If there were, everybody would be rich. Markets are driven by people, so psychology plays a big role in driving returns on any given day. But a recognition of some of the “truths” evolving within markets can help identify the causes of price trends, which can reveal risks and long-term opportunities.

 

One of the “truths” that seems to be evolving – as evidenced by how investors are allocating their capital – is that interest rates will stay low for a very long period of time. If this is true, what we’ve seen in markets is rational; if it’s not, many will be disappointed. One of the recurring themes that I heard at the Value Investor Conference earlier this month is that today’s environment is challenging for bargain-oriented investors. Many in attendance saw the Fed as a too-powerful force driving most stock prices out of bargain territory. While this may indeed be the case, there are almost always good investments to be made, especially in areas that are overlooked. The universe of stocks that are popular, that have obvious appeal and are easily understood is rarely fertile ground for bargains.

More here.

 

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Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:49 | 3587457 unwashedmass
unwashedmass's picture

well at this point, with the miners selling for pennies of their cash out value.....they are the uber bargain of a lifetime. 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:49 | 3588397 disabledvet
disabledvet's picture

"debt monetizations are the best path to prosperity"? Worked great for Japan. Even better for Europe right? Hmmm. "Maybe we should try something different"? I will not call a top here either nor should any of you and I love getting the "feel" of what is a truly profound run of mad money...(boy I wish I had a position in that oil trade too though...been bullish on that for five years as well) but this is no Teddy Bear rally and will keep playing it as such.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:01 | 3588435 e2thex
e2thex's picture

"Bubbles beget bubbles."---Jonathan B. Ubblemath

The next bubble is rental properties.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:07 | 3588470 flacon
flacon's picture

Next bubble... GOVERNMENTS and BANKERS. 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:58 | 3588428 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

I'd advise checking cash and burn rate.  The ones with good situations and no need to look for cash will make it through this.  Though I might add some juniors have been doing private, non-bankster financing and there may be more of that available.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:30 | 3587458 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Easy, just look at which one can be "printed up out of thin air" compared to which "asset" requires some real work to produce. 

And this;

tick tock motherfuckers --> http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/bond/10_year

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 14:18 | 3588762 stacking12321
stacking12321's picture

printed out of thin air = fiat dollars

takes real work to produce = bitcoins

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:50 | 3587460 NipponMarketBlog
NipponMarketBlog's picture

 

 

With the spectre of hyper-inflation - Japan is a strong contender for the next equity bubble.

 

http://nipponmarketblog.wordpress.com/

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:54 | 3588088 ATM
ATM's picture

Only in nominal terms. Japan is fucked in real terms.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:57 | 3588103 swmnguy
swmnguy's picture

I understand what you mean, but..."real terms?"  How quaint.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:03 | 3588132 bonin006
bonin006's picture

It gets real when it takes 100 Trillion dollars to buy a hamburger

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:04 | 3588448 icanhasbailout
icanhasbailout's picture

I'll pay for it with my Tuesbubble profits

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:50 | 3587461 Bearwagon
Bearwagon's picture

Which one is next? Whoever knows the answer to that question will be stinkin' rich. Yea, stinkin' rich! Here's to stinkin rich! Yea, stinkin' rich. Here's to bubbles! Yea, stinkin' bubbles!

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:08 | 3587576 gmrpeabody
gmrpeabody's picture

Too much coffee...

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:14 | 3587606 Bearwagon
Bearwagon's picture

It's already late afternoon here - so, you're definitely right :)

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:58 | 3588431 Go Tribe
Go Tribe's picture

Politician life insurance policies.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:52 | 3587469 mattdubz86
mattdubz86's picture

gold bubble popped in september 12

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:09 | 3587585 Spitzer
Spitzer's picture

So gold is a bubble when it went up slowly for 12 years..

 

What about the 35 year bull market in US debt ?

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:19 | 3587634 EscapeKey
EscapeKey's picture

that's not a bubble.

everyone knows that bubbles in equities and bonds just don't exist.

that's practically keynesian 101.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:52 | 3587816 saveandsound
saveandsound's picture

Slowly in 12 years?

600% in 12 years - that is not slowly. ZH is presenting the charts in a certain way. Indeed, I believe ZH is just selling the book. Just look at the bitcoin coverage. Who is paying their ads, what do you think?

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:56 | 3588096 ATM
ATM's picture

UST in 30yrs.....

 

Just saying.

 

The dollar is the bubble.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:58 | 3588104 ATM
ATM's picture

UST in 30yrs.....

 

Just saying.

 

The dollar is the bubble.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:28 | 3588554 WhiteNight123129
WhiteNight123129's picture

Do not mix up the dollar and treasuries. Dollar is going higher because of poor world economic situation which is a bit contraction like. Yields are going higher because of local domestic situation. If dollar gets too strong it would bring a contraction domestically and the Treasuries would go up again temporarily. However long term treasuries and dollar are screwed, we agree on that.

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:49 | 3588393 koaj
koaj's picture

The ads you see are from your browser click history. My ads on ZH are to buy silver eagles or things from amazon.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:43 | 3588362 krispkritter
krispkritter's picture

About the same time as your cherry?

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:52 | 3587475 Rainman
Rainman's picture

Only five decades of bubbles ? Try doubling that.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:52 | 3587477 cocoablini
cocoablini's picture

I am thinking securitized student loan tranches...education is the new asset scam ponzi

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:55 | 3587489 firstdivision
firstdivision's picture

The number of students attending college will be dropping if they don't watch what they post in social media with this Orwellean police state we have become.  http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x701042777/Debate-ensues-after-Methuen-students-arrest

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:48 | 3588390 chdwlch1
chdwlch1's picture

Read this the other day and had a good laugh...thought I'd share (paraphrasing):

"In a complete surveillance state, sarcasm becomes plausible deniability."

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:11 | 3588481 Pure Evil
Pure Evil's picture

The douche bag deserved to be arrested just for having a facedouche account.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:53 | 3587482 scatterbrains
scatterbrains's picture

That's easy!  Debt bubble

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:55 | 3587490 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

Debt is the bubble.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:01 | 3587527 Agent P
Agent P's picture

Government is the bubble.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:03 | 3587543 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

humanity is the bubble.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:00 | 3587859 Scro
Scro's picture

J Lo

She got a big o'l bubble butt.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:47 | 3588349 krispkritter
krispkritter's picture

Not compared to Kard-ass-hian...jeebus the size of that thing

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:52 | 3588370 BLOTTO
BLOTTO's picture

I'll try...'morals' are in a bubble.

.

Until they turn us into flies/zombies/borg -minded, the great plan is not done.

.

You thought Elvis Presley shaking his hips or Jim Morrison saying 'couldnt get much higher' - on the Ed Sullivan Show back in the (mom's) day was hardcore...holy shit - look at 2013. And here i thought we are suppose to be all sophisticated and advanced in '2013' as a species...what a joke.

Unmoral behavior is gaining speed like computer processors/technology in that it doesnt stop until it cant go any faster...or in 'morals' concern - any more perverted.

Tell me differently?

.

As above,

so below...

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:59 | 3588434 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Contradict yourself much?  Did you mean to say that immoral behavior is in a bubble?  Because all I see are paper-pushers behaving badly without suffering any fucking consequences.  If moral behavior was in a bubble (or all time high) wouldn't some of these fuckers (a.k.a. John corzine) be in fucking prison?  Pull your head out of your ass please your message is getting garbled.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 14:40 | 3588855 BLOTTO
BLOTTO's picture

Unmoral, immoral; potatoe, potato...you know what i mean.

Im baked most of the time...therefore, im doing quit well under the circumstances on this prison planet.

.

And i meant generally speaking - immoral behaviour, not about 'just a few individuals'...it would be easy if we could pick and choose which fucker goes to jail...but, we dont have that luxury - they do howeveer.

.

But dont worry LofP...evil is dysfunctional...that will eventually lead to their downfall and the bubble popping...just might not happen in our lifetime.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:44 | 3588368 ali-ali-al-qomfri
ali-ali-al-qomfri's picture

 debt bubble

bedt dubble

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:55 | 3587492 packman
packman's picture

So for the 2000-2010 decade they picked:

- Oil

- Chinese stocks

as the the big asset bubbles?

Call me crazy, but I'm thinking they missed something....

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:55 | 3587494 mayhem_korner
mayhem_korner's picture

 

 

One bubble to rule them all...

next bubble could be any of a number - Nikkei, Spanish bonds, NasDaq,

The last one to go will be the US Dollar - once all the sheep have filed in (will be like Great White at the Station club).

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:55 | 3587495 Darth Hayek
Darth Hayek's picture

Bah, never fear!  The S&P is tracking earnings perfectly, perfectly I tell you!


Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:58 | 3587509 Dr. Gonzo
Dr. Gonzo's picture

paper/electronic money?

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 09:59 | 3587510 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

bubble bubble toil and trouble

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:00 | 3587516 pragmatic hobo
pragmatic hobo's picture

it's about time the experiment with central-banking came to an end ...

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:07 | 3587553 adr
adr's picture

Oh the lure of wealth without work. If you only got in on the ground floor, you could have turned thousands into millions. That Porsche you always had your eyes on, pocket change. Your wife getting a little fat, hell think of the A grade hookers you can have.

Instead of complaining about the rich, you can join them. BUT YOU GOT TO INVEST, play the game. Get in at the bottom, sell at the top. It's so easy.

There is no true value in any bubble. The value is the belief there will always be someone else willing to pay more. As long as that belief exists, it doesn't matter how much it costs, you will buy. No matter how irrational the purchase seems. $400k for a $100k home six months ago. Just fine if it sells for $500k next month.

There are too many people that believe the story Wall Street sells. The same who flood the Casino because today is the day they pull that lever and win $1 million.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:13 | 3587604 mayhem_korner
mayhem_korner's picture

 

 

+1

The value is the belief there will always be someone else willing to pay more.  Like baseball card "enthusiasts."

The same who flood the Casino because today is the day they pull that lever and win $1 million.  Ever hear those traveling carnival slimeballs scream out "there goes another big winner" as someone carts off a ginormous stuffed pokemon or something?  Wonder if the sheep take notice that the never scream out "there goes another LOSER"...

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:10 | 3588479 WhiteNight123129
WhiteNight123129's picture

Short TREASURIES BITCHEZ!!!!

Did I say that before, how many times?

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:06 | 3587561 Bam_Man
Bam_Man's picture

It's more like 10 decades (since 1913) of bubbles and this guy left out the Granddaddy of them all - US stock market 1922-1929.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:08 | 3587578 CashCowEquity
CashCowEquity's picture

"Gold" a bubble, when is has not even come close to the nominal inflation adjusted high of $2300 in 1980. Sure, you might be a fucking idiot too. Any one who thinks gold IS in a bubble is more than a few fries short of a happy meal.

 

The short bus is on the way to pick you up.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:09 | 3587584 Jack Sheet
Jack Sheet's picture

1. US Treasurys

2. The USD

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:39 | 3587746 wcvarones
wcvarones's picture

Investment strategies for the Zimbabwe Ben era:

1) Buy any asset class that is not in a bubble, because it soon will be.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 10:56 | 3587829 DOT
DOT's picture

BTFB

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:07 | 3587891 catch edge ghost
catch edge ghost's picture

One of the “truths” that seems to be evolving – as evidenced by how investors are allocating their capital – is that interest rates will stay low for a very long period of time. If this is true, what we’ve seen in markets is rational; if it’s not, many will be disappointed.

There are no bubbles. There is only a very very low interest rate that can never rise again. You all want to see the system crash and to see our dear leaders get what they deserve, but it will not happen.  They will continue to inflate until -and long after- Congress has rewritten the tax code and the US Social Security system begins pumping your weekly wages into their most favored and state sanctioned ETF's.

 

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 11:21 | 3587948 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

Gold, Silver, Oil and Euro are  already over the hump - and sliding.

 

But those US indexes - new all time records every day. 

 

Say goodbye to the Dow and S&P.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:05 | 3588119 John Law Lives
John Law Lives's picture

 

The Fed is taking class warfare to the extreme.  How does their promoting "inflation" help the 90% of the public who have little to no equity?  De we really WANT surging home prices and rent levels (to go along with higher food and energy costs and health care costs and tuition costs and insurance costs etc.) when we all know unemployment is much higher than advertised and wage growth has long been stagnant.

Chairsatan EATS the middle class and the poor for breakfast, lunch and dinner as Wall Street cheers him on...

I wish William Banzai would make an image of that.  One of Chairsatan's hands can be grabbing a poor person and shoving it into Chairsatan's toothy mouth as another hand hits CTRL-P while the savage Roman mob (Wall Street banksters etc.) cheer him on as they have their orgy while bathing in free money.  I smell a Pulitzer nomination coming for a well-drawn image of that scene...

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:06 | 3588460 havin' thangs
Wed, 05/22/2013 - 16:21 | 3589280 John Law Lives
John Law Lives's picture

That photo in your link looks like a good start.  I wish William Banzai could make an image of Chairsatan eating a citizen whilst printing cash as the Roman horde (i.e. Wall Street) cheers him on.  He is welcome to full rights to the idea if he chooses to do it.  I can't draw worth a damn or I would take a shot at it.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:26 | 3588265 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

Oil was never in a bubble...

Heavily overbought but never a bubble...

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:27 | 3588273 Dre4dwolf
Dre4dwolf's picture

Everything is going down.

EVERYTHING

 

BUY LAND

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:31 | 3588290 JJ McApe
JJ McApe's picture

" WE DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING"

oh well... :/

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:33 | 3588302 rosiescenario
rosiescenario's picture

U.S. farmland is bubbling.

 

Rare earth miners bubbled awhile ago.

 

Here's a guess.....rice. China has a bit of a cadmium problem in a major rice producing region. If one assumes that they do not radically change their dietary preferences, then they will need to begin importing far more.

 

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:50 | 3588399 Apocalicious
Apocalicious's picture

Maybe in central Illinois and Iowa, but I can get 200 acres of contiguous tillable row cropland close to highways with decent soil for $4,000 an acre. Now, if only I had some of those cheap $$$$$ to buy it with.

 

And they already are changing their diets in China - buying lots of soy and corn to feed their pigs and chickens. Migrating up the protein chain, leaving rice behind. Corn production, this year's surplus notwhithstanding, is where I would bet on increasing production needs.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:34 | 3588311 yogibear
yogibear's picture

Bubble Bernanke and the Fed members are creating one huge bubble disconnected from the fundamentals.  

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:35 | 3588318 q99x2
q99x2's picture

The markets will continue their daily climb for as long as it takes for Bernanke, the FEDs and the NWO to bail out Oboma and Holder from their crimes.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:40 | 3588342 useless_fact
useless_fact's picture

Anything that fractures the tenuous layer of water molecules can cause a bubble to burst. For example, a gust of wind or an object (like your finger) will easily cause a bubble to burst.

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 12:48 | 3588392 MythicalFish
MythicalFish's picture

If you put short-VIX-and-roll 2009 to now its way off the scale already..

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:01 | 3588442 toadold
toadold's picture

Well centralized big government may be a bubble that is about to pop.  Consumer faith in it is dropping. We may all be trying to live on system D for a while.

http://www.strategypage.com/on_point/20130521234256.aspx

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:06 | 3588459 observer007
observer007's picture

Zulauf: Bubble Will Burst In Two Years

Felix Zulauf:

  • "Currency manipulation is the game of the day for central banks, although they deny it.
  • What could happen if the real global economy does not react to the monetary stimulus and what could happen to equity markets when investors wake up one morning realizing that money printing does not work in the real economy?
  • There simply is no free lunch, even though our alchemists at central banks may make some believe it. In some cases, debt restructuring will be inevitable.
  • I hear all strategists singing the same song and also many investors: “We buy equities with decent dividends and solid business models because it is better than bonds or cash.” It is not untrue and does make sense – until it doesn’t anymore. The legendary market strategist Bob Farrell once said “when all the experts agree, something else is going to happen.” The question here is WHEN?
  • Once equity markets discover the emperor has no clothes, they could face a quick and painful adjustment"

Full Text:

http://homment.com/Zulauf-bubble

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:17 | 3588509 much obliged
much obliged's picture
Nobody ever talks about the private motor vehicle bubble, the grandfather of all bubbles that has been inflating over a century now. Nothing else is contributing more to the sins of personal debt than insuring, fueling, operating, parking and maintaining the private motor vehicle and obese life style. Nothing else has contributed more to the sins of government debt than laying millions of miles of street and highway pavement degrading environment.
Wed, 05/22/2013 - 13:46 | 3588607 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

I have a "Save the Whales" bumper sticker on my SUV that makes me carbon neutral.

Because 'I care'.

 

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 15:54 | 3589199 obthedgehog
obthedgehog's picture

I have "Nuke the Whales" on mine.  Because I care... AND I'm ironic.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!