Real After-Tax Profits Reach New Record High in Q4

Mark J. Perry submits: Corporate profits after tax (unadjusted) reached a new record high in the first quarter of 2011 of almost $1.5 trillion.

Mark J. Perry submits: The Census Bureau reported today that U.S. consumers set a new all-time monthly record by spending $381.5 billion on retail and food services in January.

By Hard Assets Investor: By Sumit Roy It was a year of many records for the gold market. No, gold prices didn't reach an absolute record high in 2012 as some had forecast, but it was still a year of many records for the gold market, according to the World Gold Council's latest Demand Trends report. In fact, gold prices averaged $1,722 during the last three months of the year, the WGC said. That's a record quarterly price.

Mark J. Perry submits: From today's BLS employment report:

Mark J. Perry submits: Today's disappointing BLS employment report reflects a fairly weak job market and a continuation of the "jobless recovery" that will likely continue well into 2011, maybe even into 2012.

By Mark J. Perry: The total volume of U.S. international trade activity (exports + imports) reached an all-time record high in September (not adjusted for inflation, BEA report here) of $404 billion, slightly higher than the previous record of $401 billion in July 2011 (see top chart above). Compared to the recession-related, cyclical low of $277 billion of

Mark J. Perry submits: