Professional system trader Art Collins shares his daily biases in the index, bonds and currency futures markets for July 31.

During the last two decades, the percentage of the U.S. economy devoted to consumer spending went up from 67% of GDP to 72%.

The ongoing housing recession, mounting job losses, and indications of slowing consumer spending leads many to believe that the US economy is in the midst of a real economic recession, and the upcoming GDP report will go a long way to dispel or confirm such pessimistic sentiment.

Professional system trader Art Collins shares his daily biases in the index, bonds and currency futures markets for July 30.

Has inflation topped out?

The Federal Reserve’s most recent Beige Book report summarized the current economic and financial situation best, as it noted rising price pressures, slowing growth, and tightening credit.  However, many individual FOMC members have focused more on the inflation issue.

Professional system trader Art Collins shares his daily biases in the index, bonds and currency futures markets for July 29.

The boom in finance is over, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some spectacular bounces.

This week John Mauldin looks at what earnings are likely to be over the next year and tries to discern what that suggests for the markets. He also takes a look at the energy markets, the possibility of a further drop in the price of oil, and muses on what a sane energy policy for the world would look like.

Professional system trader Art Collins shares his daily biases in the index, bonds and currency futures markets for July 28.