"Vladimir Putin's Stock Market"

 

     My promise to you is that I am always on the lookout for obscure sources and very important stories that major media outlets overlook. Yesterday, I hit "paydirt!"

     Regardless of what country you are in around the world, you have seen the value of your retirement fund and investment portfolio drop in value. Do not feel alone, numerous billionaires around the world have seen their net worths take "a big hit."

    Conventional wisdom says that investors are "spooked" by inflation fear. I have an unconventional take on the whole thing. I nickname the current stock market full of pain and losses as: "The Vladimir Putin Stock Market."

       When you hear this what jumps to mind is that everyone fears that the war in Ukraine will escalate to World War III with a nuclear exchange between Russia,  the European Union, and the U.S. I have written several Op-Eds on this subject where I have quoted a well-known US professor of Russian Studies who has been a personal friend of Putin for over 20 years. He says that Putin is sane and rational. He tells people not to worry. I do not fear this wild escalation to nuclear Armageddon. Rest assured that Putin is going to frighten us and make life hard for all of us for a couple of years to come.

    I encountered a very special and insightful YouTube video yesterday afternoon that paints an entirely different picture. When I give you a video link, I generally advise you to have a look at it if time permits. In this case, I am going to urge all of you to take a look at it as follows:

 

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4StLA309XI

 

       To make a long story short, Russia and Belarus control all sorts of strategic commodities that are essential to keep the world going. Oil and natural gas immediately come to mind. Nickel is another one. There is a long list of other commodities and vital agricultural products that Russia is rich with. The current situation of sanctions and this war put the delivery of these commodities at risk.

      There is another ominous problem on the horizon. Russia no longer gets Western help to provide maintenance to continue its oil production. This winter we could see major freezes that causes oil pipelines to burst with a significant cut in Russian oil and gas production. World oil prices will explode upwards. The last time Russian oil pipelines burst in winter. it took them 30 years to recover their oil production. Russia is on a slippery slope leading to poverty and economic misery for years to come.