Bob Brinker Moneytalk Summary for July 24, 2011

Sunday Bob Brinker started the show by saying "Our Toll Free Line 1-800-934-2221. That is our contact number."

Brinker then summarized the debt ceiling issue. Brinker said there is an interest payment due on August 4 that is large enough to put the Federal Government beyond the debt ceiling unless the government can find a legal way to extend the debt ceiling. He said on a "technical basis" we are beyond the debt ceiling but the Treasury has found various ways to extend this.

Brinker said the question we are debating is "how much government will Americans be willing to pay for?" He said the voters will have an opportunity to give their opinion on this issue in the next election.

Near the middle of the show Brinker made what I believe is an excellent point. That is .....

For more, read Moneytalk Show Review - July 24, 2011

Bob Brinker Fan Club Home Page

>>Bob Brinker's Asset Allocation History<< 

Best Savings Account Rates

This survey updated this weekend shows the highest savings account rates we can find with FDIC or NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) insurance.

Savings Account Rate Survey

Latest Survey - Last (June 2011) Survey 

Savings Account Rates (APY) as of July 16, 2011

1.15% at at CapitalOne through Costco
10% Interest Bonus on Interest earned & up to $60 if bought through Costco.com
InterstPlus Online Savings - $10,000 Minimum Balance for the bonus

1.15% at at Discover Bank
  Online Savings Account, No Monthly Fees, $500 Minimum Balance

1.10 % at CapitalOne
InterstPlus Online Savings - $1,000 Minimum Balance for this Rate

1.00 % at American Express Bank, FSB
Online Savings Account -No Monthly Fees, No Minimum Balance

1.10 % at Sallie Mae Bank
High Yield Savings Account, No Monthly Fees, No Minimum Balance
10% intrest rate bonus with "Upromise" match (see restrictions and rules to qualify)

1.05% at Nationwide Bank
Access your cash anytime via ATM, check or online, $1,000 Minimum Balance

1.04 % at Ally Bank
Online Savings Account - No minimum, no monthly fees.

1.01 % at EverBank
Yield PledgeSM Savings Account, $1500 Min Balance

1.00% at StarOne Credit Union
Money Market Savings Account, $50 minimum, no monthly fees.

1.00% at ING Direct
Orange Savings Account. No Fees. No Minimum Balance.

0.85 % at FNBO Direct
Online Savings Account. No Min Deposit. No Maintenance Fees.

0.80% at HSBC Direct
Online Savings Account. No Fees. $1 to open, $0.01 Minimum Balance 

WTDirect 0.76 %
Personal Savings Account, $10,000 minimum balance for this rate

If you are aware of any banks with better rates, please let me know so we can add them to the next survey. 

Old updates:

• 2011:  June 9, May 24   
  
• 2010:  Dec 10   Feb 9  
• 2009: Jan 13 Dec 3 Nov 24

Moneytalk Summary for July 17, 2011

Today Bob Brinker started the show out by saying his Moneytalk program is "the longest running investment broadcast in America and for that to you we say thank-you very much."

Debt Ceiling:

Brinker's first topic of the day was declaring that the debt ceiling must be increased. He says we have 14.4 trillion dollars  in national debt with well over one trillion dollars in annual treasury sales. He said some "so called presidential candidates out there stomping in Iowa" who are "calling for the US government not to raise the debt ceiling." Brinker said you can cross these off your list as "a person who is not qualified to run the country."

Who to Tax to Pay for Debt we have?
 
Brinker said he doesn't want to see tax rates go up on the middle class but he would not care if they raised the rates on top earners from 35% back to 39.6%.

For more, see Moneytalk Show Review: July 17, 2011 at the Bob Brinker Fan Club

Bob Brinker's GDP Growth Forecast

In the July 2011 Marketimer, Bob Brinker projects US GDP will grow by two to three percent in 2011.  He says he is "slightly more conservative than the revised Federal Reserve forecast of 2.7% to 2.9% growth in 2011."

Brinker seems to not understand what "central tendency" for GDP growth means.  "Central Tendency" is  2.7% to 2.9% but the full range of estimates that includes the three highest and three lowest estimates from FOMC board members is 2.5% to 3.0%.   

You can read the exactly what the FOMC forecasts in their June 22, 2011 release at Projections Materials (80 KB PDF)

Brinker's forecast for GDP growth matches that of the International Money Fund (IMF)

In the June 20, 2011 "Concluding Statement of the 2011 Article IV Mission to The United States of America," the IMF makes the following forecast for US GDP growth:

• 2011: 2.5 percent
• 2012: 2.7 percent
• 2013: 2.7 percent
• 2014: 2.9 percent
• 2015: 2.9 percent
• 2016: 2.8 percent

 See "IMF Economic Outlook for US GDP growth, Inflation, Unemployment &Current Account" and "MF Economic Outlook for the US"

 Also, by claiming he predicts "two to three percent" he'll be "correct" if growth comes in between 1.50% and 3.49% when rounded to a single digit. It is a nice trick perfected by the Wizard of Oz since 1.50% rounds up to 2% and 3.49% rounds down to 3% when you only use one digit of precision!

The Fed and the IMF are far more precise in their predictions since they are not trying to sell "market timing newsletters."