[lbo-talk] Stock Markets vs the Real Economy

SA s11131978 at gmail.com
Mon Aug 8 21:38:13 PDT 2011


On 8/8/2011 11:29 PM, michael perelman wrote:


> Carrol gave a couple of examples. GE, the auto manufacturers, even
> retailers often only make their profits on warranties. Seth, you are
> right that it does not make sense. Neither does capitalism.
>
> On Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 8:21 PM, Carrol Cox<cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
>> I was trying to remember the other day how Greyhound had shifted its
>> business. U.S. Steel turned itself into Marathon and sold the steel
>> business. The (original) Greyhound did the same, but I don't know or can't
>> remember what it turned itself into.

This is a line peddled by Harvey and Brenner. I have never seen any evidence given for it.

When I ask for evidence, none is ever given. When I provide contrary evidence, it's ignored. People seem to repeat this line because they really want to believe it.

Your argument was:


> When few good prospects for real investment exist, people look for
> financial opportunities.

What makes you think this is true? Is it a hunch? A hypothesis? Just some barstool shit-shooting?

I'm asking you as an economist: If this were true, what sort of pattern would we expect to find in the data?

SA



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