JAPAN FINDS PLUTONIUM IN THE SOIL AT NUCLEAR PLANT
What is being called the world’s worst atomic disaster in 25 years may be getting worse. Plutonium was found in the soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex giving further evidence of higher than reported radiation leaks. The Japanese Prime Minister is feeling pressure to widen the evacuation zone, but he is faced with the dilemma of where to put them. There are still hundreds of thousands of displaced people due to the earthquake and tsunami.
The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values are due out today and expectations are not high. This index which measures property values in 20 cities fell 3.2% from January 2010 (last month's report), which was the largest 12-month decrease since November 2009. Prices are expected to continue to fall as rising foreclosures put more houses on the market and the current falling prices keep potential buyers watching and not acting.
President Obama made the case last night for the US involvement in Libya. All of this regime change has to make one wonder who will end up running the show. Using numbers that can be obtained from IMF World Economic Outlook and the World Bank, amongst others, it is interesting to take note of the median ages of the Middle Eastern populations. The median age in the US is now 35.3. In Egypt the median age is 24.0, which means their entire life they were under a regime supported by the US. A regime they just threw out. Libya 24.2 – Saudi Arabia 24.9 – Syria – 21.5 – Yemen –17.9. The US will need to adjust to dealing with an entirely different generation.
At 8AM (CT) the APMEX precious metal prices were:
- Gold price -$1,417.40 (down $3.50)
- Silver price - $36.91 (down 25 cents)
- Platinum price -$1,746.00 - (down $3.80)
- Palladium price -$745.00 - (down$1.70)