Mark Skousen warns of market turmoil

I have just received an email from Investment U, featuring an article by Mark Skousen, who says that he recently attended a pre-book launch talk by Alan Greenspan. The Federal Reserve's ex-Chairman's memoir "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World" is due out in September.

Reportedly, Greenspan spoke of the scary periods in 1987 and 2001, and his surprise at the resilience of the US economy. Skousen notes two important points from the talk: Greenspan's enthusiasm for the future of the European Union under its more conservative economic leadership, and surprise at the low global interest rates that have helped to drive up the markets. Skousen suggests that interest rates may be on the rise, and the recently increased yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond seems to bear the same interpretation.

For investors, Skousen suggests using stop-loss triggers on share holdings (in a real emergency, will they work as intended?), gold and silver coin to pay your way if the worst comes, and a large amount of cash. Definitely a bear, and with a reputation for prescience: if you look at his website, you'll see that Skousen advised his readers to get out of stocks 6 weeks before the crash of October 1987 - "one of the few advisors to anticipate the crash".

I have to say that I expected it too, but I wasn't an adviser at the time; and I also anticipated the Far East slide of 1997 and the falls post-2000. Not because I'm a genius, nor on account of insider whispers: being naturally wary, I looked and listened for warnings from experts. And so, if I may suggest, should you.