SPIP

"Japanification" is the process of other countries' economies becoming like that of Japan: flatlined, with little to no growth or inflation and interest rates stuck at zero indefinitely. Because of the Monetary Death Spiral process that I've described elsewhere, many countries around the world are undergoing the process of Japanification. With interest rates now stuck at zero for the long haul and the Fed focused on employment above all else, the US has now completed the process. I go through nine economic metrics to show how the United States is walking down the path of Japan.

The real yield of -0.966% was slightly higher than where this TIPS was trading on the secondary market just minutes before the auction's close.The inflation break-even rate settled in at 1.65%, which looks like a reasonable number. Inflation hawks should see this as a positive for this investment.This TIPS auction could be considered "normal" by the strange standards of normality in 2020.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has pledged to hold interest rates near zero until the US economy reaches 4% unemployment and 2% average inflation. In all likelihood, it will take a very long time (6+ years) to reach that goal, if we reach it at all before the next recession. The increasing amount of permanent damage done by COVID-19 makes the fabled "V-shaped recovery," and thus the hope of higher rates, extremely unlikely. Here are three high-yielding dividend stocks that offer safe income streams and should benefit from the low-rates environment.