Join Us at the 2023 World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida!

? Dates: November 17, 18, and 19 ? Location: Orlando, Florida, USA (or tune in from home with our virtual ticket options)

Are you ready to unlock the future of economics and finance? Prepare for an unforgettable World Economic Conference experience in sunny Orlando, Florida! This premier event is your gateway to insights, networking, and valuable resources that will supercharge your understanding of the global economy.

?️ What’s Included for In-Person Attendees:

1. Event Admission: Enjoy reserved seating assigned based on the order of ticket sales, ensuring you have a prime view of every presentation.
2. Presentation Slides: Gain access to the presentation slides from all speakers, allowing you to delve deeper into the topics discussed.
3. Video Recording: Can’t make it to a session? No worries! You’ll receive access to video recordings of all conference presentations, so you can catch up at your convenience.
4. WEC Event App: Connect with the conference on a whole new level. Access presentation slides, bonus reports, recordings, and more via the official WEC Event App.
5. Bonus Conference Materials: Get a package of bonus conference-related materials, including exclusive bonus reports and videos (as provided by Martin Armstrong).
6. Morning Information Sessions: Don’t miss out on important morning information sessions, screened on-site in the meeting room on Saturday and Sunday.
7. Networking Opportunities: Exclusive access to the Event App Networking Feature allows you to connect with fellow attendees, both in-person and virtual, fostering valuable professional relationships.
8. Culinary Delights: Savor delicious breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, prepared to keep you energized throughout the day.
9. Cocktail Reception: Kick off the conference in style at our Friday evening cocktail reception. Meet and mingle with fellow attendees while enjoying refreshing drinks.
10. Swag Bag: As a token of our appreciation, each in-person attendee will receive a swag bag filled with goodies, including an Armstrong Economics notebook, pen, and an event collector’s mug!

Unable to travel? We also have two different ticket options for those wishing to attend virtually! 

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a global gathering of economic and financial minds. Secure your spot at the World Economic Conference in Orlando, Florida, and gain the knowledge, connections, and resources you need to thrive in the world of finance and economics.

Space is limited, so act now and reserve your seat! Visit our Events page to register and join us in sunny Orlando this November.

Now available at all major retailers!

The eBook will be available shortly.

The second edition of “The Plot to Seize Russia – The Untold History” is now available for purchase in paperback and hardcover on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The ebook will be available shortly.

Book description:

“Take care of Russia,” Boris Yeltsin said as he departed his presidency in August 1999. These words were directed at current Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Yeltsin specifically picked Putin as his predecessor to prevent the takeover of Russia.

So, who was Yeltsin warning against? Newly declassified documents from the Clinton Administration prove that there was a plot to rig the Russian election of 2000. These never-before-seen documents confirm numerous attempts to implement pro-Western policies using the Russian oligarchy headed by Boris Berezovsky.

On the other side were the communists who desired a return to the glory days of the Soviet Union. As one of the largest international hedge fund managers, author Martin Armstrong found himself in the middle of perhaps the greatest espionage, or attempt at a regime change for Russia, in modern history.

The Plot to Seize Russia pulls back the curtain to expose the most extraordinary attempt to seize power in modern history, but with the pen rather than armies. These declassified documents reveal a plot that has altered our thinking about the relations between the United States and Russia. The thirst for power comes seething through every line of these papers that alter our perception of reality, change the course of history, and now threaten us with World War III.

I have been saying for years that Germany was committing economic suicide. People thought Germany’s manufacturing base was untouchable. They believed German engineering alone would overcome every political mistake. That was always nonsense. No company, no matter how great, can survive if politicians deliberately make it impossible to produce competitively.

Now even Volkswagen is admitting reality. Reuters reports the company is considering cutting up to 100,000 jobs over the coming years while closing factories, reducing investment, and restructuring parts of the business. This comes after tens of thousands of positions had already been targeted. When the largest industrial company in Germany starts talking about survival instead of expansion, you know something is fundamentally wrong.

Politicians will blame China, while others will blame Donald Trump or tariffs. They always need someone else to blame because admitting failure would mean admitting their own policies destroyed German industry.

Germany shut down nuclear power. Energy prices exploded. Brussels piled regulation upon regulation onto manufacturers while demanding impossible climate targets. Then governments forced companies to pour billions into electric vehicles long before consumers were ready to buy them. China developed far superior EVs at lower prices, leading the US and EU to all but ban them. The cost of living crisis has prohibited most from purchasing new cars for that matter. The average German, a citizen of the EU economic powerhouse, now has a lower net worth than some of the Southern European nations.

Volkswagen Group delivered 8.98 million vehicles globally in 2025, essentially flat from the previous year, but appearances can be deceiving. Operating profit collapsed by more than 53%, falling from €19.1 billion to just €8.9 billion, even though revenue held steady at roughly €322 billion. Sales in China and North America continued to weaken while tariffs, restructuring costs, and shrinking margins took their toll. Then the first quarter of 2026 brought another warning, global deliveries fell another 4%, including a 15% decline in China and a 20.5% drop in the United States. This is exactly what happens when costs continue rising while demand weakens. You can keep selling cars, but eventually the profits disappear, and once that happens, the layoffs always follow.

Volkswagen once dominated China and was the crown jewel of Germany, the nation that happened to be the economic powerhouse of the EU. Germany surrendered the very advantage that made it successful, reliable and affordable energy combined with world-class manufacturing. Once you destroy that formula, rebuilding it is not as simple as reopening a factory. China has even bid to buy the shutdown VW factories within Germany. The situation is bleak at best.

The unions will object to every layoff and politicians will promise another rescue package. Perhaps they will condemn Chinese imports a bit more. None of that changes the underlying problem and governments cannot regulate prosperity into existence. They can only spend borrowed money pretending they have solved the crisis.

Volkswagen is collapsing because politicians forgot how economies actually function. Germany was once the economic locomotive pulling Europe forward. Now it has become the example I point to when explaining what happens after years of central planning, climate hysteria, and bureaucrats who believe they know better than markets. Our computer has been warning that Europe faces a prolonged economic decline while capital continues seeking safety elsewhere. Volkswagen is simply confirming what the cycles have been projecting for years that points at a downtrend not only in Germany but in the EU as a whole.

Back in 2012, Wired published an article titled “CIA Chief: We’ll Spy on You Through Your Dishwasher.” That was not some wild theory. That was based on remarks from then-CIA Director David Petraeus, who was speaking about the so-called Internet of Things at an In-Q-Tel summit, the CIA’s own venture capital arm. Petraeus called these technologies “transformational,” especially for their effect on “clandestine tradecraft.” In plain English, the intelligence world saw your home appliances, television, car navigation system, light switches, phone apps, and connected devices as the next great surveillance frontier.

Petraeus said that “items of interest will be located, identified, monitored, and remotely controlled” through RFID, sensor networks, embedded servers, and internet-connected devices. That is the quote everyone should remember. They were not hiding it. They were telling you directly that the smart home would become the spy home. Once upon a time, they had to bug your chandelier. Now they simply wait for you to buy the device, install the app, connect it to Wi-Fi, and sign away your privacy in some user agreement nobody reads.

Wired correctly noted that these devices would produce tagged, geolocated data that could be intercepted in real-time. The dishwasher quote was not really about dishwashers alone. It was about the entire home becoming a listening post and tracking station. Your television, thermostat, lighting system, refrigerator, phone, PlayStation, car, smartwatch, and now even your pet’s microchip become pieces of a surveillance net. This is precisely how tyranny advances, not with a knock at the door, but with convenience, entertainment, and a monthly subscription.

Petraeus also admitted that this would “change our notions of secrecy” and force a rethink of “our notions of identity and secrecy.” That is military-intelligence language for the end of privacy. They understood long before the average person that once everything became connected, anonymity would become nearly impossible. You would no longer need a warrant to follow someone physically. Their devices would betray them. Their home would betray them. Their car would betray them. Their entire digital footprint would become a map for government and intelligence agencies.

Now we see the same concept expanding into license plate readers that can track phones, wearables, infotainment systems, Bluetooth devices, AirTags, and even animals. This is the same architecture Petraeus was applauding in 2012. They began by calling it smart technology. Then it became public safety. Then national security. Eventually, it becomes total surveillance. The public was mocked for warning about this, but the CIA director said it himself over a decade ago. The only thing that changed is that the technology has finally caught up with the ambition.

Denying asylum to conscripted Ukrainians is not discrimination, – European Commission

▪️European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunnner refused to recognize as discriminatory the planned measure to deny temporary asylum on the territory of European Union countries to… pic.twitter.com/ioaOR04kW7

— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterPress) June 26, 2026

Europe welcomed millions of Ukrainians with open arms. Governments competed with one another to prove who could be the most compassionate. Nobody wanted to ask the uncomfortable question. What happens when the war drags on for years? Eventually, someone has to fight it.

Now the European Commission is proposing that newly arriving Ukrainian men of military age who are not authorized to leave Ukraine should no longer qualify for temporary protection. Existing refugees would remain protected, but the message is changing. According to the Commission, the proposal came at Ukraine’s request because Kyiv needs to preserve its ability to defend itself. Sweden’s Migration Minister Johan Forssell said the quiet part out loud: “It is essential for us to provide Ukrainians with protection, but at the same time the war needs to be fought and won. For that to happen, it is essential that more men stay in Ukraine and fight.”

Europe is beginning to acknowledge something politicians have carefully avoided saying for years. Wars consume people. Ammunition can be manufactured, but young men cannot. Zelensky has banned military-aged men from leaving the nation.

Zelensky is forcing a generation to perish in this endless war with Russia and NATO. Recent reports indicate that 200,000 soldiers have gone AWOL (absent without leave), and for perspective, that is more soldiers than the entire UK military. Ukraine’s new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov warned that the government is hunting down two million Ukrainians who are wanted for evading mobilization.

“Today, we cannot fight with new technologies, with an old organizational structure,” Fedorov said in a televised warning. “Our goal is to change the system, carry out army reforms, improve the infrastructure on the front, to eradicate lies and corruption, to instill leadership, and a new culture of trust.”

The age of conscription was lowered from 27 to 25 back in April 2024. Zelensky has demanded that men from 25 up to 60 years of age join mobilization efforts. Ukraine has a population of 40 million, and 2 million evaders represent a significant portion of men, but only six months ago, reports indicated that 6 million men were wanted for evading the draft. The EU is now considering preventing men aged 24 to 60 from entering the bloc as the war requires ample cannon fodder. Europe is not fighting in this battle for the good or Ukraine or its people.

Everything comes with a price tag in Ukraine. The alleged cost for organized desertion begins in the $7,000 rage, and some reports have stated individuals were able to remove themselves from wanted registry lists for $3,500. Men have attempted to flee to neighboring Belarus, Romania, and Hungary. Romania reportedly detained over 10,000 attempted evaders in 2025 alone. There is little room for escape; everyone must comply with Zelensky’s death orders.

Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukrainian men of conscription age who left the country, many in violation of his wartime restrictions, should return to die in his war. He states it is only “fair” since the army needs them for rotation, which is nothing less than an admission that the war effort is running short of bodies.

“As regards young people who are currently not in Ukraine, but abroad. First of all, there are different groups of young people. I agree with you regarding those of conscription age who left Ukraine. They left temporarily but ended up staying away for years,” Zelensky stated, oblivious to the reason so many fled their homes. “And many of them left in breach of Ukrainian law. The relevant authorities in both countries should address this issue.

Our Armed Forces would certainly like them to return. Because this is a matter of fairness. We have people, soldiers on the front lines, who need rotations. These Ukrainian soldiers are as strong as iron, but let’s be honest: they have families; they are defending their homes, and more than that – the entire state. But this responsibility should be borne by every person who is a citizen of Ukraine who has the capacity to do so. It is both a constitutional duty and a matter tied to conscription age.”

Zelensky is no longer an elected leader. The people, per usual, have no say in the conflict. They can no longer choose who represents their nation since martial law was declared. Europe is hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees under the banner of humanitarian protection. But they now need protection from Zelensky, not Putin. There are countless videos online of men being abducted in broad daylight. Opting to go to jail, as was common in America during the Vietnam War for example, is not an option. To the frontlines you go.

Most would renounce their citizenship if possible, but here’s the catch: Zelensky has made it ILLEGAL to renounce citizenship during wartime. A person must already have another citizenship approved or guaranteed before they can give it up, and the process requires presidential approval and can take up to a year or more. The unelected president will not permit anyone to renounce their citizenship, but the press frames it as widespread patriotism as only a handful have managed to escape Zelensky’s claws.

The European Union currently provides temporary protection to more than 4.4 million Ukrainians. Housing, healthcare, education, and the right to work have all been extended under the Temporary Protection Directive, which Brussels now wants to prolong until 2028. At the same time, however, officials are drawing a distinction between those already inside Europe and military-age men who may seek refuge in the future.

The reality is that neither the EU nor Zelensky is seeking peace. Every attempt at peace has been outright rejected, and Zelensky is willing to pay for this conflict with the blood of an entire generation.

Understanding the World Economy

An Introduction to Cycles of Confidence

Most people are taught to view the economy through headlines, political debates, and short-term events. Yet beneath the daily noise are long-term cycles that influence markets, governments, business activity, and even society itself.

Join Martin Armstrong for a special educational event designed to introduce attendees to the concept of confidence cycles and how they shape the world around us. This presentation will provide an accessible overview of the theories and observations that have made Martin Armstrong one of the most recognized independent economic thinkers in the world.

This event is not limited to investors, traders, or finance professionals. It is intended for anyone interested in understanding the forces that drive economic change, including students, business owners, retirees, professionals, entrepreneurs, and curious minds seeking a broader perspective on the world economy.

What You’ll Learn:

• • The role confidence plays in economic and political change
• • How cycles influence markets, governments, and society
• • Why economic trends often repeat throughout history
• • The interconnected nature of the global economy
• • The foundations of Martin Armstrong’s approach to analyzing world events
• Important Information:
• • This is an educational event only
• • No financial advice will be provided
• • No market forecasts or investment recommendations will be discussed
• • This event is designed as an introduction to the concepts behind cycles of confidence
• • The event will not be live-streamed
• • Attendance is available exclusively in-person

This event is also an excellent opportunity to introduce friends, family members, or colleagues to Martin Armstrong’s work. If you have ever wanted to share these ideas with someone important in your life, this presentation provides the perfect starting point.

We do not anticipate offering this event again in the foreseeable future. For those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Martin Armstrong’s theories on the global economy, this may be a unique opportunity.

Learn. Understand. See the Bigger Picture.

Reserve your seat today:
https://armstrongeconomics.ticketspice.com/understanding-world-economy

PRIVATE BLOG – The July Crash?

Private blog posts are exclusively available to Socrates subscribers. To sign-up for Socrates or to learn more, please visit Ask-Socrates.com.

https://ask-socrates.com/

Gold has now fallen below $4,000 an ounce for the first time since November 2025, and suddenly everyone is proclaiming the bull market is dead. On June 24, spot gold fell to an intraday low of approximately $3,973.79, breaking below the $4,000 level for the first time in seven months. On June 25, gold remained under pressure, trading around $3,982.49. From its January record high near $5,595 an ounce, gold has now declined more than 28%, approaching the 30% correction our computer models had been pointing toward. Markets move in cycles, not straight lines. A correction of this magnitude frightens the late buyers into dumping their positions at precisely the time our computer indicated this washout would unfold.

During my latest interview with Mining, I warned that gold had become extremely overextended and that a major correction into this time period should surprise no one. I also explained that simply replacing the Federal Reserve chairman would not magically produce lower interest rates if inflation continued to accelerate. The market is now beginning to recognize that reality. Expectations for tighter monetary policy under Kevin Warsh, a stronger U.S. dollar, and reduced fears of an immediate Middle East escalation combined to create the perfect environment for a sharp liquidation.

What most analysts continue to miss is that a correction does not automatically signal the end of a secular bull market. The sovereign debt crisis has not disappeared. Europe’s financial problems have not been solved. Governments everywhere continue borrowing at unsustainable levels while geopolitical tensions remain elevated. Capital moves in waves, and violent corrections are a normal feature of every major bull market. During periods of international uncertainty, it is entirely possible for both gold and the U.S. dollar to strengthen together as capital flees political instability and sovereign debt risk around the world. Those who mistake a cyclical correction for the end of the trend usually discover they sold at exactly the wrong time.

This is why relying on opinion is so dangerous. The computer has no emotion, no political bias, and no personal agenda. It follows the movement of global capital. While everyone was chasing gold near $5,600 in January, the models warned that a significant correction was approaching. Now that fear has returned and commentators are declaring the bull market over after a decline to roughly $3,975, the majority is once again reacting emotionally instead of understanding the cycle. Markets rarely reward the majority. They reward those who recognize the trend beneath the volatility.

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge just delivered another reminder that inflation has not been defeated. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index rose 4.1% year-over-year in May, the highest annual reading in three years, after climbing 0.4% during the month alone. Even stripping out food and energy, the so-called “core” PCE increased another 0.3% in May and now stands at 3.4% annually, still nearly double the Fed’s mythical 2% target. This is now the third consecutive month that inflation has accelerated rather than cooled. Meanwhile, consumer spending increased another 0.7% during May despite prices continuing to rise. People are still spending, but they are increasingly financing that spending by drawing down savings rather than enjoying genuine increases in purchasing power.

This is precisely why I have said repeatedly that simply replacing the Fed chairman changes nothing. Kevin Warsh inherits the same Keynesian institution that has governed monetary policy for decades. The politicians want lower interest rates because governments are drowning in debt and every percentage point increase dramatically raises interest costs. But central bankers cannot simply ignore inflation when it is moving back above 4%. Markets continue to fantasize that a new chairman somehow has a magic wand. That is political wishful thinking, not economics.

If inflation continues to reaccelerate, the pressure to raise rates will become overwhelming regardless of who occupies the chairman’s office. The Fed follows its mandate, and inflation above 4% leaves very little room for political fantasies.

Many commentators immediately blamed the increase entirely on higher oil prices during the recent Middle East conflict. Energy certainly contributed, but that explanation is far too simplistic. Core inflation excludes food and energy, yet it also accelerated to its highest level since late 2023. That tells us inflationary pressures have spread throughout the broader economy. Housing, services, transportation, insurance, labor costs, tariffs, and supply-chain disruptions all continue feeding higher prices. This is exactly why I have argued that reducing inflation to a single commodity price misses the broader cyclical forces driving the economy. Once inflation becomes embedded throughout the system, it becomes far more difficult to eliminate than politicians care to admit.

The markets continue to misunderstand another important point. Rising interest rates are not automatically bearish. Historically, rates tend to rise alongside strong capital concentration and expanding markets because money competes for returns. Rates generally collapse during bear markets and recessions when capital desperately seeks safety. We are entering a period where geopolitical instability, sovereign debt problems across Europe, and international capital flight continue funneling money into the United States. That capital flow can support both the U.S. dollar and financial markets even while interest rates remain elevated. The old Keynesian assumption that higher rates automatically destroy markets has repeatedly failed during previous international crises.

The broader issue extends far beyond one inflation report. Governments worldwide have accumulated debt levels that cannot realistically be serviced under permanently elevated interest rates. Every central bank now finds itself trapped between inflation and sovereign debt. Lower rates encourage inflation and currency instability. Higher rates increase government financing costs and expose the insolvency of highly indebted nations. That is why sovereign debt remains the defining issue of this decade. Inflation is not simply about gasoline or groceries. It is the symptom of governments that borrowed far beyond any sustainable level and now face the consequences.

Our models continue to point toward rising volatility into 2026 as the Panic Cycle unfolds. War, capital migration, sovereign debt stress, and declining confidence in government institutions are converging simultaneously. The latest PCE report is simply another confirmation that inflation has not disappeared. It merely paused before beginning its next advance. Those expecting a smooth return to the low-inflation world of the last decade are preparing for a future that no longer exists.