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.

There was a time when warnings about governments embedding identification technology directly into the human body would have sounded like something from George Orwell rather than a public policy debate. Yet here we are. Washington State is now considering legislation to prohibit employers from forcing workers to accept subcutaneous microchip implants. The fact that lawmakers even need to debate such a law should alarm anyone paying attention to where society is heading.

These implants are not some futuristic fantasy. They already exist and have been used in workplaces. The devices are small RFID or NFC chips roughly the size of a grain of rice that are injected under the skin, typically between the thumb and forefinger. They contain no battery and do not actively transmit signals across long distances. Instead, they act as a passive digital key. When scanned by a nearby reader, the chip sends a unique identification number to a computer system connected to a database. That database determines whether you can open a door, access a computer network, enter a building, or authorize a payment.

Companies have already experimented with this technology. In Sweden, workers in technology hubs voluntarily implanted these chips so they could unlock office doors, log into computers, and pay for meals simply by waving their hands near scanners. That happened in 2017 and technology is rapidly evolving. Biohacking companies now sell implantation kits to consumers who want to unlock their homes or vehicles the same way. What is being marketed as futuristic convenience begins to look far less appealing when one considers the broader direction governments are taking with digital infrastructure.

At the same time that corporations are experimenting with embedding identification devices in the body, governments across the world are aggressively pushing digital identification systems. Digital ID programs consolidate identity verification into centralized databases containing everything from passports and healthcare records to employment credentials and tax information. Once identity becomes digitized and centralized, access to everyday life increasingly depends on that system functioning and recognizing you as compliant.

Layer onto that the growing push for central bank digital currencies. Unlike physical cash, CBDCs operate entirely within controlled digital networks run by central banks and governments. Every transaction becomes visible within the system. The currency itself can be programmed. Purchases can be monitored, restricted, or denied. Access to funds can be frozen instantly.

Combine digital identity with programmable money and biometric identification and you begin to see the outlines of a system that previous generations would have described as dystopian. Implantable chips simply remove the remaining friction. Your identification, access permissions, and financial credentials become physically embedded within your body, ready to be scanned whenever a system demands verification.

Politicians insist these technologies are about efficiency, security, and modernization. Those are the same justifications governments have used throughout history whenever they expand surveillance and control. Programs always begin as optional conveniences. Participation is voluntary at first. Over time, the infrastructure becomes so embedded in daily life that opting out becomes practically impossible.

The troubling part is how casually these ideas are now discussed. Only a generation ago the thought of employers implanting tracking devices into workers would have sparked widespread outrage. Today it is framed as a workplace innovation that lawmakers must merely regulate.

Washington State attempting to prevent mandatory implants shows that at least some policymakers recognize how far this could go if left unchecked. Once the concept of embedding identification systems into human beings becomes normalized, it will not remain confined to opening office doors or buying lunch in the cafeteria. When identity, access, and money are all digitized and centrally controlled, the boundary between technological convenience and societal control begins to disappear.

The uncomfortable truth is that the architecture for an entirely new form of digital governance is being constructed piece by piece. Identity systems, financial systems, and surveillance technologies are being merged into a single framework that determines how individuals participate in the economy and society. Implantable chips may appear to be a small step in that process, but they symbolize something much larger: the quiet transformation of the relationship between the individual and the state in the digital age.

Governments never seem to learn from history. Every time energy prices surge, politicians rush to impose price controls as if markets can be commanded to obey political decrees. South Korea has now joined that long list, announcing it will impose a fuel price cap for the first time in nearly 30 years as global oil prices surge due to the escalating Middle East conflict.

Crude oil has already pushed above $100 per barrel, with Brent briefly approaching $119 during the latest escalation surrounding Iran. For an economy like South Korea, which imports roughly 70% of its oil from the Middle East, the impact is immediate and severe. When the region supplying the majority of your energy enters a war cycle, the consequences ripple instantly through fuel markets, currencies, and financial assets.

President Lee Jae Myung said the government would swiftly introduce a price cap on petroleum products to protect consumers and shield the economy from the energy shock. At the same time, authorities are considering expanding a market stabilization program of roughly 100 trillion won, or about $67 billion, to contain the financial fallout from rising energy prices.

South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index fell about 6% as investors reacted to the oil shock. The Korean won weakened toward 1,500 per dollar and bond yields pushed to two-year highs as energy costs surged across the region. Gasoline prices in Seoul have already climbed above 1,900 won per liter and have continued rising toward roughly 1,945 won in only a matter of days.

Price controls never solve the underlying problem. They simply move the cost somewhere else. Either governments subsidize the difference, which expands fiscal deficits, or shortages begin to appear because suppliers have no incentive to sell at artificially suppressed prices. The United States tried the same approach during the 1970s energy crisis, and the result was not cheap fuel but long lines at gas stations.

The deeper issue is that this energy shock is not simply a temporary spike. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply moves through the Strait of Hormuz, and any conflict threatening that route immediately raises global supply risk. Markets price that risk long before governments acknowledge it.

South Korea’s move highlights the vulnerability of modern economies to energy disruptions. Nations dependent on imported fuel cannot control global oil markets with administrative policies. Price caps cannot create supply that does not exist. They simply hide the inflation temporarily while the real pressures build beneath the surface. When governments begin discussing price controls and emergency stabilization funds, history suggests the crisis is only beginning rather than ending.

One of the most dangerous illusions in Washington is the belief that war and energy shocks are temporary. Politicians always assume that prices will spike briefly and then return to normal as if the world economy operates like a thermostat that can simply be turned down once the crisis passes. History shows the opposite. Wars, especially those centered around energy chokepoints, rarely produce transitory economic consequences.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently tried to calm markets by claiming that crude markets remain stable, insisting that “the crude markets are very well supplied” and pointing to “hundreds of millions of barrels on the water away from the Gulf.” He has also suggested that Washington could simply release additional Russian oil from sanctions if needed to increase supply. This thinking reflects the typical Washington view that governments can manage the global energy market with policy tweaks.

At the same time, the administration issued a temporary waiver allowing India to purchase Russian crude in order to ease global supply pressure created by the Iran conflict. Bessent described the measure as a stop-gap that would “alleviate pressure” on oil markets while the crisis unfolds. The logic from Washington is straightforward: increase supply temporarily, calm the markets, and assume prices will fall once the conflict subsides.

President Trump has taken a similar position. Responding to rising gasoline prices, he argued that “short term oil prices… will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over,” adding that higher prices were “a very small price to pay” for global security. The assumption here is that the war will be brief and the energy shock temporary.

Energy markets are not reacting merely to current supply but to geopolitical risk. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz, meaning even the threat of disruption can send prices sharply higher. Once markets begin pricing geopolitical risk into commodities, those price movements can persist long after the initial military event.

Indeed, the market response already demonstrates that the shock is not trivial. Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel and analysts warn that gasoline in the United States could soon approach $4 per gallon as the conflict spreads through the region. Diesel prices are rising even faster, which will ripple through transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. When diesel rises, everything from food to shipping costs follows.

The deeper problem is that wars rarely remain contained. Washington may believe this operation will last weeks, but history suggests otherwise. Iraq was supposed to be over in months. Afghanistan was expected to be quick. Both became decades-long conflicts because policymakers underestimated the geopolitical and cultural realities on the ground.

Energy markets understand this better than politicians. Traders are not simply reacting to headlines; they are assessing the possibility that the conflict spreads across the Middle East, disrupts shipping lanes, or triggers retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure. Once that risk enters the equation, prices do not simply snap back.

There is also the structural issue that Washington prefers to ignore. For years, Western governments discouraged investment in energy production while simultaneously increasing global demand. That created a fragile supply structure where any geopolitical disruption can trigger a major price surge.

The idea that the energy shock will be temporary is therefore a political narrative, not an economic reality. Governments want the public to believe that higher gasoline prices are merely a short-term inconvenience. Markets, however, are signaling something very different.

COMMENT: What the Pentagon did to Anthtopic is what they did to you back in 1998. Why do people think these people will ever be responsable?

Jay

REPLY: It was the CIA in my case, not the Pentagon. Nevertheless, when Snowden came forward, you had people coming out calling him a traitor. He is living in Russia for they want to imprison him for life or give him the death penalty for telling the people the bureaucrats were illegally spying on Americans.

I support Anthtopic. The retaliation against their firm is outrageous. The Constitution means nothing in a court of law even when they let the press in. It means even less behind closed doors. Prosecutors threaten people’s families just to win and will knowing even execute innocent people and hide the evidence that shows what they have done.

Anthropic announced that it couldn’t agree to the Pentagon’s demand to use its tool, when it can be used to spy on Americans, which Snowden already showed they were doing, and allowing AI to be used for autonomous nuclear war is Terminator. The potential for accidental nuclear war. They may not be seeking deliberate nuclear war, but the reality is that AI is not foolproof and we have a herd of fools in place of power right now.

When I offered to run any war study they wanted, they flatly said that they had to “own it.” They would have kept me in contempt for the rest of my life if it had not been for the Supreme Court ordering them to respond what they hell were they doing. Then they demanded the source code. When you dance with the devil, be prepared for the fact they will kill you and then go have a nice dinner. They will NEVER change!

This is a special report with the implications that it appears the White House and Neocons failed to consider. Biden sold off much of the Strategic Petrolem Reserve to cover up his stupid sanctions on Russia that drove gasoline prices through the roof. Al always, those in Washington NEVER address the country or the people. Their actions reflect only self-interest and how do they keep power with the next election. The Neocons do not care about the politicians, they lie every time to start their wars. Here the the chart showing the reserves. At best, the Middle East represents only 5-6% of total US consumption. What they overlook is that if global oil prices rise, ours will as well regardless of the supply. So now, Bessent is scheming to try to manipulate the price of oil just as Biden drained the reserve to try to manipulate gasoline prices. Now, the reserve is depleted and if they released just 1 million barrels per day, that will not even make it to 2028. So get ready. This is NOT going end quickly. Netanyahu is now flying in circles because after killing the Ayatollah, they targeted his office to do the same. What goes around comes around. The critical factor here is NOT the Strait of Hormuz.

This report will be included in the potral for the Attendees of the World Economic Conference.

Energy Crisis … $300

Iran has chosen as expected the son of the former Ayatollah, Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei has been hailed as the new Ayatolla. Israel has instantly threaten to kill him. They are consumed with their Neocon Netanyahu’s ignorant ideas that completely fail to grasp that this is a religious leader and the Shia Muslims have a very detailed and central belief in an end-of-the-world scenario, but it is fundamentally different in its key figures and sequence of events from the one preached by many Christian evangelicals.

Both traditions believe history is moving toward a divinely ordained climax, but the main character of that climax is different. For Christian evangelicals, it is Jesus Christ returning in glory. For Shia Muslims, it is Imam al-Mahdi returning to establish justice.

My father always taught me that it is NOT what I believe that governs the actions of any adversary, it is what they believe. Killing the Ayatollah did nothing but REINFORCE their view that America and Israel are agents of the Great Satan. The killing of their religious leader like Ayatollah Khomeini or even the political leader Qasem Soleimani are often interpreted by believers as signs or precursors that fit into the existing narrative. The way a Shia Muslim views the U.S. and Israel in this context is more nuanced than a simple one-to-one fulfillment of prophecy.

The latest diplomatic explosion between Hungary and Ukraine did not come out of nowhere. Hungarian authorities recently detained seven Ukrainian nationals traveling through the country in armored vehicles carrying enormous quantities of cash and gold, reportedly tens of millions of dollars and kilograms of bullion. Kyiv immediately accused Hungary of “state banditism” and hostage-taking, while Budapest launched a money-laundering investigation and announced the individuals who they deem a “Ukrainian gold convoy” would be expelled.

But this incident cannot be understood without the broader economic conflict unfolding between the two countries. It is highly suspicious that these workers were traveling with 40 million in USD, 35 million euros in cash, and 9 kilos of gold. If it were nationals from any other nation then money laundering would not be deemed hostage taking. For Hungary, this is about energy and the oil lifeline that keeps Hungary’s economy running. Hungary and Slovakia rely heavily on crude delivered through the Druzhba pipeline network, one of the main arteries carrying Russian oil into Central Europe. That pipeline has been offline since late January after infrastructure damage in Ukraine halted deliveries, leaving the two countries facing supply shortages and rising economic pressure.

Political statements from Hungarian officials this morning show that the detention of seven Ukrainian citizens in Budapest was part of Hungary’s blackmail and electoral campaign.

Orban's list of demands for Ukraine this morning was particularly telling. This is what typically…

— Andrii Sybiha ?? (@andrii_sybiha) March 6, 2026

Budapest has repeatedly accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying repairs and effectively imposing an oil blockade. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has openly declared that Hungary will use political and financial pressure to force Ukraine to reopen the pipeline and restore energy flows to Hungarian refineries.

From Hungary’s perspective, the situation is absurd. The European Union demands sanctions against Russia while simultaneously expecting smaller Central European economies to cripple their own energy systems. Hungary was granted exemptions to continue importing Russian oil precisely because its refining infrastructure and geography make sudden alternatives extremely difficult.

When Ukraine halted the pipeline, Hungary and Slovakia responded by suspending diesel exports to Ukraine and threatening broader retaliatory measures, including blocking EU funding packages for Kyiv.

This is where the story becomes politically explosive. The EU leadership and Western media continue to frame the conflict purely through the lens of the war with Russia. But Hungary is looking at it through a far more practical lens: national survival. Hungary was forced to block the 90 billion euro package to Ukraine. Why would a nation agree to provide unconditional funds for a hostile country that is threatening its economy?

“We hope that a certain person in the European Union will not block the €90 billion, or the first tranche from the €90 billion, and our defenders will have weapons. Otherwise, we will give that person’s address to our Armed Forces, to our boys, so they can call him on the phone and speak to him in their own language,” Zelensky said, threatening to provide troops Orban’s number.

“If Ukraine blackmails Hungary, it cannot expect pro-Ukraine decisions in Brussels. Until order is restored, we will use every tool available. We have already stopped fuel deliveries, and we will continue applying pressure until oil supplies resume,” said Orban in a Kossuth interview on March 6. Hungary is giving Ukraine until today “to visit and assess the current state of the Druzhba oil pipeline together with representatives of the MOL group (Hungary’s oil company — ed)” or resume oil transit.

Energy is the foundation of every modern economy. Shut down oil flows, and you are not merely making a geopolitical statement — you are threatening industry, transportation, and the entire domestic energy market. The next step will be crucial. Will Brussells side with Hungary or continue to disregard a member state in favor of propping up Ukraine? This is one of the countless reasons why the European Union is doomed. There is no union, there is no loyalty. The unelected bureaucrats in Brussels are only concerned with beating the drums of war to buy time from the inevitable crash and burn.

The latest employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics once again highlights the persistent inconsistencies that appear when comparing government labor data with private payroll figures. According to the BLS, nonfarm payrolls fell by roughly 92,000 jobs in February, while the unemployment rate edged higher to 4.4%. Analysts had expected modest job growth, so the negative headline came as a surprise and suggests the labor market is beginning to show clearer signs of slowing.

What makes this report particularly interesting is how sharply it diverges from the private sector data released earlier in the week. The ADP National Employment Report estimated that private employers added about 63,000 jobs in February, an improvement from January’s extremely weak reading of roughly 11,000 jobs. While still far from robust growth, the ADP figures pointed to modest hiring rather than the contraction implied by the official report.

Looking deeper into the BLS data, the sector breakdown reveals that hiring was concentrated in only a handful of areas while several cyclically sensitive industries declined. Health care and social assistance continued to add jobs, along with government employment and portions of the education sector. Construction also managed small gains despite weather disruptions. However, manufacturing payrolls declined, retail employment fell, and professional and business services, which tend to weaken early in economic slowdowns, also posted losses. Leisure and hospitality hiring slowed sharply compared with the pace seen throughout 2024 and early 2025.

This gap between the two measures has been appearing more frequently in recent years and highlights the structural differences in how the data are compiled. ADP draws from actual payroll processing data covering millions of workers, whereas the BLS relies heavily on surveys and statistical adjustments, including the birth-death model used to estimate employment from new firms. These models can introduce significant volatility, and revisions months later often alter the original picture substantially.

The broader trend, however, is consistent across both reports. Job creation has slowed materially compared to the earlier post-pandemic period, and the labor market is gradually losing momentum. From a cyclical perspective, this aligns with the broader economic shift unfolding as we move deeper into the current phase of the business cycle. Employment tends to lag the economy, which means weakening payroll data often appears only after growth has already begun to cool beneath the surface.