Economy

Alternative employment statistics.

Caterpillar went nowhere during the global debt spree since 2008, emblematic of the entire economy.

"Needless to say, CAT is the poster child for the current global malinvestment cycle. The truth is that its booming sales during the interim between 2009 and 20013 reflected a massive and counter-productive build-up all around the planet of excess fleets of heavy mining, construction, energy and related equipment and machinery.
Accordingly, what lies in the future is just the opposite. There will be literally thousands of acres of idle Big Yellow machines parked all over the planet as the emerging capital spending bust gathers force and the global deflation emanating from China and the EM reaches full stride."

The same will happen to all companies and countries.

"Yet during the artificial inventory and investment boom of the last six years, its C-suite did accomplish one thing: the company reduced its share count by 10 percent and disgorged $25 billion in stock buybacks and dividends over the last 10 years, thereby goosing its stock price and the value of executive options."

As did many companies, sending stocks to record highs.

Number of billionaires has doubled since financial crisis.

Britain's wealthiest double net worth since financial crisis.