>>While I think China has a good chance of being the next economic superpower, No One, and I mean No One escapes the business cycle, and am very nervous about China's uninterrupted 8% annual growth to infinity. I know someone that lives in Shanghai China. I had sent the recent John Mauldin article about China Real Estate and asked them what they thought. Here was the reply:

"I was doing some hands on research here and found one condo in a mid-level part of town that costs $165K USD for a down payment and a 25 yr mortgage needs a payment of $2K USD a month but it can only bring in $1,250 USD a month in rent! The mortgage payment is WAY higher than the rent! Thats because you hope to make money on it when you sell it and the price is much higher than the deficit that the rent brings. A friend of mine bought a house a year and a half ago and it was $144K USD, now it is worth $288K! yea, and my friend only makes about $700 a month! And that is an entry level white collar job. Certainly the market can't persist like this forever."<<

This was from a comment on the Cara board. Now I see my fellow employee piling into Putnam Emerging Markets because a financial "advisor?" tells them that is the place to be. Imagine a world without central bankers and brokers--we are on our way!!!
>>No One, and I mean No One escapes<<

LOL!!!!