We begin the New Year with a look at the latest Markets, Finance, Scandal! We look at the economic indicators quacking like a recession duck – from the S&P to the Chicago PMI, more and more indices are indicating things are as bad as during the last financial collapse of 2007-2009. We also discuss ‘the next subprime trade’ as house prices rise while incomes decline, share prices rise as earnings decline and mom and pop investors pour into ‘low cost’ ETFs but may end up costing them ultimate price of total wealth destruction. And, finally, we look at the energy pumper (Saudi Arabia) and the credit pumper (the USA) trying to destroy their upstart competitors by flooding the market with their own product.