New Geopolitical, Commodity, and Recurring Cycles By Harry S. Dent, Jr. New York Times bestselling author Adapted from The Great Depression Ahead (Free Press, 2009) For those familiar with our work, this article will be a condensed explanation of many of the recurring economic and market cycles we study. Our primary focus has always been demographic trends – in an economy that is 70% consumer spending, it only makes sense to study how age affects our spending habits. But given the extreme volatility of recent years, it became obvious to us that there were other cyclical factors at work as well, and these will be the focus of this article. One of the biggest developments of the mid 2000s was the raging bull market oil and commodity prices. We are currently at the tail end of a commodity bubble that has rivaled that of the 1970s even when adjusted for inflation. This caused us to

At his web site, www.hsdent.com, well known commentator Harry S. Dent offers a wealth of information about economics. Since the late 1980s, Dent has provided economic forecasts based in part on studies of demographics and spending trends that affect the economy, stock prices, inflation, and interest rates. He has demonstrated that demographics also influence technological innovation cycles, product and industry trends, real estate, immigration and domestic migration, and new business models for management and organization.  On his web site, he explains that he bases his forecasts on: Predictable Spending Patterns at Different Ages and Stages of Life. In his words, “The age and stage of life determine spending patterns. As we move through predictable stages of life, which correspond with different ages, we change our spending in very predictable ways. What we buy at each stage is predictable and consistent. This information can be used to forecast how spending will change in the

CMT Exam Registration – All Levels Open! Registration for the Fall 2009 CMT Examination is now open for all levels! The Fall 2009 testing window will be October 22nd – October 31st. It is our experience that those who wait until the end of registration to sign up, encounter difficulty securing their desired time, date and location, as this is available on a first come first serve basis. Sign up today to ensure your preferred time, date and location! Contact Marie Penza, 646-652-3300, for information on the CMT Program and/or to schedule your exam. For detailed instructions on how you can register online, please click here. CMT Institute (CMTi) – Start Viewing the Archives Today! The CMTi is an online CMT Exam prep course available to MTA Members and Affiliates only. This is a self paced study program with live review and prep sessions including access to CMTi Faculty and discussion groups. The