Rough Days Ahead for Ford and the Big 3 in General?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bham1982

But that's entirely irrelevant.

The issue isn't whether interest rates are historically "too high" or "too low", the issue is that they're being pushed higher by a certain trolling idiot in power, threatening global economic chaos and befuddling economists of every ideological stripe.

---

And now he's threatening a government shutdown, if that stupid wall doesn't get built. This guy acts more like a petulant 8 year old, who can't get his way, than the leader of the free world.

Ford stock has been in the tank for 15 yrs, maybe a little more. Trust me, I know.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rb336

no, the opposite is true. Ford is shifting to a higher profit mix of vehicles. Overall volume will be down, but Focus and Fusion were barely profitable. I'd wait till $8 or so and then buy, unless it starts ticking up.

---

I’m not an individual stock buyer [[anymore) but I always thought the general rule of thumb was try and buy a stock when it’s on it’s way up, not when it’s going down.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bham1982

But that's entirely irrelevant.

The issue isn't whether interest rates are historically "too high" or "too low", the issue is that they're being pushed higher by a certain trolling idiot in power, threatening global economic chaos and befuddling economists of every ideological stripe.

---

Was President Carter responsible for 20% interest rates during his administration? I doubt it*. When the demand for borrowed money increases, the price for borrowing money [[interest) goes up. Simple supply and demand. That's why the fed increases the money supply; to offset demand. That action keeps interest rates down but creates other problems as previously mentioned.

*"The country was experiencing an annualized inflation rate of 13%, and the only way to bring about price stability was to raise rates dramatically, and that’s just what he did. During his tenure, Volcker raised the federal funds target from about 11% to 20%. Conseqently, inflation fell from over 14% in 1980 to less than 3% in 1983."

^^ I remember those 16 % interest rates and layoffs in the auto industry in the early 80's. It wasn't pretty.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oladub

Was President Carter responsible for 20% interest rates during his administration? I doubt it*.

---

Again, you're missing the point. Carter wasn't doing anything outlandish and/or unsupported by any economic ideology.

But, yes, obviously Presidents [[deservedly) take credit or blame for economic numbers. Carter's support was harmed by inflation.

Europe will not bow to the Orange Cheeto fingered asshole.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Richard

We impose a 2.5% tariff on imported cars but a 25% on vehicles that haul goods or trucks,our trucks are to big for little streets across the pond.

When you are selling a $80,000 truck and the imports are more reliable,fuel efficient at a cheaper price and your imposed tariffs are removed things change.

---

This is actually true. The maximum length of a regular semi truck over here is 18.75 meters. Most tractors are cab-over-engine. Given that American tractors often have lavish sleeping compartments, due to the distances covered, the length of a tractor and a trailer would surpass that length.
There are some exceptions to the rule.
Fairground attractions and circus vehicles can have a maximum length of 24 meters. And LZV combinations can even be 25.25 meters.

And your other point, American cars a viewed over here as gas guzzlers. Call it a stereo type but the fact is the prizes on the pumps are no joke. You pay the same prizes, but we get a liter for that, you a gallon....

Off topic.
Then there are special transports which need an accompanying vehicle to want traffic there's a massive vehicle riding here. The biggest I personally saw was a combination with a bridge segment that was over 75 meters long! Here's a video I dug up which I shot of said combination when it was driving backwards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnhgDvDWk6E

Ps.
The crane on the left was lost during the Alphen aan den Rijn Disaster.
[[You can activate English subtitles.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oladub

Was President Carter responsible for 20% interest rates during his administration? I doubt it*. When the demand for borrowed money increases, the price for borrowing money [[interest) goes up. Simple supply and demand. That's why the fed increases the money supply; to offset demand. That action keeps interest rates down but creates other problems as previously mentioned.

*"The country was experiencing an annualized inflation rate of 13%, and the only way to bring about price stability was to raise rates dramatically, and that’s just what he did. During his tenure, Volcker raised the federal funds target from about 11% to 20%. Conseqently, inflation fell from over 14% in 1980 to less than 3% in 1983."

---

And again it was a Democrat who had to repair it [[Carter) and a Republican who fucked it all up again [[Reagan). The national deficit was rising again. Same happened with Clinton followed by Bush-II and Obama followed by Orange shit gibbon.
The last one of course for giving away money to the rich in the form of a tax cut.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

Europe will not bow to the Orange Cheeto fingered asshole.

---

I think you may need to add some punctuation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

...
And your other point, American cars a viewed over here as gas guzzlers. Call it a stereo type but the fact is the prizes on the pumps are no joke. You pay the same prizes, but we get a liter for that, you a gallon....

---

I think this might be the biggest reason the US doesn't export many pickup trucks to Europe. High gas prices and low gas mileage mean that only the wealthiest can afford to run one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by archfan

I think this might be the biggest reason the US doesn't export many pickup trucks to Europe. High gas prices and low gas mileage mean that only the wealthiest can afford to run one.

---

And they're too big to drive and park. European cities weren't built for cars, and certainly not for F-150s.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by softailrider

I’m not an individual stock buyer [[anymore) but I always thought the general rule of thumb was try and buy a stock when it’s on it’s way up, not when it’s going down.

---

“Buy low and sell high” is how one makes money in the stock market but if it was so easy, everyone would do it and we’d all be millionaires.

The time to buy Ford stock was early 2009 when it was down to $1.90 and the company was on the edge of bankruptcy. But most people can’t handle that kind of risk. The time to sell was five years ago when the stock had gone back up to $17.50. But most people [[including me) thought it would keep going up. It didn’t. Instead, it's been dropping and anyone holding Ford stock during the last five years lost more money than they earned in dividends.

Interesting video about the Detroit Auto Industry during the recession of the late 70's and early 80's.

https://youtu.be/f1zsm5cdkpk

Ford stock is down another $1 per share since I originally posted this [[now at $9.13), and they just annouced a reorganization of their salaried workforce.


https://www.freep.com/story/money/ca...bs/1535748002/

None of it is really truly helping Detroit get back on its feet.
The city is still suffering the immense issue of in-coming revenue to function

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by O3H

None of it is really truly helping Detroit get back on its feet.
The city is still suffering the immense issue of in-coming revenue to function

---

Michigan needs high quality jobs in order to attract more highly edcated people with money from outside the state.

But of course, the state's only major employers going through "reorganizations" whenever the economy sneezes isn't exactly comforting to these individuals who are concerned about job security and/or want to job hop.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Ford stock is down another $1 per share since I originally posted this [[now at $9.13), and they just annouced a reorganization of their salaried workforce.


https://www.freep.com/story/money/ca...bs/1535748002/

---

Every decade or so, one or more of the Big Three gets into trouble and has to start firing people, close plants and reorganize. Car companies have managed to convince the public these periodic “reorganizations” are necessary because the car business is cyclical - but the real reason is bad management.

Less than ten years ago, Ford reorganized, got rid of 40,000 people, closed a dozen plants. In 2010 Ford shut down Mercury Division. If this keeps up Ford will eventually reorganize itself out of existence.

Detroit isn't the center of attention it once was in the auto industry
--- almost all happens outside the city limits ----

Ford and G.M both down around 3% today, Ford to under $9 per share, a price it hasn't seen since 2012 and GM shares are now below their 2010 IPO price.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-...172902887.html