Austrian Economics and Financial Markets

The current economic recovery has too much in common with the last boom, complete with pockets of malinvestment, absurd but sector-specific price increases, vast amounts of public and private debt, artificially low interest rates, a boom in big government, and a political class that seems to care nothing about the future.

The difference this time is that there is genuine international competition with the dollar, which has dived on international exchange even as economies around the world are achieving new levels of growth and stability.

How much can the financial sector bend before it breaks? How long can the dollar go? How is the changing international division of labor going to affect the future of American prosperity? What can we look forward to under conditions of rising rates? How is the War on Terror affecting financial privacy?

This conference will consider all these questions with the assistance of some of the best financial and economic minds of our time. It will include a mix of panels and speakers and plenty of time for interaction between featured speakers and panelists. Keep in mind, too, that the Austrians alone were the one who saw the artificial boom last time around, and were alone in calling the crash. This is your chance to hear what this diverse group sees for our future.

Registration of $395 per person (or $595 per couple) includes all sessions and panels, refreshment breaks, reception, closing dinner on Saturday, and ample opportunity to speak privately with speakers. Cost for guests of paid registrants to attend only the closing reception and dinner on Saturday is $45 per person. All events take place at the spectacular Venetian Hotel Resort Casino, which even features a world-class art museum along with world-class dining, entertainment, and shopping, not to speak of canals and gondoliers. The conference begins with registration at 12:30 p.m. on Friday and ends with dinner on Saturday. See this brochure.

To make your hotel reservation at the spectacular Venetian Resort, please call them at 877-883-6423 or 702-414-1000, and mention the Mises Institute for a special rate of $249 per suite. Or, we also have a room block at The Alexis Resort and Villas, a non-gaming hotel at 375 E. Harmon Avenue (a short cab ride to the Venetian, costing app. $12 one way).  To reserve a suite there, please call them at 702-796-3354 or 800-582-2228, and mention the Mises Institute for a special rate of $149 per night, per suite. For additional accommodations and transportation options, please see the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Write Pat@mises.org with any questions.

Speakers:

All Sessions at The Venetian Hotel

Friday, February 18

• 12:15-12:45 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) Registration and Coffee, Veronese Foyer of Room 2401
• 12:45-1:00 p.m. Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., The Mises Institute, Welcome 
• 1:00-1:20 p.m. Joseph Salerno, Pace University, “Destructive Myths About Money, Interest Rates and Business Cycles” [audio]
• 1:20-1:40 p.m. Chris Leithner, Leithner and Company, “Ludwig von Mises, Meet Benjamin Graham:  Value Investing from an Austrian Point of View” [audio]
• 1:40-2:00 p.m. Antony Mueller, Universidade Caxias do Sul, “The Falling Dollar: Our Currency – Their Problem?” [audio]
• 2:00-2:20 p.m. Discussion and Refreshments
• 2:20-2:40 p.m.Walter Block, Loyola University of New Orleans,  ”Gold is Free Enterprise Money” [audio]
• 2:40-3:00 p.m.   Hans-Hermann Hoppe, University of Nevada, Las Vegas,  ”Money, Government and International Politics” [audio]
• 3:00-3:20 p.m.   Adrian Day, Adrian Day Asset Management, “Where in the World?  Best Places for Your Money for 2005” [audio]
• 3:20-3:40 p.m.  Discussion and Refreshments
• 3:40-4:00 p.m.  Anne Williamson, Sanders Research Associates, “Don’t Cry for Yukos” [audio]
• 4:00-4:30 p.m.   Frank Shostak, Foresight Research Solutions LLC, “The Myth of Neutral Interest Rate Policy” [audio]
• 4:30-4:45 p.m.  Discussion and Refreshments
• 4:45-6:15 p.m. International Markets Panel “Muddling Through Armageddon” with Mueller, Shostak, Williamson, and Leithner, Moderator: Robert Blumen [audio]
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Reception, Awarding of the 2005 Murray N. Rothbard Medal of Freedom for Achievement in Liberty to Walter Block (Veronese Room 2403)

Saturday, February 19

• 8:30 a.m. Coffee and Juice (Room 2401) 
• 9:00-9:20 a.m.  David Gordon, Mises Institute, “What the Austrians Say about Prediction” [audio]
• 9:20-9:40 a.m. Mark Thornton, Mises Institute, “The Continuing Bull Market in Gold: How High Can It Go?” [audio]
• 9:40- 10:00 a.m.Thomas DiLorenzo, Loyola College of Maryland, “The Fed and the Political Business Cycle” [audio]
• 10:00-10:20 a.m.  Discussion and Refreshments
• 10:20-10:40 a.m.Doug French, Las Vegas, Nevada, ”Boom and Bust in Property Development” [audio]
• 10:40-11:00 a.m. Toby Baxendale, London,  ”The Role of an Austro-Hedge Fund” [audio]
• 11:00-11:30 a.m.  Gene Epstein, Barron’s, “Why There Ain’t No Money Multiplier--And Other Money Myths--An Austrian View”
• 11:30am-1:30 p.m. Lunch on your own
• 1:30-1:50 p.m. Kevin Duffy, Bearing Asset Management LLC,  ”Forecasting: Decision-making Under Uncertainty”
• 1:50-2:10 p.m.Stefan M.I. Karlsson, Umea University, ”The Outlook for the World Economy” [audio]
• 2:10-2:30 p.m.   James Fogal, CFP, Mises Institute, ”Saying ‘No’ to Uncle Sam’s ‘Gimme’” [audio]
• 2:30-2:45 p.m. Discussion and Refreshments
• 2:45-3:30 p.m. Hon. Ron Paul, U.S. Congress, “Gold or Tyranny” [audio]
• 3:30-3:45 p.m.  Discussion and Refreshments
• 3:45-5:15 p.m.   Domestic Markets Panel “Bliss Through Ignorance” with Duffy, French, Epstein, Day, moderator Jeff Scott, Wells Fargo [audio]
• 6:45-7:15 p.m. Reception (Room 2503)
• 7:30 p.m. Dinner, William Weidner, The Venetian, “The Market Speaks: A Misesian Perspective on Las Vegas, The Venetian and Global Gaming” [audio]
• and Burt Blumert, Mises Institute, “Gold vs. Government” [audio]

Plus a special showing of Murray Rothbard’s one-act play, Mozart Was a Red [video]; (with a special Introduction by Pat Barnett [audio])