Agora Financial

Agora Financial

Type	Publishing company
Genre	Financial advice
Founder	Bill Bonner
Headquarters	Baltimore, MD
Parent	Agora, Inc.

Agora Financial is a privately held publishing company that produces print and email publications, books and conferences directed toward providing financial advice, commentary and marketing predictions. They are based in Baltimore, MD.

History and Executive Leadership

A subsidiary of the holding company Agora, Inc., Agora Financial was founded in 1979 by financial writer and essayist Bill Bonner, the author of Empire of Debt and Financial Reckoning Day.^[1][2][3] Bonner's co-author Addison Wiggin is the executive publisher of Agora Financial.^[4] Wiggin served as executive producer and co-writer on the 2008 feature-length documentary film I.O.U.S.A.. A film about the growth of the U.S. national debt, I.O.U.S.A. was based on Empire of Debt, and was financed by Agora Entertainment, another Agora, Inc. subsidiary.^[5]

The company publishes a number of financial newsletters focused on advising investors on making money in energy, metals, emerging technologies and small-cap stocks, including the Daily Reckoning, Outstanding Investments, and Capital & Crisis. Agora financial also founded the Richebacher Society, a group focused on continuing the work of the late economist Kurt Richebacher.

Byron King, editor of two of Agora Financial's publications, Energy & Scarcity Investor and Outstanding Investments, has served as an oil industry analyst in the media, specifically in the wake of British Petroleum's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.^[6] Other members of the Agora Financial staff have provided analysis for CNBC, Fox Business News and Bloomberg.^[7][8][9] In March 2011, Agora Financial acquired Laissez Faire Books, a Libertarian bookseller based out of New York.^[10] Established in 1972, the bookseller publishes and distributes libertarian books, with a focus on economics and finance.^[11] Jeffrey Tucker, author of Bourbon for Breakfast: Living Outside the Statist Quo, and It’s a Jetsons World: Private Miracles and Public Crimes, as well as former editorial vice president of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, was hired as Laissez Faire's executive editor.^[12]

Agora Financial Publications

• Breakthrough Technology Alert – Edited by Ray Blanco, looks for investment opportunities in new technologies.^[13]
• Capital & Crisis - Edited by Chris Mayer, this newsletter explores the topic of global value investing.^[14]
• Daily Reckoning – The publisher's flagship newsletter, the daily publication discusses economic issues, investment ideas and market analysis.^[15]
• Daily Resource Hunter – Edited by Matt Insley, focuses on investment opportunities in metals and natural resources.^[16]
• Energy & Scarcity Investor – Edited by Byron King, focuses on companies exploring new areas of resource. development.^[17][18]
• Lifetime Income Report – Edited by Neil George, the newsletter is focused on dividend growth.^[19]
• Mayer’s Special Situations – Edited by Chris Mayer, the monthly publication discusses unique small-cap investment opportunities.^[20]
• Options Hotline – Edited by Steve Sarnoff, the publication looks for potential investment opportunities in the stock market.^[21]
• Outstanding Investments – Edited by Byron King, the publication focuses on investments in energy, mining and precious metals.^[22] The publication was ranked #1 in overall return from 2000-2010 by Hulbert Financial Digest.^[23]
• Penny Sleuth – A daily newsletter edited by Jonas Elmerraji, with commentary and analysis on small-cap stocks.^[24]
• Penny Stock Fortunes – Co-edited by Jonas Elmerraji and Greg Guenthner, advises on investing in penny stocks.^[25][26]
• STORM Signals – Co-edited by Jonas Elmerraji and Greg Guenthner, it makes recommendations on using market volatility for investment opportunities.^[27][28]
• Strategic Short Report – Edited by Dan Amoss, discusses investment strategy based on predictions of the directions various companies are headed.^[29][30]
• Technology Profits Confidential – Edited by Ray Blanco, discusses investment opportunities in emerging technologies.^[31][32]
• Total Income Alert – Edited by Neil George, discusses varied investment opportunities as an income source.^[33]

Agora Financial Investment Symposium

Since 1999, the company has hosted the annual Agora Financial Investment Symposium. Held in Vancouver, BC, the conference is Agora Financial's largest event of the year.^[34] The conference brings together a large number of speakers discussing emerging financial trends, as well as panels and debates.^[35] Past speakers have included Steve Forbes, Jim Rogers, Doug Casey, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and James Howard Kunstler.^[36] Each year, the conference is built around a central theme, with "A Tale of Two Americas" the theme selected for 2013.^[37]

Options Hotline and 9/11

In the investigations following 9/11, the SEC determined that an unusual number of investors had purchased put options on American Airlines immediately prior to September 11, 2001. Further investigation found Agora's Options Hotline newsletter and its editor Steve Sarnoff as responsible for faxing some 2,000 subscribers the recommendation to buy put options on American Airlines on September 9, 2001.^[38] Sarnoff was investigated for insider trading, and his explanation for the recommendation (which was based on economic reasons) was found to be “innocuous”.^[39]

References

1. "Annual Online Profile". MoneyShow.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
2. Financial Reckoning Day: Surviving the Soft Depression of the 21st Century – Will Bonner, William Bonner – Google Books. Books.google.nl. December 20, 2004. ISBN 9780471696582. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
3. Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis – Will Bonner, Addison Wiggin – Google Books. Books.google.nl. January 6, 2011. ISBN 9781118040546. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
4. Addison's New Post3 days ago. "Forbes » Contributor Profile » Addison Wiggin". Blogs.forbes.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
5. Ahrens, Frank (August 7, 2008). "Indebted Ever After". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
6. Mufson, Steven (September 30, 2010). "Will the oil spill make a drop of difference regarding our attitudes?". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
7. "Ugly Truth for the Fed: Inflation Pressures Here to Stay". Cnbc.com. November 1, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
8. "Dollar Continues to Decline | Fox Business Video". Video.foxbusiness.com. April 21, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
9. Lucchesi, Cristiane (February 7, 2013). "Diniz Pays Premium in Quest for Brasil Foods: Corporate Brazil". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
10. "Agora Financial Acquires Laissez Faire Books. | HighBeam Business: Arrive Prepared". Business.highbeam.com. April 1, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
11. "About Laissez Faire Books | Laissez-Faire Bookstore". Lfb.org. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
12. "Jeffrey Tucker Joins Agora Financial, To Relaunch Laissez Faire Books | Stock Market Summary (NSDQ, NYSE, AMEX and more) on Boston.com". Finance.boston.com. November 23, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
13. "Biotech Ideas That Will Change the World: Patrick Cox [PVCT]". The Life Sciences Report. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
14. "Chris Mayer – Capital & Crisis". Valueinvestingcongress.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
15. "The Daily Reckoning". Addison Wiggin. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
16. Translogistics (March 15, 2013). "matt-insley | Translogistics". Translogistics.info. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
17. "Byron King – Editor, Energy & Scarcity Investor and Outstanding Investments". SmallcapPower. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
18. "Reviews of Agora Financial: Energy & Scarcity Investor at Investimonials". Investimonials.com. September 4, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
19. "Lifetime Income Report". Stock Gumshoe. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
20. 1 (February 14, 2013). "Dubai stocks look interesting but the correction may be coming says financial newsletter guru Chris Mayer « ArabianMoney". Arabianmoney.net. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
21. "Critique/Review of Steven Sarnoff – Options Hotline in the Investment Opportunities Category". Onlycritiques.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
22. Brush, Michael (December 21, 2010). "Top pros' top stocks for 2011 – 2 – MSN Money". Money.msn.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
23. The Daily Reckoning (June 8, 2011). "What if Past is Prologue?". Business Insider. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
24. Nelson, Jim. "Penny Sleuth's 10 Tips for New Penny Stock Investors". Businesshighlight.org. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
25. Articles from Jonas Elmerraji, Penny Sleuth. "Jonas Elmerraji, Penny Sleuth". TopStockAnalysts.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
26. "Penny Stock Fortunes Greg Guenthner". Silverpennystock.com. March 4, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
27. "The Market Cap by Investors Alley – January 7, 2013". Investorsalley.com. January 7, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
28. "Best Stocks to Buy, Hot Penny Stocks, Cheep and Good – stock market". Stocks-to-by.com. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
29. "Reviews of Agora Financial: Strategic Short Report at Investimonials". Investimonials.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
30. "Strategic Short Report". Gold Stocks Today. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
31. "Expert – Ray Blanco". The Life Sciences Report. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
32. "Expert – Patrick Cox". The Life Sciences Report. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
33. "Neil George". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
34. Rocky Vega (February 19, 2010). "Even in the heart of the Olympics, a foreclosure". CSMonitor.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
35. From, Thoughts (July 19, 2010). "The Debt Supercycle". Jutiagroup.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
36. "Biography". Addison Wiggin. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
37. "EVENTS | A Trusted Resource For Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Bullion News". Blog.milesfranklin.com. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
38. "Evidence of insider trading before september 11th". Ithp.org. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
39. "Interview of Joseph J. Cella III, Page 14" (PDF). 9-11 Commission. September 16, 2003. Retrieved June 20, 2013.