Well, it’s a great time to be a Wall street banker. Their pockets are a little bit thicker these days – the average bonus in the securities industry actually rose two percent in 2014 to almost $173,000. And that’s the highest it’s been since 2007 pre-financial crisis, when the bonus was at about $178,000. What’s so interesting about this is that bankers are seeing this raise despite the fact that Wall Street profits actually fell last year. Boom Bust guest host Ameera David weighs in. Then, Boom Bust producer Edward Harrison is joined by Axel Merk – president and CIO of Merk Investments. Axel tells us why Germany benefits the most from quantitative easing and a weak euro. He also gives us his take on how QE will affect yields in Europe, small and medium-sized business, and the general real economy. Axel also weighs in on Europe’s new bail-in policy now being implemented in Austria with the bankrupt Hypo Alpe Aldria bank and its toxic loan portfolio, called Heta. After the break, Edward sits down with Michael Hudson – distinguished research professor of economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Michael tells us about the dire economic situation in Ukraine and who else besides the IMF can provide the country with funds. He characterizes the loans being provided to Ukraine as an exercise in looting that will not benefit the average Ukrainian, but result in an asset grab that benefits the select few. And in The Big Deal, Ameera and Edward continue the discussion on Wall Street bonuses in a discussion about whether the high level of bonuses are a contrarian indicator that presages a top of the US stock market. They also discuss increased corporate stock repurchase activity as another potential contrarian indicator, with special focus on GM’s new $5 billion share buyback program. Take a look! Check us out on Facebook -- and feel free to ask us questions: http://www.facebook.com/BoomBustRT ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLM9PqxxRjQ

U.K. watchdog CMA fines Pfizer $106 million for extraordinary seizure drug price increases. Ameera David has he details. Then, Bianca Facchinei takes a look at the brewing fight over whether the AT&T-Time Warner merger should be approved by regulators. After, Alex Mihailovich joins from Toronto to discuss the Bank of Canada’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged and the hot housing market in the wintry northern country. Following the break, Dr. Ron Paul tells Ameera why he thinks President-Elect Donald Trump shouldn’t be dealing with individual companies like Carrier and should instead be focused on broader economic reforms, including tax cuts. And in The Big Deal, Edward Harrison gives his take on the rise of part-time workers in the American economy, and why the focus on a single measure of unemployment (the U3 rate) is not adequate. Take a look! Check us out on Facebook -- and feel free to ask us questions: http://www.facebook.com/BoomBustRT https://www.facebook.com/harrison.writedowns https://www.facebook.com/biancafacch ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPXzknMzouI

Growing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia are sending a ripple effect across the markets, with global oil prices jumping. RT’s Manuel Rapalo discusses. Then, Raoul Pal is back on the show. Raoul Pal is the founder of Real Vision TV. He tells Edward Harrison that he sees a recession in the US starting right about now. Raoul breaks down the real signs of stress in the global economy. Note, you can hear more of Raoul Pal’s thoughts along with hundreds of other excellent interviews and presentations by signing up for a free trial at Real Vision at www.realvisiontv.com . After the break, Erin Ade talks to Dan Alpert, managing partner at Westwood Capital, about the US economy and why global equity markets are dropping precipitously right out of the gate. Finally, in The Big Deal, Edward Harrison explains what these first 4 days of the year are telling us about where we’re headed in 2016. Take a look! ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSWF6Po4jzU

Oil and energy expert Chris Martenson talks to host Lindsay France as we examine China’s move to create a new petro-currency and take on the petrodollar. Tourism in Mexico is dropping as drug cartels escalates and increases the violence; Bianca Facchinei goes in depth. Want to get rich quick? RT correspondent Alex Mihailovich takes us inside the Chinese property market. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RT_BoomBust https://twitter.com/LindsayFrance https://twitter.com/BiancaFacchinei Check us out on Facebook -- and feel free to ask us questions: http://www.facebook.com/BoomBustRT http://www.facebook.com/LindsayDaleFrance ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cknkeksFPk0