Everything is a Political Theater, but a Political Theater is Not Everything
A few days ago, it was reported that Social Security will be tapping into the Trust Fund in order to pay its obligations. As our total indebtedness reaches $200 trillion (federal, state, city debt) I am pondering when we will be returning to a state of soberness....
Weekly Market Update
Market Action The leaders of the G7 countries met in Quebec Friday and Saturday, amid deep tension about US tariffs and other issues. Members issued a joint statement on Saturday that underscored the importance of rules-based, international trade. On Sunday the Swiss...
Sector Focus: Emerging Markets, Part 1 – Thailand and Indonesia
Instead of attempting to cover all areas of emerging markets in one report, we are going to split them over several weeks and cover specific countries. This week we will cover Southeast Asia, focusing specifically on Thailand and Indonesia. Thailand Thailand was...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action A coalition deal was reached in Italy as the Five Star Movement and League officially joined forces to govern the eurozone's third-largest economy. In Spain, Pedro Sanchez claimed the country's prime minister post after his socialist party secured enough...
Crossroads: At the Intersection of Geopolitics and Geoeconomics
Here are some critical issues to watch around the globe over the coming month: Highlights: European markets are shaken by political uncertainty in Italy and Spain, increasing fears over the future of the Eurozone and possibly the EU. The Turkish Central Bank...
The Dollar and TIVA: An Overview of Turkey, Italy, Venezuela, and Argentina
The inverse correlation between the US dollar and emerging markets currencies is a well-known fact. That inverse correlation has been affirmed again over the last few months as the greenback gains ground against emerging markets currencies, in lieu of higher interest...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action The EU began enforcing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which applies to any company doing business in the bloc and includes new privacy rights as well as data collection responsibilities. The GDPR is backed up with high fines: up to 4% of...
Unelected Power: The Quest for Legitimacy in Central Banking and the Regulatory State (Interview)
Sir Paul Tucker is a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and chair of the Systemic Risk Council. Previously, he was Deputy Governor at the Bank of England, sitting on its monetary policy, financial stability, and prudential policy committees. Internationally, he was...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action The stock market gave back 25% of last week's gains as investors watched US-China trade tensions. Both the Dow and S&P 500 fell 0.5% and the Nasdaq lost 0.7%, while the Russell 2000 gained 1.2%. Treasury yields retreated from multi-year highs earlier...
The Revenge of the Long-Term Cycle: Portfolio Enhancement
In late 1999/early 2000, the excitement of the internet and the dot-com exuberance attracted capital away from investments that require a medium to long-term perspective. The result was that supplies dropped while demand was rising. Welcome to the revenge of...
