Sector Focus: Financials
The financial sector is vast; we can only give a high-level overview. We will cover US equity markets, international bonds, US market managers, world equities markets, derivatives markets, banks, and insurance companies. At the end of this piece, we will comment on...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action President Trump signed an executive order imposing tough tariffs on imported steel and aluminium. This decision has been met with resistance by many within the Republican party as well as foreign governments, including some of America's closest allies....
American Leadership and Global Insecurity: Market Assessment
In security conferences around the world, speakers have been describing the rising threats and the rising level of insecurity, while at the same time wondering where the American leadership has been. The violent and chaotic situation in Syria could replicate itself in...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action Markets declined broadly last week, marking the first monthly loss for the U.S. stock market since October 2016. Volatility remained high with four of the five trading days during the week exceeding a 1% move. US president Donald Trump said Thursday that...
Corporate Bonds, Excess Cash, and Market Yields: Is there an Equities Link?
In the recent market turmoil, corporate bonds seemed able to sustain their values. Could we assume that in a future market turmoil they will continue showing signs of immunity? Last two times we saw an equities correction (summer of 2015 and early 2016), anxiety...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action Stocks were up modestly for the week, breaking the recent trend of sharp swings which produced the worst week in two years and the best week in five years in succession. The dust has appeared to settle a bit, but volatility is likely to persist as...
CROSSROADS
Here are the biggest issues to watch around the globe over the coming month: The Russia Investigation The investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election is heating up, with Special Counsel Robert Mueller issuing 13 indictments against Russian people...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action After falling into correction last week, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are both up 4% and are on track for the biggest weekly percentage increase since November 2016. The Nasdaq is also up by over 5% - its biggest week since...
Usual Suspects and Unusual Narratives: Markets Search for Direction but Natura No Facit Saltus
Should we always buy the dip? The strategy has worked over a number of years. Is this time different? The blame over the recent market turmoil has identified some usual suspects: those who shorted volatility got burned; those who used too much leverage got burned;...
Weekly Market Update
Market Action Stocks globally were down sharply for the second week in a row, and stock market volatility has returned with large daily market swings; this week the CBOE Volatility Index (the VIX) reached its highest level since China’s currency crisis in 2015. The...
