Commentaries

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: June 9, 2014 |

The Romantic Economic Landscape: And They All Shall Have Prizes

The past two weeks have been quite historical. Let’s review some facts and ponder about the direction of the markets in the foreseeable future. Euroskeptics won major battles in several […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: May 24, 2014 |

Anything Goes: Lessons Learned from Market Sages

One of the greatest privileges in my life is to sit down with people I admire and be taught important lessons. I had that honor again last Thursday in London, […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: April 29, 2014 |

Prudential Banking: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Early this morning I was listening to the announcement about Deutsche Bank’s (DB) profits, which came in “better than expected” and hence its stock price gained more than 2% for […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: April 23, 2014 |

The Great Divorce: Dystopia Built by Delusions and Divergence Cries out for a Devolution

This commentary serves as an initial attempt to explain the financial crisis, the current market upswing, and the potential brewing crisis which in a few years time could change the […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: April 21, 2014 |

Can you Hear the Oceanic Thunder? Moral Hazard Reigns Supreme in the Land of Plenty

Just a few days ago an event took place in Australia that received very little coverage. Fearing a run on a bank the Australian government guaranteed deposits up to $1 […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: April 14, 2014 |

Senor, Is this About Production of a Show by Means of Placebo Effects? Market Trajectory, The Greek Bond Oversubscription, the Failed Chinese Bond Auction, and Mr. Nitup

What a week! It had everything. The Greek bond offering was oversubscribed four times while the Chinese bond auction failed! This is great, isn’t it? Greece is the new China. […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: March 20, 2014 |

A Discussion about Crimea and Russia in St. Petersburg: The Eagles’ Echoes

I landed in St. Petersburg around midnight. Got into a taxi (an old Volga bought by the driver in former Eastern Germany when he was serving there on a special […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: March 13, 2014 |

The Shadows of History Confront the Appetite for Risk: Consolidating the Upward Trend

In 1940, the then Soviet Union overthrew the governments of the Baltic nations (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania), rigged the elections, and forced the newly “elected” governments to request admission into […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: March 4, 2014 |

“Veni Vidi Vici”: “Cur Ante Tubam Tremor Occupat Artus?”

The first part of the title above  – meaning “I came, I saw, I conquered” – was pronounced by Julius Caesar in 47 B.C. when he emerged victorious over Pharnaces, […]

By: John E. Charalambakis | On: February 23, 2014 |

Kiev Calls Belgrade: The Lyceum and the Academy Review Kasbah’s Fall while Searching for Collateral Assets

More than twenty years ago, the late Samuel Huntington coined the phrase “Democracy’s Third Wave”. By that Huntington described the three phases/waves of democratic revolution that the world has experienced, […]