Author: YH Wong

Let the tailwinds blow! What a week it has been for the markets, plenty of action to keep us on our toes. First, the Federal Reserve kicked things off with a 50-basis point rate cut, like throwing a party for borrowers. Not to be outdone, China just dropped its biggest stimulus package since 2020, proving…

“Is Transcendental Meditation (TM) a religion”? I have been asked this question many times. Well, certain people may perceive the TM program as religious rather than scientific due to its association with terms like “meditation,” “pure awareness,” and “transcendence,” or because it was introduced from India by a teacher with a monastic background. However, philosophers…

Mm-hmm, criticism from the West toward China is practically a global hobby. Even during the recent Olympics, when China raked in the gold, many Western commentators could not resist the urge to take a jab or two. Ironically, a lot of these critics, including some of my partners in the US, have never even set…

Earlier this morning, a Bloomberg article, unexpectedly, sparked a debate among my team partners about whether to funnel more cash into the oil trade in our macro portfolio. We have already got some skin in the energy game through an alternative trading program that has been performing right on cue, no surprises there, just steady…

Everyone is feeling stressed these days. Concerns range from financial issues and raging inflation to local politics and family-related tensions. We all need ways to calm down that do not involve abusing alcohol or medical prescription. Work is another major source of stress. The American Institute of Stress reports that 86% of US workers experience…

Have you heard of some adults talking about the US dollar feeling a bit “weak” lately? It is like saying the dollar is taking a little nap, not feeling as strong compared to other countries’ money. Now, some folks are getting a bit nervous about this, especially if they have money invested in dollars. Yeah,…

As we continue to navigate the rollercoaster of global markets, I’m excited to bring you an update from one of my partners, who has been successfully steering through the alternative investment universe for years. In this update, he shares his latest strategies and insights designed to help investors not only survive but thrive, no matter…

There has been lots of discussion about the Fed moving its policy rate of interest by 50 basis points last week. Typically, the central bank adjusts interest rates in quarter-point increments, but last Wednesday’s rate cut was a notably bolder move. Did the Fed overreact with its jumbo rate cut? Was it a mistake to…

Pranayama, an ancient practice rooted in the Vedas and detailed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, a foundational Hindu scripture from around 200 B.C., involves breathing exercises designed to clear physical and emotional blockages, freeing the breath and allowing the flow of prana, or life energy. Typically, Pranayama is practiced before meditation to prepare the mind and…

When a memo from Howard Marks of Oaktree lands in my inbox, it is the first thing I open. I never fail to learn something valuable from his insights. Here is a section: There are so many examples of governmental attempts to ignore or override the laws of economics that it is daunting to think…