Will more sanctions on Iran actually work? With the conflict involving Iran continuing, the obvious question is whether further economic sanctions would actually change Tehran’s calculations or simply make an already complicated situation more complicated. Sanctions can certainly hurt. They can restrict access to foreign currency, reduce oil revenues and raise the cost of doing…
Category: Uncategorized
The world is always ending
I have written quite a couple pieces over the years about the professional gloom-and-doom crowd, so this is hardly a new subject for me. It came up again recently when I was speaking with some new prospects who seemed permanently plugged into social media accounts predicting the next market crash, recession, currency crisis or financial…
The bond market is sending a signal
The strange thing about this market is that the bond market is starting to look more interesting than the stock market. Long-term Treasury yields surged with the 30-year briefly above 5.30% and the 10-year ending the week at 4.74%. The Treasury responded by doubling its long-bond buybacks. Deutsche Bank described the move, together with the…
When too much of a good thing becomes a problem
Many investors build their wealth by staying close to what they know. For some, that is property. For others, it is technology, AI, or the company they have worked for and invested in alongside it. Nothing wrong with that. Concentration is usually how wealth gets made in the first place. The problem shows up later…
The business of being seen
There is a whole business built around being seen doing business. Spend a few minutes on LinkedIn and you will quickly notice the familiar cycle: another summit, another panel, another fireside chat, another award, followed by a carefully worded post about being “honoured” or “privileged” to participate. Sometimes the same person manages all four within…
How to manage stress as a trader
My latest piece on how to manage stress as a trader without all the usual jargon or complicated theories has just been published in The Armchair Trader newsletter. I was introduced to the publication through a long-time friend and partner, which is how this little collaboration came about. Established in 2010, The Armchair Trader is…
A bull market has plenty to worry about
The bulls are getting even more confident. Corporate earnings have been stronger than expected. In other words, the market is being driven by actual data rather than just optimism and wishful thinking. The current decade is already shaping up to be one of the stronger periods for US stocks. That may sound impressive but history…
Is a crisis looming?
A recent Grab ride gave me something to think about. I was travelling with a visitor from Singapore when our driver joined our conversation. He was not an economist or market analyst, just an ordinary Malaysian trying to make a living. Yet his view was gloomy. He believes Malaysia could be heading towards a crisis….
Back on the road!
I will be on the road for a week, so the blog will be taking a brief nap. No worries though, I am not fleeing the markets. Just stepping away for a short while and will return soon, refreshed and ready to dive back in. The recent market volatility reminded me that many investors still…
The numbers are starting to back it up
I was just talking about the importance of picking stocks with strong fundamentals in a meeting when I came across this in an email from Bespoke Investment Group. Sometimes the market has a funny way of joining the conversation. With more than 1,500 companies having reported their Q2 results on Wall Street, this is shaping…