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Global markets have been full of cross-currents lately. Optimism and anxiety swirling in the same tide. Corporate earnings have mostly come in stronger than expected, keeping the narrative of US resilience alive. Central banks, once the villains of tightening, now seem to be leaning toward a more forgiving stance. Liquidity is improving, and risk assets…

An old-timer, a truly wealthy corporate man who had built empires quietly while others were busy talking once told me something I never forgot: “Be careful dealing with “successful” people who cannot stop showing you how successful they are.” He meant the kind who live on social media like it is a personal trophy cabinet,…

I adopted healthier eating habits as a natural evolution of my meditation practice. Transcendental Meditation or TM has been a powerful teacher in my life, gradually changing the way I see myself, how I relate to others, and how I experience the world around me. I should add that many years ago, I was very…

As October fades into November, pumpkins are being packed away, cobwebs are coming down, and skeletons are retreating into storage but one thing that is not leaving anytime soon is the rising cost of living. For many households, it feels like Halloween never really ends, the monsters just moved from the haunted house into the…

As expected, the Federal Reserve trimmed its target rate by a quarter point on Wednesday, bringing it down to a range of 3.75%–4.00%. It is the second rate cut this year after September’s move and as Chairman Powell hinted, probably the last one for a while. A third cut by the end of 2025? Do…

I had one of those lively Zoom meetings with a group of smart people, the kind that starts off looking perfectly professional but soon turns into an all-encompassing global symposium. The original agenda was simple enough: a quick check-in on portfolios. As these things often go, we ended up talking about almost everything from politics,…

Someone once asked His Holiness Maharishi, “What is the most important quality to have in life?” Without hesitation, he answered, “Discrimination.” The person pressed further, “Now, Maharishi, I cannot believe that. Would not you choose compassion or non-attachment?” Without showing the slightest surprise, His Holiness Maharishi calmly replied, “When you learn discrimination, only then can…

I will be taking a brief break from blogging over the next couple of days as I host some special guests visiting from far and wide. Well, it is always a joy and occasionally a scheduling puzzle to welcome friends and fellow investors from abroad. One of them is a highly successful entrepreneur who has…

Over coffee at a quiet mall, a couple of clients and I found ourselves deep in conversation about the metals market. It was one of those peaceful mid-morning chats, the kind where the barista knows your order but the topic of discussion could move markets. Well, the consensus? We have entered a corrective phase for…

We have all heard the timeless promise of diversification (higher returns with lower volatility). Sounds great on paper, right? Unfortunately, in the real world, diversification does not always deliver that smooth ride investors dream of. In theory, asset class diversification should be simple: mix different things, reduce risk, sleep better. However, as many investors have…