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…

You might be wondering, “Why should I care if the US central bank cuts interest rates?” Well, here is the deal: the US is a major player in the global economy, and central banks around the world keep a close watch on its moves to guide their own economic decisions. There is an old saying:…

The Federal Reserve finally (yes, finally) pulled the trigger on a rate cut, shaving off half a percentage point, the high end of what everyone was guessing. A cut was all but inevitable, with just one burning question before Wednesday: How much? Would it be the polite quarter-point that says, “we are being careful,” or…

With only hours remaining before the first Fed rate cut of the cycle, traders are still uncertain about the size of the rate cut. Is the Fed willing to brave a big move? I will be shocked if the Fed goes for 50 basis points. It is striking to see some of the same pundits…