I came across a recent Wall Street Journal front-page story and it caught my eye. Hardship withdrawals from 401(k)s have more than doubled since before the pandemic. In 2024, nearly 5% of participants pulled money early from their retirement accounts, up from about 2% pre-COVID. This is not just an American phenomenon, the same trend…

“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…

For some people, it makes perfect sense to pack a bag and leave the good ol’ US for anywhere else in the world especially if November’s election did not go their way. For global investors, the instinct is similar. Shift a little at the margins, sprinkle a bit more into Europe or Asia, just in…

I wrapped up a busy couple of days hosting friends, clients and long-time partners in town. Over tea, coffees, meals, and more than a couple of lively market debates, we explored our new strategy products and the evolving trends in global markets. A big part of our discussions focused on how to further strengthen our…

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. It is always a joy and occasionally a scheduling puzzle to welcome friends and fellow investors from abroad. Many of them I have known for years. Between shared meals,…