demographics

With so much going on at the moment and so many themes fighting to claim the main market discourse, I am in the mood for some random shots. First of all and to my continuing regret I have never actually got to thank Niels C. Jensen from…

In a week where the deck of cards that make up the Eurozone got its so far largest jolt and where there is now not only an imminent danger of a total economic collapse in Greece but also, much more worryingly, signs that Germany herself is…

Most, if not all, of the deficit nations that make up the Bretton Woods II edifice and subsequent global imbalances have seen notable housing and construction bubbles as part of their path towards excess leverage. The demand for housing and…

Most of us have about 20 years to secure our retirement - from our mid 40s to our mid 60s. That has been an absolute disaster for my generation, with inflation-adjusted returns on a global equity portfolio being down about 23% over the past…

Yesterday, I linked out to a Gallup poll which detailed self-reported average daily spending by income bracket.  The poll showed wealthy Americans reporting a 14% fall in spend in November while middle- and lower-income Americans…

Elizabeth Warren, chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, is certainly looks to be fighting the good fight. At the conclusion of the Buttonwood Gathering in New York on Fixing Finance, she met with Tech Ticker’s Aaron Task and gave him…

The Absolute Return Letter, October 2009 A Country for Old Men and a Bit of Samba The Man Card “Excuse me Sir, can I see your Man Card?” The stone-faced look of the security guard at Dallas Fort Worth Airport gave nothing away and,…

The video below comes via FORA.tv (FORA stands for Feed Your Inner Genius).  It is of Christina Romer making the case for Obama’s health care plan at the Commonwealth Club.  This video runs over one hour, and so, should give you a fairly…

Yesterday, I argued that the United States faced a policy dilemma in avoiding debt deflationary forces while maintaining fiscal prudence. The reality is that President Obama faces political constraints in Washington right now regarding…