Forbes: Why Oil Prices Will Head Even Higher

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Get ready for another surge in crude oil prices.

The cost of a barrel of crude oil is now at its highest level since 2014, but there will likely be another jump in the coming weeks. Primary among the reasons is that despite all the screeching, European companies will not be likely to get a waiver from soon-to-be-imposed U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Here's the skinny:

Forbes: Doomed? Why Iran's Economic Mess Will Get Worse

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Iran's economy is already a mess, but it will likely get a lot worse.

The matter at hand is the decision earlier this month by the Trump administration not to certify the so-called nuclear deal, and that means Iran will soon be subject to harsh U.S. sanctions. Overall the result will be a squeezed economy. Read more here.

Forbes: Spoilt For Choice -- Are There Too Many Mutual Funds & ETFs?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

When it comes to selecting an exchange-traded fund or a mutual fund the choice just keeps getting larger.

In general, more alternatives would seem to be a better thing, but with investing it does the opposite and makes matters worse. Read more here.

Korn Ferry: In the UK, a Brawl from Within

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Nobody would have expected it to be easy. But in her efforts to manage Britain’s exit from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May has a new potential stumbling block: her own team. 

News broke over the weekend that at least a dozen cabinet ministers in the ruling Conservative party do not back May’s proposed plan for what she calls a “customs partnership.” Under that arrangement, Britain would continue to collect tariffs—essentially import taxes—for the EU even when the country leaves the bloc. 

Unfortunately for Britain’s leader, possibly as many as 15 of her 28-strong cabinet don’t back the idea. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson even called the plan “crazy.”  Read more here.

Mentioned in the press

By SIMON CONSTABLE

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Darden Magazine: Hard Work and Dedication Carry UVA Darden’s Loutskina to Success in Classroom, Research

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It may be hard for some people to remember back to 2006 when the housing boom was still in full swing. But University of Virginia Darden School of BusinessProfessor Elena Loutskina certainly won’t forget it in a hurry. In hindsight, that year now looks pivotal to her career, although at the time what happened probably resembled a bad-news-good-news situation. Read more here.

Korn Ferry: Hitting the Panic Button on Brexit

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The collapse that had been widely feared has not happened, and economic indicators are chugging along fine. But Britain’s industry chiefs are still fretting over Brexit—and in a big very way. Read more here.

Forbes: How Trump's Move On Iran Helps Saudi Arabia

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Bad news for some, is good news for others.

A case in point is the end of American participation in the Iran nuclear deal.

It is certainly bad news for Iran, but it could be quite the opposite for Saudi Arabia. Read more here.

WSJ: What Is A 'Sudden Stop' In the Markets?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

People who invest in emerging economies should be aware that sometimes market sentiment can take a sharp turn for the worse very quickly.

It’s what economists such as Daniel Lacalle of London-based money-management firm Tressis call a sudden stop. Read more here.

WSJ: Some Active Managers Smile at the Index-Fund Robots

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Since the financial crisis there has been a consistent mantra around investing: Low-cost index funds makes the most sense because they are generally cheaper and perform better over long periods than mutual funds managed by stock pickers.

But now, some active managers are taking a new tack in making the case for their approach: They say the popularity of indexing, along with other changes in the market, is making it easier for them to find mispriced securities, resulting in a more fertile environment for stock picking than they’ve had in years. Read more here.

WSJ: Bull Markets Die of Old Age. But Is That Conventional Wisdom Wrong?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Is anxiety over how long this bull market will last overdone? Possibly, according to new research that suggests the life expectancy of bull markets not only doesn’t decline with age—it may actually grow.

“Once a bull market is five years old, its remaining life expectancy doesn’t diminish. If anything, it increases,” financial research firm HCWE & Co. said in a recent report. Read more here.