U.S. News: Is the Retail Business Facing Apocalypse?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Is there a retail apocalypse?

You could be forgiven for thinking so. Hardly a month seems to go by without a major retailer announcing some trouble. Even the iconic Macy's announced earlier this year it would slash 10,000 jobs.

Judging by recent headlines, things seem to be going from bad to worse, with both The Week and Business Insider calling the industry's troubles a "retail apocalypse" while The Atlantic used the slightly more restrained "retail meltdown of 2017."

The headlines, though, don't tell the whole story. "The media is so focused on the negative aspect," says Jeff Macke, an independent investor in San Diego. "There is a trillion dollar opportunity in retail."

Read more here.

Forbes: 'Inequality Reduces Growth' And Other Economic Ideas To Ditch

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Economics got a bad reputation during the financial crisis. At least part of the problem is that some people keep holding on to some very bad ideas, or theories that just don't work except on paper.

As with much in life these days the matter is polarized. Helping to keep the debate amiable are Bruno S. Frey and David Iselin who recently edited and published Economic Ideas You Should Forget. It's a book of short essays by a slew of economists and other experts. They include such notables as  Robert Frank (Cornell,) Alan Blinder (Princeton,) and Jeffrey Sachs (Columbia.) Of course, there are many others. Read more here.

Forbes: Why Trump's Budget Cuts Should Be Even Bigger

By SIMON CONSTABLE
President Donald Trump's proposed 2018 budget is causing a consternation among the chattering classes. Why? It's because he has cut funding for a slew of domestic programs. That reaction is understandable if for no other reason than change is hard. Read more here.

U.S. News: 5 Things That Worry Wall Street Experts

By SIMON CONSTABLE 

One perennial truth about people who work on Wall Street is they worry a lot, and the only thing that changes is whatever is worrying them. Here's what's currently keeping some seasoned finance veterans awake at night. Read more here.

Forbes: Time To Drop "Thought Leader" From Your Resume

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The term "thought leader" has spread through the business world like some un-killable virus wrecking the careers of the innocent and guilty alike. It's time to put an end to this scourge.

If you have considered adding the term to you CV/resume, or your LinkedIn profile, just don't.

Really, don't. If you already use the term, eliminate it the moment you finish reading this column. Read more here.

Photo by João Ferrão on Unsplash

U.S. News: South Africa Still Hurting From Turmoil

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Don't count on South Africa's economy to get any better as long as the politics remain in flux.

But there is some good news. Once the problems in government settle down there could be some big money to be made. Read more here.

Forbes: America's Military Paranormal Science And What You Can Learn From It

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Annie Jacobsen is back with a new tome that should entice anyone who doesn't mind thinking outside the box; or as referenced in her book, as if there is no box.

It's the recently published Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis. Not only is it a well researched and fascinating tale, but there are some lessons for anyone wanting to truly break the mold in business. Read more here. 

Forbes: Why Big Adventure Doesn't Need To Cost A Small Fortune

By SIMON CONSTABLE
As you head off for a summer vacation, there's something key to remember. A big adventure doesn't have to cost a small fortune. In fact, quite the opposite. On top of that, taking a break in an unconventional way will help open your mind to new ideas. Ultimately, that will change the way you do business for the better. Read more here.

WSJ: In Commodity Investing, Currencies Call the Tune

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Investors who want to make money trading commodities would do well to become experts in forecasting currencies.

That’s because changes in the value of the U.S. dollar tend to be accompanied by movements in the opposite direction in the prices for most of the materials and foodstuffs traded on global markets. For instance, from September 2012 through February 2016, commodities prices on average halved while the value of the dollar surged. Read more here.

Copper Wire

Emilian Robert Vicol from Com. Balanesti, Romania, CC BY 2.0, 

via Wikimedia Commons

WSJ: What Is Net Interest Margin?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Recently, something good has been happening for banks and other lending institutions: The net interest margin has started to widen.

In simple terms, the net interest margin is a measure of bank profitability, and the wider it is, the more profits are to be had. Read more here.

U.S. News: Bad Sentiment May Mean Good News for Wall Street

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Small investors are bearish about the stock market, but don't worry. A bearish sentiment from individual investors may mean this is a perfect time to stake new positions in the stock market.

First, the data: the most recent data from the American Association of Individual Investors shows an above normal level of pessimism about the stock market. Read more here.

WSJ: More Mutual Funds Are Pumping Money Into Small Firms

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It used to be that almost all mutual funds invested their capital only in securities of public companies. But that’s been changing—which could be good news for some small businesses that have big plans.

Thirty-six percent of firms going public in 2016 received mutual-fund financing before their IPO, according to a recent research paper by Michelle Lowry and Sungjoung Kwon, both at LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, and Yiming Qian at the University of Iowa. Read more here.

Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash