#France: #Germany: #Scotland: King Charles to celebrate a second coronation on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.@BatchelorShow Occitane

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

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Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com: German Economy Shrinks Faster Than Expected

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It's a rare thing to happen, but Germany now looks like the sick man of Europe, a phrase previously often used to describe Britain.

The health of the business sector dropped significantly in June, according to recent data. The Ifo Business Climate index for Germany, which measures the health of the commercial sector, registered 88.5 in June, down from 91.5 in May. Higher numbers show economic strength, whereas lower ones show a weakening of the economy. Read more here.

Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com : Britain’s Repossession Moratorium Benefits The Banks Not Home Owners

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

U.K finance chief Jeremy Hunt just cut a deal with some British banks to hold off from repossessing homes where owners haven’t kept up-to-date with their mortgage payments.

That moratorium, which will last 12 months, sounds great on the face of things. The stated idea is that it will allow financially stressed borrowers to get their finances in order. And therein lies a problem and an obfuscation both at the same time. Read more here.

Fibonacci Blue from Minnesota, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com : Russia’s Wagner Group Pullback Won’t Deflate Commodities Prices

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The tumult in Russia this weekend won’t send prices for energy and food down much further, according to a recent report from Academy Securities.

The issue is that the attempted on-off coup by the mercenary force Wagner Group to oust the Russian President has likely weakened Vladimir Putin. While that may speed up the path to peace, other things have changed dramatically over the last year and a half. Read more here. 

Federico Zangarini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com : Gold Prices Set To Slide As Much As $120, Expert Says.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Gold prices are set to drop as low as $1,800 a troy ounce as investors see potential for economic strength and bullion investors back off.

Our expectation is that it will be weak for the next few months and strength at the end of the year, says Jeff Christian, managing partner of commodities consulting company CPM Group in a recent video. He sees a likely fall to $1,800 over the near future, but it is possible that it goes down further to $1,800. Read more here.

Szaaman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com : Many To Blame For Forthcoming UK Economic Crisis. NIMBYism Included

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The Bank of England’s (BoE) war on Britain's stubborn inflation is likely to crush the country’s economy in ways that many people aren’t recognizing.  

If that comes to fruition, it won’t solely be the fault of the people at the BoE who decide the monetary policy. The problem comes down to decades of absurd housing policy and the overly cautious banking industry. Here’s where we are now and how we got here. Read more here.

 

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank fo England 

UK Government, OGL 3, via Wikimedia Commons

Korn Ferry: The Caution Flag is Out

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The numbers couldn't be better. By all accounts, and according to recent data, Britain's economy is growing at a surprisingly brisk pace. But you might not know that from how firms here are acting. Read more here.

Diego Torres Silvestre from Sao Paulo, Brazil, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Korn Ferry: Return to Office—the UK Version

By SIMON CONSTABLE 

It’s called a “five days a week” policy—as in the firm asking employees to come in all week long. But stubbornly, it’s become a policy that’s far from universal.

Despite a recent uptick in people coming into the office—with more firms requiring it—many British companies are still struggling with return-to-office plans. According to the most recent data from Remit Consulting, office occupancy hit its highest level in two years, but still remains at only about 35%, meaning that about half of employees are coming into offices. (UK offices were at an estimated 80%-occupancy level prior to the pandemic.) Read more here.

King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

#France: Paradise with sunshine days in the 80s and cooling thunderstorm nights, bringing in the hay crop, awaiting wheat, sunflowers and the vineyards. @BatchelorShow Occitane

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

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Thomas Bresson from Belfort, France, 

CC BY 2.0, 

via Wikimedia Commons

#Green: Green electricity is expensive, unready, futuristic. @RealConstable @BatchelorShow Occitane, France.

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

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Neurdein , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Suddenly California Now Loves The Press. 3 Years Ago They Hurt It

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

Will the real California Assembly please stand up!

In the space of just a few years, California’s Democrat-heavy lawmakers have switched from introducing measures that hurt journalism and journalists to now wanting to help them. Read more here.

Briefings Magazine: The Long Road to Green Energy

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Energy policy has gotten weird lately. Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, came back after an apparent near-death experience. In 2021, delegates at the COP26 climate summit demanded we ditch using coal, followed by less-toxic natural gas. But a year later, long-term green energy proponent Germany increased its use of coal-generated electricity by 13 percent.

Meanwhile, Britain’s government banned natural gas fracking and approved the first new mine in decades. The US isn’t immune, either. The Biden administration’s proposal to eliminate natural gas stoves would mean using electricity, 22 percent of which is coal-generated. The question is, what next? A long tricky slog, experts say. Read more here.

Flashback: Debrief Feb 1, 2009 We're all Socialists Now

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

This continues a series of video flashbacks filmed in the depths of the 2007-2009 financial crisis when John Batchelor and I discussed what was going on in the world.

We had minimal equipment and almost no time for video editing. But we did have mental space for creativity.

As these 20 vintage videos roll out, more contemporary ones will get posted. Stay tuned.

If inclined, please feel free to follow on YouTube.

Watch here.

#France: Index ETFs vs Managed ETFs vs Mutual Funds. @BatchelorShow, Occitane

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

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National Archives at College Park , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Flashback to the Crisis: Debrief ll Feb 1, 2009 -- Protectionism Lives

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Here begins a series of video flashbacks to the depths of the 2007-2009 financial crisis when John Batchelor and I discussed what was going on in the world.

We had minimal equipment and almost no time for video editing. But we did have mental space for creativity.

More to come. If inclined, please feel free to follow on YouTube.

Financial Flashback: 110 years Ago the Federal Reserve is Born

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

Exclusively in the print edition of the Wall Street Journal

WSJ: Here’s What Investors Should Know as Actively Managed ETFs Take Off

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The exchange-traded-fund market is getting a lot more active.

After decades of being dominated by index-tracking investments, the ETF market is being flooded by actively managed funds. In 2013, a mere 16% of newly launched ETFs were actively managed, according to Morningstar. That jumped to 66% in the first quarter of this year, following three straight calendar years of more than 50% of new ETFs being active. Read more here.

#France: Commodity prices decline while food prices inflate: where is the recession? @BatchelorShow Forbes

By SIMON CONSTABLE 

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The original uploader was Chalupa at Czech Wikipedia., 

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons