Monday, May 29, 2023

Forbes.com: Buy Ford Motor, Says Bullseye Brief

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

It's time to buy stock in Ford Motor F .


That’s the verdict of Adam Johnson, author of the Bullseye Brief financial newsletter.

“My target of $23 would represent a doubling from current prices and is quite achievable,” he writes in a recent edition of the report. The stock recently fetched $11.35. Read more here.


AsurnipalCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com: Tough U.S. Financial Conditions Could Torpedo Wall Street Dealmaking, New Research Shows

By SIMON CONSTABLE

What happens in the U.S. financial system doesn't stay there.

Tough financial conditions tend to roll over into the global economy and disrupt Wall Street's mergers and acquisitions dealmaking machine, new research shows. And it could likely hit the big investment banks hard. Read more here.

Me haridasCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons



Forbes.com: Safe Stocks Underperforming. Yes, We’re In A Bull Market — Expert Says

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It should be clear that we are in a bull market. At least, that's what one market expert says.

"In bull markets historically, there's less of a need, or no need at all, for the safest stocks," writes technical analyst JC Parets in a recent report from his company AllStarCharts. Technical analysts forecast stock movements by looking at charts, amongst other things. Read more here.

Arturo Di Modica and his Charging Bull sculpture 

which he dropped with no prior permission during the night

 in 1989 in between the police patrols on Wall St

Artislife1406CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Forbes.com: Has The Fed Beaten Inflation? Producer Price Index Cooling Fast

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Could it be the Federal Reserve has just won the war on inflation? Its hard to be certain, but the data sure look promising.

The question is does the Fed see what others see? Probably not. Read more here.






BBC Radio 5 Live: Why Sanctions on Russia are a Failure.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

On Tuesday May 9, I was a guest on BBC Radio 5 Live to explain why I think sanctions on Russia have been a failure.

My bit starts at approximately 1:49.00 on the tape -- Listen here.


#MrMarket: Ninety years ago, the New Deal birth of the SEC. @BatchelorShow WSJ

By SIMON CONSTABLE 


Listen here.


Monday, May 8, 2023

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Forbes.com: Reaching The Fed's 2% Target Will Cost America Big, New Research Shows

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There’s inflation, and then there’s big, elevated, inflation, humongous out-of-control inflation.

And depending on which type you are fighting the impact on the economy will be different, new research shows. In America, the cost could be brutal. Read more here.



Federalreserve, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


 

Forbes.com: What You Didn’t Know: How Sudan’s Civil War Matters To M&Ms, Coke

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The gruesome civil war in Sudan might seem like a problem far from home, given the tiny size of the economy and its relative strategic importance.

However, the ongoing calamity, which shows few signs of abating, will, in all likelihood, impact the supply or prices of candy. Read more here.

Nina593562, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Thursday, April 27, 2023

Forbes.com: Falling Oil Prices Paint Bleak Economic Picture

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The price of oil is telling us something worrying about the global economy.

Despite recently announced production cuts by OPEC+ (The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia), Brent crude oil prices continue to decline. Read more here

GulustanCC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan: Finding investment opportunities in a challenging environment

In a recent interview with the Financial Post, Ontario Teachers' CEO Jo Taylor sat down with journalist Barbara Shecter to discuss Ontario Teachers' investment strategy and how the organization is finding opportunities in a challenging environment.

The article touches upon some of the issues affecting investors since early 2020, including the pandemic, economic turbulence and the Ukraine-Russia war. Despite these conditions, Ontario Teachers' continues to generate positive returns for its members. Last year while stocks and bonds fell in most markets, Ontario Teachers' had a one-year net return of 4%, almost double its 2.3% benchmark return. Its assets grew to $247.2 billion, edging closer to the goal of $300 billion in net assets by 2030. Read more here.

Forbes.com: Britain Kills Microsoft-Activision Deal, And Hurts The UK’s Reputation

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Britain’s bureaucrats have done it again. They’ve helped snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.

The decision by Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to quash Microsoft Inc’s planned takeover of video game maker Activision Blizzard ATVI 0.0% is just the latest fumble by the UK government. And together with a similar action by another British government agency, it could have a lasting and detrimental impact on the UK economy unless something changes soon. The action also trashes the Brexit promise of a more benign regulatory environment. Read more here.

Mike MozartCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ForbesUruguay.com: Este valioso activo alcanzará pronto un precio récord: cuál es y cómo invertir en él

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Read more here.

WindrainCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Forbes.com: Silver Prices Set To Bust Records Soon, But Not How You Think

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

Silver is headed to record levels within the next 36 months or so, according to a veteran commodities analyst. But when it happens, don’t expect shocking newspaper headlines. Read more here.





WindrainCC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forbes.com: Epic Bearishness On S&P 500: Its A Buy Sign For Stocks

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

Traders of stock index futures are now the most bearish on record. Its likely a good time to buy equities.

We know this because there are now more bearish bets by speculators on the S&P 500 E mini futures contracts than at any time since it began trading in 1998. That’s a quarter of a century ago. Read more here.

luisvillaCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons



Forbes.com: How The Government Is Making The Banking Crisis Worse

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The recent bank run and then failure of Silicon Valley Bank kicked off a mini crisis that’s already being made worse by the government.And it could even morph into a far worse downward spiral if Federal regulators don’t back off, according to a recent report.

“More penetrating government control of the banking industry will not change human nature,” states the research note from financial analytics company HCWE & Co. “What it will do is to degrade the economy by increasing the cost of banking.” Read more here.

 

USCapitol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


Monday, April 10, 2023

Sunday, April 9, 2023

WSJ: Four Reasons Why Junk Bonds Might Be Worth Buying

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Some analysts are predicting positive returns for junk bonds this year after a dismal performance in 2022. Read more here.

Chris Li chrisli, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Thursday, April 6, 2023

WSJ: Options Investors Face Challenges in a Volatile, but Flat, Stock Market

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

The past six months or so have been rough for buyers of stock options. While the market has been volatile, it made no sustained move up or down, which is an especially tricky scenario for novice options buyers. Read more here.

Chicago Board of Trade
Chicago Daily News, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

#France: Atop the Arc de Triomphe: "it's no." Also: remembering Nigel Lawson (1932-2023) @BatchelorShow Forbes.

 By SIMON CONSTABLE


Listen here.

Financial TimesCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Forbes: JPM’s Regulation Plea Means Heads The Bank Wins, Tails The Same

 By SIMON CONSTABLE

Jamie Dimon, possibly the world’s most influential banker, has proposed that the banking system needs better regulations. Based on what he wrote in his annual letter to shareholders its likely he and his bank, JPMorgan Chase, cannot lose. Read more here.

Jamie Dimon
Steve JurvetsonCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Forbes: What I Learned From Nigel Lawson, Britain’s Finest Finance Chief

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It’s with great sadness that I learned Tuesday morning that Nigel Lawson died Monday. He was the force of nature that helped unleash the country’s latent capitalist instincts during the 1980s after decades of a post-WWII flirtation with socialism. The latter was an economic disaster. Read more here

Chatham HouseCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Forbes: Investors Flee Gold ETFs Sending Price Down 5% In February.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Gold prices took a tumble in February after investors pulled almost $2 billion from bullion-backed exchange-traded funds, new research shows.

Still, the recent tension in the banking system has helped steady the market for the yellow metal. Read more here.

via Wikimedia Commons


Forbes: Recession Now Far More Likely. Blame The Banks

By SIMON CONSTABLE

After more than nine months of waiting, the much-heralded U.S. recession may actually happen. Still, it's not guaranteed. Read more here.



 Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
 

Thursday, March 16, 2023

#France: The tactical garbage strike in Paris and the strategic thinking pensioners vs. Macron. John Batchelor, Briefings Magazine.

 By SIMON CONSTABLE


Listen here.

Barron's: This Summer Could Be a Scorcher, Lifting Wheat Prices

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Expectations of an unusually hot and dry summer, combined with the impact of the war in Ukraine, will likely send wheat prices surging by around 20% from current levels as early as April, experts say.

“Drought will return and hurt spring wheat, not only in the U.S. but other places,” says Shawn Hackett, president of Hackett Financial Advisors, in Boca Raton. That, in turn, could lift prices. Read more here.

Busted T-72BA near Starobesheve in East Ukraine


Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Briefings Magazine: The Hidden Benefits of Mass Disruptions

Tech hasn’t had a big wave of extinction since 2001.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There’s no doubt about it. Consumer-tech companies such as Meta, Apple, Google, Netflix, and Amazon came of age over the last decade or so. Some grew from dorm rooms or garages into corporate behemoths at warp speed and hired experts by the boatload. Collectively they gained colossal publicity and political influence. Then came 2022, with plummeting stock prices. So began the hiring freezes and eye-popping layoffs.

Should we be concerned? Perhaps not. Tech’s always been a rough-and-tumble place, embracing an ongoing cycle of innovation, disruption, and destruction. Each cycle is similar, but each has its unique quirks. Read more here.



Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Citywire: Things are changing fast for exchange-traded fund investors

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Since the launch of the first US ETF three decades ago, index-tracking funds have been the mainstay of the ETF world. And while active funds have been ‘stuck in neutral’ the past while, they are now on course to make a booming comeback, experts say.

‘For a long time, active funds were stuck in neutral,’ says Aniket Ullal, head of ETF data and analytics at New York-based research company CFRA. ‘[But] there is now a focus on active – and yes, it’s a long-term thing.’ Read more here.


bfishadow on FlickrCC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Monday, March 6, 2023

WSJ: One Way U.S. Students Can Save Money on College Tuition -- Head to Europe

By SIMON CONSTABLE

A college degree and drowning in debt don’t have to be synonymous. 

College tuition in the European Union tends to be far less than in the U.S., not only for locals but for students who come from outside the EU as well. Indeed, both undergrad and graduate-school degrees in Europe often can be earned at a fraction of what it costs in the U.S. Read more here.

Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 
<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>,
 via Wikimedia Commons