OZY: A Game Chicken Chicken... With Oil

By SIMON CONSTABLE

In the world of oil, a little noticed but fascinating game of chicken has broken out. And the unblinking eyeballs happen to involve a guy named Putin and a prince who enjoys fast cars, all 200 of them that he supposedly owns.

Does any of this ring a bell? As some of you may have surmised, the two biggest so-called petro giants, Russia and Saudi Arabia, are locked in a battle to maintain control over the global dominance of oil that’s slowly slipping away as other forms of energy like natural gas begin to grow in importance. Read more here.

Photo by William Moreland on Unsplash

Forbes: "Must-Follow" Twitter Feeds On Markets And Economics

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There is a lot of junk on twitter to parse through when it comes to markets and the economy. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. In no particular order, here are some “must-follow” accounts that are great.

@DougKass  – Doug Kass, professional investor. Writes for Real Money, the subscription side of TheStreet. Has his finger on the investing pulse.

@ArthurHoganIII — Art Hogan, long time market strategist. If survival on Wall Street means gaining respect then he’s earned it.

Read more here.

OZY: King Dollar Is Back, Which Means...

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Ah, it’s a delicious feeling. You’re sitting down in a café in Provence and you can finally supersize that croissant and café au lait because your dollar is no longer a joke. In fact, King Dollar, as we like to call it, is on a roll (see what we did there?), up 33 percent in four years against a basket of currencies.

But anyone with a passport can take advantage of a strong dollar on the little stuff. It’s the bold, the brave, the people and firms big and small that play world currencies that are furiously trying to get a real edge — especially now that all signs point to an ever stronger U.S. greenback. 

Read more here.

TheStreet: Why China's Yuan Devaluations Won't Help Its Economy

By SIMON CONSTABLE

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- China's abrupt currency devaluations this week won't save its economy. If the move sparks a bounce in stocks, then investors who have been burned by the tumbling Shanghai market, down 20% since the beginning of June, should use the opportunity to sell into rising prices. Or failing that, just dump Chinese stocks.

The reasons for weakening the Renminbi yuan by is clear: To make China's exports cheaper in terms of foreign money, most notably U.S. dollars. The problem is that while it may boost exports, there are other consequences that will do more harm than good. Read more here.

TheStreet: Ten Reasons to Love the Strong Dollar

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The surge in the greenback has some stock investors screaming foul, but they shouldn't be. Instead, they should embrace the strength. 

It is true that the trade-weighted value of the U.S. dollar has climbed more than 21% in the last 13 months, according to recent data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve. It's also true that the rally is taking its toll on the earnings reports of some multinational companies -- their foreign revenues take a hit when translated back into dollars.

Still, there is plenty to feel great about. Here are 10 reasons to smile.

Forbes: Colorblind Secrets Your Colleagues Won't Tell You

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It never ceases to amaze me how unaware many colleagues are about a very common affliction: colorblindness. I have it. So does Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, according to a report in the New Yorker and others.

Here’s what you need to know.

We can see colors. Total inability to see color is very rare. What we do see isn’t the same as what you see. For instance, the color red is less vibrant for me. But, there are some things I’ll be able to see better than you, like certain camouflage patterns. Seeing the world in a different way can be an advantage.

Your color presentation is incomprehensible. This is especially so when it is full of charts with seven shades of pastel colored lines. All the lines are indistinguishable. My bank does similar with a pie chart of my investments: brown, green, red, beige, and black. It’s so confusing to look at that it’s meaningless. The consultant recommendations on what colors are best for presentations are probably wrong. Go with grayscale instead, unless you want to confuse us.

Read more here.

Forbes: What Trump Brings To The Table

By SIMON CONSTABLE

If you really want change then you need to do something different. That’s more or less what Einstein said and it applies as much to Washington politics as it does to science.

Americans seem to want change from their politicians. But then when someone turns up with the capabilities to do so many people throw up their arms in horror. I write of course about presidential candidate and billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump who is doing a superb job of shaking up the establishment.

Here are some reasons to embrace him, or if not him then someone with some of his positive qualities.

Yes, he is brash and slightly crass at times. But he is a New Yorker. I live here. That’s how New Yorkers are and they usually aren’t bad people. Did anyone really think that the voice of much needed change in Washington would arrive in the guise of handsome European Prince with manners fit to dine at Buckingham Palace? Of course not.

Read more here.