OZY: When Emerging Markets Don't...Emerge

By SIMON CONSTABLE

There’s nothing like the expectant feeling of hope in the air, and we got a sense of that after a Tunisian street vendor set himself alight and ignited the so-called Jasmine Revolution and then the Arab Spring. Many around the world watched, wishing for better things. And we recently had reason to celebrate when an alliance of civil society groups in Tunisia won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to build democracy there with a newly adopted constitution. That’s to be applauded. But for another important issue — economic development — things don’t look so rosy. Read more here.

WSJ: Alzheimer’s Link Leads to More Financial Planning

By SIMON CONSTABLE

People whose families have a history of Alzheimer’s disease are much more likely to seek expert financial advice and are more likely to delay retirement, compared with people for whom Alzheimer’s isn’t an issue, says a forthcoming study from professors at the University of Utah.

Cost concerns arising from Alzheimer’s disease, which can require years of institutionalized care, are pushing individuals to plan more, according to the study, which was sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Read more here.

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash

Barron's: As Sunspots Fade, Will Crop Yields Fall?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

A decades-old government crop report, combined with the very latest data from NASA, seem to indicate that there will be poor growing conditions and lower grain yields over the next few years. As a result, traders should expect prices for wheat and corn to rise.

The report from the U.S.D.A., published almost four decades ago, studied crop yields in the U.S. from 1866 to 1973. The paper, “Do Sunspot Cycles Affect Crop Yields?” by Virden Harrison, an agricultural economist with the commodity economics division of the USDA’s economic-research service, matched historical crop-yield data for wheat, corn, rice, and cotton with sunspot activity. And NASA forecasts for sunspots suggest that the sun is commencing lower activity. Read more here.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

TheStreet: Why Dinner's About to Start Eating More of Your Wallet

By SIMON CONSTABLE

New York (TheStreet) -- If food prices start taking a bigger bite out of your wallet in the near future, you can blame it on Mother Nature.

A confluence of events including strange weather from El Nino, activity on the solar surface, and the effects of a U.S. drought years ago are reducing agricultural output, which may drive up grocery store prices for individual consumers and supply costs for dining chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill (CME - Get Report)  and coffee shops like Starbucks (SBUX - Get Report)  Read more here.

Photo by Shayda Torabi on Unsplash

TheStreet: Why Financial Crises Aren't Such a Bad Thing for Your Wallet

By SIMON CONSTABLE

In the seven years since Lehman Brothers failed, tipping the world into a financial crisis, the U.S. government has enacted a plethora of regulations to prevent another one.

But trauma aside, there are some tangible benefits to such a crisis, from a Darwinian winnowing of weak businesses to curbing extreme risk-taking. Here are some:

OZY: The Real Costs of a Government Shutdown

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Two years ago, inside Washington’s Beltway, bars extended happy hours, drinks flowed plentifully and furloughed government workers cheerfully toasted one another. The scene was a result of an impasse in Congress over spending, and when it was all over, everyone went back to work — while, according to ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, costs totaled some $24 billion in lost output across the economy. Even worse: The government saved zilch because workers were given back pay for the time they were at home (or in the bar).

Legislators in Washington appeared to be headed for a similar showdown this week, until the White House and congressional leaders reached a tentative deal to raise the $18.1 trillion federal debt limit.

Read more here.

U.S. News: 6 Reasons to be Bullish on Stocks

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Believe it or not, there are still reasons to be bullish on stocks, and not just because pundits keep showing their angst on business TV. (They are often wrong.) Here are some key points for investors to consider.

World economic growth should improve. Forget the idea that the world economy is about to come to a standstill because China hit a bump in the road. Growth is picking up, says Jeffrey Kleintop, chief global investment strategist at Charles Schwab & Co. in Boston.

Read more here.