Monday, November 7, 2016

WSJ: ETFs That Hold Commodities Could Cause Trouble

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Could exchange-traded funds that hold physical commodities exacerbate price spikes or drops?

The potential is there, some experts say, and in fact may have happened already.

Unlike other investments that track the price of materials, physically backed ETFs are structured in a way that could change the underlying supply-and-demand dynamics in what are often thin markets. Read more here.

Photo by Peter F on Unsplash

WSJ: What Is ‘Illiquidity Premium’?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Even with an expected Federal Reserve interest-rate increase, more bond-market investors may be coming around to the idea that rates will stay around historic lows longer than they thought. That raises a question about what to do now: Where can investors find better yields for their portfolios, without sacrificing quality? Read more here.

Friday, November 4, 2016

TheStreet: Higher Hiring: How Weed Can Lure Retirees Back to the Workforce

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Could more use of medical marijuana help increase the supply of older workers?

Maybe so. But that matter is clouded by more than a haze of blue smoke.

Here's what you need to know. Read more here.

Forbes: What Trump And Clinton Both Get Wrong On Trade

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have at least one thing in common.

Neither have addressed the real issue with free trade: The deplorable treatment of displaced workers. Read more here.


CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikime

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Forbes Video: Do You Take Enough Risks? Probably Not

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Should you play in the traffic? Probably not. That’s not risky, it’s stupid. Likewise, going mountaineering without being physically fit, or without the right equipment/training is idiotic.
But not all risks are created equal. Some are worth taking. In fact, if you aren’t taking some risks then you aren’t likely to realize your true potential. While that may be obvious to many people on an intellectual level, fewer and fewer people seem willing to take risks.
Jon Levy, author of ‘The 2 AM Principal‘ explains his thoughts on what constitutes good risks to take and what are bad risks. He discusses the matter in this video.


Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Forbes: Paper, The Technology That Refuses To Die

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Technology has become synonymous with the latest devices from Apple Inc. and the radical changes brought about by social media companies such as Facebook. But it doesn't have to be restricted to the inventions of the digital age.

That's something author Mark Kurlansky takes on in his recently published book Paper: Paging Through History. In short, it's a book about an invention that is ancient and one that refuses to die. Just because it dates back far into human history doesn't make it irrelevant. Read more here.

U.S. News: What Rising Government Bond Rates Mean for Your Money

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The cost of borrowing money is going up and sooner or later, it's likely to filter through to more expensive home loans.
Here's what you need to know to navigate the changes coming soon – and perhaps even profit. Read more here.