Forbes: A Vast Fraud In 1870s London Has Much To Teach Us

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Back in the 19th century some American scoundrels mounted a vast fraud on "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street," as the Bank of England is known. They passed off millions of dollars of fake financial instruments as real to the country's central bank. The rough equivalent now would be to successfully pull off an enormous financial heist on the Federal Reserve. The period in which this happened was also one of great financial innovation and that matter should be notable to investors now. Nicolas Booth ably recounts the tale in his recently published book, Thieves Of Threadneedle Street. Read more here.

U.S. News: Will the Trump Administration Sink Crude Oil Prices Again?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Should oil patch investors be worried that recent gains will soon be undone? Certainly, there is a case to be made, but on balance the major slide from mid-2014 through February is likely over.

The two major issues in the energy market are the recent agreement by OPEC and the desire by the incoming Trump administration to attain energy independence for the U.S. Read more here.

TheStreet: Don't Let Rising Rates Scare You Away From Bonds

By SIMON CONSTABLE

High-quality bonds have taken a beating lately, but they still make sense for the long-term investor. On top of that, the market indicates there is less risk of default now than there was a few months ago.

Here's what happened and why such investments still make sense:

WABC John Batchelor Show: Jobs and Dreams

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Talking with the great John Batchelor about economics and America's forgotten workers.

U.S. News: Key Indicators Show a Robust Economy in 2017

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Great news – the U.S. economy should speed up next year.

If all goes according to plan, that will mean better raises for those with jobs, and more opportunities for those looking for work. There are a couple of potential bumps in the road, but so far they don't point to an imminent problem. Read more here.

Forbes: 6 Reasons Trump Should Abolish Corporate Income Tax

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Corporate taxes are back in the news again this time with Apple Inc. appealing the E.U. tax demand for $14 billion (see report from Reuters.) At issue is the rate of corporate income tax Apple pays in Ireland."Apple's Irish tax bill implied a tax rate of 0.005 percent in 2014," according to European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, the Reuters report states.

Whether the actual rate it pays is that low isn't the major issue. What we do know is that big companies, like Apple, do what they can within the law to avoid paying taxes. In some cases, no taxes are paid, which will no doubt outrage many people.

It shouldn't. The bigger outrage is that we have corporate income tax at all.

The truth is that abolishing it should be at the top of the agenda for president-elect Donald Trump. When that happens we'll all be better off. Here are some reasons why:

Photo by Pepi Stojanovski on Unsplash

TheStreet: What a Stronger Dollar Means for Investments: Good, Bad and Ugly

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The greenback is back.

The U.S currency has climbed 4.1% this year against a basket of global currencies, and nearly four times that much against the British pound alone.

U.S stock markets, in the meantime, have made double-digit gains across the board, but that masks individual winners and losers. Coming out ahead are the consumers who drive the U.S. economy and can get more bank for their buck, as well as the import companies that sell to them. Exporters, on the other hand, may see sales suffer as overseas customers find American-made goods more costly. Read more here.

Photo by Vladimir Solomianyi on Unsplash