Forbes: The Only Three Market Sectors To Watch This Year

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Investors should do themselves a favor this year and focus on just three sectors. Why? Because that's where the earnings action is most likely to be, according to KKR which published its Insights report earlier this month. The paper had some other important findings as well. Read more here.

Barron's: Hot Weather Could Light a Fire Under Corn Prices

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Red hot dry heat in the western part of the upper Midwest is threatening the corn crop and could spark a big rally.

“The extreme drought in North and South Dakota (and currently spreading into Canada) may begin to hit the western corn belt,” says a report from Best Weather, a meteorological forecaster and advisor in Sarasota Fla. Adds Matthew Davey, a commodity analyst and meteorologist for the firm: “All the models are showing warm dry air sticking around.” Read more here.

Photo by Alejandro Martin on Unsplash

Middle East Eye: Egypt's economy on path to recovery

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Things are looking up for Egypt’s beleaguered economy. At least investors think so, which is why they are pouring money into the country. Analysts are optimistic also. The news must come as welcome relief for the country's residents who have suffered brutal inflation and soaring unemployment.

In what must be one of the bitterest ironies of this decade, the optimism of the Arab Spring in 2011 quickly turned sour as Egypt became mired in economic malaise. Read more here.

U.S. News: Sometimes, the Best Advice Is 'Do Nothing'

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Think back to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when markets tanked overnight as Donald Trump's victory shocked investors. The next day in the gray and the rain, anxious traders at the New York Stock Exchange rushed to the exchange floor for what they expected to be a foreboding day. Read more here.

Forbes: China's Market Regulators Appear To Be At War With Themselves

By SIMON CONSTABLE

China's latest financial markets move is puzzling.

The country wants to open up its bond market to foreign investors. The reason for this would seem to be part of its apparent long-term goal of having the Chinese yuan become a major world currency just like the euro or the yen or the greenback. Some people even say the yuan could supplant the dollar as the number one reserve currency. Even if that happens it's a long way off in large part because of what the Chinese government is doing to itself.

The issue is that different parts of China's bureaucracy would appear to be working against each other, at least in their actions if not their intent. Read more here.

WSJ: What Are Interval Funds?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Investors may soon be hearing more about interval funds.

With these funds, investors can redeem shares only at specified times or intervals.

Why would an investor want to own one? Because it’s hard for an individual to find another way to invest in the assets these funds hold. Read more here.

WSJ: Asia Might Beckon for Junk Investors

By Simon Constable

Could Asian junk debt be a sweet spot for investors?

Over the past few years, high-yield bonds from Asia have offered better returns than similar bonds offered in the U.S. and other regions, with comparable or lower volatility. There are reasons to think the trend may continue. Read more here.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash