WSJ: ‘Funds of Funds’ Move Into ETF World

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Exchange-traded-fund providers are coming out with more offerings of what are known, a bit awkwardly, as “funds of funds.” 

While a regular ETF typically owns a basket of securities, an ETF fund of funds owns a basket of other ETFs. Funds of funds have a long history in the mutual-fund industry, and are now taking root in the ETF world. Read more here.

Korn Ferry: The Rise of the ‘Garbage Jobs’

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Across Europe, it has become a major hiring trend. Critics say it may also become a blight for workers and crimp on corporate growth. 

Temporary jobs, once a much smaller portion of the continent’s labor pool, has grown into a significant facet of the job market. At last count, one in seven (14.2%) of all jobs in Europe are temporary positions, which is more than three times the 4% temp rate in the United States. And while the work is giving companies much-needed flexibility, it’s creating a class of what critics are calling “garbage jobs,” with poor pay and scant benefits, that are causing worker unrest and a different set of challenges for corporate leadership. Read more here.

Barron's: A Big Question Looms Ahead of OPEC. What That Means for Oil Prices.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It’s crunch time for the oil markets.

On Thursday, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) kicks off a two-day meeting in Vienna. Traders will be watching closely to see if production quotas get extended, or cut, or whether there will be a crack-down on cheating by some member nations. Read more here.

Forbes: Gold Prices Likely To Fall Further And That’s A Good Thing

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Gold has disappointed investors lately, and is likely to continue doing so.

Here’s what’s happening and why you should be happy about it. Read more here.

Photo by Invalid Account on Unsplash

Barron's: How Iran's Antics Could Boost Oil

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Growing populist unrest in Iran, a weakening U.S. dollar, and possible production cuts could prompt a rally in oil prices in the next few months.

Investors wanting to profit from the likely surge should consider buying February-dated oil futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Alternatively, try the United States Brent Oil exchange-traded fund (ticker: BNO), which tracks the price of oil futures and is up more than 27% this year. Read more here.

Photo by Peter Olexa on Unsplash

Forbes: How Economics Chiefs Set Up A Secret Policy Group Under Jimmy Carter, New Book Says

By SIMON CONSTABLE

U.S. President Jimmy Carter drove his economic advisors so crazy that they felt forced to set up a secret policy committee. That's just one of the bizarre stories from a new book that details the experiences of White House economics gurus over the past 50 years. Read more here.

Forbes: Investors Flee U.S. Stocks Even As Market Soars

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It looks like investors are fleeing U.S. stocks.

For at least five weeks straight, they pulled almost $27 billion from mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that specialize in domestic U.S. securities.

The action, which looks like some are bailing on the future of America’s economy, comes just as stock indexes are breaking records with banal frequency. Read more here.

Photo by Charles Towne , 

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons