U.S. News: 3 Stocks to Play to Shortage of Phosphorus

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It could be time to feed your portfolio with some plant food stocks, but only if you are prepared to take a very long-term view. 

The world's grasslands, which is where much meat and milk production ultimately starts out, are being depleted of a vital mineral. Phosphorus is the chemical that farmers apply through fertilizer to replenish grassland after grazing. 

A new study that in the Nature Communications journal warns that an acceleration in grassland degradation will require farmers to apply four times as much phosphorus – both from livestock manure and commercial products – to their pastures by 2050 to "achieve an anticipated 80 percent increase in grass production" and keep the soil fertile. Read more here.

Photo by chris robert on Unsplash

OZY: Simonomics on the Brexit -- What's At Stake?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

If you travel to Britain now, you can almost hear the sounds of the Clash singing, “Should I stay or should I go? / If I stay there will be trouble / And if I go it will be double.” That tune springs to mind as the people of my homeland, Britain, prepare for the Brexit referendum, in which they will decide on June 23 whether Britain exits the European Union. And there’s a lot riding on the vote.
Britain’s politicians, who at times can make Donald Trump sound measured, are venting their frustrations with the EU. The beef is basically what can London do, or not do, while still remaining inside the EU. There’s a long history of, shall we kindly say, this sort of tension. This time, a lot of it involves questions of migration and who can claim pricey British social benefits.

So Prime Minister David Cameron has renegotiated the membership deal, at least enough in his view to recommend that British people vote to stay in the EU. That’s where this referendum is quite different from an election, because in the run-up to the big talks between Europe’s leaders there was every incentive to look like the country would bail. Now that the deal is done, the discussion about leaving the EU has taken on a life of its own, with a high-profile member of the ruling Conservative Party recommending people to vote to exit. Read more here.

TheStreet: 7 Must-Read Books if You Want to Get Rich, in Dollars and Sense

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It's often said that very successful people don't waste time watching TV. Instead, they read voraciously.

Which begs the question, 'What should you read?' Will sappy romances and airport thrillers do the trick? Self-help guides, maybe? It depends, ultimately, on how you define success. 

If you want to learn something about money, investing, and accumulating wealth, then the trick is to find some books on the topic that won't bore you silly. Here are some new ones as well as a few that have stood the test of time.

Let's start with something hot off the press: The Devil's Financial Dictionary by Jason Zweig, a veteran financial journalist and former colleague of mine at the Dow Jones division of Newscorp.

Read more here.

U.S. News: How To Invest In India

By SIMON CONSTABLE

In a world where major economies are either slowing (China) or growing at sluggish rates (the European Union), there is one country that stands out: India. 

In fact, India has the potential to be huge, but there is opportunity there only for investors with a strong stomach. Read more here.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

TheStreet: How Digital Style Helps Insurers Profile You -- And Save You Money

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Would you strap on an Apple Watch or Fitbit device to get a better deal on your health insurance?

You may have the opportunity soon, as the once-stodgy insurance business explores ways to take advantage of vast quantities of consumer health data and the proliferation of wearable devices. Many insurers are conducting pilot tests that involve asking people to wear personal devices that collect health information, says Shane Cassidy, senior vice president for North American insurance with consulting firm CapGemini Financial Services in Chicago. Read more here.

Forbes: How To Live Like Charles Bukowski

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Abel Debritto is back with another edited compilation of writing by Charles Bukowski, this time he deals with the heart. The book, On Love, was published by Ecco in early February.

As with all things Bukowski, it is about much more than the title. It’s about life, failure, success, and regrets. One thing I like about him is that he pursued his own goals rather than the goals others might have set for him. That’s something we should all learn. Read more here.

Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash

Barron's: The Great Orange Juice Squeeze

By SIMON CONSTABLE

This might be hard to swallow, but a case CAN be made that orange-juice futures will soon go the way of the dodo. The market certainly isn’t quite as sweet as it once was.

“OJ is a market that has been racing to the bottom of a futures-market extinction event,” says Shawn Hackett, CEO and president of Hackett Financial Advisors and author of the Hackett Money Flow Report.

At least part of the problem is that orange juice isn’t the staple it once was. Slipping consumption is having a knock-on effect in the futures market, which could eventually mean orange juice no longer will attract enough interest from speculative traders to be viable. Read more here.

Photo by aliet kitchen on Unsplash