Briefings: A World of Doubts

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It was 2013, and the decision in China hardly raised any eyebrows in the global investment community—at least at first. Concerned about rogue financing, the government said it would crack down on so-called “shadow banking” firms, which are financial institutions that operate with little or no regulation. Too much bad lending, China’s leaders said, could mean a repeat of 2008.

Which appeared to make sense, except that over time, the move exposed a major weakness in China: its inability to attract enough investment and to switch to a US-style consumer-led economy at the same time. The crackdown would squeeze lending too much, and China’s economy slowed. But most importantly, it created new doubts about the nation’s policies—and ultimately a dramatic exodus of international investment.

All of which raises a curious question: How do you anticipate and measure investor confidence on a large scale? Read more here.

Briefings: Fishing's Power of Zen

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Most of Will Gardenswartz’s days are so consumed with games it stresses him out. As the CEO of the gamification consulting firm Life Carrot, Gardenswartz is always hustling to television executives and other entertainment producers to incorporate online games to increase audience size and engage viewers. It’s exhausting work.

But there’s one activity that’s anything but a game to Gardenswartz: fishing. He’s been doing it since he was a child. He even chose to live near Sun Valley, Idaho, to be close to some of the world’s best fishing spots. “In business, I’m easily distracted by things that don’t matter,” he says. But when he’s out on the water, he can devote his entire mind to the narrow matter of catching fish. Read more here.

Photo by Skaterlunatic on Unsplash

U.S. News: What Really Worries Wall Street Analysts?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Investing professionals are paid to worry – not necessarily about whether they left the stove on or whether the boss will like their new shoes, but what's happening on Wall Street. In the world of stocks and bonds, successful pros need to be concerned about what could go wrong with their investment decisions.

And there's a lot to think about. Here are the biggest things that investment professionals lose sleep over today: Read more here.

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

P.J. Media: Bundle Up the Economy and Brace for Colder Winters

By SIMON CONSTABLE

You’re gonna need a thicker sweater.

Either that, or a fatter bank balance.

Why? For the foreseeable future, we are likely to see the nasty combination of higher fuel costs and colder winter weather.

There are three reasons: Oil supplies look set to get interrupted this year, the dollar is weaker, and activity on the surface of the sun portends a period of frigid winters. Read more here.

Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Unsplash

Middle East Eye: Egypt set to continue economic 'reforms'

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Egypt looks set to buck a trend this year.

While other countries in the Middle East will likely slow down their economic reforms, Egypt will power forward with its own after March elections, according to analysts.

“There is a genuine commitment to reform by the president,” said Riccardo Fabiani, senior analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at Eurasia Group in London. “For him [President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi] it isn’t just about doing the minimum to avoid being punished by international creditors.” Read more here.

U.S. News: Why Oil and Telecom Stocks Are a Good Bet

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Will this be the year to invest in oil and telecom stocks? A BMO Private Bank report says oil and telecom could be "surprising market leaders" in the U.S. stock market in 2018.

Both sectors were losers in last year's bull market, but history shows that such laggards tend to bounce back – and for that reason, oil and telecom stocks could be winners in 2018. Read more here.

Forbes: The Fed Needs To Read This Economics Book

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The problem with economics is that even the leadership of the Federal Reserve seem to get confused.

Luckily, a soon-to-be-published book will help sort out the situation. It's titled "The Growth Delusion: Wealth, Poverty, and the Well-Being of Nations," by David Pilling, and is set to hit bookstores on January 30. Read more here.