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Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall: Part 2
Last week, we began our two-part series on the fall of the Berlin Wall with an examination of the end of Marxism. In this report, we will examine the rest of the important consequences from the fall of the Berlin Wall. These are: the Collapse of the U.S.S.R., the Onset of the U.S. Unipolar Moment, and the Impact of German Unification. We will conclude our comments with potential market ramifications.
Active Investing: Opportunity in Gold
by Tim Gramatovich of AdvisorShares,
As active managers, we embrace both a top down and bottom up investment philosophy as we look for opportunities for investment. One such potential opportunity we are seeing from more of a top down, thematic approach is in gold.
3 Things to Think About, Including the Disconnect between Data And Surveys
by Lance Roberts of Streettalk Live,
Last Friday, I discussed the growing gap between economic reports particularly when they measure the same basic areas of the overall economy. For example, how can the Markit Manufacturing PMI Index be negative for three months while the ISM PMI has surged higher during the same period. Both cannot be right.
Thanksgiving Recipe
by Jeffrey Saut of Raymond James,
Begin with a turkey chilling in a sink for a few hours. Mix in the Bank of Japans shock and awe announcement of a week ago. Add the U.S. unemployment claims that are at a 14-year low and stir well, include housing prices that are better by +6%, fold in the Leading Economic Indicators advancing by 7%, the ECB announcement by Draghi about a bazooka of Quantitative Easing (QE), and the Thanksgiving dinner result . . . new highs for equity prices!
The Flaws in the Dollar Indices
by Marianne Brunet,
According to the most widely recognized data series, the value of the dollar has declined by approximately 20% over the last half century. Critics of federal policy claim this is proof of systematic "dollar debasement," engineered through quantitative easing and the Fed's mandate to maintain a baseline level of inflation. But that data series is incomplete, and once it is corrected, the 20% decline shrinks considerably.
Middle East/Africa: Regional Economic Review - Q3 2014
by Team of Thomas White International,
Despite continuing geopolitical tensions and subdued oil prices, the Middle East and Africa region had a largely positive third quarter. South Africa, the largest economy in this region, saw its labor problems diminish while Egypt reported a string of encouraging data, signaling that it is steadily recovering from a long phase of political and economic turbulence.
Monetary Policy Outlook
by Scott Brown of Raymond James,
The minutes of the October 28-29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting suggested that there is still no consensus opinion among senior officials regarding when the Fed will begin raising short-term interest rates. There is strong agreement that monetary policy moves will be data-dependent.
On the Verge of Chaos
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
In this weeks letter were going to explore some of the ramifications of the currency war that Japan is precipitating. It is more than just Germany, Korea, and China having issues and needing to contemplate their own competitive devaluations. If the yen goes too far too fast, there will be geopolitical repercussions far beyond the obvious first-order connections.
Equities Benefit as U.S. Growth Solidifies
The dominant news story last week was President Obamas announcement of new executive actions on immigration policy, but investors chose to look past any political risks and focused on the positives. Specifically, markets reacted well to signs that the European Central Bank would expand its monetary easing and to a surprise interest rate cut in China.
International Equity Commentary: October 2014
by Team of Thomas White International,
International equity prices saw large price swings during the month of October as fears about slower global growth led to an appreciable decline during the first two weeks. Equity prices recovered subsequently as better than expected U.S. economic data helped allay global growth fears.
Emerging Markets Equity Commentary: October 2014
by Team of Thomas White International,
Emerging market equity prices turned volatile during October as concerns about weak global growth and the impending close of bond purchases by the U.S. Federal Reserve unnerved investors. Still, some of the large emerging markets in Asia rebounded strongly during the second half of the month.
The Clock is Ticking in Switzerland
by Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital,
For most of my career in international investing, I had always placed a great deal of faith in Switzerland's financial markets. In recent years, however, as the Swiss government has sought to hitch its wagon to the flailing euro currency and kowtow increasingly to U.S.-based financial requirements, this faith has been shaken.
Weighing the Week Ahead: Are Investors Too Complacent?
There is no investment edge from repeating what you read in the morning paper. Here was my list still worth watching: Geo-political that is not on the current radar a true black swan. An increase in the PCE index that was not accompanied by strong economic growth. Wage increases that were not accompanied by strong economic growth. Declining profit margins that were not accompanied by strong economic growth and increased revenues. An increase in the chances for a business cycle peak (the official definition of a recession). Remote at this point. An increase in financial stress t
3 Things Worth Thinking About, Including the Message from Commodities
by Lance Roberts of Streettalk Live,
Following the October swoon, stocks have vaulted to all-time highs. As I discussed previously in "Sentiment Is Off The Charts Bullish," there have only been few occasions where investors have felt so "giddy" about the financial markets. Such periods of exuberance have never ended well for investors as they were deluded by near-term "greed" which blinded them to the building risks.
Gold Gets Physical
by Ade Odunsi of AdvisorShares,
Its happening again the gold cost of carry as defined by the one month gold forward rate has swung sharply into negative territory. This means that an investor is able to earn a positive carry from owning gold. This is unusual for gold markets and a relatively rare occurrence the more common scenario is that because of the storage costs associated with gold, an investor would expect to have to pay a cost of carry to hold gold. Prior to the instance in July 2013, the last time that gold forward rates went negative was in November of 2008.
Asia's Deepening Capital Markets
by Robert Horrocks of Matthews Asia,
The drivers of economic growth, the region's small- and medium-sized enterprises, are finally gaining access to capital through alternative funding sources outside of just banks. Retail investors are accessing increasingly diverse products in which to store their savings and build wealth. Institutions are demanding long-dated assets to match their liabilities? Are we finally seeing more stable local demand in Asia's local capital markets?
Emerging Markets Opportunity Still Emerging
by Burt White of LPL Financial,
We believe emerging markets (EM) fundamental conditions are set for improvement in 2015, based on our outlooks for economic growth, earnings, and policy. Valuations are compelling and EM may be situated to recapture some of their relative losses from a technical perspective, particularly in Asian markets. However, somewhat mixed fundamental and technical pictures suggest a better opportunity may be forthcoming
The Abenomics Death Spiral
by Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital,
As Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe has turned his country into a petri dish of Keynesian ideas, the trajectory of Japans economy has much to teach us about the wisdom of those policies. And although the warning sirens are blasting at the highest volumes imaginable, few economists can hear the alarm.
Global Economy Worsening, But America is on Top
With President Obama making controversial moves on several fronts this month, it is tempting to go all politics this week. The president is threatening to grant defacto amnesty to five or six million illegal aliens, via Executive Order, even though he knows this is unpopular among the American people. Its as if hes in full denial regarding the landslide midterm election results.
Has Europes Recovery Story Turned Back a Page?
The European economy at large had been moving forward in the wake of the 20072009 global financial crisis and subsequent sovereign debt crisis, spurred by European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghis pledge to do whatever it takes to save the euro in 2012 and the implementation of austerity measures in the eurozone periphery. In recent months, the recovery seemed to have stalled, with some countries, including the eurozones engine of growth- Germany - flirting with recession.
Is This Purgatory, Or Is It Hell?
GMO is often accused of being a glass half empty investor, and I admit that in a year that has seen the S&P 500 rise 8.3%, MSCI All-Country World rise 3.7%, and the Barclays U.S. Aggregate rise 4.1% through the third quarter, the words Purgatory and Hell are unlikely to come to mind to most investors when opening their brokerage statements. It has been a dull year, perhaps, but certainly not a hellish one. So what is bringing Danteesque visions of damnation into our slightly warped minds?
The Beginning of the End of the Fossil Fuel Revolution (From Golden Goose to Cooked Goose)
by Jeremy Grantham of GMO,
The quality of modern life owes almost everything to the existence of fossil fuels, a massive store of dense energy that for 200 years had become steadily cheaper as a fraction of income. Under that stimulus, the global economy grew ever larger, more complex, more inter-related and, I believe, more fragile. Then around the year 2000 the costs of finding oil start to rise at over 10% a year, and with the global economy growing at only 4% oil starts to fall behind in affordability.
On My Radar: Stocks Remain Richly Valued
Shortly after each month end (after the most recent reported earnings numbers are posted), I like to run through a few of my favorite valuation charts to gauge level, asses risk and to get a sense for what the probable forward return may be. Fortunately, there is a great deal of historical data that can help us.
Capital Allocation and Risk Management
by The Royce Funds,
Companies with little or no debt on their balance sheets can focus on capital allocation decisions that help the business to grow and/or return free cash back to shareholders. Especially during uncertain periods, a low-debt balance sheet also helps us to assess risk, which is crucial in the small-cap universe, where companies are often fragile.
Hard to Hit Two Targets at Once: The ECB ABS Asset Purchase Programme
by Felix Blomenkamp of PIMCO,
We believe that reviving the asset-backed securities (ABS) market is a better near-term goal, and the primary target of the European Central Banks (ECB) buying programme should be the new issuance market. Sizeable purchases by the ECB in the European ABS market carry the possible risks of crowding out established investors and suppressing interest in this asset class. By not crowding out existing investors while making the asset class more attractive to issuers and investors alike, the ECB has an opportunity to reach its ultimate goal to spur lending.
Reality Check
by Bob Rodriquez of FPA Funds,
As many of you know, and for those of you who dont, Ive been a harsh critic of the fiscal and monetary policies that have been deployed these past several years. Since returning from my 2010 sabbatical in 2011, Ive been very cautious about capital deployment, as many of my successors will confirm. In light of the stock markets astounding rise since 2009 and five years of near zero short-term rates, Ive reassessed and challenged my basic fundamental understanding of how the financial markets operate.
Explore and Discover the Winners When Gas Prices Fall
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil for December delivery is currently priced at $75 per barrel, Brent for January delivery at $78 per barrel. Many investors, publications and news sources focus only on the drawbacks to falling oil and gas prices-don't get me wrong, there are many-but today we're going to give the spotlight to the biggest winners and beneficiaries.
Contemplating Stocks without QE
by Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital,
Some influences on the stock market are casual, subtle or open to interpretation, but the catalyst behind the current stock market rally really shouldn't be controversial. As far as stocks go, we have lived by QE. The only question now is, whether we will die without it.
Portfolio Effects of Holding Gold in Yen Terms
by Ade Odunsi of AdvisorShares,
Last week in Gold in Yen Calm in the Eye if the Storm we focused on the factors behind the significant outperformance of gold priced in yen versus gold priced in dollars, identifying the strength of the dollar as the primary factor pushing down the price of gold in dollars. While on the currency side, the strength of dollar resulted in significant weakness in the YEN/USD FX rate.
Four Questions on Investors Minds Today
From the strengthening U.S. dollar to Bill Gross departure from Pimco, a few common questions have been coming up in Cedar Hills meetings with clients during the past few months. In this article, Managing Director Chris Engelman shares the firms thoughts on these timely issues.
The Last Argument of Central Banks
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
In this weeks letter I have for you a brief essay on the topic of deflation. Depending on your view, you might find some of my thoughts controversial, but I will try to make my case clear, at least. Please note this is the 30,000-foot view and is nowhere close to definitive.
Capital Raising in the MLP Sector Remains Active
We continue to see evidence that underpins our long term positive outlook on MLPs and midstream energy infrastructure companies. The need for new midstream infrastructure remains significant and announcements of large projects continue to be made. New export markets for U.S. hydrocarbons continue to develop and offer new profit opportunities for MLPs.
Switzerland: Vote Yes on Gold Initiative
by Axel Merk of Merk Investments,
On November 30th, the Swiss are voting whether to amend their countrys constitution on an initiative entitled Save our Swiss Gold. The Swiss gold initiative appears widely misunderstood, both inside and outside of Switzerland. We discuss implications for gold, the Swiss franc and Switzerland as a whole.
Dollar, China and Brazil In The Short Or Medium Term
The Dollar Index is approaching two important and converging barriers for its recent uptrend. The Shanghai Composite Index is also bordering the top of its channel. Brazil lost a good chance at recent elections to recycle its unsuccessful policies and government. But technical analysis may show some relief for optimism in Brazilian stocks and the EWZ ETF.
Weekly Market Summary
by Urban Carmel of The Fat Pitch,
It's hard to argue that the price action of US equities is not bullish. SPX and DJIA ended the week at new highs. NDX stayed near the new highs it made last week, apparently digesting its gains. NDX was flat for the week while SPX and DJIA added another 1%. This is mostly reflected at the sector level as well. Financials, technology, industrials and transports are cyclical leaders all making new highs this week. But what is curious is that the market is being led more by defensives. Staples, utilities and healthcare are also at new highs. Since the September 19 top, SPX has added 1%, but defen
Winners and Losers of the Dollars Recent Ascent
by Russ Koesterich of BlackRock,
The dollar recent rally can be attributed to a number of factors including a relatively solid U.S. economy, diverging central bank policies (the U.S. is preparing to tighten while the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are easing), and long-term changes in trade flows, particularly around the energy sector. We expect most of these trends to continue, and here are three key implications of a rising dollar.
Central Planners Are In A State of Panic
By the time a central bank is behaving as recklessly as Japan, it's time to edge towards the exit, because the chance of a flash fire in the building has grown uncomfortably high. That is, instead of providing comfort, these most recent moves should invoke greater worry for those of us alert enough to see them for what they are: acts of panic:
Gold in Yen Calm in the Eye of a Storm
by Ade Odunsi of AdvisorShares,
Since the beginning of August there has been a striking divergence in the relative performance of gold priced in US dollars versus gold priced in yen. Gold in yen has outperformed its dollar cousin by just over 10% over a period of three months. In fact year-to-date gold priced in yen has returned +5.3% with a 10.7% annualized standard deviation while gold in dollars has returned -2.6% with a 12.5% annualized standard deviation.
Knowing What You Can't Know, Knowing What You Don't Know, and Staying Disciplined in Your Investment
by Team of Litman Gregory,
In our investment analysis and decision-making, we try to focus on what is knowable with a reasonable degree of certainty or within a reasonable range of outcomes. We also recognize the importance of staying within our circle of competency, which means not investing in things we don't fully understand. And while our investment discipline requires us to adapt and change our views if the facts and circumstances change, it also protects us against getting swept up in the short-term noise and emotions of the markets.
Reconsidering Asia's Currencies
by Gerald Hwang of Matthews Asia,
The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-1998 looms like a ghost over any attention to Asian currency risk. But what new considerations are needed now? Given the robust performance of the regions currencies since 1999, Portfolio Manager Gerald Hwang, CFA, explores this topic in a modern context that takes into account the diverse monetary systems, business cycles and development stages of Asias economies.
Results 8,351–8,400
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