As the New Year approaches we begin to get our usual raft of predictions for the coming year. This is a a corker – someone clearly has a firm grip on their crystal balls.

This article has apparently been around for some time but I have only just stumbled across it (note to self pay more attention) Apparently the I/B/E/S database that is maintained by Thompson Reuters is subject to extensive rewrites designed to portray analysts in a much better light. Comparing two snapshots of the entire I/B/E/S analyst…

But he’s OK ……….. ya reckon

I was doing a bit of digging through my archive of bits and pieces when I found the graphic below.  

If you want a neat encapsulation of how financial markets work and the inanity of much of what goes on and the post-dictive rationalisation that everyone employs. Then you should treat yourself to a New Years present from KAL a cartoonist for Economist

Its funny how things never really change – I used to know people like this in the 1980s when I was a broker. In fact it was decision to try and throw one of them out of a window that made me seriously consider my career in the sell side of finance. Did I mention…

“Can you eat gold? No. You can eat and barter Spam” Nouriel Roubini, economist, Dec 14 2011 I do note that bread may actually have been a better investment than Gold as well. In 1980 the average cost of a generic loaf in Victoria was $0.54 – today this price can be as high as…

Here is an updated chart with the long term average in red.

SBA

………the wanker in your family, try this

For a mere 25k this table can be yours for Christmas. Click here for more…….