Its Not The Economy – STUPID!

Consider the chart below comparing the FTSE 100 and the Nikkei performances. Both have economies that as best could be described as moribund but the Nieekei has been motoring. The trap for investors and traders is that they assume that it is the economy that drives the market as such they hang off every economic…

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The Alpha Cycle

Industries in which capital has become abundant and optimism unbridled often end up disappointing investors. Echoes of these capital cycle pitfalls are also evident in active fund manager selection. In the ‘alpha cycle’ a certain area of the market delivers high returns, stories then emerge not only about the compelling opportunities to be found but…

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Making Complicated Ideas Simple

Want to build influence with ideas and simple writing? Look no further than Howard Marks. Most smart people use big words and plastic jargon to reinforce the barrier between themselves and “the common folk.” Howard, on the other hand, breaks down this barrier, and that’s why his ideas are so influential (and why he’s Warren…

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Bank Failures

One of the things that is most surprising about any form of financial crisis is the degree of surprise that market participants display at its unfolding. You can see this scene play at present with the recent collapse of Silicon Valley bank and the current nervousness that surrounds U S regional banks. What new players…

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