Investors tend to think of risk in terms of their investment portfolios. However, for many Americans their largest investment is their home. Americans seem to have a penchant for building, and rebuilding, in obviously high risk locations: abutting wilderness areas, in established paths of hurricanes, tornados and other forms of severe weather, and recognized flood … Continued
Our investment committee found a recent WSJ article regarding the impact of Detroit’s bankruptcy on a number of European banks quite interesting. The article gave some detail surrounding Detroit bonds structured by UBS and sold to a number of European banks in 2005. At the time, Detroit was struggling to fund its pension obligations and … Continued
As concerns trickle out from both democrats and republicans regarding difficulties implementing ObamaCare, one has to ask whether it would make sense to suspend every aspect of the law not yet implemented, and re-write certain provisions for which the marketplace and businesses are reacting in ways harmful to the economy (such as lagging full-time employment … Continued
Approximately one year ago, Yahoo hired Marissa Mayer to lead the company after a series of failed efforts to improve operating results. During the last 12 months shareholder value has nearly doubled, increasing by approximately $15 billion. In September 2006, Ford hired Alan Mulally to lead the company at a time when the Detroit based … Continued
With recently announced changes in how the SEC regulates certain aspects of the hedge fund industry, it might be appropriate to consider just how suitable this type investment might be for individual investors. The basic concept of hedged investing is relatively straight forward: buy long what you like and sell short what you don’t. This … Continued
The media has been making much of the stock market recently hitting “new highs” and then doing so again and again. What does not make the headlines is whether the increase from the prior high is one point, or one hundred points, but only that it is a “new high”. Sometimes, this can be misleading … Continued
A dramatic statement but actually, a relatively modest forecast. With the Dow currently at approximately 15000, a quadrupling in 20 years would require a compound average annual return of approximately 7%. Annualized total returns for the major averages, such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P Mid-Cap and Russell 2000 Small-Cap, have ranged … Continued
It has been alleged that Edward VII (1841-1910) once said, “I don’t very much care what people do as long as they don’t do it on the street and frighten the horses”. Perhaps a more modern version could be applicable to Egypt, “don’t frighten the tourists”. The higher echelons of the Egyptian army are widely … Continued
Beginning in May and continuing in June, bond prices have been under pressure as interest rates have begun to rise. As a result, many investors in fixed income securities are now underwater for the year after enjoying a multi-year period of extraordinary gains. As interest rates continue to migrate higher, albeit in a very erratic … Continued
In the last 10 days, the major equity averages have lost, and then largely regained, 4% of their market value. Hence, a $1 million stock portfolio would have dropped to $960,000 and then recovered between June 21 and July 1. The frantic movements resulted largely from recent pronouncements by US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben … Continued
Seeing how far the “Britishers” will bear provocation. “To give the lion’s tail another twist” is to tax British forbearance a little further. No doubt the Kingdom is averse to war with civilized nations, and will put up with a deal rather than apply the arbitration of arms. Even victory may be bought dearly. Such … Continued
The U.K., the Netherlands and Australia have recently established new rules that will ban commissions on popular investments like mutual funds with a view to eliminating hidden charges. Competent, professional investment advice has value. After all, a difference of just 1% in annual returns amounts to approximately $180,000 over a ten-year period on an original … Continued
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