Thank you Charles M. Schulz and Snoopy. Anecdotally, it seems that a number of my neighbors have taken this advice as Covid-19 forces more of us to remain house-bound. On a more serious note, while it is well established that older people tend to be happier than they were when they were younger, a recent … Continued
There is no simple way to summarize or explain 2020’s equity markets. By the end of the year the S&P 500 was up a very solid 18.4%, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story. Equity markets started the year on the soft side. Then came Covid-19 and stocks sold off sharply. March alone saw … Continued
According to Wikipedia, tulip mania was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulips reached extraordinarily high levels, and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. In Europe, formal futures markets appeared in the Dutch Republic during the 17th century. One of the most … Continued
The concept of investing has taken a beating with an increasing misuse of the word. For example, some marketers of expensive items, like new cars, describe the purchase as an investment when it is clearly consumption. Except in a few, very rare instances, automobiles depreciate. Investopedia defines investment as a way to set aside money … Continued
This is clearly a very complex and controversial issue. It is equally clear that big pharma, with considerable help from government, both financial and regulatory, has created an exceptional response to the dangers of Covid-19. Development and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines represent a constructive example of what can be achieved by public/private partnerships. The … Continued
As we approach the end of the calendar year, it’s a good time to review some last-minute planning items that can result in 2020 tax savings. One such item is making contributions to 529 education plans in states that offer a tax-break on dollars that are deposited within the calendar year. For example, Michigan offers … Continued
The idea that you can make a case for negative-yielding debt would seem to be counterintuitive at best and irrational at worst. Never-the-less, there are some rational reasons for an investment decision that seems to defy logic. Perhaps the primary value of negative-yielding debt is safety. The typical investor might conclude that a federally insured … Continued
Two recent headlines summarize some of today’s housing issues: 1. Big company owners of single-family homes are raising rents at the fastest rate since the last decade’s foreclosure crisis, and 2. First-time home sales currently account for the lowest market share since 1987. Corporate landlords that own single family homes are raising rents at the fastest … Continued
According to Investopedia, “all stocks around the world tend to rise in the long term.” They cite as evidence the performance of major common stock averages for a wide range of developed countries over the last 100 years. For example, selected data for U.S. markets point to a 10.2% average return for the S&P 500 … Continued
Nearly everyone agrees that job growth is essential to economic progress. Those who want something, from voters (votes) and/or government (tax breaks and other subsidies), tend to buttress their arguments with the promise of new jobs. Be careful, new jobs aren’t always “net” new jobs. Investors and taxpayers might want to take a closer look … Continued
A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay workers, a concept that remains controversial. Proponents tend to argue that increasing the minimum wage reduces poverty, while opponents believe that increases in the minimum wage reduce employment opportunities. This debate continues and is unlikely to be resolved. The federal minimum wage of … Continued
This concept was the basis for the statement “a rising tide lifts all boats” which, according to Wikipedia, is the idea that an improving economy will benefit all participants, and that economic policy, particularly government economic policy, should focus on broad economic efforts. The phrase is commonly attributed to John F. Kennedy, who used it … Continued
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