Energy is a key cost consideration for many businesses. Natural gas is generally considered to be the least worst of the widely available fossil fuels. Thanks to new technologies, the U. S. has an abundance of natural gas at very attractive prices. Natural gas can be easily and economically transported by pipeline. However, ocean transport … Continued

In finance, the efficient market hypothesis asserts that financial markets are “informationally efficient” and reflect the available information. Sometimes it is difficult to completely discern what the markets actually know. Consider the cruise industry and Norovirus. Norovirus is a very contagious virus, it is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the U. S. … Continued

There has been a debate of long standing between recognized economists as to whether unemployment benefits and other programs are an essential safety net or an incentive to “choose” not to work. While this remains complicated and controversial, a recent report from the CBO, Congress’s official score keeper, suggests that Obamacare will cause approximately 2.5 … Continued

The stock market started off February with the worst drop since 1982, according to CNBC. January was similarly weak. What does this mean? It is hard to say except that emotions run high in investing and following a stellar year of investment gains for stocks in 2013, nervous investors (traders) with a short term focus … Continued

The North American International Auto Show is currently in Detroit and a quick look suggests that the major theme is “bigger and faster”. The car of the year is the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, a street legal rocket, and the truck of the year is Chevrolet’s Silverado, a 5,000 lb. behemoth. The industry has made great … Continued

Change tends to surface gradually as many small indicators gather momentum to alter the big picture. Successful investing can benefit from an ability to “read the tea leaves” at the earliest possible time and then formulate a strategy that exploits anticipated changes. Much has been written about offshoring, job losses and domestic wage pressures. However, … Continued

Recently there has been an increasing level of discussion regarding minimum wages. This is a difficult issue and regardless of the pros and cons, it is something that investors should be monitoring. The following is a true story and has real life implications for any discussion of the future of minimum wages. A number of … Continued

The polling entity Gallup Inc. this week reports that the job approval ratings for the US Congress has hit all-time lows, while President Obama’s job approval rating is similarly at the lowest level for his tenure. At the same time, the stock market is hitting all time highs. Does this strike anyone else as peculiar? … Continued

Investors should be aware that this is a complicated issue and far from resolution. There are significant arguments, for and against, political and economic and, emotional. Any meaningful dialogue is complicated by media reports that tend to frame the debate in terms of cents per hour for low end workers versus aggregate corporate profits. Actually, … Continued

Probably generally true, but the results may not become apparent immediately. Any time there is a significant change at the top, new president, new governor, new CEO or new coach, change is almost certain, but investors should consider the presence of a “lag” factor. Governments, businesses and athletic teams tend to have a built in … Continued

Markets may again be reflecting concern over a renewal of the rancor and wrangling over budgets and debt limits in Washington, which suggests that investors should focus on the potential impact on portfolios. Budgeting is simple in theory but difficult in practice. Spending more than you are taking in, whether it results in a budget … Continued

I am somewhat bemused by today’s market action. Earlier today, ADP reported that U.S. companies added 215,000 jobs in November, the biggest monthly rise in over a year. This was much better than what economists had anticipated. At the same time, new home sales also posted a large percentage increase albeit from a low base. … Continued