With the Federal Reserve raising rates in 2018 and speculation of doing so again in 2019, combined with projected oil production cuts by Russia and Saudi Arabia, it is likely that these and other global events will impact world energy markets in 2019. Looking at how international markets have priced […]

According to a press release issued by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the middle of September, tariffs of 10 percent on $200 billion of imported Chinese goods went into effect on Sept. 24, 2018. The same tariffs, according to the press release, were set to increase to 25 […]

With Italian bond yields rising quickly from 2 percent to 3 percent since the middle of 2018, it begs the question if the United States will become a bond haven. There are many reasons why the United States Bond Market has the potential to became a refuge for many global […]

With talks of changing existing trade deals by then candidate Donald Trump now a reality with President Trump, America has taken a different path for international trade. Seeing mixed results during negotiations, global and domestic stock markets have been shaken and are subject to ongoing volatility. Today, foreign trade talks […]

The majority of the mainstream financial media steers investors to news stories that have little bearing on intermediate and long-term returns. The stories often have a short-term focus, centering on the problem of the day and how it will impact the stock market. Many experts, including the legendary investor Ray […]

Investment banks can be a good predicator for the health of the market in the near future. Investment banks make the bulk of their money on mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and financing activities (bond issuances and syndicated loans). As a result, we can look at investment bank fees […]

Over the past 30 months, the price of a barrel of oil has increased from the mid-$30s to – in recent days – as high as the mid-$70s per barrel. At nearly half the historic $150 per barrel price level nearly 10 years ago, how will the market react if […]

Italy’s newly formed government is a coalition between two populist parties: Lega Nord (the Northern League) and Movimento 5 Stelle (the Five Star Movement). This coalition is floating the idea of issuing the “mini-BOT,” which would amount to a parallel currency to the Euro. In order to understand how this […]

The Annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders’ Meeting is something of a legend in the investment world. More than just an informational annual meeting, shareholders come from far and wide to listen to the musings of the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, and his partner, Charlie Munger. During the 2018 meeting, both […]

Rising interest rates make a different animal of the stock market. Unlike when interest rates are steady or declining, positive earnings (overall for the market, not necessarily individual stocks) just aren’t enough to take the markets perpetually higher. Many companies are reporting excellent earnings, but the market appears to be […]