Brexit is Finally “Done” — as Britain Heads into the Great Unknown
Jan 31, 2020 | News
For three-and-a-half years — ever since the historic referendum vote on June 23, 2016 — Britain has been in a state of emotional turmoil over Brexit. The painful saga of whether to accept Brexit, what kind of Brexit it would be, and what kind of deal would be negotiated seemed to drag on interminably, like a dental procedure that never…
How the Coronavirus Outbreak Could Trigger a China Meltdown — and What to Watch
Jan 30, 2020 | News
The China coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen: The death toll in China is 170 as of January 2020, with more than 7,700 infected within China. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a person-to-person transmission on American soil. Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and possibly Hong Kong have reported person-to-person transmissions. The World Health Organization…
The China Coronavirus and Deadly Echoes of SARS
Jan 23, 2020 | News
Wuhan, China is a city of 11 million people. That makes it bigger than any U.S. city, including New York and Los Angeles. Huanggang, a city of 7.5 million, is just 35 miles from Wuhan, and has more people than all but one metro area in the United States — New York City. China has dozens of cities with gigantic populations….
The U.S.-China Phase One Signing is Bullish for Emerging Markets — and Bearish for the Dollar
Jan 15, 2020 | News
As this article goes to press, the United States is preparing to sign a “phase one” trade deal with China. This is a big victory — for China. That makes it a victory for Chinese stocks, emerging market assets, and international stocks in general. Which also makes it bearish for the U.S. dollar. There are multiple reasons why China is…
New Decade Career Advice: Work at Taco Bell
Jan 10, 2020 | News
Do you happen to know a young graduate looking for work in the American Midwest or Northeast? Are they feeling uncertain about their job direction or career path? Maybe they should work at Taco Bell. That sounds like the lead-in to a joke, but isn’t, because this Jan. 9 headline from Bloomberg is real: “You Can Now Make $100,000 Working…
The Big Winner from U.S.-Iran Tensions Could be China
Jan 06, 2020 | News
There are many potential losers from escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. But a big likely winner is China. The drama unfolding with Iran does at least three big things for China. First, it increases the likelihood a U.S.-China trade deal goes China’s way. Second, it shifts the spotlight away from Hong Kong. And third, it increases the strength of China’s geostrategic position…
The Super-Rich Are Going Bananas: Evidence of a Mania
Dec 09, 2019 | News
Are we living in a time of mania? Quite possibly yes. To give you a spoiler for where we’re going, new evidence has come in suggesting an investment mania is at hand. It comes in the form of a $120,000 banana slapped on a wall with duct tape. Before being slapped on the wall, the banana was worth whatever an…
Bitcoin and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Nov 22, 2019 | News
China giveth, and China taketh away — when it comes to cryptocurrencies at least. Just last month, the entire cryptocurrency market surged, gaining $50 billion worth of market cap in 48 hours or so, on a pro-blockchain speech from Xi Jinping, the president of China. Few had expected China’s leader for life to give such a powerful personal endorsement. The…
Hong Kong’s Rage is the Harbinger of a Multi-Decade U.S.-China Cold War
Nov 18, 2019 | News
On June 4, 1989, the Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred. On that dark day, the Chinese government declared martial law and sent in tanks and troops to put down student-led demonstrations. Westerners recall the iconic image of “tank man,” the lone protester standing in front of a line of tanks. What is less well-known is that, in the massacre that occurred…
