No doubt about it, technology stocks are king. For the year, they’re up 25.6% versus the overall S&P 500’s return of 11.7%. And for the decade, large technology stocks are up 350%. That’s not even mentioning the stunning returns of bellwethers like Netflix, up more than 2100% the past five years, or Facebook, up 650% […]
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Reinventing the Wheel?…
Fall is the time when individuals covered by employer sponsored health plans re-evaluate coverage and make policy selections for the upcoming year. Our provider, non-profit BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont, recently informed us that premiums for 2018 would increase 9.2%. This hefty increase sent me digging for an explanation. While a lot of things factor into […]
The 2-Minute Thought: When Things Go Wrong
We usually say we sell a stock in three situations. One is when it does well and becomes clearly overvalued. Another is when we find something better and cheaper to replace it with. The third is when things go wrong and it’s clear we’ve made a mistake. This is usually the hardest situation to judge. […]
The 2-Minute Thought: Beverages
The topic here is beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages – and in particular, the niche and alternative beverages that are sprouting up everywhere and making life so difficult for big mainstream soda. We’re not just talking about premium bottled water. There is “functional” water. There are plant-based waters. There are energy drinks, “relaxation” drinks, ready-to-drink coffee and […]
The 2-Minute Thought: The Bottom for Retail
Are we there yet? How about now? I’m talking about the bottom for retail stocks, which have suffered mightily. The S&P Retail Index is down 19% since last December, but it’s actually much worse than that. For example, teen retailer Abercrombie has been decimated, having lost three quarters of its value since its peak. And […]
Is It Just Drip, Drip, Dripping Away?…
We are talking here about U.S. competitiveness and economic might. In the 1800’s we wrestled economic power away from Britain. We begged, borrowed and stole their technology and trade secrets and this allowed us to take over the top slot. Now we have a new competitor – China. They are trying to do the same […]
Not on Everyone’s Bucket List …But Still…
I recently returned from the South Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Why the trip? I had visited Central Asia earlier and the South Caucasus is the next region to the East. The three states of the South Caucasus were former Soviet Republics. They gained independence in 1991. All three countries are blessed and cursed; blessed […]
What Happens When All Cars Are Electric?…
Electric cars will be taking over our roads. Not right away — now fewer than 1% of the world’s cars are electric. But it looks like the world is getting ready for roads free of gas and diesel vehicles. Volvo announced that it will make only electric vehicles from 2019. Norway is planning for only […]
Behind the Inflation Numbers…
Inflation in the U.S. today remains stubbornly subdued. Since the end of the recession, annual price gains, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), have increased in the 1%-2% range. Many consumers, however, feel like the costs of the goods and services that they buy are increasing at much faster rates. Drilling into the […]
The 2-Minute Thought: The Safest Form of Energy?
According to a 2010 study by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Academy of Science, coal is the most dangerous form of energy. The safest? It’s not solar, wind, or hydro. It’s nuclear, which accounts for fewer deaths and illnesses than other energy sources and is tied with wind […]
The 2-Minute Thought: In the Gig Economy, the Phillips Curve Gets Flattened
In a June speech, Andrew Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of England, said that much is well with the UK. The economy has had 17 consecutive quarters of growth, consumer and business confidence is solid, and the jobs market is strong. Employment is at its highest rate since 1973, while unemployment is at its […]
The 2-Minute Thought: America is Number One; China is the Center of the Universe
America is number one. China is center of universe. America is freedom. China is order. America is now. China is eternity. These ideas come from Harvard professor Graham Allison’s new book, Destined For War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? The main point of the book isn’t to elucidate the differences between China and […]
