There are only two reasons why an economy grows and only two reasons why stocks go up in price. I know this is overly simplistic, but not by much. An economy will grow if the workforce grows and if each worker produces more widgets per hour (productivity). Historically the US economy has seen work force […]
News
Globalization: Dormant But Not Extinct
In the late 1990s and 2000s up to the financial crisis in 2008, globalization seemed a powerful inexorable force. The world was becoming more interconnected. Goods, services, capital, and people were moving ever more freely around the globe without regard to borders. The world was getting flatter. Global champions, we were told – whether companies […]
The Case for Commodities
Back in early 2011, the investment thinking around commodities centered on two big ideas. First, commodities would protect portfolios from the inflation that would eventually result from the U.S. government’s seemingly endless easy money policies. The second theory supported by well-respected strategist Jeremy Grantham held that limited supply and insatiable global demand combined would cause […]
CALCPA’s Peninsula Silicon Valley Chapter Mixer
Hanson & Doremus sponsored CALCPA’s Peninsula Silicon Valley Chapter ABC Mixer (for Attorneys, Bankers, CPAs, and other financial professionals) at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. The event raises funds to present scholarships to peninsula area students and gives local professionals the chance to network. Eric, Anne, and Julie all attended.
Anne Doremus Coaches University of Vermont Graduate Student Team
Anne Doremus was a coach for the Family Enterprise Case Competition sponsored by The University of Vermont on January 7-9, 2015. Twenty-four student teams from India, Malaysia, Chile, Saudi Arabia, France, Sweden, and the USA presented their business case model writing and analysis. Further information can be found here: http://www.uvm.edu/business/?Page=news&storyID=19949&category=business
Remember the Death of the Dollar?
Back in the depths of the last recession in 2008 the U.S. dollar was considered toast. Everyone was convinced the days of global greenback dominance were over. It was just a matter of time before China would dump its U.S. Treasury holdings and move to a stronger currency. Well, five years later things look a […]
The Forecasting Issue
In December we do a chocolate recipe. In January we are expected to comment on the year ahead. The Financial Times did an excellent piece on looking at the future in its September 6–7, 2014 issue. They noted that talking about the future is not really about the future at all but about the problems […]
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”
So says super(thin)model Kate Moss. While these words resonate with us in January when we’re ready to turn a new leaf, their power seems to fade with time. That’s why weight loss keeps returning to the top of New Year’s resolution lists year after year – because many of us try and fail. And while […]
How Low Can Oil Prices Go?
Most investors have the good sense to ignore the daily barrage of market statistics. But the recent sharp drop in oil prices seems to have caught everyone’s attention. Over the last six months, oil prices have fallen 50% to levels not seen since 2009. The causes of the decline are pretty straightforward. Oil is a […]
Julie Won Attends Easter Seals Event
Julie Won attended the “18th Annual Food Wine and Beer Fest” on December 4, 2014, in San Ramon, CA, a fundraiser for Easter Seals Bay Area (ESBA). Event attendees sampled food and world-class wine and beer poured by Northern California’s top-rated wineries and breweries to support ESBA, a nonprofit that helps individuals and families affected by disabilities […]
Our Holiday Gift
Seventeen years and running now we have dusted off our Test Kitchen each December and tried out a new chocolate Holiday Treat. We have done cupcakes and mousse and even a bourbon infused chocolate bundt cake. But we have never done macaroons. The added attraction here, and remember we are in finance, is the recipe […]
The Baltics in Winter
I must confess I don’t know that much about Eastern Europe so a trip to the Baltics sounded like a good idea. It was a great choice. The Baltics (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) get their name from the Baltic Sea (see map). The three countries are small with populations between 1 million (Estonia) and 3 […]
