Election 2024 Edition #3: Climate Change

16 October 2024 In my last two blogs, I have focused on key issues to which the two Presidential candidates have paid insufficient attention: the bloated government budget deficit and surging public sector debt, as well as international trade policy and rising US foreign indebtedness. In both cases, I gave the narrow edge to Vice [...]

Europe: Ukraine Invasion — A Year On

24 February 2023 The end of China's lockdown, signs global inflation is peaking, and the slower pace of US interest rate hikes have led investors to embrace the prospect of an economic "soft landing". Financial market optimism has been particularly evident in Europe. Indeed, collapsing natural gas prices have led to a 10% rally in [...]

European Markets: Intact or In Tatters?

12 May 2022 In my 2022 Strategy blog entitled "Avoiding Stagflation?" (published 1 December 2021), I suggested global financial market volatility was poised to rise, and equity and bond returns would be negative. On a relative basis, however, I made the case for an outperformance of European markets. Much has happened during the past six [...]

Asia: Urgent Climate Action to Prevent Inequality

2 May 2021 Asia has a vital role to play in mitigating the global risks of climate change. Indeed, the region accounts for over 50% of world-wide CO2 emissions (and 44% of energy consumption). Of course, China and India are the world's #1 and #3 GHG emitters. These two giants are responsible for 70% of [...]