2018 and older

Planning a trip to Europe this summer?  If so you have probably noticed this is not the cheapest of years for European travel.  Over the last twelve months the dollar has weakened against the Euro by around 10%, and against…

Half the year has gone by already!  Our quarterly review of the market’s performance has sometimes been a reflection on survival through a rough and volatile period.  This past quarter is certainly not one of those times.  Stock market volatility has…

A while back a popular book was published entitled The Millionaire Next door.  The theme was that of the typical frugality and low profile that made up many of this country’s self-made millionaires: people who built their wealth on hard work,…

Last week I took some time off and visited one of my favorite places in the Bahamas. Hope Town is a small village in the Abaco on the island of Elbow Cay just a short ferry ride from Marsh Harbour. …

For many people in the world the principal sign of ‘globalization’ has been the appearance of American brands in their lives, with Coca Cola and McDonalds usually in the vanguard.  With the exception of the automobile industry, the invasion of…

A lot of interesting data was released this week culminating in Friday’s monthly job report.  Job growth is of course key to a successful economy.  There are the direct benefits to our society from an improving job market. For example,…

In the U.S. we are used to election nights occurring every two years, with extensive TV coverage of both local and national races.  As investors we care about the results.   There is a marked difference in the likely impact of…

How many of you remember the 60’s television show: Lost in Space?  A family and its intrepid robot were launched into space only to go off course, crash onto an unknown planet, and have to fend for themselves.  The show…

We have tracked with great interest the evolving nature of borrowing and lending money in our country.  Several years ago the pipeline for borrowers was plentiful as banks, and funds provided by Wall Street, flooded the lending markets.  Then in…

The Dow Jones Industrial finally did it this week, closing at a record high of 16,583.  By all accounts investors should be thrilled to see the oldest U.S. stock index close at the highest level that we have ever seen.…