Brexit – The Final Countdown, written by Joe Tempest, sung by Europe

In this short post we summarize where we are with Brexit. In sum, we’re leaving together, it’s the final countdown. https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/retirement?iso=20190329T23&p0=136&msg=Brexit+Countdown+Timer&font=cursive So we’re into the last 50 days before the buzzer - 42 days, 2 hours and 007 mins and 007 seconds, to be precise. So where are we?  But still it's farewell Well firstly, everyone …

New Directions – the Fourth Turning into the Third Industrial Revolution.

Today I want to tell a story – of how history rhymes, how human behavior can suddenly change, and how technology is set to enforce change. What’s to be positive about - how about everything? A traveler in Ireland asked a local how to get to Tipperary – the local rubbed his chin, thought a …

US/China Trade Relations – China Syndromes?

That we're still discussing the US/China relationship, especially the trade front, should not be a surprise. What is a surprise is the one-dimensional perspective commentators take. To us, this is nothing like a conventional trade war, and instead is the predictable "conflict of self interests"; a path that the two superpowers have long been on. …

Financial markets and the credit cycle – Are we there yet dad?

Markets have been taking center stage since the vol-ruption nearly a year ago, and while realized volatility has indeed increased alongside implied, options markets Vix-volatility, many have taken this to mean the end is nigh and all manner of skies are about to fall. This may be true, but there is another, orthogonal perspective which …

Fed  – the pause that nurtures the teenage bull

With the Fed already several hikes (and many billions in portfolio run-off ) down the road to policy re-alignment, it's natural for a new Fed Chair to consider a pause for reflection. Especially with financial markets doing most of the work, tightening financial conditions and reminding both market and economic participants alike, that the cycle …