Category Archives: Investment outlook

“How Does OpenAI Survive?”

Ed Zitron explains in gory detail why OpenAI looks like the mother of all bezzles.

Despite the Recession-Emergency-Rate-Cut Buffoonery, the Services Sector Expands Strongly on Growth in New Orders & Employment. Inflation Pressures Still On

Services are two-thirds of the economy; as long as they’re firm, the economy will plug along just fine, even as manufacturing stalled

Eyepopping Factory Construction Boom in the US Reaches New Highs Amid Big Corporate & Strategic Rethink

New factory building shows that reshoring plans are translating into action. But how many will produce successful operations?

Economy Re-Accelerates in Q2. Our Drunken Sailors Splurge on Durable Goods, Investment Jumps, Federal Gov Undoes Blip

The US economy looks a bit perky. Party on! But will the Fed continue to apply the interest rate brakes?

AI Financial Crises

Yes, Virginia, AI, like older forms of automated trading, has a nasty propensity to cause crises.

US Election Risks and the Impact of Trump’s Re-Election Odds on Financial Markets

Some prognostications on how Mr. Market will react to election maneuvering and possible outcomes.

Analysis Shows How Surging Stock Buybacks Bolster Case for Corporate Tax Hike

The magnitude of corporate cash going to stock buybacks suggests reversing the Trump tax cuts poses little real economy risk.

Private Equity Becomes Roach Motel as Public Pension Funds and Other Investors Borrow As Funds Remain Tied Up

Oopsie! Private equity firms are hanging on to investor money for an unseemly amount of time! What to do?

Israel Boosterism Keeps Israel Bonds Afloat Even as Some Top Global Investors Exit

Israel bonds, an important element of Israel’s war financing, are coming under attack.

Oh Deary, Where Did My Rate Cuts Go? Fed’s Wait-and-See Now Entrenched? And Suddenly Lots of Talk About “Rate Hikes”

What Fed chair Powell said about rate hikes, no rate cuts, rate cuts, and the QT slowdown while getting rid of MBS entirely

US Strategy for Great Power Competition: More Graft and Hope for Wonder Weapons

Venture capital and private equity are playing a larger role in the military-industrial complex leading to even more corruption, lack of accountability and the swallowing up of young minds by the Silicon Valley money pit.

Wealth of US Billionaires Hits $5.5 Trillion—Up 88% Since Pandemic Hit

Even though the rich are predictably getting richer even in the Covid era, the picture is worse when you look at billionaires.

Bizarre Valedictory Interview by CalSTRS Investment Chief, Chris Ailman, Asks Private Equity to Be Nice and Share with Workers

A revealing, and not at all in a good way, discussion of private equity by departing CalSTRS Chief Investment Officer Chris Ailman.

Attrition War — How Israel Is Losing on the Economic Front

An update on the impact on the war on the Israel economy, and the efforts to mitigate it.