Good morning.
This week marks the start of the second quarter earnings season. Typically, analysts like to change around their estimates so that most companies can beat their numbers, and the stock gets a little boost as well. This time, things are shaping up differently.
Many big banks are reporting, and it turns out that the combination of low interest rates and rising inflation isn’t great for the bottom line. Case in point? Wells Fargo (WFC), which saw its interest income flat and average loan balance tumble. Add in that the bank pulled personal lines of credit last week, and things don’t look too pretty. While tech is still rallying, if other companies report comparatively quarter, we could be in for a rough few weeks ahead.
Now here’s the rest of the news:
Low Bond Yields Mean Weak Growth –Daniel Lacalle
So far, central banks believe their policies are working because equity and bond markets remain strong. That is like giving more vodka to an alcoholic because he has not died of cirrhosis yet… [Read Here]
July 15, 2020
Good morning.
Do you remember the 1983 Bud Light commercial that hosted many comedic and sports legends?
It was a baseball game between Tastes Great and Less filling. Rodney Dangerfield takes the mound and blows the lead as Tastes Great takes the win on a walk-off homer. The battle between growth and value has been similarly epic with Bulls typically taking the Tastes Great role of winner. With stimulus looking more like a reality, the value investors appear to be getting on base and may be starting a rally. Put on your value cap.
Now here’s the rest of the news:
Get Ready for The Stock Market Bubble to Pop –John Persinos
Today, I turn your attention to George C. Parker, an American con man who repeatedly “sold” the Brooklyn Bridge (in the form of purported toll booth rights) to gullible immigrants. He was convicted of fraud in 1928 and died in prison. Parker’s story gave rise to the popular expression: “If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you.”
Every day, I hear politicians (or their shills on CNBC) confidently asserting that the coronavirus is under control, the economy is roaring back to life, and investors should buy risk-on assets with both hands. Mr. Parker would have been impressed with this brazen level of bamboozlement.
The stock market has been rallying, despite economic conditions reminiscent of the 1930s. So what’s keeping stocks afloat? For the most part, it’s the Federal Reserve. The U.S. central bank is snapping up corporate debt, which is akin to injecting the financial system with steroids. But steroids come with harsh side effects.
July 15, 2019
Want to know the three most important words for any growing business; including the Gov’t?
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- Trust
- Relationships
- Efficiency
Personally I don’t think it’s even debatable.
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success
…when they gave up.” —Thomas Edison
July 15, 2018
Your only responsibility is to get the ball rolling
No matter how daunting the task at hand, no matter how big the goal and no matter how unmotivated you feel, if you can figure out how to start, you’ll figure out how to finish.
Here are two principles you can apply to this end.
- Make it really easy to start: Break your goal down into the tiniest task you can accomplish, and then focus on that, rather than the bigger picture. For instance, you don’t need to know exactly which books you’ll have to read, to enroll into that course you’ve always been curious about. All you need to worry about is getting yourself into that class and when you do, you’ll probably find someone willing to show you around.
- Expect to fail: Because fear of failure is often the the biggest obstacle to starting, you can choose to embrace it instead. Realistically, if you’re doing something for the first time, you’ll probably either fail completely or perform terribly at it anyway. Working with this knowledge, you’ll tree your mind up from the pressure of having to be excellent on your first try, and instead open your-self up to curiosity and experimentation.
Challenge yourself to create the shortest, most horrible rough draft of whatever situation you’re trying to achieve, then build up from there and before you know it, you’ll have your masterpiece.
In the spirit of the famous Nike slogan, just do it! 🙂
