Zero economic activity, confidence and effective policymaking are likely to keep market volatility levels elevated as well as pressure risky asset prices in the near future. However, this uncertainty offers the opportunity for investors to rebalance their portfolios by taking advantage of attractive prices for risk assets.
In the wake of SEC regulation, the best course of action for every family with a family office is to identify promptly the most desirable options for bringing their family into compliance by March 30, 2012 and, at the same time, helping it to turn arid compliance dollars into an optimal structure for achieving its long-term value.
The cost of President Obama's proposed $447 billion Jobs Act would be shouldered by wealthy individuals and their families. And while the proposed credits and deductions for businesses and workers are temporary, the revenue raisers would be detrimental by permanently changing the tax law.
Many commercial real estate markets experienced a debt-financed investment boom, similar to housing, before the economic crisis. That trend is about to boomerang as numerous portfolios are up for refinancing. Sizeable refinancing risks loom, particularly in markets with sharp price corrections from 2005-2007, a poor economic outlook, or both.
While high yield spreads are likely to remain volatile until Europe's problems are resolved, the purge of high leveraged credits during 2008 and 2009, coupled with a lack of aggressive re-leveraging of balance sheets thereafter, should limit the severity of the next default wave absent a severe recession or systemic bank failure in Europe.
The lack of emphasis on jobs has caused unemployment to remain high and become increasingly structural. Structural unemployment typically lasts longer and, as workers lose basic skills, becomes less susceptible to monetary and fiscal measures. That, unfortunately, is where the nation finds itself.
Travel providers offer the destination expertise and global contacts to plan one-of-a-kind vacations. Beyond those two capabilities, in choosing a travel provider, look for someone who offers customized vacation planning, provides knowledgeable travel tips based on past experience, and offers 24-hour emergency assistance during the trip.
The SEC recently adopted Rule 13h-1, which imposes registration and reporting obligations on large traders. Private funds, family offices, investment advisors, and individuals all could qualify, depending on how actively they trade certain types of securities. The rule went into effect October 3, and large traders must identify themselves by December 1.
Investors strive to act prudently and to generate good risk-adjusted returns. But what happens when these two objectives are in conflict? The author discusses the conditions under which these goals may be incompatible and offers suggestions for minimizing the opportunity costs that arise when prudence gets in the way of returns.
A sustained level of volatility may actually benefit long-term commodity investors. Tightening supply/demand conditions may lead to potentially higher long-term returns and investors can capitalize on the shape of the futures curve by taking advantage of short-term supply stocks to generate alpha.