Analysis shows the inflation hedging benefits of long-term investments in commodities, which have a low correlation over time with equities. Diversification with a broad basket of commodities is best to smooth out the volatilities of individual commodities, such as oil or gold.
The authors, in travels with four clients and friends, explore the business side of Africa, conducting 20 meetings with companies and local organizations in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. These countries are all close to the banks of the Zambezi River, and their fates are linked to it.
A moderate level of economic confidence has returned to a number of segments of the economy. If the current trajectory of confidence indicators remains intact, as we believe it will, 2011 is likely to be a reasonably constructive year for both economic growth and risky asset performance.
Remain diversified within the fixed income sector, allocating assets to international and high-yield bonds where appropriate, for example, to help smooth investment performance. Opportunities exist for these sectors to perform comparatively better within the context of a rising U.S. interest rate environment.
The authors believe the U.S. economy is likely to continue to grow, albeit slowly; the European Union is not likely to fracture; and the emerging economies, including China and India, are likely to continue to grow fast enough to help the global economy grow at a near normal pace.
Difficult financial times are likely to continue, affecting all aspects of the economy and the markets, but the high-quality subsector of the municipal market is not at risk for significant defaults or losses. Debt burdens are relatively light, and annual required payments are often senior to most other budget items.
Interview with Zach Shipley, the vice president of finance for Oxbow Corporation, from his office in West Palm Beach.
Fox interview with Nan-b de Gaspe Beaubien in Montreal. In an effort to broaden our global perspective, this is our second look at internationally based family groups.
With the looming December 31 expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the threat of sequestration, and the need to raise the debt ceiling in January, neither Democrats nor Republicans will want to face the consequences of inaction and/or no agreement. The nature of these issues and the convergence of interests and deadlines lead us to predict a deal that f...
Fox interview with the Donahue family and Harry Sichi in Pittsburgh at Harry's office.
Harris Associates LP was founded in 1976 by six investment professionals (Joe Braucher, Roger Brown, Peter Foreman, Victor Morgenstern, Myron Szold, and Ralph Wanger) who believed that delivering successful investment results for clients required a consistent investment philosophy, a commitment to superior investment research and a high level of cl...
Fox interview with Matthew Davidson (Kaplan family) and David Patterson (Choate family), from their of offices in New York City.
A profile of the Whittier Trust Company.
Julius Rosenwald, the organizational and merchandising genius responsible for the extraordinary growth of Sears, Roebuck & Co., had five children, the youngest of whom was William. When Julius passed away in 1932, he left a single organization which was responsible for the oversight and management of his children's affairs and assets. In 1946 Willi...
The budgetary crises of state and local governments have started to receive more attention, leading some to declare that the municipal market may be ground zero for the next financial crisis. Gresham Partners examines the root causes of these concerns and attempts to determine the likelihood that continuing credit pressures will cascade into the ne...