Michael Bloomberg’s first election for the New York City Mayoralty took place just a few weeks after 9/11 and his first task as a public official was to oversee the city’s rebuilding after the worst attack in American History. How’s that for your first day on the job? He had also come into office at…
We’re Hiring! CFPs Wanted
I’m pleased to announce that my Registered Investment Advisory firm, Ritholtz Wealth Management, is looking for a Certified Financial Planner® to come join our team in New York City. Job posting below via Barry: *** Ritholtz Wealth Management is looking to add a new member to our financial planning team. You must be a current CFP certificate…
361 Capital Weekly Research Briefing
361 Capital portfolio manager, Blaine Rollins, CFA, previously manager of the Janus Fund, writes a weekly update looking back on major moves, macro-trends and economic data points. The 361 Capital Weekly Research Briefing summarizes the latest market news along with some interesting facts and a touch of humor. 361 Capital is a provider of alternative…
Did the Housing Market Already Digest Higher Mortgage Rates?
In the aftermath of the Fed’s first hint at tapering this past spring, mortgage rates shot up a bit along with the entire complex and the narrative was that the Fed just opened its stupid mouth too soon and staked the housing recovery right through the heart. “That’s the end of the cycle,” we were…
The Stealth Rally in Volatility
While December 2013 may seem like a pretty quiet end to a strong year for U.S. stocks, the VIX is actually on a tear thus far through the month. It closed out November at 13.70, and is up some 17% since then to close at 16.03 today. Against the average decline of 3.1% we noted,…
Sundown at the Permabear Alamo
I sure hope the US stock market pauses or corrects soon – because otherwise it’s going to be a complete and total permabear massacre. China is stabilizing. Europe is growing – peripheral Europe is growing! Japan is percolating. US manufacturing is back above pre-recession levels and household net worth is too. American politicians are introducing…
re: Global Expansion
via Eric Peters at wkndnotes: “You know next yr will be the 1st since 2003 that Japanese and Chinese stocks both post double-digit gains?” asked the same Asian CIO. Both mkts are cheap, Chinese reform and Abenomic stars are aligning. Plus, the US fiscal drag is lifting, and Europe won’t contract. Then we discussed the…
BlackRock: 3 Reasons for a Global Dividend Growth Strategy
US stocks crushed the global equity markets this year and this kind of radical outperformance can frequently lead to investors abandoning their diversified strategies to run away and join the circus. I regard this as a bad idea, driven by images in the rear view mirror. See Why Bother?” Will investors take the wrong lessons from…
SNV: Nirvana Unplugged turns twenty
This was a formative record for me, in 1993 I was 16. It’s twenty years this week since Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York acoustic set came out, the MTV airing and the album, and for my generation it’s still kind of a big deal. Here’s The Atlantic: Nirvana’s legendary Unplugged in New York has never really had…
Q4 Earnings Guidance Deteriorates by One Third
At the end of Q3 on September 30th, consensus estimates for S&P 500 earnings growth in Q4 stood at 9.5%. It is down by 1/3rd since then to just 6.5% – and falling. The bears will point to this latest data point from FactSet Research and say “Told ya so!” The bulls will say “Big…
