How Much Will Your Long-Term Care Needs Cost? It Depends on How Average You Are
Milliman’s 2025 Long‑Term Care Index estimates that a typical 65‑year‑old should earmark $135,000 for high‑intensity care, but costs diverge sharply by gender, health status and geography. Women face an average $171,000 bill versus $98,000 for men, reflecting longer lifespans. State‑level expenses range from half to double the national average, and assumed investment returns (3‑7%) can swing required savings between $74,000 and $187,000. The report underscores a broader call for universal long‑term‑care insurance as many retirees lack sufficient assets.
How a High Implied Vol Can Be Cheap
The South Korea ETF EWY sparked debate over whether its implied volatility (IV) was overpriced. Daily‑sampled realized volatility (RV) suggested the 50% IV looked rich, yet a 25% price gain in February annualizes to an 87% vol, more than double...
Visualizing Home Price Changes
A new bubble‑map visualizes home‑price appreciation across 22,000 U.S. ZIP codes. It shows that the median ZIP code has seen prices double over the past decade. The map sizes each dot by population and colors it by percent change, avoiding...
How a Personal Loan Affects DTI and Mortgage Approval
A personal loan introduces a new monthly payment that typically raises a borrower’s debt‑to‑income (DTI) ratio, which can shrink the mortgage amount a lender will approve. In cases where the loan replaces higher‑cost revolving debt, it can actually lower DTI...
Bretton Fund Exited Revvity (RVTY) in 2025
Bretton Capital Management’s Bretton Fund posted an 11.58% return for 2025, lagging the S&P 500’s 17.88% gain. In its Q4 2025 investor letter the fund disclosed a complete exit from Revvity (RVTY), citing disappointing post‑COVID acquisitions and a slowdown in...
Interview with Dunagun Kaiser
Alasdair Macleod warns that an escalating conflict with Iran could ignite a global financial crisis, driving energy prices higher and pushing bond yields sharply upward. He argues that U.S. equities are perched in a dangerous bubble vulnerable to rapid correction....
China’s Property Sinkhole: Housing Market Keeps Falling
China’s property market deepened its slump in February as new‑home prices in the 100 largest cities slipped 0.04%, the sharpest monthly decline since late 2022. Sales by the top 100 developers are down about 27% year‑over‑year, prompting firms to halt...
Investor Skepticism Creates Opportunity
An asset manager’s bonds are priced 50‑75 basis points wider than those of its major peers. Rating agencies signal potential upgrades, while the bond market doubts the firm’s credit health. The company’s fourth‑quarter results revealed record fundraising, growing margins, and...
Asia Daily: March 5, 2026
Premier Li Qiang presented China’s 2026 government work report, targeting 4.5‑5% GDP growth, a 4% fiscal deficit and a 7% defence budget rise while emphasizing high‑tech self‑reliance. The report highlighted open‑source AI adoption, with firms like DeepSeek leading, as a...
Liberty Mutual’s Net Income Rises 55% for FY’25 Amid Lower Cat Losses
Liberty Mutual Holding Company reported FY 2025 net income of $6.8 billion, a 55 % increase over the prior year, while its combined ratio improved to 88.4 % from 95.9 %. The fourth quarter saw net income rise 37 % to $1.7 billion and the combined ratio...
Russia’s Limited Gains From the Middle East War
The war in the Middle East has tightened oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, creating a temporary vacuum that Russia hopes to exploit. While the conflict restricts exports from Saudi Arabia, Iran and other regional producers, Russia’s...
KOSPI +9.63% / KOSDAQ +14.10%: Institutional Absorption of AI Supply Chain Bottlenecks
Korean equity markets surged on March 5, with the KOSPI up 9.63% and the KOSDAQ climbing 14.10%, driven by heavy institutional buying in AI‑focused semiconductor equipment firms. Mid‑cap players such as Hanmi Semiconductor (+21.6%) and Wonik IPS (+13.1%) led the rally,...
Daily Mineral Prices – 5 March 2026
The Daily Mineral Prices report for March 5 2026 highlights notable movements across several key commodities. Lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices range from $12,000 to $27,000 per tonne, reflecting heightened volatility linked to electric‑vehicle battery demand. Spodumene concentrate surged to $2,190‑$2,260 per...
The Macro Pivot: Anthony Scaramucci and the New Frontier of Alternative Investments in 2026
Anthony Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Capital is leading a “Macro Pivot” as the firm shifts heavy allocation toward macro trading amid heightened inflation, interest‑rate hikes, and geopolitical tension. The move follows a broader industry resurgence of macro strategies that now outperform traditional...
Hedge Funds Reposition Around AI and Tech Volatility:
Hedge funds are actively repositioning their portfolios to capture the AI‑driven technology cycle, moving beyond concentrated bets on mega‑cap names toward a broader exposure across the AI supply chain. Managers are blending long‑short equity, quantitative models, and macro overlays to...
Mid-Week Macro (3/4/2026)
Gold and silver rallied sharply before a 7.7% correction, while the HUI miner index fell from a record 978 to 902. The S&P 500 stayed within a hundred points of its all‑time high, showing little reaction to the Middle East conflict....
The Small-Cap Rotation Is Real
Small‑cap indices have surged, with the S&P 600 up about 9% YTD and the S&P 400 gaining over 8%, while the S&P 500 remains flat. The rally is tied to the Federal Reserve’s easing cycle, which has lowered rates to 3.5‑3.75% and eased...
Iran War Leads To Commodity Force Majeures
Gold and silver prices rebounded on Wednesday as the market digested escalating tensions in Iran. Gold futures rose $28 to $5,152 per ounce while silver futures gained 29 cents to $83.77. The conflict has revived fears of commodity force‑majeure events,...
Ethanol Production Profits in 2025
U.S. ethanol producers posted a sixth consecutive year of profitability in 2025, with a representative Iowa dry‑mill plant earning an average of $0.21 per gallon. Net nominal profit reached $23.2 million, well above the long‑run average. The rise was driven by...
Caesars Rewards Spending Offers: 10% Chase Offer & $25 Citi Offer (Stack with Targeted Capital One Shopping Promo)
Caesars Rewards is running two targeted card‑linked offers: a Chase promotion that returns 10% of spend up to $500, and a Citi deal that credits $25 on purchases of $250 or more. Both offers apply only to Caesars properties in...
PROPTECH-X : Gap Between How Sellers Value Their Businesses and How Buyers Assess Risk Widens
A leading UK construction investor warns that reliance on EBITDA for valuations is causing deal failures as buyers shift focus to net profit before tax and cash flow. Bradley Lay of Peak Capital notes the valuation gap has widened over...
Nikkei Futures Are up 3.8%
Nikkei futures surged 3.8% to 56,310, reversing a 3.6% drop the day before. The index remains up 7.7% year‑to‑date and 45% over the past year, reflecting strong investor appetite for low‑multiple Japanese stocks and tech exposure. The Bank of Japan...
Back to Normal? For How Long?
The latest Energy Information Administration data show U.S. crude inventories increasing by 3.2 million barrels in March, while exports rose to 5.1 million barrels, approaching record levels. Imports declined by 1.8 million barrels, indicating stronger domestic demand. Refinery utilization climbed...
Canadian Coliving Market and Why Canada's Empty Offices Are the Next Coliving Opportunity
Canada faces a 25% vacancy rate in B‑ and C‑class office buildings, prompting Toboggan Flats to convert these spaces into affordable coliving units in just nine months. The model leverages existing structures to cut capital costs, offering rents at roughly...
Q4 2025 Earnings Conference Call Recaps: Brown-Forman (BF/B)
Brown-Forman reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting a low single‑digit organic net‑sales decline despite a soft US spirits market and a severe slump in Canada, where sales are down nearly 60%. The company highlighted strong performance from Jack Daniel’s Tennessee...
Sydney’s “Pretty Sh!t” Auction Market
Sydney’s property auction market experiences a sharp surge in clearance rates during February and March, marking the highest seasonal performance in recent years. Historical data shows 2022 and 2024 achieved the peak clearance percentages for this period. As the year...
Ukrainian Strike Devastates Russian Navy in Novorossiysk
On the night of March 2, 2026, Ukrainian drones launched a strike on the Russian port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai, inflicting heavy damage on multiple Russian naval vessels. The attack ignited a fire that burned throughout the night, fueled...
How to Build a “Set-It-and-Forget-It” Real Estate Portfolio Without Owning Rentals
The article argues that traditional rental ownership is a hands‑on business and proposes passive alternatives for investors who want cash flow, appreciation, and tax benefits without daily management. It outlines three tiers: low‑cost REITs, mid‑range co‑investing clubs that pool capital...
How Out-of-Town Buyers Are Driving Rental Demand in 87 of the Top 100 Housing Markets
Out‑of‑town buyers now account for 62% of online home views in the 100 largest U.S. metros, with 87 markets driven by non‑local interest. Affordability, warm climates and remote‑work flexibility are prompting moves from high‑cost hubs to cheaper Sunbelt and Mid‑west...
Best 12-Month CD Rates for March 4, 2026: Up to 4.10%
Certificates of deposit are offering some of the highest short‑term yields in recent memory, with the best 12‑month CD reaching 4.10% APY as of March 4 2026. The national average sits at just 1.55% APY, highlighting a sizable premium for rates‑focused savers....
BMO Just Made These ETFs More Tax Efficient (ZCON, ZBAL, ZGRO)
BMO has restructured its three asset‑allocation ETFs—ZCON, ZBAL and ZGRO—by replacing the traditional aggregate‑bond component (ZAG) with a discount‑bond strategy (ZDB). The swap reduces taxable coupon income, aiming to boost after‑tax returns for investors holding these funds in non‑registered accounts....
Fiscal Rules in Emerging Market Economies
The World Bank’s January 2026 Global Economic Prospects report finds that more than half of emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) now operate under at least one fiscal rule, up from roughly 15 % in 2000. Fiscal rules are linked to medium‑term...
Where Is Money Flowing Today?
The latest Finviz heat‑map shows money flowing primarily into technology stocks, which dominate the green‑shaded areas, while energy and utilities remain mixed or red. Mid‑cap and small‑cap names are experiencing notable speculative inflows, contrasting with lagging performance in financials. Overall...
Goldilocks Makes Surprise Cameo In US Services Sector
The Institute for Supply Management released a surprisingly strong services‑sector PMI on March 4, showing the index climb to 55.2, well above the 53.5 consensus. New orders surged 4.1% month‑over‑month and employment added roughly 150,000 jobs, underscoring robust demand. Analysts dubbed...
North American Oil Data Deck (March 2026)
The March 2026 edition of the North American Oil Data Deck, a subscription‑only, 47‑page visual report, shows petroleum liquids output falling 353 kbpd month‑over‑month to 31,075 kbpd, the lowest level since August. U.S. crude production slipped for a second straight month, while Canada...
Everest Group Facing Foreclosure On 24-Storey Centra Project In Surrey, Owes $44M
Everest Group’s 24‑storey Centra condo tower in Surrey entered foreclosure after defaulting on a $27.8 million loan with 14% interest. The lender, Domain Mortgage/CAPSTONE, reports $44.2 million owed, including $15.2 million in liens and unpaid property taxes. Construction halted in September 2024, and...
Labor Force Trends: Per-Adult Vs. Per Capita
The piece highlights how per‑adult metrics expose demographic shifts that per‑capita figures hide, especially in housing and labor. Since the 2008 crisis, homes per adult have risen sharply as families have fewer children, while homes per capita appear flat. The...
Never Sell: MBI Interviews Asianometry
MBI’s “Never Sell” podcast featured a conversation with Asianometry, the popular YouTube educator known for deep dives into semiconductor technology. The episode explored the entire semiconductor value chain, from design through testing, and highlighted the creator’s ability to simplify complex...
Is It Possible To Buy An Options Calendar Spread For Zero Cost?
The article explains that a zero‑cost options calendar spread is not feasible because the longer‑dated leg always carries more extrinsic value, resulting in a net debit. Using a Kimberly‑Clark put‑calendar example, the spread costs $20 (0.20 per share). Even with...
Day 5 Iran Update: Hormuz Shut Down 94%, US May Insure Ships & Escort Through Hormuz | Rapid Read 4...
On March 4, 2026 Israel’s air campaign struck Tehran, Qom and key Iranian military sites, including the first recorded air‑to‑air kill by an F‑35 against an Iranian jet. Iran retaliated with roughly 40 ballistic missiles aimed at U.S. bases in...
Back to the Suburbs: Chicago Edition
Home prices in Chicago’s urban core have slumped, with the Loop losing nearly 40% since early 2020, while surrounding suburbs and exurbs surged 45%‑48%. The affluent North Shore suburbs posted the strongest gains, topping 60% appreciation. The urban‑exurban price gap...
Good News, Bad News, Stupid News
Barclays released a research paper flagging the risk of stranded transition assets, suggesting that wind and solar projects could lose value despite soaring oil and gas prices. The paper arrives amid heightened geopolitical tension in the Middle East, which has...
US Military in Ecuador - March 2026
U.S. Special Forces have deployed to Ecuador to conduct joint operations against designated terrorist groups. While the exact role remains unclear, the troops are believed to be primarily advisors but are authorized to engage in combat if necessary. The deployment...
Animal Spirits: A Wave of Redemptions
Blackstone’s flagship private credit fund is experiencing a wave of redemptions, marking one of the sharpest outflows in the private‑credit space this year. The fund’s investors have withdrawn roughly 5% of assets within a few weeks, prompting concerns over liquidity...
Mexico’s Mining Always Got the Silver Spoon Treatment. Now It Must Reinvent Itself to Survive
Silver prices exploded from just over $20 an ounce in late 2024 to a peak of $120 in early 2026, driven by geopolitical uncertainty and soaring demand from solar and electric‑vehicle technologies. Mexico, the world’s largest silver producer, extracted roughly...
Russian Oil & Gas Monthly - February, 2026
The February 2026 edition of Russian Oil & Gas Monthly highlights a sudden escalation in Middle‑East tensions, specifically the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The conflict, which unfolded at the end of February, disrupted global...
5 Systems Every Rookie Investor Needs for Faster Rehabs and Bigger Profits
Serena Norris, a veteran flipper with 130+ projects and $55 million in volume, explains how five core systems transform chaotic rehabs into repeatable, profitable businesses. The systems—information, planning, execution, communication, and quality‑control—centralize documents, standardize scopes, track tasks, and enforce checkpoints. By...
S HARRIS FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC - Filing for Period Ending 12/31/2025
S Harris Financial Group (SHFG), a San Antonio‑based advisory firm managing $348.6 million for 240 clients, filed its Q4 2025 13F showing $104.4 million in disclosed securities. The portfolio is heavily weighted toward fixed‑income ETFs, with Fidelity Total Bond ETF (FBND) representing 12.5%...
The Real Commodity Story
Under the Bretton Woods gold standard, oil was effectively pegged at about $2.60 per barrel, delivering remarkable price stability from 1950 until the system’s collapse. When the United States abandoned the gold‑linked dollar in the early 1970s, oil prices became...