Monthly Spotlight: Global Investing
Wealth Professional’s March spotlight turns to global markets as Canadian advisors note a renewed appetite for international allocations. Since early 2024, global equities have outperformed key U.S. indices, ending a 12‑year period of lag. Tyler Mordy of Forstrong Global explains the valuation and currency shifts that sparked the turnaround. BMO’s CIO Sadiq Adatia adds that India’s equity momentum persists despite broader energy‑price volatility.
‘Buffer’ ETFs Prove a Decent Bond Alternative in War-Hit Markets
Buffer ETFs, a $80 billion defined‑outcome fund category, are emerging as a bond alternative amid volatile markets and rising Treasury yields. The largest vehicle, FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF, fell only 1.4% in March versus a 2.7% drop in the S&P 500,...
3 UK Mid-Cap Stocks for Growth and Solidity on the Cheap
Three UK mid‑cap stocks—Tate & Lyle, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Whitbread—are highlighted as undervalued opportunities. Tate & Lyle has completed a shift to high‑margin specialty ingredients, but U.S. inflation‑driven demand weakness has depressed earnings and driven the share price down. Hikma...
Barclays Pushes Back Expectations for Fed Rate Cuts
Barclays economists now expect the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut in September 2024, pushing the next reduction to March 2027. This postpones the earlier June and September 2024 cuts the bank had forecast. Market pricing has collapsed to just 22.5...
Russia’s Nuclear Exports a Flourishing Geopolitical Asset, After Four Years of Ukraine War
Four years after the Ukraine invasion, Russia’s state nuclear firm Rosatom has turned civil nuclear exports into a robust geopolitical tool. The company now leads global reactor sales, offering VVER‑1200 and VVER‑1000 plants financed up to 90% by Russian state...
Top Midday Stories: Adobe Q1 Earnings Top Estimates, to Pay $150 Million Settlement; Nvidia Chips to Fuel ByteDance R&D Outside...
Adobe posted first‑quarter 2026 results that topped Wall Street expectations and announced a $150 million settlement to resolve a lingering lawsuit, lifting its shares despite a mixed market backdrop. The Dow and S&P 500 edged higher while the Nasdaq slipped later...
Microsoft Invests Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Africa AI Push
Microsoft announced a multi‑year push to accelerate AI adoption across Africa, pledging to train three million people through partnerships with schools and universities in key hubs such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Morocco. The company also struck a deal...
Jefferies Analyst Says Nike Wholesale Is Back on Track at Dick’s: Here’s Why
Jefferies analyst Randal Konik says Nike’s wholesale business is regaining momentum at Dick’s Sporting Goods, citing strong product‑led demand and collaborative activations. He highlights that both Dick’s and Foot Locker have completed inventory clean‑ups, removing pressure on Nike’s sell‑through. Konik notes...
Gold Loses Sheen as Dollar Gains Strength
Gold’s recent slide underscores the classic inverse relationship between the precious metal and the U.S. dollar. After two consecutive weeks of losses, the spot price slipped to just under $5,100 per ounce, while the dollar index breached the 100‑point threshold,...
What to Know About a $6 Billion Mortgage Bond ETF That Became This Fund's Largest Holding
Harvest Investment Services added 319,467 shares of the First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF, valued at about $16 million, raising its stake to roughly 7 % of the manager’s reported AUM. The ETF, LMBS, manages about $6 billion, offers a 4 % yield and...
Beef Costs Exceed Burger Prices, Pressuring QSRs
Beef production costs have jumped 32% since January 2023, while restaurant burger prices have risen only 14%, according to Datassential’s Burger Price Index. The increase mirrors overall food‑away‑from‑home inflation of 13% but varies by segment, with limited‑service burgers up 16% versus...
Mexico Imports Near 7 Bcf/D as Middle East War Adds Upside Risk to Natural Gas Prices
Mexico’s natural gas imports have surged to nearly 7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), approaching a new record as U.S. pipeline exports climb from roughly 5 Bcf/d in early 2023 to peaks above 8 Bcf/d in 2025‑26. Prices at the Agua Dulce hub...
Jim Cramer Recommends Buying Dover Corporation Stock “On the Way Down”
Jim Cramer urged investors to buy Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV) on price pullbacks, citing a target around $210 after the stock surged to $237. He highlighted Dover as a classic industrial play that could ride AI‑driven demand, noting its valuation remains...
P3 Backers Urge Easing of Tax-Exempt Bond Rules on Asset Leases
Public‑private partnership advocates are urging the IRS to scrap the defeasance rule that forces tax‑exempt bonds to be retired when a government leases an asset to a private operator. They argue the regulation inflates financing costs and discourages asset‑recycling deals...
Despite Global Tensions, HSBC’s Asia Strategy Is Paying Off
HSBC’s strategic pivot to Asia is now delivering measurable growth, with the region accounting for the bulk of its $71 billion revenue and generating $15.9 billion in the latest year. The bank posted a pre‑tax profit of $29.9 billion and a 17.2 % return...
The Baron Capital Blueprint: An Active Solution For True Growth
Baron Capital’s First Principles ETF (RONB) uses a deep‑research, first‑principles framework to identify long‑term growth leaders amid the AI‑driven 2026 market. The fund, managed by Ron, David, and Michael Baron, targets companies with intrinsic value, visionary leadership, and sustainable moats,...
Biden’s SAVE Plan for Student Loans Is Officially Dead. Here’s What Experts Suggest Now
A federal district court has struck down the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) income‑driven repayment plan, effectively ending the program that offered low monthly payments for millions of student‑loan borrowers. The rule was challenged by Republican attorneys general, and...
Mobilizing Africa’s Capital for African Development
Africa faces a $2.8 trillion financing gap for climate action by 2030, yet ample capital exists within the continent’s savings pools and sovereign wealth funds, plus global yield‑seeking investors. The article argues that fragmented markets prevent this capital from reaching needed...
What Is Dictating Solar Module Price Increases?
Solar module price growth is now driven primarily by five cost pillars: silver paste, polysilicon, glass, aluminium, and energy‑water inputs. Silver paste remains the largest single expense, with record‑high silver prices in early 2026 inflating cell costs. Polysilicon, accounting for...
Fitch Raises Oklahoma's Rating a Notch to AA-Plus
Oklahoma’s sovereign credit rating was raised by Fitch to AA‑plus with a stable outlook, marking the state’s third upgrade since 2024 after similar moves by S&P and Moody’s. The agency cited sustained fiscal discipline, robust operating reserves and low long‑term...
Portugal's Food Basket Cost at All-Time High but Not Due to Iran War
Portugal's consumer price index for a basket of essential foods hit a record €254.12, up €12.30 (5%) from early 2026 and 35% above 2022 levels. DECO says the surge cannot yet be linked to the Iran war, pointing instead to...
Ongoing Tariffs, Iran War Weigh on Aluminum Prices
U.S. Section 232 tariffs on aluminum and tinplate steel remain at 50%, despite a Supreme Court ruling that struck down broader trade measures. The Midwest Premium for aluminum broke the $1‑per‑pound barrier in January 2026, pushing input costs for metal‑packaging producers...
MOOD: An Interesting Relative Sentiment ETF
The Relative Sentiment Tactical Allocation ETF (MOOD) launched in 2022 and uses proprietary sentiment indicators to shift weekly allocations among equities, bonds, and gold. Its black‑box model compares institutional and retail sentiment, constructing positions from other ETFs. Since inception, MOOD...
Lichfield Quoted in Bloomberg Article Discussing How Countries Are Shielding Their Economies From Iran War Shocks
Atlantic Council senior fellow Lichfield was quoted in a Bloomberg piece highlighting how governments are insulating their economies from the fallout of the Iran‑Israel conflict. He noted that nations are bolstering strategic petroleum reserves, diversifying supply chains, and employing financial...
FOF: Blended Portfolio Proven To Yield Long-Term Results
Cohen & Steers Closed‑End Opportunity Fund (FOF) posted a 25.5% total return over the past year and now offers a 7.6% yield with monthly, tax‑efficient distributions. The fund’s blended portfolio—49% equity, 23% commodities, and the remainder in debt—provides diversification that cushions...
Public Banks And Municipal Bonds
The article critiques the notion that municipal governments can substantially expand fiscal space by having local public banks purchase their own bonds. It argues that a new bank must first raise equity, limiting its initial balance sheet, and that banks...
Colorado Considers Legislation to Tax Phantom Income
Colorado’s HB 1221 would overhaul the state’s alternative minimum tax and net operating loss rules, effectively taxing income that has not yet been realized. The bill proposes repealing the AMT credit, creating double taxation on accelerated depreciation and incentive‑stock‑option gains. It...
Russia’s Relentless Interference Since Start of Ukraine War Has Failed to Break Moldova
Four years after Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has withstood Moscow’s destabilisation campaign and moved forward on its EU accession path. The country secured candidate status in 2022 and opened accession negotiations in 2024, while President Maia Sandu won...
Berkeley Flags Middle East Tensions as Risk to Housing Market Sentiment
Berkeley Group, a leading UK housebuilder, reaffirmed its profit outlook for the current fiscal year despite a backdrop of macro‑economic uncertainty. The company highlighted ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East as a potential risk to housing market sentiment. While...
Vietnam and the Geopolitics of Critical Minerals
Vietnam has tightened restrictions on raw rare‑earth exports to force domestic refining, positioning itself as a niche superpower in critical minerals. Meanwhile, the United States is building a broad coalition of more than 50 partners through initiatives like the Critical...
ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil ETF: Still Not For Investors
ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil ETF (SCO) is a leveraged inverse fund that resets daily, making it highly sensitive to short‑term oil price swings. The ETF’s structure amplifies gains when oil falls but also magnifies losses during volatile spikes, such...
The Great American Condo Crisis
The United States is experiencing a deepening condo crisis as construction of condominium units has failed to recover from the Great Recession, falling dramatically below pre‑2005 levels. Restrictive zoning, onerous parcel‑designation processes, higher income‑tax treatment, and aggressive defect‑law litigation have...
India Can Avoid the Middle-Income Trap
Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to elevate India to a fully developed economy by August 15, 2047, marking the nation’s centennial of independence. Over the past twenty years, India has posted strong GDP growth, while recent years have seen an unprecedented surge...
India’s Forex Reserves Fall $11.68 Billion to $716.81 Billion, Biggest Drop in over a Year
India’s foreign‑exchange reserves dropped to $716.81 billion for the week ended March 6, a decline of $11.68 billion from the prior week—the steepest fall in more than a year. The Reserve Bank of India sold roughly $6.1 billion of dollars to defend the rupee...
‘Clear Warning Signs’ as PJM Wholesale Power Costs Jump 54% in One Year
PJM Interconnection’s wholesale power costs surged 54% in 2025, reaching $67 billion. Capacity expenses exploded 262%, now 16% of total costs, exposing a 6,500 MW shortfall for the 2027/2028 auction. The spike is driven by rapid data‑center load growth, prompting the independent...
Euronext Oslo Børs – Farsund Kommune - Received Application for Listing of Bonds
Norwegian municipal authority Farsund kommune has submitted an application to list its bonds on the Euronext Oslo Børs, receiving ISIN NO0013738286. The listing will bring the bonds under the EU Market Abuse Regulation, imposing immediate disclosure obligations on the issuer....
RBI Net Buys Record $6.2 Billion Debt to Shield Bonds From War Shockwaves
The Reserve Bank of India purchased a record 572.10 billion rupees (about $6.2 billion) of government bonds in the week ending 6 March, marking its third straight week of net buying. The purchases are part of a broader liquidity infusion strategy aimed at...
Why Every Expat in Dubai Should Have a Will
Many expatriates in Dubai own valuable assets but lack a registered will. Without a will, UAE law defaults to Sharia‑based intestate succession, which can divert assets away from intended heirs and freeze bank accounts, property, and businesses. Law No. 2 of...
Brazil Imposes 12% Tax on Crude Exports Amid US-Iran War
Brazil announced a provisional measure that eliminates federal PIS and Cofins taxes on diesel for domestic consumption while imposing a 12% export tax on crude oil and a 50% levy on diesel shipments. The move, driven by soaring crude prices...
BMO CIO Sees Momentum in India, Despite Energy Shocks
Chief Investment Officer Sadiq Adatia of BMO Global Asset Management says India’s growth momentum remains strong despite short‑term energy shocks and medium‑term trade challenges. He cites a growing middle class, expanding infrastructure, and a new EU‑India trade agreement that could...
Barcelona Tourist Tax 2026: How Travellers Can Legally Pay Less
Barcelona will increase its combined tourist tax to between €8 and €12 per person per night in 2026, depending on accommodation type. The levy consists of a regional Catalonia tax and a municipal surcharge that applies only within the city...
Custom Home Building Expanded in 2025
Despite a 6% decline in overall single‑family housing starts in 2025, custom home building posted growth. NAHB data show 186,000 custom starts for the year, a 3% increase over 2024, even though fourth‑quarter starts slipped 4% year‑over‑year. Custom homes now...
3 American Century Funds for Long-Term Growth
American Century Investments, founded in 1958, recommends three mutual funds—BIGRX, ASQIX and ARYVX—for long‑term investors. Each fund holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of #1, reflecting strong buy signals, and posts solid three‑ and five‑year annualized returns. Their expense ratios...
As Global Cotton Firms up and Rupee Weakens, CAI Pares 2025-26 Cotton Import Projections
The Cotton Association of India (CAI) trimmed its 2025‑26 cotton import forecast to 47 lakh bales, down three lakh from the earlier 50‑lakh estimate, citing higher international prices, a weaker rupee and rising freight costs. Despite the cut, imports remain above...
New Core Fund Targets Berlin Tech Real Estate: Berlin Decks First Deal
Beos and Swiss Life have formed a joint venture to launch a premium core fund aimed at Berlin’s technology‑focused real estate sector. The fund’s inaugural transaction is the acquisition of the Berlin Deck property, marking its first deal. By targeting...
Retail Leasing in Midtown South Growing Faster Than Rest of Manhattan: Report
Midtown South’s retail market is rebounding sharply after pandemic‑induced closures, with storefront vacancy falling 19% over the past two years. The area’s leasing activity now outpaces Manhattan overall by 41%, driven largely by a mixed‑use rezoning that permits new residential...
Global Hotel Development Pipeline Remains Active
The global hotel development pipeline remains robust, with hundreds of thousands of rooms in various stages across key regions. Despite higher construction costs, rising interest rates and tighter financing, developers in the Middle East, Asia‑Pacific and North America continue to...
India, US on the Heels of Finalising a Critical Minerals Agreement, ‘Big Announcement in Few Months’, Says Sergio Gor
U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor announced that India and the United States are on the brink of finalising a critical minerals agreement, with a major public announcement expected within months. The pact is designed to shore up supply chains for advanced...
Wells Fargo Upgrades This Discount Retail Chain on Store Growth and Value-Shopping Tailwinds
Wells Fargo upgraded discount retailer Ollie’s Bargain Outlet (OLLI) to overweight and raised its price target to $130, about 24% above the current share price. The upgrade follows a fourth‑quarter report that showed earnings in line with expectations and same‑store...
Cardoso Returns CBN to Central Banking Orthodoxy
Nigeria’s central bank, under new governor Olayemi Cardoso, has shifted back to orthodox monetary policy after a period of development‑bank‑style interventions. Since taking office in October 2023, Cardoso led a tightening cycle that pushed the policy rate to a record...