Covid Second Wave: Bracing For a Long Winter

22 October 2020 The long-anticipated Covid second wave is here (third wave in the USA). Experts project, correctly I suspect, that as winter arrives and activity heads indoors, the rate of infection will accelerate significantly further. In the United States, for example, I would not be surprised if daily new cases rise from 50,000 to [...]

Kick the Tires: Forecast Update

17 April 2019 In our 2019 Global Strategy blog entitled "Turning (Even More) Defensive" (published in September 2018), we outlined the broad macro themes we expected to drive financial markets. Given the sharp market swings that have occurred since last Autumn, I thought it would be worthwhile to review these themes in light of subsequent [...]

Mexico & Brazil: Populism’s First 100 Days

5 April 2019 In elections last year, voters in both Brazil and Mexico opted overwhelmingly for populist candidates. To be sure, Latin American populism takes many shapes. In Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's version  (AMLO) promised significantly higher spending on social programs and infrastructure. Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro has pledged assertive efforts to clamp [...]