Ravens are commonly associated with caution, if not impending doom. In the hit series Game of Thrones, the actors are heard multiple times uttering the expression: “Dark wings, dark words”, referring to the fact that urgently delivered messages by ravens are often bad news. But this image is deceptive, as it detracts from the fact that […]

Last year was a volatile year for fixed income investors and there is no reason to assume it will be different in 2019. Financial markets are moving from an unusually supportive environment to a more volatile one of slower growth, reduced liquidity, and heightened political risk. In the US, the Federal Reserve continued to hike […]

In “The Major Economic Cycles (1925)” written by Soviet economist Nikolai Kondratieff, recessions have been usually been associated with winter. There is strong consensus that markets are in late cycle mode, with storm clouds for the next recession gathering steam.

Flamingos are known for their penchant for standing on one leg. A GeorgiaTech research revealed that flamingos could passively and stably support their body weight on one leg without any conscious effort. In contrast, they need to use more muscles when standing on two legs.

The secular changes in the investment environment, coupled with late cycle concerns, have prompted investors to diversify away from reliance on the equity risk premium and fixed income returns, while securing stable income and building inflation protection. This has strengthened the case for increased exposure to property as an asset class.