An ominous Institute of Supply Management reading for December put an early crimp in the action, and oil and gold approached historic levels on the first day of 2008 trading. The numbers are a reminder that the housing-and-credit fog that shrouded the second half of 2007 didn’t magically lift with the turnover to 2008. Read More

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2008 is a year of danger. And although superstition isn’t good company for an investor, last year was quite rewarding, just as the Chinese Zodiac forecast. Read More

With the books now closed on 2007, it’s an opportune time to reflect and review some of our key calls and investing themes. In this issue, I’ll review some of the year’s most memorable recommendations and calls, both those that turned out profitably and those that didn’t work out quite as well as expected. Read More

Strong economic growth is the most important item on voters’ priority lists these days; ideological differences have taken a back seat in almost every electoral debate. Read More

Any number of things can move trust unit prices in the near term. But long term, only one thing does: distribution growth. Read More

The markets don’t want to rally, and negative news continues to hit daily. There’s still a possibility for a sprint up to the New Year and into January, but for now negativity prevails. In the current situation, Asian markets are in danger of a bigger correction, although not all indicators point to such an outcome. Read More

Russia is a key component both of energy export and energy consumption--enough to focus an entire issue on this country alone. I'm enlisted the help of my colleagues Yiannis Mostrous and Roger Conrad to provide a more well-rounded profile on the country, including its political background and commodities market. Read More

Well, here we are, cold, sick of the 2008 election, wondering whom to blame for The Steroid Era, a little lighter on the brokerage statement and not knowing how long subprime will rule the mood. But low payout ratios and under-control costs help the best businesses weather storms like the one we’re experiencing. Read More