Week-in-Review (expressed in YoY terms): Mon: China services PMI -0.4 to 54.5, Japan IP -1.6 to +4.9%, iron ore prices 4mth high, EU CPI unch at +1.3%, EU unemployment 9.1% (2009 lows), US issues sanction on Venezuela’s Maduro after fraudulent vote (labels him dictator), S&P 500 rises for 4th month (dollar index worst first 7mths of year in 31yrs), pending home sales jump (1st time in 4mths), S&P -0.1%; Tue:

Week-in-Review (expressed in YoY terms): Mon: Abe denies cronyism (approval rating falls below 30), Japan manu PMI -0.2 to 52.2, IMF upgrades EU GDP +0.2 to +1.9% (lowers UK -0.3 to +1.7%), EU to retaliate against US if Russia sanctions target EU companies, Brazil considers unlocking highway infrastructure spending, S&P +0.1%; Tue: China’s Xi pledges “structural reforms and steady GDP,” Chinese fighter intercepts

Hope all goes well… Dusted off an anecdote from 2012 about training, climbing (see below). I take my late-summers off from writing, and try to squeeze in a little more reading. See you again in Sept with full weekend notes. But expect something sooner from me on volatility. An opportunity approaches, we’re launching a fund to capture it. Week-in-Review (expressed in YoY terms): Mon: Abe denies cronyism (approval rati

“Every morning when I wake, I experience an exquisite joy — the joy of being Salvador Dalí — and I ask myself in rapture: What wonderful things is this Salvador Dalí going to accomplish today?” declared inspiration-incarnate, exhumed, his pencil mustache perfectly preserved, curled upward just so. An alleged love-child had demanded a DNA test. Spain acquiesced. “I always saw what others could not see,” ex

“Think hard about what you would like from your new coach and what you are prepared to give him,” I told Jackson (15). He’d requested a meeting with Darien’s head coach, a lacrosse legend. “Imagine two young people walk into my office,” I continued. “Person A says: I’d like you to help me build a great career. I’m really ambitious. Please help me.” Jackson nodded. “Person B says: It’s such a privilege to have this op

Hope all goes well… “Did a frog just hit the window?” I asked Mara, as the riot raged. “If they’re having a frog fight, I’m gonna to kill ’em,” she replied. We’d sent the kiddies to paddle in the pond with neighbors, so we could have a quiet drink. “But no going in the water, you’re in pajamas,” Mara had ordered. In stormed Charlie, covered in algae. “We all accidently fell in,” he declared, shocked, breathless. “How

“Imagine you and I built a hotel 40yrs ago,” said the CIO. “We knew it’d be hard. Hotels need lots of workers. There’s constant wear and tear.” Rooms need remodeling. “We hired 25yr old’s, trained them well. Those early years were dynamite. The place hummed.” Our workers formed unions. “They had a monopoly position against us, that’s basically what we call democracy.” It worked fine. “We agreed to pension plans. Room

Overall: “Free expression is the base of human rights, the root of human nature and the mother of truth,” said Liu Xiaobo, R.I.P. “To kill free speech is to insult human rights, to stifle human nature and to suppress truth,” continued China’s Nobel laureate, caged. “I’ve viewed the West as if it were not only the salvation of China but also the natural and ultimate destination of all humanity.” America’s stock market

Hope all goes well… “Do you want to live there?” asked Charlie (8), pedaling next to Mara, skirting the border of our local farm, “You love barns Mommy.” And she laughed. “I don’t think so Charlie, I love our home, and besides, this farm costs a fortune.” 63 waterfront acres offered at $175mm. No one told the farmer that 2 & 20 was last season’s crop. “What if I just gave it to you mommy, what would you do then?”

Hope all goes well… “Understanding 2017 performance is simple,” said the investor. “There are two distinct groups,” he continued. “Managers trading the turn and managers riding the wave.” Professional investors all acknowledge we’re late cycle. But we differ on where late-cycle meets land’s-end. “Most managers have been trading the turn this year, while a few are giving the market more time – mostly emerging market g