Top Five Articles from January: Oil Prices, Bitcoins, Swiss Francs, and Charts
Over several days in January, Will Ortel collected 29 charts that deserve your attention. But before examining them, be sure to be mindful of some major analytical errors that you can make if you use charts the wrong way.
2. What’s Really Behind the Plunge in Oil Prices?
Given the recent developments in the price of oil and their implications for the broader market, Enterprising Investor conducted an in-depth interview with Daniel Lacalle, a specialist in energy and utilities, to discuss what was really causing prices to tank.
3. Deflation (And What to Do about It) in 13 Charts
Deflation is a thing, At least for the moment, it’s a statistical truth in some places. But what does that mean? What’s causing it? And most importantly if you’re an investor, what the heck do you do about it? Will Ortel explains — in charts.
4. Warren Buffett Is Wrong: The Bitcoin Proof
When Ron Rimkus, CFA, first took a serious look at bitcoin, he focused on its potential as a currency. It was hard not to notice the enthusiasm for bitcoin among a number of its proponents. But he balked nevertheless. He felt that bitcoin would have a common enemy in governments around the world, implying that it would be outlawed, burdened with onerous regulation, taxed, or otherwise butchered beyond recognition by policy.
5. The Swiss Franc: Markets 1, Central Banks 0
When the Swiss National Bank (SNB) broke the Swiss franc’s cap to the euro, it demonstrated that the SNB had conceded central bank power to market power. How come? Wasn’t it just the SNB’s response to market conditions? No. The move was inevitable. It was simply a matter of time.
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All posts are the opinion of the author. As such, they should not be construed as investment advice, nor do the opinions expressed necessarily reflect the views of CFA Institute or the author’s employer.
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