US Federal Reserve
In this reprint of a collection of lectures, the Nobel Prize–winning author expounds on regional and international regulation and monetary and fiscal policy, as well as a host of other economic topics. His insights predate but point toward the recent global financial crisis, and his guidance is timely and critical for a global economy still facing the fallout from the crisis.
Back in the 1980s, “monetary policy was a great way to stimulate the economy,” Jack Ablin, CFA, said. Not anymore.
Highlights from February include a guide to better decision making by Lauren Foster; an analysis of how to assimilate market sentiment and crowd psychology to make intelligent investment decisions from Greg Blotnick, CFA; a Todd Wenning, CFA, review of Yefei Lu's take on the unparalleled investment mind of Warren Buffett; a synopsis of Ben Bernanke's recent insights on the economy from John Bowman, CFA; and a discussion of the meaning behind labels like "emerging" and "frontier" market as analyzed by Will Ortel.
It was just shy of two weeks since President Donald Trump’s inauguration when former US Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke took to the podium at the CFA Society Boston’s 31st Annual Market Dinner. His presentation covered a broad range of topics, from the current state of macroeconomics, regulation, and policy, to financial stability and the geopolitical climate at large. John Bowman, CFA, shares a few key takeaways from his speech and the subsequent question-and-answer session.
In this fascinating study of the Federal Reserve System, Peter Conti-Brown shows that much of what investors know about the formulation and implementation of US monetary policy is wrong. He also demonstrates that much of the expert commentary in the media (e.g., regarding future interest rate actions) proceeds from false premises about the central bank’s internal dynamics. Although practitioners should not accept all of Conti-Brown’s conclusions uncritically, they can assuredly profit from his debunking of conventional wisdom about a key driver of the financial markets.
The end of the year is a good time to look back and take stock. What Enterprising Investor articles did readers find most compelling in 2016? The results are illuminating. Our top content runs the gamut from the granular — tightly focused, practice-oriented material on starting a firm and what to read to stay informed — to more "big picture" analysis on negative interest rates and the ongoing active vs. passive debate. Taken together, they reflect the currents at work in the investment management profession at both the system-wide and individualized levels.
The author investigates Thomas Malthus’s theories of secular stagnation and uses his findings to shed light on the sluggish growth and lethargic employment rates that have recently plagued the US economy.
Highlights from November include a critique of modern portfolio theory (MPT) by Hansi Mehrotra, CFA; a primer on inflation-linked debt explained by Jason Voss, CFA; a few examples of how investors can add value over a preferred stock index fund from David Allison, CFA, CIPM; and an analysis by Ron Rimkus, CFA, on whether a US recession is to be expected in 2017.
In January, 70% of CFA Institute Financial NewsBrief readers didn't expect a US recession in 2016. So what about 2017?
Like modern-day Drs. Frankenstein, central bankers are trying to artificially create life in the financial system. They have embraced extraordinary monetary policies to create economic growth where none would exist. And someday soon, the monsters they are experimenting with may wake up and break out, Ron Rimkus, CFA, explains.