Greg Taunt, Author at IASG

“A portfolio where everything goes up together is a bad portfolio,” a wise man once told me. Increasingly, this point seems lost on investors who seem to buy every stock market dip with positive results. Much like the Thanksgiving turkey that feels more comfortable with each passing day, the chance of severe loss might get […]

In a July 2023 blog post entitled Real Estate Trends in a Post-Pandemic World, we discussed the potential trajectory of real estate, particularly commercial real estate. As expected, the outlook for office space and other properties is tumbling. While that article mainly focused on supply and demand as work-from-home trends took over and interest rates […]

Argentinians have spoken, and their message to the government seems clear: they are sick of lurching from inflation crisis to inflation crisis. As is often the case, currency debasement affects the countries that can least borrow or print their way out of it the most. Argentina earned this skepticism with a 200% inflation rate in […]

Much like weight loss or finding more time to read, including financial planning in your resolutions for 2024 is a great idea. It is an election year in the United States, which means we will see a lot of promises. If history is an indicator, there will be a positive return for the S&P. Twenty-four […]

While grocery prices grab the headlines, chocolate might be the story of 2024. The standout trend of 2023 was one that most people overlooked in their day-to-day lives. Cocoa futures surged over 70%1 for the year, and this rally2 seems to have staying power. Smaller trend managers benefited from seizing this opportunity, unlike larger programs […]

In the famous Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken,” two paths diverged, and he took the one less traveled. We can look at charts of the US economy and compare them to previous periods to see that so far, we are taking the less traveled path as well. It makes all the difference. Despite […]

The VIX, or Volatility Index, is one of the most frequently mentioned acronyms in financial news. This prominence is well-justified, given that the VIX serves as a crucial indicator of market risk and is instrumental to the pricing of options, which exerts a profound impact across the financial landscape. Furthermore, trading activity related to the […]

Economists often look for the proverbial “canaries in the coal mine” to predict where we head next. Specific areas of the economy tend to presage slowing growth earlier than others. The shipping of materials from one place to another is one such area. A supply chain is either gearing up for future sales or reducing […]

“When low-income countries get into debt distress, it’s associated with protracted recessions, high inflation, and fewer resources going to essential sectors like health, education, and social safety nets, with a disproportionate impact on the poor” – World Bank.  It is no secret that developed countries spent trillions to insulate themselves from the effects of the […]

As we approach another government shutdown here in the United States, another segment of the population is also navigating a challenging path. Dwindling savings, exacerbated by record inflation, is depleting their spending power. It is important to note that they have not actually stopped spending yet, but they ran out of surplus funds months ago, […]

We speak regularly with aspiring CTAs and those who recently started their program. This is an important part of our value as a database provider and asset raiser for our traders. More importantly, it is a benefit to our investment customers. After all, finding new talent with the ability to generate returns and learning about […]

The world is experiencing a convergence of tumultuous events, which seems rare. Amidst this backdrop, the two foremost players appear to be on a collision course. China, an ascending power, wants to establish itself on the world’s stage and increase its influence. To realize this vision, China is aligning itself with nations with the goal […]

On August 2, 2023, Fitch Ratings cut the outlook for US debt from AAA to AA+. While still considered one of the safest investments, it is a sign that despite a widespread belief in Keynesian economic principles, where each dollar expended yields multiples in benefits, we may encounter a reality check following the massive spending […]