Rainer's Investment Insights

In November 27th, last year , I wrote about the USD - and the markets when most people saw little hope for Europe, stock markets, and life in general!  Then I stated that such a view is deplorable on a personal level and stupid on a professional level. The universe is neither stupid nor given to despondent states of mind!   A Most Important Change SGD / USD - going from strength to strength since 2008 As a Singapore Dollar investor, we had a tough time over the last few years, extracting gains from other markets, while our own currency was going from strength to strength.  This situation has seen a major change in September last year.  In the aftermath, we learned about its significance from Henderson's Chief Economist, Bill MacQuaker ,who described it as “co-ordinated policy responses from Central banks.” Somehow, these guys (the Central Bankers) agreed to support the USD at a higher level, and - thereby reduce currency volatility, which so often causes havoc...

It is the second day of the Water Dragon Year, - and rightfully (... according to Asian tradition) I should not be working today. The last blog was posted more than a month ago, though not because I was indulging in seasonal laxness: I was attending to client portfolios to make sure we take advantage of the recent opportunities in the market.  And I tended to family obligations for Christmas, hardly something you could seriously call 'indulging'. source: Christian Science Museum , via staticflicks.com As Chinese New Year tradition demands, here is a telling picture of a dragon totally mesmerised by an oversized pearl.   It is a very beautiful sight indeed, but I can't help wondering whether this pearl is a size too big for this dragon?  Will he bite off more than he can chew?  Or are we underestimating the dragon's ability to rule the roost - and businesses in general - as he so often accomplished in past Dragon Years? Yes, you guessed it. We may well...