Re BRICS: it is very difficult to invest in the emerging markets. You are never on solid ground.
Even "emerging" markets is another Wall-Streeter marketing euphemism (junk debt: high yield; bankrupt firms: distressed; shitholes: emerging markets; shitholes, but worse: frontier).
"Investment grade" is funny: why should you "invest" in anything but "invest"ment grade. If something is not investment grade, why invest at all? I.e. the Wall Streeter terminology is there for marketing to the gullible and confers no real information.
Besides, emerging markets is a collective name for an unfocused concept that has no internal consistency, a definition without integrity. The frontier/emerging split does not do it for me either.
What has Khazakstan got in common with Peru? What has South Africa got in common with the Philippines? So why would you toss them in a single pot?
Until my dying day, I will never understand why people are not insulted by DEI.. and it has nothing to do with the social injustice and dark times of our history. It’s 2025, who’s holding anyone back? Real progress: we never have to discuss skin color ever again
"We must be racist to defeat racism" is another great example of leftist logic never adding up (because ideology...).
How Ibram X Kendi and Robin D'Angelo ever got traction with their CRT garbage is beyond me, but Marx got traction, so you realise this leftist style of thinking is never, ever going away, it will just repackage itself like a shape shifting virus.
James Lindsay's speech to the EU parliament about communism being the Genus and woke being a species is, for me, absolutely brilliant on this.
To Kemi's credit she's growing into the role (and absolutely savaged Starmer and Reeves at PMQ's the other day, reducing the pathetic Reeves to tears), but Robert Jenrick is the one making the right noises for that party (but that's exactly why he didn't win the leadership - because the Tories are largely dripping-wet, ornamental centrists, too supine in the face of even the slightest criticism to do anything useful).
As to the UK and recession - it would be one thing if the UK was just economically in trouble, but it is rapidly changing demographics that is the real, potentially irreversible, threat to its continued success
All our institutions are captured by globalist / woke ideology, and there is no easy fix for that, which is why I've said before that Farage's Reform party is our only hope.
It is probably not for me to say but I think Morgan Freeman had a point. Fixation on race keeps racism alive. Overlabelling and constant emphasis might actually reinforce the very divisions we are trying to move beyond. Perhaps the same goes for all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations and identities. The more we spotlight difference, the harder it becomes to see what we all have in common. Perhaps a good dollop of meritocracy would help us foster an equitable future we all want to live in.
Exactly - surely the only way to deal with racism is to have a colour blind societies, and that means returning to meritocratic principles (which is probably where the USA was at 2010, before anti-white race baiting became institutionalised):
From my time living in the States, albeit over 20 years ago now, my impression was that the racial divide there felt far more prominent than in the UK. Here, it seems to me that the class divide is more palpable. Not gone by any stretch. In fact, very much alive and kicking. The challenge with a meritocracy is that the starting points are not the same.
"If families, with identical parents and conditions, do not produce equal results, then it's unrealistic to expect the government to do so across society"
And the Japanese in internment camps during the second world war might have something to say about disadvantaged starting points also.
The world is going to have to dive deeper into its understanding of why social inequities exist across racial groups, as uncomfortable as it no doubt will be.
*Just to clarify that Reeves was pathetic before the tears! I can sympathise with her on a human level to a degree but if you know what you're doing, and / or you're the chancellor of the exchequer, you don't cry in parliament.
John, seems to me you’re still in excellent shape. There’s real value in owning the calls without adjustment. A perfect score might just mean they weren’t risky enough. The 2026 calls could prove historic. You might end up talking less about your record vs Bremmer and co, and more about vs AI, AGI or even ASI. My money is on you!
Solely channelling EU defence spend into US arms would be a strategic, industrial and economic failure for them. This is a generational chance to rebuild EU manufacturing. They have to get it right.
I’m not convinced the mediators truly grasp what the belligerents are fighting for. If anything, their efforts have prolonged the conflict rather than shortened it.
UK economic data is grim. The apathy is real. Westminster seems more focused on foreign millionaires than backing its own.
Could we see tariff policy reduce demand in the rest of the world? That would surely hit US export growth too.
Hello John, I agree with Kieran on you are solid and consistent grounding, it's not just the game or innings you have said but the long haul..
My Concerns are on call #4 it is still to soon to call... Within the last day Trump’s suggestion to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. This may strengthen Ukraine’s position, but it also risks prompting Putin to escalate the war. Putin has the intent and some capacity to intensify the conflict—potentially through airstrikes, troop surges, or advanced weapons—but his ability to do so effectively is constrained by military and logistical challenges. Whether he can successfully take more territory depends on how well Russia navigates these limitations and how Ukraine, with Western support, responds.As I see it it the situation remains volatile, with the potential for increased fighting in the near future. John, and community please share your thoughts.
I do not know, maybe Trump is winning me over. The soccer celebrations are working. If he mimics a Cole Palmer celebration I am head over heels.
He also seems to be seeing Putin for what he really is. He surely knew before, but now he is showing it publicly. And if the EU is footing the bill for the equipment, I see no issue unless it comes at the expense of capacity needed elsewhere.
The EU needs to stop relying on the US and focus on developing its own propriety version of the Patriot system. It is long overdue.
Interesting where Friedrich Merkel (the first green chancellor in the Federal Republic) has landed himself: an open revolt of the Union fraction in the Bundestag. Merkel said in the Bundestag that he was in favour of abortion until the day before birth - absolutely no doubt - in support of a nomination for another Ketanji to the German Bundesverfassungsgericht. Some Christian! The man is tone death and has nil political skills. Promptly the parliamentary Union refused to vote for the 2 SPD nominations.
Ipsos sees it 26%-24% with other firms seeing AfD 24% (up 3) and Union (down between 1 and 3).
In the Landestagen, there start to be Union representatives speaking for a (regional? national?) coalition with AfD, facing the inevitable fact that Union-SPD is Rot-Gruen by another name.
The BBB has lowered taxes on the starting & struggling incomes: tip income; overhours; social security income. That money will get spent by people with tight wallets and continue to grow the US economy, from a high point that has long since outperformed 2019 (not so in Europe).
Trump is now moving to defund PBS & NPR. Could attempt to sell it off for some money. Next in line and with even more impact, AmTrak (which is still living pre the jet age, 80 years on) and US Postal Services (before it loses all value in the electronic age). A restructuring cannot come soon enough.
Re BRICS: it is very difficult to invest in the emerging markets. You are never on solid ground.
Even "emerging" markets is another Wall-Streeter marketing euphemism (junk debt: high yield; bankrupt firms: distressed; shitholes: emerging markets; shitholes, but worse: frontier).
"Investment grade" is funny: why should you "invest" in anything but "invest"ment grade. If something is not investment grade, why invest at all? I.e. the Wall Streeter terminology is there for marketing to the gullible and confers no real information.
Besides, emerging markets is a collective name for an unfocused concept that has no internal consistency, a definition without integrity. The frontier/emerging split does not do it for me either.
What has Khazakstan got in common with Peru? What has South Africa got in common with the Philippines? So why would you toss them in a single pot?
UK Conservatives are now stuck with a DEI hire for leader.
Once you go down that road, you are stuck, because you can only replace a DEI by another DEI, or you have to admit you were a hypocrit all along.
You cannot even debate it. It is taboo.
Reform is taking up the electoral space.
Meanwhile, the UK is in recession.
Until my dying day, I will never understand why people are not insulted by DEI.. and it has nothing to do with the social injustice and dark times of our history. It’s 2025, who’s holding anyone back? Real progress: we never have to discuss skin color ever again
"We must be racist to defeat racism" is another great example of leftist logic never adding up (because ideology...).
How Ibram X Kendi and Robin D'Angelo ever got traction with their CRT garbage is beyond me, but Marx got traction, so you realise this leftist style of thinking is never, ever going away, it will just repackage itself like a shape shifting virus.
James Lindsay's speech to the EU parliament about communism being the Genus and woke being a species is, for me, absolutely brilliant on this.
To Kemi's credit she's growing into the role (and absolutely savaged Starmer and Reeves at PMQ's the other day, reducing the pathetic Reeves to tears), but Robert Jenrick is the one making the right noises for that party (but that's exactly why he didn't win the leadership - because the Tories are largely dripping-wet, ornamental centrists, too supine in the face of even the slightest criticism to do anything useful).
As to the UK and recession - it would be one thing if the UK was just economically in trouble, but it is rapidly changing demographics that is the real, potentially irreversible, threat to its continued success
All our institutions are captured by globalist / woke ideology, and there is no easy fix for that, which is why I've said before that Farage's Reform party is our only hope.
It is probably not for me to say but I think Morgan Freeman had a point. Fixation on race keeps racism alive. Overlabelling and constant emphasis might actually reinforce the very divisions we are trying to move beyond. Perhaps the same goes for all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations and identities. The more we spotlight difference, the harder it becomes to see what we all have in common. Perhaps a good dollop of meritocracy would help us foster an equitable future we all want to live in.
Exactly - surely the only way to deal with racism is to have a colour blind societies, and that means returning to meritocratic principles (which is probably where the USA was at 2010, before anti-white race baiting became institutionalised):
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/media-great-racial-awakening?utm_source=chatgpt.com
From my time living in the States, albeit over 20 years ago now, my impression was that the racial divide there felt far more prominent than in the UK. Here, it seems to me that the class divide is more palpable. Not gone by any stretch. In fact, very much alive and kicking. The challenge with a meritocracy is that the starting points are not the same.
As Thomas Sowell said:
"If families, with identical parents and conditions, do not produce equal results, then it's unrealistic to expect the government to do so across society"
And the Japanese in internment camps during the second world war might have something to say about disadvantaged starting points also.
The world is going to have to dive deeper into its understanding of why social inequities exist across racial groups, as uncomfortable as it no doubt will be.
*Just to clarify that Reeves was pathetic before the tears! I can sympathise with her on a human level to a degree but if you know what you're doing, and / or you're the chancellor of the exchequer, you don't cry in parliament.
The need to bring Jenrick in but blocked him with DEI Kemi.
If they wait too long, Farage has all the votes.
If they do it now, they have another scandal, namely dumping a DEI for a credible candidate, which shows they are hypocrits all along.
Stuck in the mud!
John, seems to me you’re still in excellent shape. There’s real value in owning the calls without adjustment. A perfect score might just mean they weren’t risky enough. The 2026 calls could prove historic. You might end up talking less about your record vs Bremmer and co, and more about vs AI, AGI or even ASI. My money is on you!
Solely channelling EU defence spend into US arms would be a strategic, industrial and economic failure for them. This is a generational chance to rebuild EU manufacturing. They have to get it right.
I’m not convinced the mediators truly grasp what the belligerents are fighting for. If anything, their efforts have prolonged the conflict rather than shortened it.
UK economic data is grim. The apathy is real. Westminster seems more focused on foreign millionaires than backing its own.
Could we see tariff policy reduce demand in the rest of the world? That would surely hit US export growth too.
Safe travels!
Hello John, I agree with Kieran on you are solid and consistent grounding, it's not just the game or innings you have said but the long haul..
My Concerns are on call #4 it is still to soon to call... Within the last day Trump’s suggestion to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. This may strengthen Ukraine’s position, but it also risks prompting Putin to escalate the war. Putin has the intent and some capacity to intensify the conflict—potentially through airstrikes, troop surges, or advanced weapons—but his ability to do so effectively is constrained by military and logistical challenges. Whether he can successfully take more territory depends on how well Russia navigates these limitations and how Ukraine, with Western support, responds.As I see it it the situation remains volatile, with the potential for increased fighting in the near future. John, and community please share your thoughts.
I do not know, maybe Trump is winning me over. The soccer celebrations are working. If he mimics a Cole Palmer celebration I am head over heels.
He also seems to be seeing Putin for what he really is. He surely knew before, but now he is showing it publicly. And if the EU is footing the bill for the equipment, I see no issue unless it comes at the expense of capacity needed elsewhere.
The EU needs to stop relying on the US and focus on developing its own propriety version of the Patriot system. It is long overdue.
One zillion percent! Thank you Kieran for catching the spark!!!
Right on Dianne. Hope all well your end!
All is well... and Kirean, hope the Best back to you two fold!
Istanbul is no longer on offer.
Interesting where Friedrich Merkel (the first green chancellor in the Federal Republic) has landed himself: an open revolt of the Union fraction in the Bundestag. Merkel said in the Bundestag that he was in favour of abortion until the day before birth - absolutely no doubt - in support of a nomination for another Ketanji to the German Bundesverfassungsgericht. Some Christian! The man is tone death and has nil political skills. Promptly the parliamentary Union refused to vote for the 2 SPD nominations.
Ipsos sees it 26%-24% with other firms seeing AfD 24% (up 3) and Union (down between 1 and 3).
In the Landestagen, there start to be Union representatives speaking for a (regional? national?) coalition with AfD, facing the inevitable fact that Union-SPD is Rot-Gruen by another name.
The BBB has lowered taxes on the starting & struggling incomes: tip income; overhours; social security income. That money will get spent by people with tight wallets and continue to grow the US economy, from a high point that has long since outperformed 2019 (not so in Europe).
Trump is now moving to defund PBS & NPR. Could attempt to sell it off for some money. Next in line and with even more impact, AmTrak (which is still living pre the jet age, 80 years on) and US Postal Services (before it loses all value in the electronic age). A restructuring cannot come soon enough.