» Posted by Martin Weil on August 27, 2005

The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are increasingly viewed in the oil-rich Arab countries of the Persian Gulf as the catalyst for an economic boom when Arabs divested from America and reinvested at home.

» Posted by Martin Weil on August 22, 2005

The gas price squeeze meets the 21st century as two web sites GasBuddy and GasPriceWatch (launching soon) offer consumers real time info on the lowest prices in their neighborhoods.

Thanks to Marginal Revolution for the pointers.

» Posted by Martin Weil on August 19, 2005

The housing boom of the last five years has made many homeowners feel like very, very smart investors.

So begins an article in today's NY Times with a common-sense perspective on investing in residential real estate. Since 1980, the S&P 500 has returned an average of 10.2% per year while, according to the Times article, housing in even the hottest real estate markets - Los Angeles and New York - has averaged about a 7% return over that same time frame.

"The biggest value of the house is the shelter it provides," said Thomas Z. Lys, an accounting professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. "Too many people are fixated on speculation whereas most of the benefit really comes from usage."

» Posted by Martin Weil on August 15, 2005

Everybody's looking for magical financial solutions. There aren't any. Want to make sure your friends retire in comfort?

Push them to save 15% of their pre-tax income. They will probably groan. But if they take your advice, they will be thanking you for years to come.

Jonathan Clements, Wall Street Journal, 8-14-05 (subscription required)

» Posted by Martin Weil on August 13, 2005

Crude oil prices hit another record (nearly $67 per barrel) in last week's trading. According to the International Energy Agency (chart), daily global demand now equals, or even exceeds, daily supply. Under these circumstances, any small supply disruption (this week, it was a refinery fire) can cause the price of oil to move sharply higher. The risks to both the domestic and global economy of escalating oil prices are significant.

» Posted by Martin Weil on August 09, 2005

Netscape Communications Inc. shares more than doubled on their first day of trading, launching a new era of blockbuster dot-com IPOs.

Before it was over, fortunes would be made, and lost.