» Posted by Martin Weil on February 25, 2009

In light of the multi-billion dollar frauds perpetrated on investors by Bernie Madoff and Sir Allen Stanford (pictured), the WSJ's "Wealth Blog" recalls this neglected but good old-fashioned rule of thumb.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 23, 2009

According this this article in the International Herald Tribune, the US remains the world's largest manufacturer, in 2007 producing $2.5 in goods for every $1 produced in China. What are we best at? Heavy manufacturing it seems - from aircraft to turbines for power plants and specialties like farm equipment and, of course, electronics. GE, General Motors, International Business Machines, Boeing and Hewlett-Packard are among the largest manufacturers by revenue.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 17, 2009

Advice from Clyde and Clark. Check it out.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 14, 2009

The Financial Times (registration required) has a nifty interactive graphic of where the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is going.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 13, 2009

I think it would be cathartic if all professional investors confessed to making a few mistakes.

So writes GMO's lead investor Grantham in his latest letter. He continues,

Almost none of the CEOs who brought companies to their knees - or graves - accepted blame clearly and emphatically. Honchos at Lehman and Bear Stearns were victims, it seems, rather than incompetents. Hundreds of billions of stockholders' money was obliterated without clear apologies. Government agencies that nearly ruined us all have also admitted no mistakes. Greenspan only apologized for other peoples' shortcomings - he failed to realize how bankers would be so greedy in the short term and bereft of rigor and analysis. Really!

And concludes,

This has also been the very lowest point for ethical standards within the financial industry.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 12, 2009

Its banking system has just been ranked the healthiest in the world (the US is 40th)according to this Newsweek article.

» Posted by Martin Weil on February 05, 2009

For my money, I believe Ed Leamer at Anderson and Paul Kasriel at Northern Trust to be two of the best economic forecasters in the business. If they are right, the markets are probably not yet pricing in a Q! & Q2 GDP shock. But there may be a dim light at the end of the tunnel after that.

Graph courtesy Calculated Risk