O as in Out-Of-Office

Yeah, well, there was a fear it might come, there were hints it might come, there were expert predictions it might come, there were small kids yelling: “It’s coming, it’s coming,” and this week it came: the office loan losses. It wasn’t a lot, but enough to evoke that...
What Goes Up, Must … What?

What Goes Up, Must … What?

Everyone knows that January is the time for sales. The market for government debt is no different. Come the new year, and countries around the world are looking to fund their budgets, which usually means that you can snag a good deal on treasury bonds. And in 2024 the...
When, How Far, and How Fast?

When, How Far, and How Fast?

Source: Wall Street Journal Those are the questions for entering 2024. The importance of interest rates to the global economy in general, and to our clients in particular, cannot be stressed enough (ha-ha.) And last year was a bumpy road trip chasing the elusive soft...
No Banking on (U.S.) Banks

No Banking on (U.S.) Banks

Higher interest rates are meant to be good for banks. It should increase their net interest income, their profits, and their stock price. Instead, this year, the large US bank stocks have fallen 15% whereas the rest of the stock market is up 19%. The Economist calls...

Climate Edition

Bad COP, Good COP, Take 28 This weekend is the COP28 (which stands for the 28th meeting of the conference of the parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)). It’s being held in Dubai, ten-thousands of people are flying in from all over the...
Black Swans Don’t Live in AI

Black Swans Don’t Live in AI

Worry is within the purview of Team Regulator, and they do it well. This week, Gary Gensler of the SEC voiced his concern to FT that AI will cause substantial financial instability within the next decade. So here is his thinking: Financial institutions, especially...

IFRS 17: Bridging the Gap

Existing accounting practices in the insurance industry are inconsistent and unclear. This has led to the issuance of IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts – the first international Standard for insurance contracts. Because this Standard is based solely on principle and does...