Macro Trends

Resource Search

Nota Bene Podcast: The Gangbuster State of Private Equity and Merger and Acquisition Cycles in the U.S.
Publish Date

The past couple of years have proven to be banner years for private equity and merger and acquisition activity, with no signs of slow down in 2019. With cash on hand to invest and the increase in Representation and Warranty Insurance policies, forecasters expect these trends to continue. Podcast host Michael Cohen is joined by Luca Salvi to discuss the current state of the M&A and private equity trends in the United States.

Brexit: Should Investors Be Worried?
Publish Date

As an investor with assets primarily in the United States, you are probably weary of following the trials and tribulations of the Brexit drama in the United Kingdom. Since the British electorate voted back in June 2016 to withdraw from the European Union, negotiators for both sides have worked feverishly to address the will of the people without undue damage to economic activity and global trade. As the deadline looms, should we be worried about the economic fallout from a so-called “hard Brexit”?

Around the World With Yusko, Channeling Byron: 10 Potential Surprises for 2019
Publish Date

There is much wisdom about the folly of prediction. But the process of thinking about variant perceptions and alternative scenarios is valuable to our investment process. With a nod to Byron Wien, the former Morgan Stanley and Blackstone Strategist who originated the annual 10 Surprises idea, we begin with the first potential surprise for 2019: #ActionsBeatWords.

Q4 2018 Market Review & 2019 Outlook
Publish Date

In a rapidly changing environment, we all must learn to adapt our thinking about the optimal way to invest our capital for long-term success and that entails taking our cue from Charlie Kindleberger on the equity markets today and our cues from Charlie Noyes (and the other Crypto Charlies) about blockchain, crypto, and Bitcoin. Charlie Darwin truly was a good man and he was right, it is the one that is most adaptable to change that survives (and thrives).

Elite Colleges, Bribery, and the Gift of Doing Less
Publish Date

The headlines were hard to miss: wealthy parents and coaches indicted on federal charges in a college admissions bribery scheme. Over 50 people, parents and higher education professionals, were charged with “racketeering conspiracy”—cheating to get kids into elite universities. The case is a cautionary tale reminding us that there are consequences to breaking the law. But there is another message for parents everywhere: It is a reminder that doing more is not always the best you can give your child. Sometimes doing less is.

Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World
Publish Date

Adam Tooze, PhD, Author, Professor of History and Director of the European Institute, Columbia UniversityThe financial crisis of 2007-2008 was perhaps the most dangerous moment, not just in the history of the U.S. economy, but in the history of the Western world. Ten years later we can still feel its reverberations. Historian Adam Tooze will discuss the causes of the crisis and the political, economic, and financial implications for the present and the future of the U.S. and world economy.

Direct Investments (Part 1): Trends and Motivations
Publish Date

High-net-worth families are increasingly looking to direct investments, a strategy gaining popularity with institutional investors. Direct investments appeal to wealthy individuals and family offices because they not only eliminate the management fees charged by investment firms, but also because the investments can align more closely with the values and mindset of the investor. In this paper, part one of three, we take a closer look at the trends in direct investing and motivations for private wealth clients.