Economics and International Affairs Blog

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Bond Markets - Interesting Items

The Quarter-Trillion-Dollar Onslaught of AI Bonds Is Testing Investors’ Limits
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/the-quarter-trillion-dollar-onslaught-of-ai-bonds-is-testing-investors-limits-e4cd2bda
Tech giants are borrowing even more than expected, weighing on bond prices.

How to Invest When the Global Crises Never Stop
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/how-to-invest-when-the-global-crises-never-stop-3c8cc542
In a world of wars, trade wars and crop failures, bond yields need to be higher than they were because they offer so much less protection than they used to.

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Building Wealth - Equities versus Real Estate

Is Buying a Home Still the Way to Wealth? Some Young Americans Aren't Sure
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/is-buying-a-home-still-the-way-to-wealth--some-young-americans-aren-t-sure-87707.html
The fast-rising costs of owning a home have some young Americans questioning whether buying a house is still a good investment.

Trump makes the stock market his scoreboard, but many Americans aren't even in the game
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/trump-makes-stock-market-his-scoreboard-many-americans-arent-even-game-2026-07-10/

Friday, July 10, 2026

Consumer Sentiment Index

Do We Really Feel This Lousy About the Economy, or Is a Key Survey Broken?
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/do-we-really-feel-this-lousy-about-the-economy-or-is-a-key-survey-broken-06c8c9ca
The University of Michigan is pushing back and defending its widely tracked consumer sentiment gauge.

Equity Investing: Dumb Money versus Smart Money

It’s a World-Class Investment. It’s a Junk Investment. What Is Going on With SpaceX?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/opinion/spacex-ipo-investment-smart-dumb-money.html
Must what goes up also come down?

The Mind Game That Investors Can’t Stop Playing

https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/the-mind-game-that-investors-cant-stop-playing-e3ad96af

Buying what’s hot feels right at the time, but too often ends in tears.

A.I. Has Rewarded Investors. It May Now Pose Their Greatest Risk.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/business/ai-stocks-bonds-investing-markets.html

Near the midpoint of the year, stocks and bonds both report good returns. But the global stock market has become highly concentrated, our columnist says.