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/ 

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.

Global Instability

The World’s Superpowers Are Scrambling for an Edge. It Makes All of Us Less Safe.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/opinion/trade-war-economy-globalization.html 

AI and the Bond Market

AI has taken over the stock market. The bond market is next
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/07/07/ai-has-taken-over-the-stock-market-the-bond-market-is-next
Judging credit risk of the AI boom is difficult. 

Postmodern Economics

Postmodern Economics
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/david-hockney-lessons-for-economics-by-angus-armstrong-2026-07 

BOJ Rate Hikes

Should the Bank of Japan Raise Interest Rates?
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/bessent-is-right-to-recommend-higher-interest-rates-in-japan-by-koichi-hamada-2026-07
At the beginning of 2013, when "Abenomics" was rolled out in Japan, the yen was significantly overvalued, and looser monetary policy was badly needed. Today, the opposite is true, indicating that interest-rate hikes may well be the right prescription for Japan.