Great Depression 2020? (Part 2)
In a previous article, I shared a little history about the Great Depression of the 1930s and explained why the causes of the depression back then would be unlikely to repeat today. However, in the
COVID-19: Local vs. Global Optimization
In looking at the COVID-19 response globally and here in the United States, I can’t help but remember a concept I learned in calculus class around local versus global minimums and maximums. While I don’t
The Trend Is Your “Friend”
I’m told there’s a saying on Wall Street that goes, “The trend is your friend.” I’m not a banker nor an asset manager, so I can’t vouch for its validity in that context. However, I
Great Depression 2020?
I’ve been noticing that there are questions lately about what caused the Great Depression and whether we’re at risk of something similar in 2020. The short answer is: No, I don’t think we’re at risk
Crisis Management: Offense vs. Defense
There are two approaches to responding to an uncertain economy. The first is “defense,” which involves protecting your downside risk. The second is “offense,” which is about maximizing your upside opportunity (albeit sometimes from a
Save Lives vs. Save the Economy
In the United States, there’s a big debate going on right now. Epidemiologists urge physical distancing as the best way to avoid catastrophic loss of lives. Economists point out that the cost of shutting down