Richard Shaw's  Instablog

Nobody has the time or patience to wait 82 years to experience the long-term, but if they did (or if they wanted to bet on the future based on the long-term past), here is how a simple allocation between the S&P 500 index and the U.S. Aggregate Bond index worked out from 1926 through 2008.

Last night the U.S. House of Representatives brought us one large step closer to a national healthcare system. Investors should be cognizant of the financial effects that would follow.

One big investment risk is subscribing to a popular mantra with your life’s savings, without continuously checking the data — the facts — to make sure the mantra continues to make sense.

The elections are over in Germany and the new finance minister is making sobering statements about recovery. Germany is a major part of the European economy. With Italy limping and Spain bleeding, Germany’s statement is hardly welcome.

Amidst all the soundbites and data tidbits about the condition of the U.S. fiscal and debt situation, it may be helpful to look at the data produced by the Congressional Budget Office.  While they may be way off, it is a good idea to know what figures your government is using to make its spending and tax policy decisions.