Paulo

Global Markets in Review: Share Prices Too Far Ahead of Economic Reality

Jimbo - not too many people holding forth on stagflation as a possible scenario a couple of years from now. Why is that? And what would that mean in terms of equities, real return and other bonds, gold, commodities etc.

Global Markets in Review: New Year Off to a Cheerful Start

'selective buying in global markets is in order, and ’09 may turn out to be a good year for a discerning stock picker'

Picking stocks at the global level in the current macro-economic environment is a high risk strategy for individual investors. You can make the right calls and be robbed by significant currency fluctuations. And if you get it wrong both ways, watch out!

Is Global Diversification Dead?

A big consideration for U.S. investors is that the U.S. dollar is very high (perhaps artificially so). So, for long term investors with capital and patience, global diversification might be timely.
I am not so sure that country funds are the best way to do this. Look at Switzerland, for example (which I managed to sell at book value in Canadian dollars).
Nor am I sure that attempting to pick individual stocks at the global level is the best way to go in the present investing context.
For those with investinal fortitude and are looking long term, rolling the dice with global government inflation protected bonds, global convertible bonds and preferreds, global real estate, and so on may, given the current strength of the U.S. dollar and the Great Depression prices, be one way to go for those not fighting off foreclosure and their credit card companies and whatever.