Is It a Bubble?

In his latest memo, Howard Marks examines the recent string of well-publicized credit problems. He considers how they serve as a reminder that the yield premium offered by sub-investment grade credit isn’t a freebie, but rather compensation for bearing credit risk. While good tim ... Show More

In his latest memo, Howard Marks offers observations based on his meeting with the board, consultant, and senior staff of a state pension fund. Howard explores the key topics covered during the session, including determining an appropriate risk posture, selecting an investment ap ... Show More

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of his memos, Howard Marks recently held a fireside chat for Oaktree employees. Listen to an excerpt from the conversation to hear Howard discuss why he started writing and why he’s kept at it, and learn more about the enduring investment truths ... Show More

Classical economics, emerging in the late 18th century, emphasizes free markets, individual initiative, and minimal government intervention. Key figures like Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Thomas Malthus shaped its principles, advocating for self-regulating markets, division of l ... Show More

The Trump administration’s tariff moves are turning US trade policy on its head — and fueling concerns about the US economic outlook. So will tariffs send the US into a recession? And, if so, what might that recession look like? Economist and Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman, Goldman ... Show More

Robert Armstrong, U.S. financial commentator for the Financial Times, fills in for Scott. He and Ed unpack what the GOP tax bill means for the economy now that it’s law. Robert argues we’re playing chicken with the debt and says markets are still operating in “greed mode,” not fe ... Show More

<p>What causes an economy to fall from a peak? Many economists will argue it’s exogenous shocks but, as Phil and Steve discuss, there’s not too many of those around. Maybe COVID was one, but even that came about because our economic system has drawn us closer to wildlife habitats ... Show More

Europe and the US are both recovering from the same problem – COVID and the inflation that followed. But last week the Fed in the US dropped interest rates by half a percent, with markets expecting a soft-landing for the US economy. Europe, meanwhile, is struggling, with Germany’ ... Show More

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Even optimal economic policies create winners and losers, and that's where politics steps in. Trade liberalization is an example of a policy that can make a country better off as a whole, but what happens to workers who lose out ... Show More

On its website, the Doughnut Economics Action Lab describes Doughnut Economics as “a compass for human prosperity in the 21st century.” Its proponents prioritize economic solutions that meet both the basic needs of all people—food, housing, equity, democratic inclusion—and the ec ... Show More

<p><strong>Notes from James:</strong></p> <p>I’ve been seeing a ton of misinformation lately about tariffs and inflation, so I had to set the record straight. People assume tariffs drive prices up across the board, but that’s just not how economics works. Inflation happens when m ... Show More