Conversations on Twitter are not known for their civility. Still, it came as a surprise this week when, out of the blue, author Nassim Taleb launched a broadside against investor Clifford Asness, calling his work “crap” among other insults. Asness wasted no time firing back, calling Taleb “very [...]
When index funds go off the rails
With everything that’s been going on recently, one story that has received less attention is the ongoing spat between the White House and the board of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). As of a few days ago, there has been a ceasefire in this debate, but it isn’t over. And because the underlying issue [...]
Making better decisions
On January 10, 2000, America Online co-founder Steve Case stood on stage in New York to announce the largest corporate takeover in American history, buying venerable Time Warner for $165 billion. At the time of the announcement, commentators called it the merger of the century. But just five years [...]
Bear Market Field Guide, Part X
Investors, it is often said, are driven by fear and greed. At a time like this, I’d add a third item to that list: regret. The past 18 months have been enough of a roller coaster to give even the most even-keeled investor a stomach ache and have created ample opportunity for regret. Since the fall [...]
Bear Market Field Guide, Part IX
Earlier this week, I came across a magazine article from the B.C. era—before coronavirus. The article, which appeared in a recent issue of a popular personal finance magazine, described a certain type of bond investment. The write-up was well researched and balanced, including a discussion of the [...]
