What the heck is CapitalSpectator.com?
A web site owned and edited by James Picerno, a journalist who's been writing about finance and economics since the l980s.

How can I contact James Picerno?
You can email me at: caps-at-CapitalSpectator.com

What's the basic philosophy behind the editorial content on CapitalSpectator.com?
In essence, I believe in cycles—for the economy, the capital and commodity markets, and for risk premia (expected and realized) in the various asset classes. In addition, I believe that investing in the major asset classes by way of passive index funds and ETFs that are market-value weighted tends to be the superior choice over time. I don't take this view lightly. Rather, it's the result of years of reading academic literature, interviewing some of the smartest investment strategists and finance professors on the planet and studying risk and return records in the real world. Overall, I'm a firm believer in tracking and analyzing cycles and related variables in search of clues—albeit imperfect clues—for enhancing investment decisions and thereby portfolio results on a long-term basis.

Can anyone republish content from CapitalSpectator.com?
Yes, but only on the condition that full credit is given, preferably with a link back to this site.

Is the editor of CapitalSpectator.com available to speak at conferences and other events?
Yes. Please email with details at: caps-at-CapitalSpectator.com.

Does CapitalSpectator.com offer investing services?
No. I write about finance and economics. I don't manage money, except for my personal accounts. In sum, I'm neither a starship captain, broker, dealer, financial planner, wealth manager, forensic accountant or late for dinner.

Does the editor respond to emails?
Yes…most of the time. My first priority is you, the reader. If you're a reader with a legitimate question or inquiry, and I haven't responded, it's probably an oversight. Or maybe there's a technical glitch. If you haven't heard back within a week, please send another email. On the other hand, if you're emailing to exchange links, market a dazzling new service or product, I'll respond only if I'm interested. Alas, I receive too many marketing-oriented emails to respond to each and every inquiry. Sorry.

Does CapitalSpectator.com accept comments in response to the posts?
Yes, although there's a lag between the time you post and my approval of the post. (That's a necessity, given the surplus of spam bots running loose in the digital world. Allowing automatic comment posting would quickly overwhelm the web site.) Typically I approve most comments, even when they're critical of me and/or the web site. Even so, all comments must be reasonably polite, free of foul language and lacking in marketing hype of any kind. Otherwise, feel free to opine to your heart's delight.

Does CapitalSpectator.com accept advertising?
Yes. Please visit here for details. Or email us with questions at: caps-at-CapitalSpectator.com.