Last week’s stock market surge sends a message that all is well, but that’s only half a loaf until the bond market confirms the recovery in expectations.
Monthly Archives: August 2026
Book Bits: 8 August 2026
● United States of Oligarchy: How America’s Wealthiest Ally with Dictators, Weaken the U.S., and Destroy Democracy
Casey Michel
Summary via publisher (Macmillan)
For years, a small group of billionaires has amassed increasing power, steering American politics for their own benefit. Many of these figures are familiar. There’s Elon Musk, who has used his wealth to help place Donald Trump back in the White House. There’s Mark Zuckerberg, who has used his resources to transform America into his own digital playground. There’s Jared Kushner, who has used family connections to gain more political power than he ever dreamed of. There is only one word to describe such extreme levels of wealth, avarice, and political control: Oligarchy.
Early Q3 GDP Nowcasts Point to a Pickup in Economic Growth
Initial estimates for third-quarter GDP point to a rebound in growth following the softer-than-expected gain in Q2, based on the median of nowcasts compiled by The Capital Spectator.
Trump’s Calls to Warsh Add Political Crosscurrent to Fed’s Path
The Federal Reserve is steering through a thicket of macro crosscurrents, and the challenge is sharpening amid a new report that President Trump has been calling Chair Kevin Warsh since he took the helm at the central bank in May.
Tech Roars Back as Energy Falters in a Sudden Market Power Shift
Energy stocks are still the year’s top-performing sector, but yesterday’s tech-led surge in equities — and energy’s stumble — suggest another leadership change may be brewing.
Total Return Forecasts: Major Asset Classes | 4 August 2026
The expected total return for the Global Market Index (GMI) continued to edge higher in July, extending the recent run of upward revisions. Even so, the long‑term outlook remains well below its trailing 10‑year performance, though the gap has narrowed.
Major Asset Classes | July 2026 | Performance Review
Markets remained mixed for a second month in July, based on a set of ETFs tracking the major asset classes. The main event in last month’s performance review: commodities rebounded after a sharp selloff in June, outperforming the other asset classes by a wide margin. Another notable development in July: the recent rally in real estate continued and widened into foreign shares.
Book Bits: 1 August 2026
● Positive Sum: How Zero-sum Thinking Broke Capitalism – and How We Can Fix It
Roy Swan
Summary via publisher (Wiley)
Zero-sum thinking has cost the American economy an estimated $50 trillion over the last 30 years. Roy Swan, reveals why this primitive instinct continues to cost businesses $600 billion annually, and offers a practical roadmap for recognizing the economic power of fairness to create broadly shared prosperity. Through Positive Sum Swan questions the outdated economic theory that for someone to win, someone else must lose.