Global Thinking

The world has been transfixed by a strange spectacle: a scarcity of nearly everything. It has been a cinematic experience complete with congested shipping lanes, gas shortages and rationed microchips. This kind of drama is entirely unfamiliar a decade after the global financial crisis's chronic oversupply. Now, the gluts of the 2010s are giving way to a far different world.

Welcome to the new shortage economy.

Rob sits down with Forstrong's CIO, Tyler Mordy, to talk investment implications and why this could be a barn burner. 

Global stock markets maintain double digit gains year-to-date, but as the recent selloff deepens market pundits continue to point fingers and provide reasons why this is the end. In this podcast we sit down with Forstrong PM, David Kletz, to discuss Evergrande's impact on markets and our recent portfolio rebalance. Not surprisingly, we see the macro environment remaining supportive into year-end. 

Viewing the globe, we note a very unusual situation — most likely attributable to the post-Covid rebound. For the first time on record, developed nations have been growing faster than global GDP growth. And global growth is currently faster than that of emerging countries. This must resolve itself in one way or another. What will be the likely outcome? Rob Duncan speaks with Forstrong Portfolio Manager, David Kletz, to discuss their recent rebalance and whether or not the reflationary trade still has room to run. 

What happens when the world is cooped up — in some cases against its will — for more than a year? We are now getting answers to this global experiment. To no one’s surprise, it turns out many are increasingly unwilling to delay gratification which has sent inflation soaring all around the world. Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss how the pandemic is creating an inflationary regime shift with lasting impacts few can predict. 

Has crypto-mania gone too far? Naysayers have an almost unlimited arsenal of reasons why this bubble will pop and leave investors in a wake of devastation. Citing everything from security issues to regulation, environmental impact to the explosion of offerings, these things should come with a warning label.

In a recent Ask Forstrong, The Cryptocurrency Bug: Catch Me if You Can, our CIO, Tyler Mordy, hammers home these warnings with cold hard facts. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile. Investors have lost billions in fraud and theft. There are now 4000 currency offerings claiming to be the future. And, last but not least, government regulation is cracking down to thwart tax-evaders and black market participants. Warning label firmly attached.

Yet many investors still have burning questions. Will cryptos impact my life and should I care about them? This is a much harder question to answer.

To tackle this question Rob Duncan sits down with Reza Samahin, Portfolio Manager and Professional Engineer, to provide insights into blockchain protocol, currency mining, differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum, smart contracts and decentralized finance.

We made the pivot from cryptocurrencies as the future of fiat to providing a future benefit and financial utility. It wasn’t easy and it took 40 minutes, but if you want to impress your friends on your next Zoom call then click the link.

Social media platforms take center stage as rWallStreetBets channels it's Reddit commentary to prop up stocks impacted by the pandemic and targeted by hedge fund short-sellers. In this podcast Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CEO & CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss this incredible phenomenon and how situations like this have played out in the past. While it received incredible headlines, investors should focus on what is really driving portfolio returns.  

Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CEO/CIO, Tyler Mordy, to talk about the year that was 2020, our outlook for 2021, and why we need to learn the Charleston in what could be seen as our generations roaring 20's. 

Is it possible to have unlimited money? If so, is that a good thing or a bad thing? 

Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CEO/CIO, Tyler Mordy, to talk about Modern Monetary Theory and why this new way of thinking could create new economic realities to increase growth globally. We break this theory down into its basic building blocks and challenge traditional thinking to see opportunities where others do not. 

Your Global Thinking host, Rob Duncan, sits down with Forstrong's CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss Covid's impact on markets, policy and their investment outlook. While a second wave forms and concerns over another shutdown looms, Tyler explains why these outcomes would be less impactful and how a paradigm shift in policy will power growth going forward.  If you would like to access the slides, please reach out to your Forstrong contact. 

Here we are again, as if nothing much has changed since mid-February. Never mind that the very existence and survival of the entire human race had been threatened in the interim. Most global equity markets have recovered the vast majority of their year-to-date losses, and in fact, the risk-on rally now appears to be broadening into additional sectors and asset classes. In this update Rob sits down with Forstrong’s portfolio manager David Kletz to discuss the current state of financial markets and the corresponding changes recently implemented in client portfolios.