Commodities are sharply down, while the Bond King expects four rate cuts this year. Both are bullish factors for emerging market equities

While valuations remain a matter of concern, investors in emerging markets may have two more reasons to be bullish. One is the recent massive sell-off in the commodity markets, most significantly metals and energy. Copper futures have dropped more than 20%...

Your belief in the long-term growth of India has nothing to do with what to expect in the short term

over the past three years, the Sensex has gone up 11.62%, 40% and 43%, respectively. What lies in store for 2007? A few months ago, ASSOCHAM, an industry mouthpiece, surveyed India’s CEOs, merchant bankers and fund managers about market prospects for 2007. Some 72% of them felt that “the...

The US housing problem can give you a rough ride

The collapse of real estate prices in USA (some call it bursting of the US housing bubble) is causing anxiety among some smart commentators. Home sales have been falling quite sharply after many years. From their peak in June 2005, existing single-family house sales have fallen 14%. New home sales are down 22% from their July 2005 peak.