http://www.moneyweek.com/blog.aspx All blog posts from MoneyWeek magazine Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:34:37 GMT MoneyWeek http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/alex-the-cartoon-banker-with-an-remarkable-feel-for-the-markets-20600.aspx Alex – the ruthless cartoon banker – has always been a humorous send-up of City types. But new research shows that he's not just a bit of fun, he's a remarkably accurate indicator of market sentiment. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:43:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/alex-the-cartoon-banker-with-an-remarkable-feel-for-the-markets-20600.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/six-ways-women-can-make-it-to-the-top-57408.aspx If you are a fiercely ambitious woman who wants a high-flying career, status and oodles of money, you'll need to approach life a little differently to the way ordinary women do. Here are six tips from a very successful businesswoman on how to do just that. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:36:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/six-ways-women-can-make-it-to-the-top-57408.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/do-demographics-really-condemn-us-to-a-bleak-future-20600.aspx Many commenters have predicted a bleak future for the West based on ageing populations and falling asset prices. But the future might not be quite as grim as a lot of forecasters think, says Merryn Somerset Webb. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:35:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/do-demographics-really-condemn-us-to-a-bleak-future-20600.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-a-martian-would-never-manufacture-in-britain-20600.aspx The West's economic problems are caused almost entirely by the fact that we tax everything the wrong way round. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:58:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-a-martian-would-never-manufacture-in-britain-20600.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-free-money-for-everyone-wouldnt-help-anyone-20500.aspx Some commentators have suggested that instead of printing money and giving it to the banks, we should print money and gave it to the people. But that wouldn't do any good at all. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:49:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-free-money-for-everyone-wouldnt-help-anyone-20500.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/are-first-time-buyers-older-because-their-mothers-live-longer-20500.aspx In the 1960s the average age of a first-time house buyer was 23. Now, it is 36. Part of that might be down to increased life expectancy. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:34:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/are-first-time-buyers-older-because-their-mothers-live-longer-20500.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-stan-oneal-got-rich-and-stayed-that-way-57327.aspx The myth of talent allowed Merrill Lynch's chief executive to snatch riches beyond all of our wildest dreams. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:50:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-stan-oneal-got-rich-and-stayed-that-way-57327.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/lawrence-clarke-the-seven-greatest-funds-in-the-world-57225.aspx To distinguish between fund managers who are skillful as opposed to just lucky, you have to look at funds that have made serious returns for 20 years or more. Here's a table that lists them. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:39:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/lawrence-clarke-the-seven-greatest-funds-in-the-world-57225.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/shareholders-should-be-given-more-rights-executive-pay-57224.aspx We need to rebalance the distribution of profits so that the top gets less and the bottom gets more. And that means giving shareholders more clout in the companies they own. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:32:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/shareholders-should-be-given-more-rights-executive-pay-57224.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-the-bonus-culture-caused-the-financial-crisis-and-how-we-can-stop-it-happening-again-20300.aspx The financial crisis was caused by rich people with too much money. Redistributing that money would help get us out of the mire. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:11:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-the-bonus-culture-caused-the-financial-crisis-and-how-we-can-stop-it-happening-again-20300.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-manager-performance-the-proof-20300.aspx An academic paper has quantified just how long you have to wait to tell the performance of a skilled fund manager form that of a lucky one. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:03:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-manager-performance-the-proof-20300.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-would-anyone-think-we-can-honour-our-debt-57118.aspx By the time the UK’s national debt peaks, it will be worth at least £1,500bn. We can’t honour that debt without recourse to serious inflation, and the market knows it. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:55:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/why-would-anyone-think-we-can-honour-our-debt-57118.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/should-the-seller-pay-the-stamp-duty-57117.aspx How do you make it easier for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder and not lose out on tax revenue? Simple - make the seller pay. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:37:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/should-the-seller-pay-the-stamp-duty-57117.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/equity-market-strategists-begin-to-know-what-they-dont-know-57116.aspx You know something is up when the ultra-bulls and the extreme-bears start to agree. How is a contrarian supposed to feel? Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:40:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/equity-market-strategists-begin-to-know-what-they-dont-know-57116.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-performance-fees-gbp50-is-not-a-nominal-amount-of-money-20200.aspx Most new entrants to the fund management business are beginning to understand that they need to compete on price. The established players don't seem to get it. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:29:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-performance-fees-gbp50-is-not-a-nominal-amount-of-money-20200.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/will-the-wealth-tax-never-die-20200.aspx I hate the idea of a wealth tax, but there is one group of UK property owners who pay almost no tax here. A wealth tax aimed just at them could help us all. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:31:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/will-the-wealth-tax-never-die-20200.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/if-you-make-corruption-transparent-india-china-57010.aspx China is perceived as being less corrupt than India. But, given the varying state in attitudes towards change, that is unlikely to last. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:03:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/if-you-make-corruption-transparent-india-china-57010.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-performance-fees-20200.aspx Performance fees are a scam – just another way to transfer money from investors to fund managers. They shouldn't exist. But if they must, here is what they should look like. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:12:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/fund-performance-fees-20200.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/the-endless-cycle-of-currency-debasement-20100.aspx Modern money started out as a perfectly good idea. But ever since it was invented, the temptation to debase it has proved too strong to resist. It's a lesson we seem incapable of learning. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:17:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/the-endless-cycle-of-currency-debasement-20100.aspx http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-the-great-equalisation-really-works-asia-56904.aspx For years the shifts in the global economy have been looked at in terms of rising incomes in the East. The flipside is now apparent – falling incomes in the West. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:37:00 GMT http://www.moneyweek.com/blog/how-the-great-equalisation-really-works-asia-56904.aspx