Harold Harmon's world was defined by two simple pleasures: surfing and strawberries. Born and raised in a coastal town, Harold had spent his entire life riding the waves and savoring the sweet, juicy goodness of ripe strawberries, which he cultivated in his garden, and which were abundant in-land from his seaside cottage. His friends knew him as the Strawberry Surfer, a nickname he had come to cherish. On most mornings, unless the weather was bad or his elderly mum needed help, which did more regularly these data, Harold would rise with the sun, don his by-now faded wetsuit, head to the beach, and paddle out to meet the ocean's swells. Riding the waves was his meditation, his therapy.
Read MoreAccording to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen economists who predicted that a sustained period of high U.S. unemployment—and perhaps even recession—would be needed to bring down inflation are now “eating their words”. This follows earlier comments by Ms. Yellen last month that a soft landing is “on track.” Claudia Sahm, a US macroeconomist, agrees. In an interview with the FT earlier this month, she says:
The soft landing is not here yet. But it is in the bag.
Markets seem to agree with the assessment by the Treasury Secretary and Ms Sahm; bonds have rallied like a bat of hell in the past month—temporarily pegged back by a semi-hot NFP report on Friday—and equities are in a good mood too. November, I am reliably told by the financial media, was the best month for a standard 60/40 portfolio … ever. And why wouldn’t markets be celebrating? Inflation in the developed world is now falling rapidly, and what was a significant inflation shock in core prices has now been turned on its head, as the charts below show.
Read MoreStep into the enchanting world of Alessio Bianchi's A Mediterranean Serenity, an exquisite painting from the impressionist era, which transports you to the sun-drenched balcony of a charming European city by the sea. This radiant masterpiece captures the essence of a tranquil Mediterranean morning, inviting you to immerse yourself in the magic of this coastal paradise.
Read MoreOnce upon a time, high in the mountains, there lived a friendly green dragon named Dizzy. Dizzy was unlike any other dragon because he had two beautiful, sparkling white horns on top of his head. These horns glistened like freshly fallen snow, making Dizzy the most unique dragon in the mountains that this story is about. Dizzy had a heart full of kindness and curiosity. He spent his days exploring mountains, and the forests below, speaking to the other animals, and making friends with them. The rabbits, birds, and even the wise old owl, Ollie, loved Dizzy's gentle nature.
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