Some Gears Slip, Others Align

Lower oil prices and the stronger US dollar are hurting some companies but helping others.
With correlations across investment options falling, picking the right spots will matter more.
My assessment is that these changes and disruptions could turn out to be a net benefit.

The ramifications of 2014’s dramatic events in the oil and currency markets are spinning different effects around the globe. Let’s examine some of the basic concerns and uncertainties, as well as the opportunities we see for 2015.

Pulled Apart or Pushed Ahead?

There may be things to worry about, but there’s also good news.
In my view, the global economy is not being pulled apart in 2015.
Low energy prices, interest rates and inflation could push the world ahead.

At the beginning of 2015, the worry machines of the world are working full time. We hear that China is a bubble, Japan cannot be fixed, Europe is a mess again and the United States is showing signs of slowing.

There may be some truth in all this, but there are other truths that we should also consider.

Mixed effects of lower oil

James Swanson, Chief Investment Strategist, wonders about the sustained impact of the dramatic plunge in oil prices on global financial markets and the business cycle.

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