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<p>● <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393248895/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393248895&linkCode=as2&tag=thecapitalspe-20&linkId=F6Z2455YYCJ7PBEB">The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World</a><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=thecapitalspe-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0393248895" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0"/><br/>By Ruchir Sharma<br/><strong><a href="http://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Rise-and-Fall-of-Nations/">Summary</a> via publisher (W.W. Norton)</strong><br/>In his insightful work, Ruchir Sharma draws on over twenty-five years of global travel and interactions with a diverse range of individuals—from villagers in Rio to influential tycoons and presidents. *The Rise and Fall of Nations* reframes the often gloomy discipline of economics into an accessible practical art. Sharma distills countless influences on a nation's fortunes into ten fundamental rules, guiding readers in identifying real-time shifts in political, economic, and social landscapes. He illustrates how to interpret various indicators, from political news to onion prices, as reflections of economic trends and societal upheavals. Situating his analysis within a post-crisis context characterized by slower growth and rising unrest, Sharma's groundbreaking book serves as an engaging guide to comprehending transformative changes across any era.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/book-bits-4-june-2016/#more-7649" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/book-bits-4-june-2016/" title="7:05 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-04T07:05:18-04:00">June 4, 2016</time></a>
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<p>Last month, the US experienced a significant slowdown in job growth, as reported by the Labor Department <a href="http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm">reports.</a> Private-sector payrolls saw a modest increase of just 25,000 in May, marking the lowest monthly gain in five years. Even accounting for an estimated loss of over 30,000 workers due to the Verizon strike, the overall payroll situation appears bleak based on the latest data. While it’s important to approach economic conclusions cautiously, especially from a single data point, the decline of year-over-year growth in private employment beneath the 2% threshold for the first time in two years raises concerns about the labor market's ongoing recovery.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/labor-dept-us-job-growth-slows-to-a-crawl-in-may/#more-7646" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/labor-dept-us-job-growth-slows-to-a-crawl-in-may/" title="9:45 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-03T09:45:03-04:00">June 3, 2016</time></a>
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<p>In May, the projected risk premium for the Global Market Index (GMI) rose yet again, continuing an upward trend for the third consecutive month. This unmanaged, market-value weighted mix of the <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/major-asset-classes-may-2016-performance-review/">major asset classes</a> is now estimated to yield an annualized risk premium of 3.5% over the long term, showing a moderate increase compared to <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/risk-premia-forecasts-major-asset-classes-3-may-2016/">the previous month’s analysis.</a> For more details on the methodology used for these monthly forecasts, refer to the summary below.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/risk-premia-forecasts-major-asset-classes-3-june-2016/#more-7642" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/risk-premia-forecasts-major-asset-classes-3-june-2016/" title="6:26 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-03T06:26:07-04:00">June 3, 2016</time></a>
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<p>According to the latest <a href="http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/2016/May/NER/NER-May-2016.aspx">ADP Employment Report</a>, private-sector job growth in the US remained modest in May. While the number of workers added over the month rose slightly compared to April, the total increase of 173,000 (revised from 175,000) still represents one of the slowest monthly advances in the past three years. However, two additional employment indicators—the government’s jobless claims data and Challenger Gray’s <a href="https://www.challengergray.com/press/press-releases/may-2016-job-cuts-fall-five-month-low-30157">job cuts report</a>—paint a somewhat brighter picture. Overall, the latest employment statistics suggest a cautiously optimistic outlook, albeit with several important caveats.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/adp-a-mild-rebound-for-us-private-payrolls-in-may/#more-7638" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/adp-a-mild-rebound-for-us-private-payrolls-in-may/" title="4:18 pm" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-02T16:18:42-04:00">June 2, 2016</time></a>
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<p>The Federal Reserve is contemplating another interest rate hike, potentially as soon as this month. However, recent market trends reflect skepticism among Treasury traders regarding future inflation. The yield spread between nominal and inflation-adjusted Treasury securities has been experiencing a decline, suggesting that the likelihood of tightening monetary policy during the central bank’s upcoming meeting on June 14-15 may be lower than the hawkish statements from Fed officials would indicate.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/a-rate-hike-and-falling-inflation-expectations/#more-7631" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/a-rate-hike-and-falling-inflation-expectations/" title="6:59 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-02T06:59:39-04:00">June 2, 2016</time></a>
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<p>In May, the recent recovery in global markets encountered a setback. Besides the gains noted in US REITs, equities, and high-yield bonds, most other major asset classes reported losses last month.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/major-asset-classes-may-2016-performance-review/#more-7626" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/major-asset-classes-may-2016-performance-review/" title="6:21 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-06-01T06:21:40-04:00">June 1, 2016</time></a>
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<p>The Vanguard Emerging Market ETF (VWO) saw a positive turn last week, marking the first weekly gain since early April. The total return of 2.8% for the five trading days ending May 27 represented the strongest performance among <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/major-asset-classes-april-2016-performance-review/">major asset classes</a> during that week, as indicated by a selection of proxy ETFs.<br/><a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/emerging-market-stocks-post-first-weekly-gain-since-early-april/#more-7620" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p>
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By James Picerno | <a href="https://www.capitalspectator.com/emerging-market-stocks-post-first-weekly-gain-since-early-april/" title="6:48 am" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="2016-05-31T06:48:27-04:00">May 31, 2016</time></a>
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