35 years after the US personal savings rate peaked at 14.6%, the personal savings rate has recently settled in at 4% in May 2010 (after turning negative in 2005). The Federal Reserve released data that showed credit card balances dropped .5 billion during April 2010, the 19th month in an unprecedented stretch of declining credit … Read more
Dear Mr Stengel, Recently you were reported as saying that “Honest, authentic” relationships based on trust are what consumers now seek.” Addressing the AAAA’s annual Media Conference, you reminded delegates that three years prior you had kicked adland’s ass for its ability to react to technological change. Such a reprimand is now “obsolete”, … Read more
The Conference Board’s index of Consumer Confidence improved to 49.5% from a extensively upwardly revised level of 48.7 in October. Originally, the October level was at 47.5%. Consensus expectations were for the consumer confidence level to actually fall to 47.5%. The index saw a big enhancement from dismal levels during the spring, but since May … Read more
I recently spoke at the World Alternative Investment Summit in Niagara, Canada and for such a prestigious, well organized event, I was somewhat surprised by the lack of attendance and the overall mood of the conference. We all know that times are tough for hedge funds right now, but the numbers don’t speak as loudly … Read more