Strategist and market commentator Bill Blain provides his analysis of the financial markets and the potential storms on the horizon. Some of the biggest issues include the supply chain crisis and the dangers of inflation, all of which he says markets can cope with. However, what we can't cope with are central bank and government policy mistakes (e.g. interest rates, taxes, austerity). Europe is going to see much higher prices and fuel poverty. His mantra is that things are never as bad as you think they're going to be, but they're never as good as you hope they're going to be. The U.S. is going to be in trouble due to political impasse and divide in the country, meanwhile China is experiencing a power struggle between its different factions, and Europe and ECB are carrying out a monetary coup. He also discusses why the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency "end-phase" bubble is full on, though the technology itself can be put to good use (e.g. carbon credits).

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Show Notes
Transitory leads to Permanent Mistakes https://morningporridge.com/blog/blains-morning-porridge/transitory-leads-to-permanent-mistakes
Stock Market Dips and The ECB’s Power Play https://morningporridge.com/blog/blains-morning-porridge/stock-market-dips-and-the-ecbs-power-play
Pop Goes The Weasel https://morningporridge.com/blog/blains-morning-porridge/pop-goes-the-weasel

Websites
Morning Porridge https://morningporridge.com
Shard Capital https://www.shardcapital.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/Bill_Blain

About Bill Blain
Bill Blain is a published author on financial markets, contributor and editor of the Morning Porridge. He is a well-known market commentor, and a practicing investment banker in the alternative private debt and equity sector.

His day job combines his role as Strategist for Shard Capital, the leading investment management firm, and heading the firm’s Alternatives Group – financing Private debt and equity deals, and direct lending transactions. His clients include sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, insurance and pension managers, credit funds and family offices.

Bill’s 36-year plus career in global markets is unique: it includes senior level roles as head of financial institutions and debt capital markets at leading investment firms plus spells as a financial market journalist – despite being dyslexic and utterly unable to spell. Firms on his CV include Morgan Stanley, Bear Stearns, HSBC and BGC.

He has been closely involved in the growth and development of the global fixed income markets since 1985, and pioneered complex financial products including corporate bonds, bank capital, medium term notes, asset-backed securities and private debt and equity. Somewhere in his attic there is box full of industry awards for things like the most innovative ABS transaction, capital deal of the year, and top MTN firm…

Outside markets, Bill is a passionate sailor and ocean racer, a talentless painter, plays guitar badly, is still learning to play the bagpipes, and once built a train-set in his attic. He is a Trustee of Wessex Heartbeat, a charity that supports victims and the families of cardiac disease.

*Podcast intro music is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)