Today, I will answer two questions in the interest of both education and physical preservation. The first is educational.
Question 1:
What is your take on MSCI?
Walter from North America
Answer 1:
I assume you are asking about MSCI Inc. For everyone, here is a brief overview of MSCI Inc.
MSCI Inc. offers equity index products, including MSCI International Equity Indices to measure returns available to international investors in various public equity markets.
MSCI (MXB) is known primarily as a market index of foreign stocks (it did launch a U.S. equities aspect in 2003). It includes stocks from Europe, Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region. The index includes stocks from the following countries, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. The index has been calculated since December 31, 1969, making it the oldest truly international stock index. It is probably the most common benchmark for foreign stock funds.
Generally, my take is that MSCI is benchmark to watch as an indicator of a global recovery, and it is one to consider trading, especially when the global recovery begins in earnest. If you look at the one-year chart, the price is beaten down from September 2008 when it hovered just under $40. Recently, it has tracked the overall rally that began in March. Its price as of today is $24.75, which is 100% higher than the low of $11.88 in December 2008. Will it move from here quickly? My guess is that it will continue to move as the overall market moves for awhile, but remember, it derives its revenue primarily from institutions that invest in global funds or equities. Thus, it will begin to move more steadily upward when the global economy begins to recover, which might be some time from now. In any case, aside from China, most, if not all, global economies will follow the U.S. out of this deep recession, so when the U.S. economy begins its inevitable move back toward growth, the world will follow, and when it does, the price of MSCI will move with it.
Question 2:
What is an anti-gravity chair?
Old Man from Retirement Village
Answer 2:
My oh my … If you don’t know what an anti-gravity chair is Old Man, you need to, and you need to get one. Basically, the anti-gravity chair is the high-tech version of the beach lounger we all knew as kids. It is a lounge chair that folds up for easy carry, just like the plastic/metal ones, but the difference is that it is designed to take the weight off of your hips and feet when sitting. So, unlike those clunkers of old, where your body position is similar to an “L”, sitting in one of these is like sitting in a cup. It is also adjustable, like the archaic models, but the contiguous positioning allows you find just the right spot for your physical comfort at that precise moment. One caution, however; drinking or eating in the fully “cupped” position can be hazardous to your clothing, as well as your public persona …
Trade in the day; invest in your life ...
