Comparing Manufacturing Labor Costs in China and Mexico

One of the critical factors that companies consider when offshoring manufacturing to China or Mexico is the cost of labor. Labor costs used to be very low a few years ago when China was emerging as the factory floor of the world. That is no longer the case as labor costs there have been increasing …

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India’s Sensex Back Above 50,000 Level

India’s benchmark Sensex index has made a strong recovery since the March lows of 2020.But earlier this year the index wobbled as rising covid cases and restrictions made investors jittery. Recently though the Sensex has been rising and has crossed the 50,000 level again. In the past 5 years the index has shot up nearly …

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The Make-Up of the US Equity Market Over the Past 200 Years

The US equity market has changed dramatically over the past 200 years. In the early days of the founding of the equity market, financials particularly the banks were the only listed companies. Then in the early 19th century transportation stocks especially railroads were the dominant sector in the market. This was followed by energy and …

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Price Changes in the US – Jan, 1997 to Dec, 2017

Inflation is rising in the U.S. Last week we learned that inflation shot up to 4.2% in April, the highest since 2008. Inflation can be considered as the stealth tax since it sneaks up on people when most are not looking or paying attention – usually in small increments. Inflation also reduces the purchasing power …

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The Largest Companies By Market Value Change Over Time

The top companies by market value change over time especially in a decade or sometimes even every year. As the saying goes, change is the only constant in equity markets. Accordingly investors have to calibrate their holdings and not become overconfident in holding the leadership positions by today’s market leaders. Just like a revolving door, …

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